说英语
shuō yīngyǔ
Speak english · trad. 說英語
说英语 (shuō Yīngyǔ) is the standard way to say "speak English" in Mandarin Chinese. It's used to ask if someone can speak English or to state one's own ability to do so.
What does 说英语 (shuō yīngyǔ) mean?
说英语 (shuō yīngyǔ) means “speak English” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “speak English language.”
When to use it
Neutral. To ask politely, you can say 您会说英语吗？ (nín huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma?). For a direct question, use 你会说英语吗？ (nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma?). To reply, use 会 (huì, "yes, I can") or 不会 (bù huì, "no, I can't").
How to pronounce it
Sounds roughly like "shwor EENG-yoo." 说 is a high, flat tone. 英 is a high, flat tone, and 语 is a dipping (third) tone.
Other ways to say it
- 说英文shuō yīngwénspeak English (using another common term for English)
- 讲英语jiǎng yīngyǔspeak English (using an alternative verb for 'speak')
- 会说英语huì shuō yīngyǔcan speak English (emphasizing ability)
Examples
你会说英语吗？
nǐ huì shuō yīngyǔ ma?
Do you speak English?
我只会说一点点英语。
wǒ zhǐ huì shuō yī diǎndiǎn yīngyǔ.
I can only speak a little English.
他英语说得很好。
tā yīngyǔ shuō de hěn hǎo.
He speaks English very well.
Pro tip: When asking or stating if someone 'can' speak English, it's very common to include 会 (huì, 'can/be able to'), as in 你会说英语吗？ or 我会说英语。
Related phrases
你是谁 · Who are you词语 · Words字写得漂亮 · Writing beautiful
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