英語が分かりますか？
eigo ga wakarimasu ka?
To say "do you understand english?" in Japanese, use 英語が分かりますか？ (eigo ga wakarimasu ka?)
This phrase is used to ask if someone has the ability to comprehend the English language.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 英語 (English), が (subject marker), 分かります (understand, polite form) and か (question marker).
Which one should you use?
While 英語が分かりますか？ asks if someone understands English, 英語が話せますか？ specifically asks if they have the ability to speak it.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The polite form is 英語が分かりますか？ For informal situations, such as speaking with friends or people of lower social status, you can use the dictionary form with a rising intonation: 英語が分かる？ or 英語わかる?
How does it change in a sentence?
To answer "Yes, I understand English" affirmatively, you can say 英語が分かります by removing the question particle か.
How do you pronounce it?
eigo ga wakarimasu ka?
When do people say it?
A standard polite response to this question is はい、分かります for "Yes, I understand" or いいえ、分かりません for "No, I don't understand".
Did you know?
- If you ask 英語が分かりますか？ and the person answers 分かります while looking confused, they may actually be saying 'I understand [what you are asking], but I cannot speak it'.
- When asking if someone speaks English, a Japanese person might respond with 英語は… and trail off, which is a culturally polite way to imply they do not understand without saying 'no'.
- While 'English' is 英語, the concept of the English-speaking world is captured by the single term 英語圏. This term combines the language with a character meaning 'sphere' or 'territory' to describe the global English-speaking community.
Examples in context
- 英語が分かりますか？Eigo ga wakarimasu ka?Do you understand English?
- すみません、英語が分かりますか？Sumimasen, eigo ga wakarimasu ka?Excuse me, do you understand English?
- あの、英語が分かりますか？Ano, eigo ga wakarimasu ka?Um, do you understand English?
Example conversation
Kenta meets Hiyori at a tourist information center.
- 陽葵 Himariこんにちは！英語が分かりますか？konnichiwa! eigo ga wakarimasu ka?Hello! Do you understand English?
- 健太 Kentaはい、少しだけ分かります。hai, sukoshi dake wakarimasu.Yes, I understand a little bit.
- 陽葵 Himariよかった。駅への道を教えてください。yokatta. eki e no michi o oshiete kudasai.Great. Please tell me the way to the station.
- 健太 Kentaもちろんです。こちらですよ。mochiron desu. kochira desu yo.Of course. It is this way.
