How to Say “I Only Speak German” in German

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Ich spreche nur Deutsch
The English phrase "I only speak german" is translated into German as Ich spreche nur Deutsch.
This phrase is used to set expectations for a conversation and to signal that the speaker cannot understand other languages like English or French.

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase is composed of Ich (I), spreche (speak), nur (only) and Deutsch (German).

How does it change in a sentence?

If you want to specify that your German is limited rather than absolute, you can add ein bisschen (a little) after nur to say Ich spreche nur ein bisschen Deutsch (I only speak a little German).

Did you know?

  • The German word for 'only', nur, has a surprising origin in a phrase meaning 'were it not'. It evolved from Old High German forms that were essentially conditional expressions.

Examples in context

  • Tut mir leid, ich spreche nur Deutsch.
    I am sorry, I only speak German.
  • Entschuldigung, aber ich spreche nur Deutsch.
    Excuse me, but I only speak German.

Sources

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Tony Ian
Tony IanHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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