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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/de-sprechen-sie-englisch

How do you politely ask a stranger 'Do you speak English?' in German?

Sprechen Sie Englisch? is the polite way to ask.

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  1. Sprechen Sie Englisch? ✔
  2. Sprechen Sie Deutsch?
  3. Sprechen Sie Französisch?

Why: Sprechen Sie Englisch? uses the polite Sie form. The other two choices ask whether someone speaks German or French. Swap in any language name and the sentence still works.

Huh, didn't know that: 'Sprechen' is the verb 'to speak', and you can use it with any language name.

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References

Answer: Sprechen Sie Englisch?. Sprechen Sie Englisch? uses the polite Sie form. The other two choices ask whether someone speaks German or French. Swap in any language name and the sentence still works.

  1. Wiktionary: sprechen en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sprechen
    to speak (some language, the truth, etc.) Ich spreche Deutsch. I speak German.
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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