How do you say "do you speak English?" in Spanish?

Say ¿Habla inglés? or ¿Habla usted inglés? to anyone you don't know, and ¿Hablas inglés? to a friend or someone your age.

  • ¿Habla usted inglés?Unit 2

    Do you speak English? (polite)

  • ¿Habla inglés?

    Do you speak English?

  • ¿Hablas inglés?Unit 2

    Do you speak English? (to a friend)

How do you say you speak a little Spanish?

Say Hablo un poco de español ("I speak a little Spanish"). It's a good opener: people usually slow down and help.

  • Hablo un poco de español.Unit 2

    I speak a little Spanish.

  • Más despacio, por favor.Unit 2

    Slower, please.

What will people ask you back?

People may ask you ¿Habla español? ("Do you speak Spanish?"), and Sí, un poco ("Yes, a little") is the easy answer. Memo the taxi driver asks you this in CiaoSpeak's Speak tab:

  • The taxi driver asks if you speak Spanish

    Taxi ride · Memo, the taxi driver

    Q¿Habla español?

    Do you speak Spanish?

    Or they might say:
    Do you speak Spanish?

    You can answer

    ASí, un poco.

    Yes, a little.

    Hablo is "I speak"; habla is "you speak" when you use usted. Un poco de español is "a little Spanish". Languages take a small letter: español, inglés.

What mistakes do English speakers make with this question?

The common mistakes are writing Inglés with a capital letter, using tú with strangers, and asking in English first.

  • ¿Habla Inglés? Languages take a small letter in Spanish: inglés, español.
  • ¿Hablas inglés? to a stranger. With someone you don't know, ¿Habla inglés? is more polite.
  • Asking in English. Asking in Spanish, even with an accent, gets a much warmer answer.

How can you practice saying it out loud?

Say it to someone who answers. In CiaoSpeak's Spanish course, set in Mexico City, the lessons teach ¿Habla inglés? and Hablo un poco de español with a recording and a note on when to use it, and in the Speak tab a character in a real scene (a barista, a taxi driver, your language-exchange partner Ana) talks to you and you answer out loud. The app tells you whether a person would understand you, with one gentle fix if not. Lessons are free; in the Speak tab, today's questions (up to five a day) are free too, and CiaoSpeak+ adds practice in any scene whenever you like. More phrases: how to say everyday things in Spanish.

Frequently asked questions

Do you capitalize inglés in Spanish?

No. Names of languages and nationalities take a small letter in Spanish: inglés, español, mexicano.

How do you say I speak a little Spanish?

Say Hablo un poco de español. If someone asks ¿Habla español?, answer Sí, un poco ("Yes, a little").

Is it rude to ask if someone speaks English in Mexico?

Not if you ask politely in Spanish first: Buenas tardes, disculpe, ¿habla inglés? Many people will be glad to help, and many will answer in Spanish slowly.