diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index da939b7..1051086 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ This tool allows you to easily synthesize speech, save it to an MP3 file, or pla
 2. **Cloud Provider API Key:** You need an API key for your chosen TTS provider.
    - **Google Cloud:** Go to Google Cloud Console > APIs & Services > Credentials. Create an API Key and restrict it to the "Cloud Text-to-Speech API".
    - **Other providers:** Support coming soon.
-3. **Audio Player (Linux and Windows):** The `speak` command plays MP3 audio and needs an external player. macOS ships with `afplay` by default, so no install is needed there.
+3. **Audio Player (Linux and Windows):** The `speak` command (alias: `say`) plays MP3 audio and needs an external player. macOS ships with `afplay` by default, so no install is needed there.
    - **Linux:** install one of `mpg123`, `paplay`, or `ffplay`.
      - Ubuntu/Debian: `sudo apt install mpg123`
    - **Windows:** install one of `mpg123` or `ffplay` (ships with [ffmpeg](https://ffmpeg.org/)) and make sure the binary is on your `Path`.
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ Prefer managing profiles via the `ttscli profile` subcommands (see [Command Refe
 
 ### Command Reference
 
-- `ttscli speak`: Synthesize text to speech and play it immediately.
+- `ttscli speak` (alias: `ttscli say`): Synthesize text to speech and play it immediately.
 - `ttscli save`: Synthesize text to speech and save MP3 output.
 - `ttscli voices`: List available voices (optionally filter with `--lang`).
 - `ttscli setup`: Interactive first-run setup (creates a GCP profile).
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ Prefer managing profiles via the `ttscli profile` subcommands (see [Command Refe
 - `ttscli --version`: Print build metadata.
 - `ttscli --help`: Show top-level help.
 
-### `speak` Flags
+### `speak` Flags (also applies to the `say` alias)
 
 | Flag | Type | Default | Notes |
 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
@@ -344,6 +344,9 @@ ttscli speak --text "Hello world, this is a test."
 
 # Using specific profile
 ttscli speak --text "Hello world, this is a test." --profile gcp:work
+
+# "say" is an alias for "speak"
+ttscli say --text "Hello world, this is a test."
 ```
 
 **6. Save audio to a file:**
@@ -368,6 +371,7 @@ ttscli voices --lang en-GB --profile gcp:work
 
