How to Say ‘I speak a little Spanish’ in Mexican Spanish
Hablo un poco de español
AH-bloh oon POH-koh deh ehs-pah-NYOHL
[AH-bloh oon POH-koh deh ehs-pah-NYOHL]
🇲🇽 In Mexico: Saying this up front usually makes people slow down and be patient. Mexicans tend to warmly appreciate any attempt at Spanish.
Phrase Breakdown
Hablo un poco
AH-bloh oon POH-koh
I speak a little
The 'h' in 'hablo' is silent (AH-blo). 'Un poco' means 'a little'. Blend the words together smoothly.
Hablo un poco de inglés.
I speak a little English.
Words in this phrase
Hablo
[AH-bloh]
I speak
First-person present of 'hablar' (to speak).
Hablo con mi mamá.
I speak with my mom.
un
[oon]
a / an
Masculine singular indefinite article, used before masculine nouns like 'tenedor.'
¿Me da un tenedor limpio?
Would you give me a clean fork?
poco
[POH-koh]
a little
Indicates a small amount, often used to soften a description.
Hay un poco de separación entre las mesas.
There is a little separation between the tables.
de español
deh ehs-pah-NYOHL
of Spanish
Stress the last syllable: es-pa-ÑOL. The 'ñ' sounds like the 'ny' in 'canyon'.
Tomo clases de español.
I take Spanish classes.
Words in this phrase
de
[deh]
of
A preposition that links nouns, often meaning “of” or “about.”
En «cultura de trabajo», «de» conecta las dos ideas.
In “work culture,” “de” connects the two ideas.
español
[ehs-pah-NYOHL]
Spanish
The Spanish language; also means Spanish as a nationality.
Estudio español.
I study Spanish.
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