Is it “talk to” or “talk with”?

Hi everyone,

I’ve been learning English for a while now, and I keep coming across two different ways to use the verb “talk” when referring to a conversation with someone. Sometimes I hear people say “I need to talk to you,” but other times I hear “I need to talk with you.”

To be honest, I’m a bit confused about which one is more “correct” or natural to use in daily life. Here are a few specific things I’m wondering about:

Direction of communication: Does “talk to” imply a one-way conversation (like a lecture or giving an order), while “talk with” suggests a more balanced, two-way dialogue?

Tone and Formality: Is one of them considered more formal or polite than the other? For instance, if I’m speaking to my boss, should I prefer “with” over “to”?

Regional Usage: I’ve read somewhere that British English speakers prefer “to,” while American English speakers use both. Is this actually true in modern English?

I want to make sure I don’t sound too blunt or accidentally rude when I’m trying to start a conversation. I would really appreciate it if some native speakers could weigh in on how these phrases feel to you and if there are any specific contexts where you would strictly use one over the other.

Thanks in advance for your help!