🇯🇵 Japanese phrases

How to Say "Do you speak English?" in Japanese

The SPAIKING TeamJuly 27, 2026
英語を話せますか?
"Do you speak English?" in Japanese · say it like ay-go o hanasemasu ka

The most natural way to say "Do you speak English?" in Japanese is 英語を話せますか?. Tap the speaker above to hear it, then say it back out loud. That is the fastest way to make it stick.

Other ways to say it

英語は話せますか?
A slightly more formal way to ask.
英語できる?
A casual way to ask, often used among friends.

When to use it

Use this phrase when you want to know if someone can communicate in English. It is polite and appropriate in most situations. You can use it in both formal and informal contexts, depending on your tone.

Say it out loud, get corrected

Reading it is not the same as saying it. Practice "Do you speak English?" and thousands more with an AI coach that listens.

Examples in Japanese

JapaneseEnglish
すみません、英語を話せますか?Excuse me, do you speak English?
Common mistake
Learners often forget to use the polite form when speaking to strangers.

The fastest way to remember it

Vocabulary you only read fades fast. Vocabulary you say out loud sticks. Hear 英語を話せますか?, repeat it a few times, then use it in a real sentence. SPAIKING lets you practice exactly that, speaking Japanese with a coach that corrects your pronunciation in real time. You can start with two free conversations.

Frequently asked questions

What if I want to ask this in a more casual way?

You can say '英語できる?' when speaking with friends.

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