Ask "Do You Speak English" in a Different Language
Have you ever been to a country where you couldn't speak the native language? Prevent this sense of helplessness from occurring again by reading on...
Steps
- Be polite when approaching strangers. Learn how to say hello in different languages. If you learn how to at least say hello, then strangers will recognize that you are polite and will likely be more helpful than if you simply asked them "Do you speak English?"
- Look for the appropriate language in the list below. Use the appropriate pronunciation indicated.
- Afrikaans - Praat jy Engels? (PrAHT Yay ENG-ihls?) (jy is informal, but no one will take it as an offense)
- Arabic - "هل تتكلم انجليزي؟" - "Hal Tatakallam Inglizi?" - (do you speak English?)
- Assamese - Aapuni eeng-rajit kotha patibo paare neki?
- Bulgarian - Говорите ли английски? - Govorite li angliiski?
- Bengali - (aapni eeng-reji bol-tey pa ren?)
- Cantonese - nei sik m sik gong ying man a? (你識唔識講英文呀？)
- Catalan - Parla anglès? (pronounced par-lah ahn-gles?)
- Croatian - Možete li govoriti engleski? (pronounced Mowe-ZHAY-tay lee gowe-vor-ee-TEE Ehn-GLEH-skee)
- Czech Mluvíte anglicky?
- Dutch - Spreekt u Engels?
- English - Excuse me, do you speak English? (formal)
- Danish - Taler du engelsk?
- Farsi - in-gili-si-harf mizani?----اينگيلسی حرف ميزنی؟
- Finnish - Puhutko englantia?
- French - Parlez-vous anglais? - (pronounced par-lay voo on-glay; formal) Tu parles anglais ? - (pronounced tew parlll on-glay; informal)
- German - Sprechen Sie Englisch? (pronounced Shpre[ch]en Zee English?, formal), Sprichst du English? (informal and should never be used when talking to strangers, use the formal form when in doubt)
- Hebrew - Male: Ata medaber anglit?, Female: at medaberet anglit? (Male: אתה מדבר אנגלית? Female:את מדברת אנגלית?)
- Hindi - Kya aap angrezi bolte hai'n?
- Hungarian - Beszélsz angolul?
- Icelandic - Talarðu ensku? (pronounced Tal-ar thoo en-skoo?)
- Indonesian - Anda bisa Bahasa Inggris?
- Italian - Parla Inglese? - (pronounced par-lah een-gles-ay).
- Japanese - 英語を話せますか? - (pronounced ey-go o ha-na-sey-mahs ka).
- Konkani:तुका/तुमका English/Inglese उलोवंक येता ?(tukaa/tumkaa English/Inglez ulovank yetaa?)
- Korean - 영어 할 수 있습니까? - (pronounced: young-uh hal-su it-sum-ni-ka?)
- Macedonian - Зборувате ли англиски? (Zboruvate li angliski?)
- Malay - Bolehkah kamu bercakap Inggeris? - (pronounced: bo-layh-kah ka-moo ber-tsa-kap ing-ger-ris)
- Mandarin Chinese - 您讲英语吗? - (pronounced: neen jee-ang een yu ma; formal)
- Marathi - Tumhala engraji bolata yeta ka?
- Nepalbhasha छि अंग्रेजी भासं खँ ल्हाये सः ला? - (pronounced: Chii angreji bhasan kha lhaye sa laa)
- Norwegian - Snakker du Engelsk?
- Papiamento - Bo ta papia Ingles? - (pronounced: 'Bow tah pah-pee-yah in-glehs?)
- Portuguese Você fala inglês? (pronounced roughly like VOH-seh FA-la ing-GLAYS with the A's being pronounced like in Father). Also simply Fala inglês or informally Falas ingês (rarely used).
- Polish - Czy mówisz po angielsku? (pronounced: Chee moovish poh an-gyehl-skoo?)
- Russian Вы говорите по-английски? Vy go-vo-reet-ye po-ang-liy-skee?
- Romanian - vorbesti engleza? (pronounced: vorbe-sh-ti een-ghleza)
- Sinhalese - Oya ingreesi katha karanawada?
- Slovak - "Hovoríte po anglicky?"
- Spanish - "(Tu) hablas ingles?" (informal) or "Habla ingles?" (formal)
- Swedish - Talar du engelska? (pronounced: Talah do (strong o) en-yel-skar)
- Tagalog - "Marunong po ba kayóng mag-Ingles?" (pronounced: muh-RU-nong po bah kah-YONG mag-ing-GLES)
- Tarifit - Tssawared Tagranzit ? (pronounced: te-ssa-way-red tag-ren-zit )
- Telugu - Meeru english maatlaadagalara?
- Tamil - "Neenga English pesuvingala?
- Thai - Khun poot Angkrit Dai mai krab? (male spoken) ' "khun poot angkrit Dai mai kaa? (spoken Female)
- Turkish - "Ingilizce konuşuyor musunuz?" (pronounced: "eeng-ee-leez-jay koh-noo-shoo-yor moo-soo-nooz"; formal) or "Ingilizce konuşuyor musun?" (pronounced "eeng-ee-leez-jay koh-noo-shoo-yor moo-soon"; informal)
- Ukrainian - "Ви говорите по-англійськи?" (Vi ho-VO-rite po anh-LIY-ski?)
- Urdu - کیاآپ انگریزی بول سکتے ہیں؟ "Kyaa Aap Angreazi bol sakte hen?" (the "hen" is pronounced "haayn" with a semi-silent 'n.')
Related Articles
- Say "I Don't Speak This Language"
- Say Hello in Different Languages
- Teach Yourself a New Language
- Speak in a Different Language
