du sprichst Englisch
The English phrase "you speak English" is translated into German as du sprichst Englisch.
This phrase is used as a statement to tell someone that they have the ability to speak the English language.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the pronoun du (you), the conjugated verb sprichst (speak) and the noun Englisch (English).
Which one should you use?
The form du sprichst Englisch is the informal version, while the formal version is Sie sprechen Englisch.
How does it change in a sentence?
To turn the statement into a question, invert the subject and the verb to get Sprichst du Englisch?
Did you know?
- German speakers often use 'Denglisch', a portmanteau of deutsch and englisch, to describe the habit of mixing English words into German sentences.
- In professional settings, Germans may transition from Sie to du through a specific social ritual called das Du-Angebot, where the senior person offers the informal address.
- The German pronoun du is a direct linguistic relative of the archaic English word 'thou'. They both descend from the same Proto-Indo-European root.
Examples in context
- Du sprichst Englisch und Persisch.You speak English and Persian.This sentence is useful for showing how to list multiple languages spoken by a person using du sprichst Englisch.Tatoeba #11114930 by Benze, translation #11114655 by sinakd
- Entschuldigen Sie, sprechen Sie Englisch?Excuse me, do you speak English?
- Kannst du Englisch?Can you speak English?
- Ja, ich kann Englisch.Yes, I can speak English.
Example conversation
Maximilian is asking Julia if she can help him with a text.
- MaximilianDu sprichst Englisch, oder?You speak English, right?
- JuliaJa, das tue ich.Yes, I do.
- MaximilianKannst du mir bitte helfen?Can you please help me?
- JuliaNatürlich, sehr gerne!Of course, gladly!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries du, englisch, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
