When you’re trying to communicate with Spanish speakers, someone may tell you no hablo inglés (I don’t speak English) in Spanish. Even with limited Spanish, you can get by with some tips and tricks. Learn what to say when you need to communicate using very basic Spanish skills.
Tecnología (technology) like online translators and Rosetta Stone’s helpful app can assist you with navigating common travel scenarios when you’re on the go. With some basic phrases, however, you won’t need to rely on them for everything. Master these expressions for face-to-face communication when they don’t speak English.
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How to respond to ‘I don’t speak English’ in Spanish
Phrases like no hablo inglés won’t necessarily shut down the conversation, but you’ll need to have some basic phrases mastered to keep it flowing. You may hear:
- Hablo solamente español. = I speak only Spanish.
- Hablo solo un poco de inglés. = I speak only a little English.
- Lo siento, no hablo inglés. = I’m sorry, I don’t speak English.
- No comprendo/entiendo inglés. = I don’t understand English.
- No tengo un buen nivel de inglés. = I don’t have a good level of English.
If, at this point, you say “I don’t speak Spanish” in English, you may have lost an opportunity. To try to keep the conversation going, you can respond with a phrase that lets the person know you’re willing to try to communicate in Spanish.
Try responding with one of these phrases:
- Hablo un poco de español. = I speak a little bit of Spanish.
- Estoy aprendiendo el español. = I am learning Spanish.
- Puedo intentar en español. = I can try in Spanish.
- Me gustaría practicar el español. = I would like to practice Spanish.
- Podemos hablar español básico. = We can speak basic Spanish.
- No hablo bien, pero entiendo un poco de español. = I don’t speak well, but I understand a little Spanish.
- Yo entiendo mejor que yo hablo español. = I understand better than I speak Spanish.
Tips for communicating when your Spanish is limited
Even if your Spanish is still at a very novice level, you can always use a few key words and gestures, like pointing at or indicating objects, to help you communicate basic wants and needs.
Knowing phrases like “what do you mean?” in Spanish can help bring clarity. The good news is, you don’t need to have completely mastered Spanish demonstrative adjectives or pronouns like “this/these/those” in order to communicate.
However, a Spanish speaker may use any of these as they try to conduct a basic conversation with you, so it’s a good idea to be able to recognize and use a few of these common words from this chart.
| Spanish | English |
| aquello/aquella/aquellos/aquellas | that one/those ones over there |
| ¿Cómo se llama esto?/¿Cómo se dice esto? | What is this called? |
| eso/esa/esos/esas | That/those |
| este/esta/estos/estas | This/these |
| más/un poco más | more/a little more |
| menos/un poco menos | less/a little less |
| Necesito… | I need… |
| No, el otro/No, la otra. | No, the other one. |
| Por favor | Please |
| ¿Qué es?/¿Qué es esto? | What is it?/What is this? |
| ¿Qué quiere decir? | What does it mean?/What do you mean? |
| Quiero…/No quiero… | I want…/I don’t want… |
| Sí, correcto. | Yes, correct. |
Clarifying phrases in Spanish to help with comprehension
Learners are often tempted to give up when they’re overwhelmed or don’t know how to speak Spanish with confidence. If you don’t fully understand what someone has said, try not to simply smile, nod, and leave the store without what you were looking for. Instead, try to keep the conversation going by using clarifying phrases that let the speaker know you need a little more help understanding.
Many people are happy to adjust their speech so that you can understand them better. In fact, talking with helpful and sympathetic conversation partners is one of the most effective ways to improve your Spanish.
Use some basic Spanish verbs like enseñar (to show), repetir (to repeat), and comprender (to understand) in these phrases to gain clarity and a deeper understanding of the conversation.
| Spanish | English |
| ¿Es correcto? | Is it correct? |
| Más despacio, por favor./Más lento, por favor. | Slower, please. |
| ¿Me entiende? | Do you understand me? |
| No entendí./No comprendí. | I didn’t understand. |
| No sé si me explico. | I’m not sure I’m explaining it right. (A polite way to see if the other person understood you). |
| Otra vez, por favor. | Again, please. |
| Puede enseñarme? | Can you show me? |
| Puede escribirlo? | Can you write it down? |
| ¿Puede intentarlo en inglés? | Can you try it in English? |
| Puede repetirlo? | Can you repeat it? |
| ¿Qué quiere decir…? | What does…. mean? |
| ¿TIene sentido? | Does that make sense? |
Build confidence poco a poco (little by little)
Language learning takes a lot of time, practice, and patience. (Up to 30 weeks of focused study for basic communication, according to the US Department of State). You wouldn’t expect to be a master at golf or basketball without actually picking up a club or a ball.
You probably also know a lot more basic Spanish nouns than you think you do. Your first few conversations might feel a bit awkward, but be patient with yourself. Poco a poco (little by little), you’ll be able to have more proficient conversations with Spanish speakers, even with the ones who say “I don’t speak English” in Spanish.
Beyond these real-world experiences where communication can break down, you can always put yourself in the best position to communicate by enlisting the help of experts. Rosetta Stone’s proven methods have you speaking from day one, offering live lessons and tutoring so that you can practice these communication tips with someone before you face real-world scenarios.
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