はなす
hanasuverb
In hiragana, "speak" is はなす (hanasu). It also means to talk or to tell, and it works in both polite and plain speech. It is also called しゃべる (shaberu).
Meaning: to speak (verb)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| はなす | hanasu | verb |
| しゃべる | shaberu | verb, casual |
To say you speak a language, use を (o): にほんごをはなします (nihongo o hanashimasu). Ask はなせますか (hanasemasu ka) to ask whether someone can speak it.
Which one should you use?
しゃべる (shaberu) is casual and suggests chatting freely, often a lot. はなす is the safe choice in nearly every situation.
Did you know?
- A different word, はなす (hanasu) written 放す, means to let go, so the sound alone does not tell you the meaning.
Examples in context
- えいごをはなせますか。Eigo o hanasemasu ka.Can you speak English?
- すこしだけにほんごをはなします。Sukoshi dake nihongo o hanashimasu.I speak only a little Japanese.
- ともだちとながくはなしました。Tomodachi to nagaku hanashimashita.I talked with my friend for a long time.
Example conversation
Chloe, a visitor, asks the hotel clerk Mr. Okada if he speaks English.
- Chloeすみません、えいごをはなせますか。Sumimasen, eigo o hanasemasu ka.Excuse me, can you speak English?
- Mr. Okadaすこしだけはなせます。Sukoshi dake hanasemasu.I can speak a little.
- Chloeゆっくりはなしてください。Yukkuri hanashite kudasai.Please speak slowly.
