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Asking If Someone Speaks English
Asking If Someone Speaks English
You need to switch languages and ask if the other person speaks English.
You
Disculpe, ¿habla inglés?
dees-KOOL-peh, AH-blah een-GLEHS?
Excuse me, do you speak English?
Always start with 'Disculpe' (excuse me) — it's polite and gets the person's attention.
Local
Un
poquito,
no
mucho.
¿En
qué
le
puedo
ayudar?
oon poh-KEE-toh, noh MOO-choh. en keh leh PWEH-doh ah-yoo-DAR?
A tiny bit, not much. How can I help you?
'Un poquito' is the diminutive of 'un poco' — it means 'a tiny bit' and is very common in everyday speech.
You
Necesito
ayuda.
Mi
español
no
es
muy
bueno.
neh-seh-SEE-toh ah-YOO-dah. mee ehs-pah-NYOHL noh ehs mooy BWEH-noh.
I need help. My Spanish isn't very good.
Local
No
se
preocupe,
le
ayudo.
Hable
despacio.
noh seh preh-oh-KOO-peh, leh ah-YOO-doh. AH-bleh dehs-PAH-syoh.
Don't worry, I'll help you. Speak slowly.
You
Gracias,
es
usted
muy
amable.
GRAH-syahs, ehs oos-TEHD mooy ah-MAH-bleh.
Thank you, you are very kind.
'Es usted muy amable' is a warm, respectful way to thank someone who's gone out of their way to help.
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