hablo español
/ablo espaɲol/from spelling rules
To say "I can speak spanish" in Spanish, use hablo español.
This phrase is used to inform someone that you have the ability to communicate in the Spanish language.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word hablo is the first-person singular present indicative of the verb hablar, which means "I speak". Because the verb ending itself indicates that the subject is "I", you do not need to include the subject pronoun yo in the phrase hablo español.
Did you know?
- The word español has an unusual possible connection to the Hebrew word for a specific animal. Some scholars suggest the name may have been influenced by a Punic term referring to the 'coast of hyraxes'.
- In the past, people living in what is now Spain often used the word cristiano to refer to themselves rather than a word for their nationality. The concept of a unified identity as 'español' was not as common during the medieval period.
Examples in context
- Hablo español un poco.I speak a little Spanish.
- No te preocupes, hablo español.Don't worry, I speak Spanish.
- Hablo español en el trabajo.I speak Spanish at work.
Example conversation
Two people are meeting for the first time at a party.
- MaríaHola, soy María. ¿Hablas español?Hi, I'm María. Do you speak Spanish?
- AlejandroHola, María. Sí, hablo español.Hi, María. Yes, I speak Spanish.
- María¡Qué bien! Me alegro mucho.That's great! I'm very glad.
- AlejandroIgualmente, Alejandro es mi nombre.Likewise, my name is Alejandro.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries español, CC BY-SA 4.0.
