hablar con
/ablaɾ kon/from spelling rules
To talk to in Spanish is hablar con.
The phrase hablar con is a way to say 'talk to' in Spanish.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase hablar con literally translates to 'to speak with'.
Which one should you use?
While hablar con indicates the person you are conversing with, hablar de is used to indicate the subject or topic of the conversation.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain regions like Mexico, the informal phrase platicar con is used to mean 'talk to'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using an indirect object pronoun to mean 'to him' or 'to her', the pronoun is often attached to the end of the infinitive, resulting in hablarle.
Did you know?
- Depending on the context, saying hablar con can be a euphemism for having a serious or disciplinary meeting, similar to the English phrase 'we need to talk'.
- The verb hablar shares a common ancestor with the English word 'fable'. Both come from the Latin 'fabulari', meaning to relate or chat.
- The preposition con is not just a grammatical tool, but a relative of the English word 'companion', both sharing roots related to being 'with' or 'together'.
Examples in context
- Quiero hablar con él.I want to talk to him.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire to talk to someone using hablar con.Tatoeba #1231089 by hayastan, translation #1325014 by CK
- ¿Vas a hablar con él?Are you going to talk to him?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is going to talk to someone else using hablar con.Tatoeba #6546537 by baudelaire, translation #3906410 by CH
- ¿Puedo hablar con Tom?May I talk to Tom?This sentence is useful for asking permission to talk to someone using hablar con.Tatoeba #1995863 by Shishir, translation #1886857 by CK
- María, ¿podrías hablar con el director de la empresa sobre nuestro proyecto?Maria, could you talk to the company's director about our project?
- Me gustaría dirigirme al embajador para presentarle mis respetos.I would like to speak to the ambassador to pay my respects.
- Me gusta charlar contigo sobre cualquier tema.I enjoy talking to you about any topic.
- ¿Puedo platicar contigo acerca de nuestro próximo proyecto?Can I talk to you about our upcoming project?
- 338 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a problem with a teacher.
- SofíaNecesito hablar con el profesor hoy.I need to talk to the teacher today.
- MateoPuedes hablar con él después de clase.You can talk to him after class.
- Sofía¿Crees que Mateo puede ayudarme?Do you think Mateo can help me?
- MateoSí, deberías hablar con Mateo primero.Yes, you should talk to Mateo first.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries con, hablar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
