How to Say "Can You Speak English?" in Chinese: 你会说英语吗 and Related Questions
Learn to ask 你会说英语吗 (nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma) and related questions about English ability in Mandarin, with polite alternatives and a practical dialogue.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
If you need to ask whether someone speaks English in Chinese, the most direct and widely understood question is 你会说英语吗 (nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma). This lesson teaches that sentence and a few closely related questions you can use with staff, new acquaintances, or anyone you meet. You will learn the core pattern with 会 (huì) for learned ability, how to ask more politely, and how to respond if someone asks you the same question. The focus is on speaking and understanding, not on reading or writing, so you can use these phrases immediately in conversation.
By the end, you can…
- ask 你会说英语吗 to find out if someone speaks English.
- use polite alternatives like 请问，你会说英语吗 and 你会讲英语吗.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
你会说英语吗？
Can you speak English?
nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma?
The most common direct way to ask about English speaking ability. Neutral and usable in most everyday situations, including with people you have just met.
请问，你会说英语吗？
Excuse me, can you speak English?
qǐngwèn, nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma?
Adds 请问 (qǐngwèn) to make the question more polite. Useful when approaching a stranger or staff member.
你会讲英语吗？
Can you speak English?
nǐ huì jiǎng Yīngyǔ ma?
讲 (jiǎng) is very similar to 说 (shuō) here and sounds slightly more formal in some regions. Both are correct and widely understood.
你英语说得怎么样？
How well do you speak English?
nǐ Yīngyǔ shuō de zěnmeyàng?
Asks about the level of English ability, not just yes or no. Use when you already know the person speaks some English.
我会说一点儿英语。
I can speak a little English.
wǒ huì shuō yīdiǎnr Yīngyǔ.
A useful reply if someone asks you the same question. 一点儿 (yīdiǎnr) means 'a little' and softens the claim.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is 你会说 + [language] + 吗？ (nǐ huì shuō + [language] + ma?). 会 (huì) expresses a learned ability, so it is the right choice for speaking a language. For example, 你会说英语吗？ (nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma?) means 'Can you speak English?' You can replace 英语 with other languages: 你会说汉语吗？ (nǐ huì shuō Hànyǔ ma?) 'Can you speak Chinese?' or 你会说日语吗？ (nǐ huì shuō Rìyǔ ma?) 'Can you speak Japanese?' The particle 吗 (ma) turns the statement into a yes-no question. Without 吗, 你会说英语 (nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ) is a statement: 'You can speak English.'
When to use it
Use 你会说英语吗？ when you need a quick yes-or-no answer. It is neutral and works in most everyday situations. If you are approaching a stranger or a staff member, adding 请问 (qǐngwèn) at the beginning is more polite: 请问，你会说英语吗？ (qǐngwèn, nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma?). If you want to sound slightly more formal, you can use 讲 (jiǎng) instead of 说 (shuō): 你会讲英语吗？ (nǐ huì jiǎng Yīngyǔ ma?). Both are correct and widely understood. To ask about someone's level, use 你英语说得怎么样？ (nǐ Yīngyǔ shuō de zěnmeyàng?). This is not a yes-no question; it invites a description like 我说得不错 (wǒ shuō de bùcuò) 'I speak quite well' or 我说得不太好 (wǒ shuō de bù tài hǎo) 'I don't speak very well.' Note that 我说得不太好 means 'I don't speak very well,' not 'I can't speak at all.'
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
请问，你会说英语吗？
Excuse me, can you speak English?qǐngwèn, nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma?我会说一点儿英语。
I can speak a little English.wǒ huì shuō yīdiǎnr Yīngyǔ.太好了。你英语说得怎么样？
Great. How well do you speak English?tài hǎo le. nǐ Yīngyǔ shuō de zěnmeyàng?我说得还可以，能帮你吗？
I speak okay. Can I help you?wǒ shuō de hái kěyǐ, néng bāng nǐ ma?A little context goes a long way
In mainland China, 你会说英语吗？ is direct but not rude. Adding 请问 makes it more polite when you approach someone you do not know. In Taiwan and some southern regions, 你会讲英语吗？ with 讲 is also very common and sounds natural. If someone replies 我会说一点儿, they may mean they have limited English, so speak slowly and clearly. Avoid assuming everyone speaks English; asking first shows respect.
One thing to watch for
Using 你能说英语吗？ (nǐ néng shuō Yīngyǔ ma?) to ask about language ability.
Try this instead: 能 (néng) often refers to physical ability or permission, while 会 (huì) is for learned skills like speaking a language. Say 你会说英语吗？ (nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma?) instead. 你能说英语吗？ can be understood, but it may sound like you are asking whether the person is physically able to speak, or whether they are allowed to. For language ability, 会 is the natural choice.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask a new acquaintance if they can speak English, using the most common pattern?
Show a sample answer
你会说英语吗？
This uses 会 for learned ability and 吗 for a yes-no question. 你会讲英语吗？ is also correct and slightly more formal in some regions.
2Make the question more polite when approaching a staff member.
Show a sample answer
请问，你会说英语吗？
Adding 请问 at the beginning softens the question. You could also say 请问，你会讲英语吗？ which is equally polite.
3Someone asks you 你会说英语吗？ You speak only a little. What can you say?
Show a sample answer
我会说一点儿英语。
This means 'I can speak a little English.' You could also say 我会说一点儿。 without repeating 英语, since the context is clear. Both are natural.
Use 你会说英语吗？ (nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma?) as your default question. Add 请问 for politeness, and use 讲 instead of 说 if you want a slightly more formal tone. Remember that 会 is for learned ability, not 能.
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