Inklingo

hable

AH-bleh/ˈa.βle/

hable means speak (I, he, she, formal you) - Subjunctive form in Spanish (Used to express wishes, emotions, or uncertainty).

speak (I, he, she, formal you) - Subjunctive form, Speak! (formal command)

Also: talk (I, he, she, formal you) - Subjunctive form
A high quality simple colorful storybook illustration showing a person with their mouth open, actively speaking. Three curved lines rise from their mouth, clearly representing sound waves.
infinitivehablar
gerundhablando
past Participlehablado

📝 In Action

Quiero que me **hable** con la verdad.

A2

I want you (formal) to speak the truth to me.

Espero que **hable** inglés en la reunión.

A1

I hope he/she speaks English in the meeting.

¡**Hable** más alto, por favor! No lo escucho.

A1

Speak louder, please! I can't hear you.

No creo que yo **hable** lo suficiente.

B1

I don't think I speak enough.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • converse (to converse)
  • comunicar (to communicate)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • que yo hablethat I speak
  • hable despaciospeak slowly (formal command)

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedhabla
yohablo
hablas
ellos/ellas/ustedeshablan
nosotroshablamos
vosotroshabláis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedhablaba
yohablaba
hablabas
ellos/ellas/ustedeshablaban
nosotroshablábamos
vosotroshablabais

preterite

él/ella/ustedhabló
yohablé
hablaste
ellos/ellas/ustedeshablaron
nosotroshablamos
vosotroshablasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedhable
yohable
hables
ellos/ellas/ustedeshablen
nosotroshablemos
vosotroshabléis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedhablara/hablase
yohablara/hablase
hablaras/hablases
ellos/ellas/ustedeshablaran/hablasen
nosotroshabláramos/hablásemos
vosotroshablarais/hablaseis

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: hable

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'hable' correctly as a formal command?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology

Comes from the Latin verb *fabulari*, meaning 'to talk, narrate, or relate stories.' This root focused more on the content of speech rather than just making sounds.

First recorded: Around the 11th century in early Spanish texts.

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: falar

💡 Master Spanish

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'hable' the same for 'I,' 'he,' 'she,' and 'formal you'?

Yes, when using the Present Subjunctive mood (for wishes, doubts, etc.), the 'yo' (I), 'él/ella' (he/she), and 'usted' (formal you) forms are all the same: 'hable'.

How do I know if 'hable' is a command or a statement?

Context usually tells you. If it starts with an exclamation point or follows a situation where one person is instructing another (like 'Doctor, hable más claro'), it's a command. If it follows phrases like 'Quiero que...' or 'Espero que...', it is likely the Subjunctive mood.