ich spreche Deutsch
To say "I can speak german" in German, use ich spreche Deutsch.
This phrase is a statement used to say that a person has the ability to communicate in the German language.
Which one should you use?
While ich spreche Deutsch is the most common way to state your ability, the phrase ich kann Deutsch sprechen emphasizes the capability or skill itself.
How does it change in a sentence?
In German, the name of the language Deutsch is a noun and is always capitalized. Unlike the English word "I", the first-person singular pronoun ich is not capitalized unless it is at the beginning of a sentence.
Did you know?
- While ich spreche Deutsch is common, a native speaker might use the phrase ich kann ein bisschen Deutsch to signal they are still learning. This is a social cue that encourages the listener to speak more slowly or use simpler words.
- In some traditional contexts, using the word Deutsch to describe a language was a way to contrast the common tongue of the people with the elite language of Latin.
- The word Deutsch is a distant relative of the Persian word 'tude', which also refers to 'people' or 'nation'.
Examples in context
- Keine Sorge, ich spreche Deutsch.Don't worry, I speak German.
Example conversation
Sarah and Felix meet at an international event.
- SarahHallo! Sprichst du Deutsch?Hello! Do you speak German?
- FelixJa, ich spreche Deutsch.Yes, I speak German.
- SarahDas ist toll, Felix!That is great, Felix!
- FelixUnd du, Sarah?And you, Sarah?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Deutsch, deutsch, ich, CC BY-SA 4.0.
