As a beginner, you might find yourself often needing to say ‘I speak a little Spanish’ in Spanish. To express that, you would say: ‘Hablo un poco de español’.
As you can imagine, this phrase can be very useful in many situations. But what about capitalisation? Are languages capitalised in Spanish? Let’s dive into these topics to help you on your language-learning adventure.
Basic phrases for beginners
When you start learning Spanish, it’s essential to know some basic phrases. These phrases will help you navigate basic conversations and express your language abilities or limitations. Here are a few to get you started:
‘I speak a little Spanish’ in Spanish
As we’ve seen, the way to say I speak a little Spanish in Spanish is Hablo un poco de español. We are going to see some other useful sentences around this topic.
- Hablo español I speak Spanish
- ¿Hablas español? Do you speak Spanish?
- ¿Habla usted español? Do you (formal) speak Spanish?
- Lo siento, no hablo español I’m sorry, I don’t speak Spanish
I don’t understand in Spanish
There are many occasions when we’ll need to say we don’t understand or we want to check if we have been understood. In those situations, the following phrases may become handy:
- Estoy aprendiendo español. I am learning Spanish.
- Lo siento, no entiendo. I’m sorry, I don’t understand.
- ¿Entiende usted? Do you understand? (formal)
- ¿Entiendes? Do you understand?
Are languages capitalised in Spanish?
A common question for new learners is Are languages capitalised in Spanish? The answer is no. Unlike English, where languages like Spanish, English, Chinese, French, Portuguese, German, and Italian are capitalised, in Spanish, they are not. So, you would write:
- español Spanish
- inglés English
- chino Chinese
- francés French
- portugués Portuguese
- alemán German
- italiano Italian
It’s a small detail, but paying attention to these nuances can make a big difference in your writing and comprehension. This rule also applies to nationalities and days of the week.
That’s all for now!
Learning Spanish opens up a world of opportunities, and being able to say Hablo un poco de español (I speak a little Spanish in Spanish) is a great start. Remember that in Spanish, languages are not capitalised, which is a small but important detail to remember.
As you continue your learning journey, these basic phrases and tips will help you communicate more effectively and understand the nuances of the Spanish language.
Keep practising, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. With time and effort, you’ll find yourself saying, Hablo español wit,h confidence.
By incorporating these beginner-friendly phrases and understanding the rules of capitalization, you’re well on your way to mastering the basics of Spanish.
In our next episode, we teach you the days of the week, the months and also the numbers in Spanish. If you are interested, don’t forget to read the article and listen to the podcast.
