Use sprechen to say which languages you speak: Ich spreche Deutsch. Both sprechen and reden can describe a conversation with someone about a topic. The choice depends on the phrase and emphasis, not a strict formal-versus-informal rule.
The idea
For a person, use mit + dative: mit der Lehrerin sprechen or reden. For a topic, use über + accusative: über den Film sprechen or reden. Learn the contrast in forms: du sprichst / du redest; hat gesprochen / hat geredet.
| Situation / form | Pattern / example |
|---|---|
| Sprache | Deutsch sprechen |
| Gesprächspartner | mit jemandem sprechen / reden |
| Thema | über etwas sprechen / reden |
| Perfekt | hat gesprochen / hat geredet |
| Präsens | du sprichst / er spricht — du redest / er redet |
| Imperativ | Sprich bitte langsam! / Rede bitte langsam! |
Use your new verb forms to ask someone to repeat a sentence or speak more slowly. Asking someone to repeat in German
Review accusative patterns before adding a topic such as über den Film to your conversation. German prepositions that require the accusative
Language ability or a conversation?
To describe language ability, learn Ich spreche Deutsch: I speak German. For a conversation, both Wir sprechen über den Film and Wir reden über den Film mean we are talking about the film. Reden often emphasizes the activity of talking; it is not automatically rude, and sprechen is not restricted to formal situations.
Build a sentence: person, topic and verb form
Use mit + dative for the person and über + accusative for the topic: Ich rede mit meiner Freundin über den Kurs (I am talking with my friend about the course). Sprechen fits here too. Remember du sprichst, er spricht, but du redest, er redet. In the past: wir haben gesprochen / geredet.
Examples
- Sprichst du Deutsch?Do you speak German?
- Wir sprechen über den neuen Plan.We are talking about the new plan.
- Kann ich kurz mit dir reden?Can I talk to you for a moment?
- Sie spricht sehr leise.She speaks very quietly.
- Er hat lange über seine Reise geredet.He talked about his trip for a long time.
- Bitte sprich etwas langsamer.Please speak a little more slowly.
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Watch out
Use eine Sprache sprechen for speaking a language. In mit jemandem sprechen or reden, the meanings overlap; learn the irregular sprichst, spricht and gesprochen separately.
Try it yourself
___ du Italienisch? (Sprichst / Redest)
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Sprichst
Answer: “Sprichst”. This meaning uses the verb in this established combination; learn the whole expression.
Er ___ mit der Lehrerin. (sprechen)
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spricht
Answer: “spricht”. Check the subject: this verb changes its stem in du and er/sie/es, not generally in the plural.
Wir haben über den Film ___. (reden)
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geredet
Answer: “geredet”. The auxiliary already carries the tense and person; the final verb needs its past participle.
Ich rede mit ___ Freundin über den Film. (meine / meiner)
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meiner
Use meiner: mit always takes the dative, so meine Freundin becomes mit meiner Freundin.
Bitte ___ langsam! (sprechen, du-Imperativ)
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sprich
The command to one familiar person is sprich. The vowel changes, as in du sprichst, but the imperative has no -st.
Practice round
Answer three questions, then rebuild three German sentences. We keep your score.
___ du Italienisch? (Sprichst / Redest)
Er ___ mit der Lehrerin. (sprechen)
Wir haben über den Film ___. (reden)
Ich rede mit ___ Freundin über den Film. (meine / meiner)
Bitte ___ langsam! (sprechen, du-Imperativ)
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Write a three-line exchange: name a language you speak, ask a friend to talk about a film, then ask them to speak more slowly. Use sprechen and reden and include one mit phrase.