Я говорю только по-английски
Ya govoryu tol'ko po-angliyski
The Russian phrase for "I only speak english" is Я говорю только по-английски (Ya govoryu tol'ko po-angliyski).
This phrase is used to inform others that the speaker does not know any languages other than English.
What does it mean word for word?
The adverbial form по-английски is constructed using the prefix по- and the adjective английский, literally meaning "in the manner of English".
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase Я говорю только по-английски, the word только (only) is placed before the language to specify that the limitation applies to the language being spoken.
How do you pronounce it?
Ya govoryu tol'ko po-angliyski
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the noun английский instead of the adverb по-английски when saying they speak the language.
Did you know?
- The word я for 'I' shares the same ancient Proto-Indo-European root as the Latin word ego.
- A common gesture when saying Я говорю только по-английски is a slight shrug or a palm-up hand motion to signal helplessness or a lack of ability.
- While Я говорю только по-английски is grammatically correct, Russians often omit Я and simply say Говорю только по-английски because the verb ending already indicates the speaker.
Examples in context
- Я говорю только по-английски и по-немецки.I only speak English and German.This sentence is useful for showing how to add another language to the phrase using Я говорю только по-английски.Tatoeba #11857605 by Wezel, translation #10650508 by babelpoint
- Простите, я говорю только по-английски.Prostite, ya govoryu tol'ko po-angliyski.Sorry, I only speak English.
Example conversation
A tourist asks a local man for directions in Russian.
- Дмитрий DmitryВы знаете, где здесь метро?Vy znayete, gde zdes' metro?Do you know where the metro is here?
- Екатерина EkaterinaИзвините, я говорю только по-английски.Izvinite, ya govoryu tol'ko po-angliyski.Sorry, I only speak English.
- Дмитрий DmitryО, простите, я не знал.O, prostite, ya ne znal.Oh, sorry, I didn't know.
- Екатерина EkaterinaНичего страшного.Nichego strashnogo.It's no problem.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries по-английски, только, я, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
