Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| hablar | /aˈblaɾ/ | |
| fablar | /faˈblaɾ/ | |
| dominar (proficiently) | ||
| chapurrear | /t͡ʃapureˈaɾ/ | |
| chapurrar | /t͡ʃapuˈraɾ/ | alternative form |
| defenderse (mediocrely) |
The verb hablar is the most common and general way to express 'speak' in Spanish. Other ways to express communication include comunicarse for 'to communicate', dialogar for having a dialogue or conversation and charlar for chatting or having a casual conversation. You can also use conversar to indicate the act of having a conversation.
Which one should you use?
While hablar is the general verb for 'to speak', dominar is used to emphasize a high level of proficiency or mastery of a language. If you want to describe someone who speaks a language poorly or only knows a few words, you can use the colloquial term chapurrear (or its alternative spelling chapurrar). For an informal way to say one can 'get by' or 'manage' in a language, use the reflexive verb defenderse.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In regions such as Mexico and Central America, the word platicar is widely used to mean to chat or have a relaxed conversation.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb hablar is a regular -ar verb, which means its conjugation follows the standard patterns for all -ar verbs in Spanish.
How do you pronounce it?
/aˈblaɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often say puede hablar to express the ability to speak, but in Spanish, saber hablar is the more natural way to express the skill of knowing how to speak a language.
Did you know?
- The verb chapurrear used for speaking poorly is related to the act of splashing water or playing in a puddle.
- The verb hablar shares a common ancestor with the English word 'fable'. Both come from the Latin root 'fabulari', which originally meant to chat or converse.
- The phrase defenderse is used to say you 'get by' in a language, which literally translates to 'to defend oneself'. It suggests you are using the language as a tool to protect your interests in a conversation.
Examples in context
- Él iba a hablar.He was about to speak.Tatoeba #750467 by Shishir, translation #304850 by CK
- Tom va a hablar.Tom'll speak.Tatoeba #4524940 by cueyayotl, translation #2123516 by CK
- Él sabe hablar ruso.He can speak Russian.This sentence shows how to use hablar to express the skill of speaking a language.Tatoeba #10082638 by manufrutos, translation #10081825 by Cabo
- ¿Puede usted hablar inglés?Can you speak English?
- Es importante comunicarse claramente en el trabajoIt is important to speak clearly at work
- En la conferencia, los expertos dialogaron sobre temas importantesAt the conference, the experts spoke about important topics
- Vamos a charlar después del trabajoLet's chat after work
- Necesito platicar contigo sobre algo importanteI need to talk to you about something important
- Nos encontramos en el parque y conversamos sobre nuestras vacacionesWe met at the park and spoke about our vacations
- 919 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maria and Javier are meeting for the first time at a party.
- María¿Puedes hablar inglés?Can you speak English?
- JavierUn poco, pero quiero hablar español.A little, but I want to speak Spanish.
- MaríaYo puedo ayudarte a hablar mejor.I can help you speak better.
- Javier¡Muchas gracias, María!Thank you very much, Maria!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “speak” translations and entries hablar, fablar, chapurrear, chapurrar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dominar, hablar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
