Inklingo

How to Say "to speak" in Spanish

English → Spanish

hablar

ah-BLARaˈβlaɾ

verbA1general
Use 'hablar' for the general act of speaking or for stating which languages you know.
Two friends sitting at a cafe table outdoors, smiling and chatting with each other with coffee cups in front of them.

Examples

¿Hablas inglés?

Do you speak English?

Me gusta hablar con mis amigos por teléfono.

I like to talk with my friends on the phone.

Por favor, habla más despacio.

Please, speak more slowly.

Speaking Languages

To say you speak a language, you just use 'hablar' followed by the language name. No extra words are needed. For example, 'Hablo español.'

'Hablar' vs. 'Decir'

Mistake: “'Hablé hola.' (I spoke hello.)”

Correction: 'Dije hola.' (I said hello.) 'Hablar' is for the general act of talking, while 'decir' is for quoting or reporting what someone said.

articular

ar-tee-koo-larartikuˈlaɾ

verbB1formal
Use 'articular' when you want to emphasize the clarity and coherence of someone's speech, especially when expressing thoughts or ideas.
A close-up of a person's mouth clearly and precisely forming a word.

Examples

Tienes que articular mejor para que te entiendan.

You have to articulate better so they can understand you.

Estaba tan nervioso que no podía articular palabra.

He was so nervous he couldn't say a word.

Es difícil articular una respuesta en este momento.

It is difficult to formulate a response right now.

A Regular -AR Verb

Articular follows the standard pattern for verbs ending in -ar. If you know how to conjugate 'hablar', you can conjugate this word too!

Use with 'Palabra'

You will often see this word used in the negative to say someone was too shocked or tired to speak: 'No pudo articular palabra'.

Don't confuse with 'Artículo'

Mistake: “Escribí un articular para el blog.”

Correction: Escribí un artículo para el blog. 'Articular' is the action (verb), while 'artículo' is the object (noun).

Hablar vs. Articular

Learners often use 'articular' when they simply mean 'to speak' a language, like asking '¿Articulas español?'. Remember, 'hablar' is the default for knowing or using a language, while 'articular' focuses on the quality of expression.

Related Translations

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