"Do you speak English?"
Translation:英語ははなせますか？
33 Comments
Shouldn't the particle が be used instead of は here? That's how I was taught in a book I have.
Yes I agree. I have lived in Japan and the particle use should be "ga" not "wa".
Both are right... 英語は話せます Is something like "in what concerns English, (I) speak it" 英語が話せます Is something like "in what concerns (me), (I) speak English" as if haven omitted 私（わたし）は
Probably the one taught you by an academic and not a free app on your phone?
it means "can speak" while SHImasu means "will speak" or just "speaks".
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I don't understand how 話すの works here. Can someone explain? What is this form?
I believe that would be nominalization of hanasu, turning it into a noun. "Hanasu no wa" would mean something like "With regards to (the action of) speaking". By the way, "nominalization" is the nominalization of "nominalize".
Is, "英語は話す？"correct? I understand this isnt the answer Duo was looking for but is it ok in informal concersation? Or would it have to be, "英語は離せる？"
I am not an expert but 話す gives me more of a feeling of "are you speaking English?" rather than "can you speak English?"
I would have used wo instead of ha, i have been taught that wo was the particle that would be use when introducing an action... Am i wrong? If so, please someone correct me and explain the reason, I'm getting troubled at understanding particles >~<)...
を is wrong. を is replaced by が.
は can be correct, but most of the times zou should be using が.
In other cases other particles like に, へ, で can be used to.
What's the difference to 英語をはなせますか? Google translate gives me that option, and that how I was taught earlier.
I would have used wo instead of ha as well, i have been taught that wo was the particle that would be use when introducing an action... Am i wrong?
Same. I was taught "wo" as well for this verb.
Just when I thought I was figuring things out ..... :'(
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I am given a wildly different answer "英語は話せますか?" I think it's technically correct but there must be some difference…
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Your answer is the same as the one given, only they used the kanji instead of hiragana for the はな (hana) part of 話せます.
英語話せますか is totally grammatically acceptable in conversation, but less polite? is it dicey for less experienced learners to allow answers that don't stress total textbook accuracy of particle use?
Whats the difference between はなせます and はなすできます？The latter is how I remember "can speak" being taught.
はなすできます would not be proper Japanese, as far as I know. You could say something like 英語を話すのはできます, though.
To build the potential form, you have to switch to the "e" column and change を to が. Depending on the group of the Verb. Examples Group 1 かきます かけます かける to write かいます かえます かえる to buy Group2 たべます たべられます たべられる to eat Group3 きます こられます こられる to come します できます できる to do
Potentialverbs inflect like Group2 verbs Ex. かえます かえる かえない かえて
わかります is an exception, it already has a potential meaning.
