Kan du snakke engelsk?
The English phrase "can you speak english?" is Kan du snakke engelsk? in Norwegian.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Kan du snakke engelsk? uses the informal pronoun du, which is appropriate for most casual interactions with strangers in Norway. In contrast, using De makes the question extremely formal.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb snakke is in its infinitive form because it follows the modal verb kan.
When do people say it?
If someone asks you this, a natural way to respond affirmatively is Ja, det kan jeg (Yes, I can). A polite way to say no is Nei, dessverre, which means "No, unfortunately".
Did you know?
- The pronoun du is a linguistic relative of the archaic English word 'thou'.
- In Norway, asking Kan du snakke engelsk? is often a courtesy rather than a necessity, as English proficiency is among the highest in the world for non-native speakers.
- Norwegians often use English words as 'fillers' in conversation, even when they are speaking Norwegian.
Examples in context
- Hei, kan du snakke engelsk?Hi, can you speak English?
- Hei, snakker du engelsk?Hi, do you speak English?
Example conversation
A tourist is asking a local woman for directions in Oslo.
- JakobUnnskyld, kan du snakke engelsk?Excuse me, can you speak English?
- IngridJa, det kan jeg.Yes, I can.
- JakobTakk, hvor er sentralstasjonen?Thank you, where is the central station?
- IngridDen er rett rundt hjørnet.It is right around the corner.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries du, engelsk, kan, snakke, CC BY-SA 4.0.
