Poltergeist or Ghost? Well a poltergeist is a ghost with the ability to have a physical effect in our world. Generally a poltergeist plays pranks on people in an attempt to get attention. A ghost generally is something that you see or feel - so if things are being moved about then you have yourself a poltergeist. You can talk to it - just by speaking outloud or thinking what you wish to communicate with it. You can ask him/her to leave and find some place else to haunt - but doing so could escalate the actions of the poltergeist. You could just ask it - what do you want - how can I help? Poltergeists are generally far more difficult to get rid of than a ghost - in part because they enjoy the pranks they pull.