 ```bash
 ttscli speak -t "Hello world, this is a test."
+ttscli say -t "Hello world, this is a test."
 ttscli save -t "Save this to a file." -o output.mp3
 ttscli voices -l en-GB
 ```
diff --git a/internal/app/command_completion.go b/internal/app/command_completion.go
index 18d5e48..52b330d 100644
--- a/internal/app/command_completion.go
+++ b/internal/app/command_completion.go
@@ -32,12 +32,12 @@ _ttscli_completion() {
   cur="${COMP_WORDS[COMP_CWORD]}"
 
   if [[ ${cword} -eq 1 ]]; then
-    COMPREPLY=( $(compgen -W "speak save voices setup doctor completion profile --version --help" -- "${cur}") )
+    COMPREPLY=( $(compgen -W "speak say save voices setup doctor completion profile --version --help" -- "${cur}") )
     return
   fi
 
   case "${words[1]}" in
-    speak)
+    speak|say)
       COMPREPLY=( $(compgen -W "--text -t --lang -l --voice -v --profile -p --help" -- "${cur}") )
       ;;
     save)
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ _ttscli() {
   if (( CURRENT == 2 )); then
     _describe 'command' \
       'speak:Synthesize speech' \
+      'say:Synthesize speech (alias for speak)' \
       'save:Synthesize and save MP3' \
       'voices:List available voices' \
       'setup:Run first-time setup' \
@@ -129,7 +130,7 @@ _ttscli() {
   fi
 
   case "$words[2]" in
-    speak)
+    speak|say)
       _arguments -s $speak_flags
       ;;
     save)
@@ -162,6 +163,7 @@ _ttscli "$@"
 func fishCompletionScript() string {
 	return `# fish completion for ttscli
 complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_use_subcommand" -a speak -d "Synthesize speech"
+complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_use_subcommand" -a say -d "Synthesize speech (alias for speak)"
 complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_use_subcommand" -a save -d "Synthesize and save MP3"
 complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_use_subcommand" -a voices -d "List available voices"
 complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_use_subcommand" -a setup -d "Run first-time setup"
@@ -185,10 +187,10 @@ complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_seen_subcommand_from create" -l name -s n -d "P
 complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_seen_subcommand_from create" -l api-key -s k -d "API key"
 complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_seen_subcommand_from create" -l voice -s v -d "Default voice"
 
-complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_seen_subcommand_from speak" -l text -s t -d "Text to convert to speech"
-complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_seen_subcommand_from speak" -l lang -s l -d "Language code"
-complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_seen_subcommand_from speak" -l voice -s v -d "Voice name"
-complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_seen_subcommand_from speak" -l profile -s p -d "Profile to use"
+complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_seen_subcommand_from speak say" -l text -s t -d "Text to convert to speech"
+complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_seen_subcommand_from speak say" -l lang -s l -d "Language code"
+complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_seen_subcommand_from speak say" -l voice -s v -d "Voice name"
+complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_seen_subcommand_from speak say" -l profile -s p -d "Profile to use"
 complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_seen_subcommand_from save" -l text -s t -d "Text to convert to speech"
 complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_seen_subcommand_from save" -l out -s o -d "Path to save MP3 output"
 complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_seen_subcommand_from save" -l lang -s l -d "Language code"
@@ -196,6 +198,6 @@ complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_seen_subcommand_from save" -l voice -s v -d "Vo
 complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_seen_subcommand_from save" -l profile -s p -d "Profile to use"
 complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_seen_subcommand_from voices" -l lang -s l -d "Language code"
 complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_seen_subcommand_from voices" -l profile -s p -d "Profile to use"
-complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_seen_subcommand_from speak save voices" -l help -d "Show help"
+complete -c ttscli -f -n "__fish_seen_subcommand_from speak say save voices" -l help -d "Show help"
 `
 }
diff --git a/internal/app/command_completion_test.go b/internal/app/command_completion_test.go
index 0d09cad..7ba4c61 100644
--- a/internal/app/command_completion_test.go
+++ b/internal/app/command_completion_test.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ func TestRunCompletionBash(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	out := stdout.String()
 	if !strings.Contains(out, "complete -F _ttscli_completion ttscli") ||
-		!strings.Contains(out, "speak save voices setup doctor completion profile") ||
+		!strings.Contains(out, "speak say save voices setup doctor completion profile") ||
 		!strings.Contains(out, "--text -t --lang -l --voice -v --profile -p --help") ||
 		!strings.Contains(out, "list create delete use get") ||
 		!strings.Contains(out, "--provider -P --name -n --api-key -k --voice -v") {
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ func TestRunCompletionZsh(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	out := stdout.String()
 	if !strings.Contains(out, "#compdef ttscli") ||
+		!strings.Contains(out, "say:Synthesize speech (alias for speak)") ||
