Lo siento, no hablo inglés
The Spanish phrase for "sorry, I don't speak english" is Lo siento, no hablo inglés.
This phrase is used to politely inform someone that you lack English proficiency, often used when you are being addressed in English.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase no hablo, the word hablo is the first-person singular present tense of hablar (to speak), so no hablo means "I do not speak".
Did you know?
- While Lo siento is the literal translation for 'I am sorry', using it in this context can sound like you are grieving a loss. To be more casual or simply apologize for the inconvenience, many Spanish speakers use Perdón instead.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, if you say Lo siento to apologize for a mistake, you are literally saying 'I feel it'.
- In some regions, speakers might say no sé inglés instead of no hablo inglés. While hablo means 'I speak', sé comes from the verb 'to know', implying a lack of knowledge of the language's rules.
Examples in context
- Perdón, lo siento, no hablo inglés.Excuse me, sorry, I don't speak English.
- Lo siento, no hablo inglés, solo español.Sorry, I don't speak English, only Spanish.
