A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "Do you speak english" in Italian
The essential Italian phrase to ask if someone speaks English. Use this when you need to communicate in English in Italy.
Parla inglese?
PAR-lah een-GLAY-sehformal
Italian TTS · 0:01
Ask this when you first approach someone you think might speak English, like hotel staff or a shopkeeper. It's polite to check before launching into your English.
Alternatives
- Parli inglese?Use this if you're talking to someone your own age or younger, or someone you've already established a casual rapport with.
- Scusi, parla inglese?Adding 'Scusi' (excuse me) makes it even more polite, especially when interrupting someone.
Ways to get it wrong
Confusing 'parla' and 'parli'
'Parla' is for 'Lei' (formal you), while 'parli' is for 'tu' (informal you). Stick to 'parla' with strangers.
Pronouncing 'inglese' like 'English'
The 'g' in 'inglese' is soft, like the 'j' in 'jeans', not a hard 'g'. The 'e' at the end is like 'eh'.
A small cultural note
While many Italians speak some English, especially in tourist areas, asking politely first is always appreciated. It shows respect for their language.
When you'd actually say this
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Pharmacy counter, minor injury
You've cut your hand on a broken bottle and walked into a farmacia near your apartment. The pharmacist is writing something behind the counter and looks up. Before you try to mime what happened or fumble through your pocket dictionary, you say 'Parla inglese?' — partly because you need to describe the wound accurately, and partly because your hands are shaking.
-
Train platform, wrong ticket
The departure board at Bologna Centrale has just flipped and your train isn't showing. A uniformed Trenitalia employee is walking fast along the platform edge. You step into their path, make brief eye contact, and ask 'Parla inglese?' before holding up your ticket — because whatever comes next involves platform numbers and you can't afford to misunderstand.
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Landlord calling about the boiler
Your phone rings and it's the landlord of the apartment you've rented for the month. He's speaking quickly and you catch the word 'caldaia' but nothing else. You wait for a pause, then ask 'Parla inglese?' — knowing it's a long shot but needing to understand whether you'll have hot water tonight.
Related ways to say it in Italian
- Sa parlare inglese? — Do you know how to speak English?
- Slightly more deferential than 'Parla inglese?' — the 'sa' (from sapere, to know how) softens the ask; useful when addressing an elderly person or someone in a position of authority.
- C'è qualcuno che parla inglese? — Is there anyone here who speaks English?
- Use this when addressing a group or a front desk rather than one specific person — you're opening the question to whoever can help, not putting one individual on the spot.
- Parla un po' d'inglese? — Do you speak a little English?
- The addition of 'un po'' lowers the bar and often gets a more willing response — people who would say no to full English fluency will often say yes to this.
- Riesci a capirmi in inglese? — Can you understand me in English?
- More colloquial and informal; shifts the focus from speaking ability to comprehension, which can be useful when someone looks like they might understand even if they can't produce much English themselves.
Notes for English speakers
- English speakers often stress the second syllable of 'inglese' — 'in-GLEH-seh' — because it mirrors the English word 'English', but Italian stress falls on the first syllable: 'IN-gleh-seh' is closer, though the vowel quality in each syllable also differs from anything in English.
- Because 'Parla inglese?' uses the third-person singular form, it can sound to an untrained ear like you're asking about a third person — 'Does he/she speak English?' — rather than the person in front of you; this is simply how formal address works in Italian and will not confuse any Italian speaker, but it surprises many learners the first time they learn the grammar behind it.
- In southern Italy and in smaller towns generally, you may get a response of 'Un pochino' (a tiny bit) even from someone with quite solid English — this is modesty rather than a literal description of their ability, so don't immediately switch to slow, simplified speech.
The same phrase in other languages
Frequently asked
How do I say do you speak English in Italian?
The most common way is 'Parla inglese?'. This uses the formal 'Lei' form, which is appropriate for strangers.
Is 'Parla inglese?' formal or informal?
'Parla inglese?' is the formal version, using the 'Lei' conjugation. The informal version is 'Parli inglese?'.
What if they don't speak English?
If they shake their head or say 'No', you can try a few basic Italian phrases or use a translation app. They will likely appreciate the effort.
How do you ask an Italian if they speak English?
The most common way to ask if someone speaks English in Italian is 'Parla inglese?'. This is a polite and direct way to inquire.
What is the polite way to ask 'Do you speak English?' in Italian?
To be more polite, you can use 'Parla inglese, per favore?' which means 'Do you speak English, please?'. Alternatively, you can use the formal 'Lei parla inglese?'.
How to respond if an Italian asks 'Do you speak English?'
If you speak English, you can simply say 'Sì, parlo inglese' (Yes, I speak English). If you don't, you can say 'No, non parlo inglese' (No, I don't speak English).