 		!strings.Contains(out, "completion:Generate shell completions") ||
 		!strings.Contains(out, "profile:Manage TTS provider profiles") ||
 		!strings.Contains(out, "'-t[Text to convert to speech]:text:'") ||
@@ -68,6 +69,7 @@ func TestRunCompletionFish(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	out := stdout.String()
 	if !strings.Contains(out, "complete -c ttscli") ||
+		!strings.Contains(out, "-a say -d \"Synthesize speech (alias for speak)\"") ||
 		!strings.Contains(out, "-a completion") ||
 		!strings.Contains(out, "-a profile") ||
 		!strings.Contains(out, "-l text -s t") ||
diff --git a/internal/app/command_profile.go b/internal/app/command_profile.go
index b3414ab..9c40dbc 100644
--- a/internal/app/command_profile.go
+++ b/internal/app/command_profile.go
@@ -321,6 +321,7 @@ func runProfileGet(cfg cli.Config, stdout io.Writer) error {
 	fmt.Fprintln(stdout)
 	fmt.Fprintln(stdout, "Usage:")
 	fmt.Fprintf(stdout, "  ttscli speak --text \"Hello\" --profile %s\n", profileKey)
+	fmt.Fprintf(stdout, "  ttscli say --text \"Hello\" --profile %s\n", profileKey)
 	fmt.Fprintf(stdout, "  ttscli save --text \"Hello\" --out speech.mp3 --profile %s\n", profileKey)
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/cli/cli.go b/internal/cli/cli.go
index 996736d..5f79f92 100644
--- a/internal/cli/cli.go
+++ b/internal/cli/cli.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ const (
 	helpTitle             = "ttscli - Multi-Provider Text-to-Speech CLI"
 	helpDescription       = "Convert text to speech using cloud TTS providers (Google Cloud, AWS, Azure, and more)."
 	helpUsageSpeak        = `  ttscli speak --text "Hello world"`
+	helpUsageSayAlias     = `  ttscli say --text "Hello world"`
 	helpUsageSave         = `  ttscli save --text "Hello world" --out output.mp3`
 	helpUsageVoices       = "  ttscli voices --lang en-GB"
 	helpExampleSpeak      = `  ttscli speak --text "Hello world, this is a test."`
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ const (
 	helpExampleSpeakAlias = `  ttscli speak -t "Quick test" -l en-GB -v en-GB-Neural2-B`
 	helpExampleSaveAlias  = `  ttscli save -t "Save this" -o speech.mp3`
 	ModeSpeak             = "speak"
+	ModeSayAlias          = "say"
 	ModeSave              = "save"
 	ModeVoices            = "voices"
 	ModeSetup             = "setup"
@@ -75,7 +77,7 @@ func ParseArgs(args []string, stderr io.Writer) (Config, error) {
 		return Config{}, flag.ErrHelp
 	}
 
-	if len(args) > 0 && args[0] == ModeSpeak {
+	if len(args) > 0 && (args[0] == ModeSpeak || args[0] == ModeSayAlias) {
 		return parseSpeakCommand(args[1:], stderr)
 	}
 	if len(args) > 0 && args[0] == ModeSave {
@@ -239,7 +241,7 @@ func printHelp(stderr io.Writer) {
 	fmt.Fprintln(stderr, helpDescription)
 	fmt.Fprintln(stderr)
 	fmt.Fprintln(stderr, "Commands:")
-	fmt.Fprintln(stderr, "  speak       Synthesize text and play audio immediately")
+	fmt.Fprintln(stderr, "  speak       Synthesize text and play audio immediately (alias: say)")
 	fmt.Fprintln(stderr, "  save        Synthesize text and save to MP3 file")
 	fmt.Fprintln(stderr, "  voices      List available voices for a language")
 	fmt.Fprintln(stderr, "  setup       Run interactive first-time setup")
@@ -252,6 +254,7 @@ func printHelp(stderr io.Writer) {
 	fmt.Fprintln(stderr)
 	fmt.Fprintln(stderr, "Examples:")
 	fmt.Fprintln(stderr, helpUsageSpeak)
+	fmt.Fprintln(stderr, helpUsageSayAlias)
 	fmt.Fprintln(stderr, helpUsageSave)
 	fmt.Fprintln(stderr, helpUsageVoices)
 	fmt.Fprintln(stderr)
diff --git a/internal/cli/cli_test.go b/internal/cli/cli_test.go
index b2d180c..75a73d4 100644
--- a/internal/cli/cli_test.go
+++ b/internal/cli/cli_test.go
@@ -120,6 +120,34 @@ func TestParseCLIArgsSpeakShorthandFlags(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestParseCLIArgsSayIsAliasForSpeak(t *testing.T) {
+	var stderr bytes.Buffer
+	cfg, err := ParseArgs([]string{"say", "--text", "hello"}, &stderr)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ParseArgs returned error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if cfg.Mode != ModeSpeak {
+		t.Fatalf("expected mode %q, got %+v", ModeSpeak, cfg)
+	}
+	if cfg.Text != "hello" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected text hello, got %q", cfg.Text)
+	}
+	if !cfg.Play {
+		t.Fatalf("expected Play=true for say, got %+v", cfg)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestParseCLIArgsSayShorthandFlags(t *testing.T) {
+	var stderr bytes.Buffer
+	cfg, err := ParseArgs([]string{"say", "-t", "hello", "-v", "en-US-Chirp3-HD-Achernar", "-l", "en-US"}, &stderr)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ParseArgs returned error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if cfg.Voice != "en-US-Chirp3-HD-Achernar" || cfg.Lang != "en-US" {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected voice/lang values: %+v", cfg)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestParseCLIArgsSaveMissingText(t *testing.T) {
 	var stderr bytes.Buffer
 	_, err := ParseArgs([]string{"save", "--out", "out.mp3"}, &stderr)
diff --git a/internal/tts/client.go b/internal/tts/client.go
index b78f014..37fc3b2 100644
--- a/internal/tts/client.go
+++ b/internal/tts/client.go
@@ -267,5 +267,6 @@ func PrintVoices(w io.Writer, langCode string, voices []Voice) {
 	fmt.Fprintln(w)
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "Usage:")
 	fmt.Fprintf(w, "  ttscli speak --text \"Hello\" --lang %s --voice <VOICE_NAME>\n", langCode)
+	fmt.Fprintf(w, "  ttscli say --text \"Hello\" --lang %s --voice <VOICE_NAME>\n", langCode)
 	fmt.Fprintf(w, "  ttscli save --text \"Hello\" --out speech.mp3 --lang %s --voice <VOICE_NAME>\n", langCode)
 }