¿hablas
¿hablas is the Spanish way to say "do you speak".
This phrase is a question used to ask if someone has the ability to communicate in a specific language.
What does it mean word for word?
The word hablas is the second-person singular conjugation of the verb hablar (to speak).
How does it change in a sentence?
Use the form ¿Habla instead of ¿hablas when speaking to someone in a formal context or to show respect. Use the form ¿Hablan when asking a group of people if they speak a language.
What mistakes should you avoid?
A common way to respond if you have limited ability is to say Hablo un poco.
Did you know?
- In Spain, people often drop the ¿hablas part entirely and simply ask ¿Inglés? with a rising intonation to see if you speak English.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, asking ¿Habla inglés? might be met with a polite, No, pero lo entiendo, meaning 'No, but I understand it.' This distinction between speaking and understanding is a common social courtesy.
- To say someone is 'speaking' in a way that is too loud or aggressive, Spanish uses the phrase hablar fuerte, which literally means 'to speak strong'.
Examples in context
- ¿Hablas francés o inglés?Do you speak French or English?This example shows how to ask if someone speaks French or English using ¿hablas.Tatoeba #1499420 by marcelostockle, translation #13908238 by mexicanhere
- ¿Hablas francés cada día?Do you speak French every day?This example shows how to ask if someone speaks French every day using ¿hablas.Tatoeba #2822959 by wallebot, translation #2451519 by CK
- ¿Hablas ucraniano o ruso?Do you speak Ukrainian or Russian?This example shows how to ask if someone speaks Ukrainian or Russian using ¿hablas.Tatoeba #10696473 by Shishir, translation #10696201 by tokzyk
- 53 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and María are meeting for the first time at a language exchange.
- Mateo¿Hablas español, María?Do you speak Spanish, María?
- MaríaSí, hablo un poco.Yes, I speak a little.
- Mateo¡Qué bien! Yo también.That's great! Me too.
- MaríaEntonces podemos practicar juntos.Then we can practice together.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
