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hables

AH-blehsˈaβles

“hables” means “you speak” in Spanish (used when expressing a wish, doubt, or necessity (subjunctive)).

you speak, don't speak

Also: you talk
VerbA2regular ar
A high-quality, simple storybook illustration of a young figure with a wide open mouth, actively speaking. Simple, curved lines representing sound waves are shown emanating from their mouth.
past Participlehablado
infinitivehablar
gerundhablando

📝 In Action

Espero que hables con tu madre sobre esto.

A2

I hope you speak with your mother about this.

No hables tan alto, por favor; la bebé está durmiendo.

A1

Don't speak so loudly, please; the baby is sleeping.

Dudo que hables tres idiomas con fluidez.

B1

I doubt that you speak three languages fluently.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • que hables despacio – that you speak slowly
  • no hables mal de – don't speak ill of

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

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

Present Subjunctive

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

Indicative

Preterite

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

Imperfect

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

Present

yohablo
túhablas
él/ella/ustedhabla
nosotroshablamos
vosotroshabláis
ellos/ellas/ustedeshablan
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "hables" in Spanish:

don't speak→you speak→you talk→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: hables

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'hables' to express a negative command?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
hablar(to speak) — Verb
habla(speech/talk) — Noun
hablador(a)(talkative person) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
cablesables
📚 Etymology▼

The infinitive *hablar* comes from the Latin word *fabulari*, meaning 'to converse' or 'to talk about fables/stories.' It evolved over time in the Iberian peninsula, eventually dropping the 'f' sound to become 'h'.

First recorded: 10th century (as 'fablar' in Old Spanish)

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: falarFrench: fabuler

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does 'hables' sound like 'hablas' (indicative) but has a different ending?

'Hables' is the subjunctive form, which is used for wishes, doubts, and commands. It takes the opposite vowel ending ('-es') of the indicative form ('hablas' ends in '-as'). This is a common pattern for regular '-ar' verbs in the subjunctive.