no hablo inglés
/ˌno ˌablo inˈɡles/
In Spanish, no hablo inglés means "I don't speak English".
If you wish to convey that you have no knowledge of the language at all, you can say No tengo conocimientos de inglés.
Meaning: I don't speak (fill with the name of the current foreign language) (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of no (not), hablo (I speak) and inglés (English).
How does it change in a sentence?
The subject pronoun yo (I) is optional and often omitted in this phrase.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌno ˌablo inˈɡles/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly include the pronoun yo (I), which is grammatically correct but sounds redundant or overly emphatic in natural conversation.
Did you know?
- If you are in a country like Mexico or Spain and say no hablo inglés while actually speaking some Spanish, locals might jokingly reply ¡Pero si estás hablando español! (But you are speaking Spanish!).
- The word inglés shares its distant ancestry with the English word 'English' through the Old French angleis, which was itself borrowed from the Old English term Englisc.
- Using no hablo inglés can sometimes be seen as a 'defense mechanism' by travelers to avoid being overcharged in tourist areas.
Examples in context
- Yo no hablo inglés tan fluido como Naomi.I don't speak English as fluidly as Naomi does.This sentence is useful for comparing your level of fluency in the phrase no hablo inglés.Tatoeba #699081 by andresevargas, translation #703092 by papabear
- No hablo inglés.I don't speak English.This is a simple way to state the phrase no hablo inglés.Tatoeba #11629659 by Adelpa, translation #2703689 by CN
Example conversation
A tourist approaches María on the street.
- MaríaHola, ¿me puedes ayudar?Hello, can you help me?
- DanielLo siento, no hablo inglés.I'm sorry, I don't speak English.
- MaríaOh, ¿hablas español entonces?Oh, do you speak Spanish then?
- DanielSí, hablo español.Yes, I speak Spanish.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry no hablo inglés, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries inglés, no, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
