To ask do you speak English in Italian, say Parla inglese? (PAR-lah een-GLEH-seh) to a stranger, a shop assistant or an official: it is the polite Lei form. To a friend, a child or someone your age in a relaxed setting, say Parli inglese? Open with Scusi, excuse me, and it sounds natural: Scusi, parla inglese?
- Polite (Lei)
- Scusi, parla inglese?
- Informal (tu)
- Parli inglese?
- Does anyone speak English?
- Qualcuno parla inglese?
- I speak a little Italian
- Parlo un po' di italiano
- Level
- A1
Parla or parli: which should you use?
When you ask a stranger for help, Lei is the safe default, and the Lei form of a verb is the same as the he or she form. So parla means both "she speaks" and "you speak" (formal).
| Italian | English | Use it with |
|---|---|---|
| Scusi, parla inglese? | Excuse me, do you speak English? | Strangers, staff, older people |
| Parli inglese? | Do you speak English? | Friends, people your age, children |
| Parlate inglese? | Do you (all) speak English? | A group, or the staff of a shop or hotel |
| Qualcuno parla inglese? | Does anyone speak English? | A room, an office, a train carriage |
| Qui si parla inglese? | Is English spoken here? | Shops, offices, reception desks |
| Parla francese? | Do you speak French? | Swap in any language |
How do you say you only speak a little Italian?
Even a sentence of Italian before you switch languages tends to get a warmer response. Languages and nationalities take a small letter in Italian: inglese, italiano, americano.
Parlo solo un po' di italiano.
I only speak a little Italian.
Non parlo italiano, mi dispiace.
I don't speak Italian, sorry.
Sto imparando l'italiano.
I'm learning Italian.
Mi scusi, il mio italiano non è molto buono.
Sorry, my Italian isn't very good.
Lei
Sono inglese. / Sono americana.
I'm English. / I'm American.
americano for a man
Che lingue parli?
What languages do you speak?
tu
When the conversation runs ahead of you, the phrases on how to say "I don't understand" in Italian will slow it down.
What might Italians answer?
How much English you meet varies a lot, between generations, cities and towns. Expect any of these:
Sì, un po'.
Yes, a little.
Sì, certo.
Yes, of course.
No, mi dispiace.
No, sorry.
Pochissimo.
Very little.
Un attimo, chiamo un collega.
One moment, I'll call a colleague.
Start reading Italian at A1 and tap any word for its English meaning.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you pronounce inglese?
Roughly "een-GLEH-seh", with the stress on the middle syllable. Many northern Italians voice the s, so it sounds closer to "een-GLEH-zeh"; both are normal.
Is it rude to just speak English in Italy?
Not rude, but a buongiorno and the question in Italian go a long way. Starting in English assumes the other person speaks it; asking first lets them choose.
Why is inglese not capitalised?
Italian writes languages and nationalities with a small letter: parlo inglese, sono italiana. Only the country takes a capital: l'Inghilterra, l'Italia.
How do you say do you speak Italian?
Parla italiano? to someone you call Lei, parli italiano? to a friend. To say you do: sì, parlo italiano, or parlo un po' di italiano if you are still learning.