To ask "Do you speak English?" in Japanese, say 英語を話せますか (eigo o hanasemasu ka), literally "can you speak English?". A softer, very common version is 英語は大丈夫ですか (eigo wa daijōbu desu ka), "is English OK?". Begin with すみません (sumimasen) to catch the person's attention. In a shop or hotel, ask whether anyone there speaks English.
- Standard
- 英語を話せますか (eigo o hanasemasu ka)
- Softer
- 英語は大丈夫ですか (eigo wa daijōbu desu ka)
- Anyone here?
- 英語を話せる方はいますか
- English
- 英語 (eigo)
- Level
- A1
Which way of asking sounds most natural?
All of these are polite. The first is the clearest; the second puts less pressure on the other person, which matters because many people feel shy about speaking English even when they understand it.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 英語を話せますか。 | Eigo o hanasemasu ka. | Can you speak English? | Anyone: clear and polite |
| 英語が話せますか。 | Eigo ga hanasemasu ka. | Can you speak English? | The same; が is the textbook particle here |
| 英語は大丈夫ですか。 | Eigo wa daijōbu desu ka. | Is English OK? | A gentle opener |
| 英語、できますか。 | Eigo, dekimasu ka. | Can you do English? | Quick, everyday |
| 英語を話せる方はいますか。 | Eigo o hanaseru kata wa imasu ka. | Is there anyone who speaks English? | Shops, hotels, clinics |
| 英語のメニューはありますか。 | Eigo no menyū wa arimasu ka. | Is there an English menu? | Restaurants |
Why does Japanese ask "can you" rather than "do you"?
英語を話しますか (hanashimasu ka) is grammatical, but it asks whether someone habitually speaks English, which sounds slightly odd. Japanese asks about ability with the potential form: 話す (hanasu, speak) becomes 話せる (hanaseru, can speak), politely 話せます.
でも 話さない。 話せない。Demo hanasanai. Hanasenai.
日本語は少し話せます。
Nihongo wa sukoshi hanasemasu.
I can speak a little Japanese.
日本語はあまり話せません。
Nihongo wa amari hanasemasen.
I can't speak much Japanese.
日本語を勉強しています。
Nihongo o benkyō shite imasu.
I'm learning Japanese.
What answers might you hear?
A clear yes or no is less likely than a hedge. ちょっと… with a smile or a tilt of the head usually means "not really".
はい、大丈夫ですよ。
Hai, daijōbu desu yo.
Yes, that's fine.
少しだけ。
Sukoshi dake.
Just a little.
すみません、英語はちょっと…。
Sumimasen, eigo wa chotto…
Sorry, English is a bit…
A polite no.
英語が話せる者を呼んできます。
Eigo ga hanaseru mono o yonde kimasu.
I'll fetch someone who speaks English.
Staff speaking humbly about a colleague.
When the answer is no, slow down, point and write things down. How to say "I don't understand" in Japanese has the phrases for that, and excuse me in Japanese covers how to start.
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Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you pronounce eigo?
"Ay-go". The ei is a long e sound, and the g is hard, as in "go".
How do you say "I speak English" in Japanese?
英語が話せます (eigo ga hanasemasu), "I can speak English". If it is your first language, 英語が母語です (eigo ga bogo desu), "English is my native language".
How do you reply when someone says your Japanese is good?
日本語上手ですね (nihongo jōzu desu ne) is a common kind remark to learners. The modest reply is いえいえ、まだまだです (ie ie, mada mada desu), "no, no, I've a long way to go".
Should I just ask in English?
It is not rude, but opening with すみません and a Japanese question is friendlier, and many people relax once they see you are trying. Short, simple English words work better than full sentences.