sprichst du
The English phrase "do you speak" can be translated into German as sprichst du.
This phrase is a question used to ask if someone has the ability to communicate in a specific language. While English speakers might occasionally ask if someone "knows" a language, in German you ask directly if they speak it, such as by saying Sprichst du Deutsch? (Do you speak German?).
How does it change in a sentence?
When moving from an informal to a formal context, you should replace the informal sprichst du with the formal sprechen Sie.
Did you know?
- The word du is a direct ancestor of the archaic English word 'thou'. Both evolved from the same Proto-Germanic root used for the second person singular.
- Using sprichst du with a stranger or a superior can be perceived as an intentional insult or an assertion of dominance in some traditional German circles.
- If you ask Sprichst du Deutsch? in Switzerland, you might be answered in 'Swiss German', which is often unintelligible to speakers from northern Germany.
Examples in context
- Sprichst du Toki Pona?Do you speak Toki Pona?This sentence is useful for asking if someone speaks a specific language.Tatoeba #1902817 by BraveSentry, translation #1532041 by LittleBoy
- Sprichst du mit Akzent?Do you speak with an accent?This sentence is useful for asking if someone speaks with an accent.Tatoeba #10189887 by Yorwba, translation #10251004 by bekindtoall
- Sprichst du auch Latein?Do you speak Latin also?Tatoeba #8642974 by Melang, translation #8641331 by CarpeLanam
- Sprechen Sie Deutsch?Do you speak German?
- Sprechen Sie Englisch?Do you speak English?
- Sprechen Sie Französisch?Do you speak French?
- Sprechen Sie Spanisch?Do you speak Spanish?
- 152 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a language school in Berlin.
- HannahSprichst du Spanisch?Do you speak Spanish?
- FelixNein, leider nicht.No, unfortunately not.
- HannahSprichst du Französisch?Do you speak French?
- FelixJa, ein bisschen.Yes, a little bit.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries du, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
