Spanish · Everyday Verbs

"to speak" in Spanish: hablar

hablar

Say it: ah-BLAHR / AH-blohverb/a.ˈβlaɾ/

To speak in Spanish is hablar. Key forms are hablo, hablas, and habla. Hablar is a regular -ar verb and a core classroom word.

Meeting someone new

Hablo un poco de español.
I speak a little Spanish.
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How to pronounce hablar

Say it

ah-BLAHR / AH-bloh

/a.ˈβlaɾ/

Hablar is ah-BLAHR. Hablo is AH-bloh. The h is silent.

"to speak" in Spanish: quick reference

SpanishEnglish
hablarto speak / to talk

Dictionary form.

habloI speak

First-person present.

hablas / hablayou speak / he-she speaks

¿Hablas inglés? is classic.

hablamos / hablanwe speak / they speak

Ustedes hablan for a group.

hablar conto speak with

Hablo con mi hermana.

How to use hablar in real life

  1. 1Meeting someone new

    Hablo un poco de español.

    I speak a little Spanish.

    Hablo is the safe beginner line.

  2. 2Asking for help

    ¿Hablas inglés, por favor?

    Do you speak English, please?

    Hablas is the informal question.

  3. 3In class

    Queremos hablar más despacio hoy.

    We want to speak more slowly today.

    Hablar stays infinitive after queremos.

Mistakes English speakers make with hablar

Incorrect: Yo hablar español.

Correct: Yo hablo español.

Conjugate hablar: yo hablo.

Incorrect: Hablo a mi mamá cada día.

Correct: Hablo con mi mamá cada día.

Talking with someone uses con.

Good to know

Silent h surprises beginners: hablar starts with a vowel sound. In Latin America, ustedes hablan covers plural you without vosotros.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Finding a language partner in class

  1. ChatPal

    ¿Hablas español en casa también?

    Do you speak Spanish at home too?

  2. You

    No. Solo hablo inglés en casa.

    No. I only speak English at home.

  3. ChatPal

    Perfecto. Yo hablo despacio contigo.

    Perfect. I'll speak slowly with you.

  4. You

    Gracias. Quiero hablar cada día un poco.

    Thanks. I want to speak a little every day.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

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"to speak" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "to speak" in Spanish

How do I conjugate hablar in the present?

Hablo, hablas, habla, hablamos, hablan.

Is the h in hablar silent?

Yes. Start with the a sound: ah-BLAHR.

How do I say Do you speak English?

¿Hablas inglés? or formal ¿Habla inglés?

Hablar or decir?

Hablar is speak/talk. Decir is say/tell.

Learn a word, then use it out loud

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  3. Step 3: Get feedback
  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

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