A monologue is a long stretch of speech by one person. On a stage, one actor may stand alone and speak; that speech is a monologue.

A monologuea monologue（獨白） is a long stretch of speech by one person是一個人講很長一段話。On a stage在舞台上, one actor may stand alone and speak一位演員可能獨自站著開口說話; that speech is a monologue那段話就是monologue。

In ordinary life we use it with a small smile, or a small complaint, when someone talks and talks at the table and no one else can get a word in.

In ordinary life we use it with a small smile, or a small complaint在日常生活裡，我們會帶著一點笑意，或帶著一點小抱怨用這個字, when someone talks and talks at the table and no one else can get a word in就是當有人在餐桌上一直講一直講，其他人都插不上話的時候。

It can be a verb too: he monologued for twenty minutes. That verb feels a little informal, and a little unkind.

It can be a verb too它也可以當動詞: he monologued for twenty minuteshe monologued for twenty minutes（他自顧自講了二十分鐘）。That verb feels a little informal, and a little unkind這個動詞用法聽起來有點不正式，也帶一點不厚道。

A monologue is not a conversation, which needs more than one voice. It is also not quite the same as a speech to a crowd, though a speech can feel like one if nobody is allowed to answer.

A monologue is not a conversationmonologue不是conversation（對話）, which needs more than one voice對話需要不只一個聲音。It is also not quite the same as a speech to a crowd它也跟對著群眾發表的speech（演講）不完全一樣, though a speech can feel like one if nobody is allowed to answer不過如果沒有人被允許回應，一場演講也可能感覺很像monologue。

Though actually, even a stage monologue is written for listeners: the character may be alone, but we are in the room.

Though actually不過其實, even a stage monologue is written for listeners就連舞台上的monologue也是寫給聽眾聽的: the character may be alone, but we are in the room角色可能是獨自一人，但我們就在那個房間裡。