To ask "Do you speak English?" in Spanish, say ¿habla inglés? (AH-blah een-GLEHS) to a stranger, using the polite usted form, or ¿hablas inglés? to a friend or someone your age. Start with perdone. Language names take no capital letter in Spanish. If the answer is no, try hablo un poco de español, I speak a little Spanish.
- Do you speak English? (formal)
- ¿habla inglés?
- Do you speak English? (informal)
- ¿hablas inglés?
- I speak a little Spanish
- hablo un poco de español
- English (language)
- inglés, no capital
- Level
- A1
Should you say ¿habla inglés? or ¿hablas inglés?
The difference is one letter. ¿Habla? is the usted form, right for shop staff, older people and anyone you are stopping in the street. ¿Hablas? is the tú form for friends, young people and anyone who has already used tú with you. You can also ask whether anyone in the place speaks it.
| Spanish | English | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Perdone, ¿habla inglés? | Excuse me, do you speak English? | Strangers, shops, offices |
| ¿Hablas inglés? | Do you speak English? | Friends, people your age |
| ¿Habláis inglés? | Do you (all) speak English? | Spain, to a group (vosotros) |
| ¿Aquí hablan inglés? | Do they speak English here? | Hotels, pharmacies, ticket offices |
| ¿Hay alguien que hable inglés? | Is there anyone who speaks English? | When the first person says no |
| ¿Sabes inglés? | Do you know English? | Also natural, informal |
How do you say you speak a little Spanish?
Starting in Spanish, however basic, tends to get a warmer response than opening in English. Even if the conversation then switches, you have shown you are trying.
Hablo un poco de español.
I speak a little Spanish.
Mi español no es muy bueno.
My Spanish isn't very good.
Estoy aprendiendo, ¿vale?
I'm learning, OK?
Spain; friendly.
¿Lo puede decir en inglés?
Could you say it in English?
Prefiero practicar español.
I'd rather practise Spanish.
When someone switches to English to help you.
In Spain you will also hear the language called castellano, especially in regions with a second official language such as Catalonia, the Basque Country and Galicia. Español and castellano name the same language. If you do not catch the reply, use how to say I don't understand in Spanish.
Why is inglés not written with a capital?
Spanish writes languages and nationalities in lower case: inglés, español, francés. The words also change for gender and number when they describe people or things, and the written accent disappears once an ending is added: inglés, inglesa, ingleses.
| Language, man | Woman | English |
|---|---|---|
| inglés | inglesa | English |
| español | española | Spanish |
| francés | francesa | French |
| alemán | alemana | German |
| italiano | italiana | Italian |
| portugués | portuguesa | Portuguese |
What mistakes do learners make with hablar?
Adding an article. Straight after hablar, the language takes none: hablo inglés, not hablo el inglés. The article comes back when the language is the subject: el inglés es difícil. The second slip is forgetting that hablar means talk as well as speak, so habla mucho usually describes a chatterbox, not a linguist.
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Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you say I speak English in Spanish?
Hablo inglés. To say it is your first language: mi lengua materna es el inglés, my mother tongue is English.
How do you say in English in Spanish?
En inglés. ¿Cómo se dice en inglés? asks how you say something in English; ¿cómo se dice «window» en español? asks the reverse.
Is it español or castellano?
Both name the same language. Español is the usual word internationally and in most of Latin America. Castellano is common in Spain, especially where other languages such as Catalan or Basque are also spoken, and in parts of South America.
Do you capitalise inglés in Spanish?
No. Languages and nationalities are lower case in Spanish: inglés, español, británico. Only countries take a capital: Inglaterra, España.
How do you say Do you speak Spanish?
¿Habla español? or ¿hablas español? In Spain you may also hear ¿habla castellano?