Palabra Lexi · common words in Spanish
How to say "to speak" in Spanish
"To speak" in Spanish is hablar, pronounced ah-BLAR (stress on the syllable in capitals).
| Spanish | hablar |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | ah-BLAR |
| Meaning | to speak |
| Part of speech | verb |
| Frequency | #45 in the Palabra list of common Spanish words |
Pronunciation is spelled out in English, one syllable at a time, with the stressed syllable in capitals. The speaker button uses your browser's built-in Spanish voice.
How to pronounce hablar
Hablar is pronounced ah-BLAR, in IPA /aˈblaɾ/. Hablar has two syllables, ah-BLAR, with the stress on the second. There is no written accent because the word follows the basic rule: words ending in a consonant other than -n or -s are stressed on the last syllable.
- H is silent.
Listen: normal and slow speed, in your browser's Spanish voice. IPA: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.
Example sentences
Vamos a hablar mañana.
We will speak tomorrow.
Me gusta hablar contigo
I like to talk with you
Hablo con mi amigo por teléfono.
I'm talking to my friend on the phone.
"To speak" in Spain and Latin America
Useful phrases
- ¿Hablas inglés?
Do you speak English? - Hablo un poco de español.
I speak a little Spanish.
Regional words and roots: Diccionario de la lengua española (RAE). Spanish varies by region, so treat these as the most common patterns, not strict rules.
How to remember hablar
hablar [ah-BLAR] sounds like the English “a blur”. Picture this:
He speaks so fast his lips are a blur; subtitles run under his chin.
A sound-alike plus a vivid scene is the keyword method, a well-studied way to learn vocabulary. How it works.
Practice hablar
Two quick games, right here: no sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere.