<p>你能跟我說中文</p>

<p>Or any of the following combinations in the same sentence.</p>

<ul>
<li>能&lt;-->可以 </li>
<li>跟&lt;-->與 （or 和 or 對）（給 has some regional flavours） </li>
<li>說&lt;-->講   </li>
<li>中文&lt;-->漢語</li>
</ul>

<p>If you insist in using "用"</p>

<p>你能用中文跟我說</p>

<ul>
<li>說&lt;-->對話</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-20T09:37:52.483Z
Thanks for the great answer! I accepted the other one because it more directly answered my question, but this is really useful too! (And +1 for the 繁体 if I could ;))
salamander
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-20T07:32:10.450Z
2014-11-20T07:32:10.450Z
SYK
<p>你可以用中文给我说or你可以用中文给我说吗,你可以给我说中文。</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-08T01:35:57.287Z
2015-10-08T01:35:57.287Z
Sharon
<p>If you want someone to speak to you in Chinese, you can simply just say that you know Chinese and that someone would naturally converse in Chinese with you. </p>

<p>"我会说中文" would mean I know how to speak in Chinese. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-20T03:29:30.813Z
2016-07-20T03:29:30.813Z
skyred5
<p>The most natural way to say it (preserving all context):</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>你可以跟我說中文。<br>
  You can speak with me in Chinese.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-13T03:09:25.500Z
2017-12-13T03:09:25.500Z
wilson
<p>There is a lot of ways to say "Chinese" in Chinese, 中文 is only one of them, and speak may also be translated with an other word, but since context in which you want to use it is clear, there is no need to further complicate this simple sentence. </p>

<p>As for the sentence itself you want to use, I would go with <code>你可以跟我说中文吗？</code> </p>

<p>OK， there is no part that says "in Chinese" or "using Chinese", but there is nothing wrong with 说中文, even if there is no "preposition" or similar before 中文.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-20T09:43:09.710Z
Thanks, but I think are are some subtle differences between "Can you speak Chinese to me?" and "Can you speak to me *in* Chinese". That's what I was trying to get at with this question.
salamander
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-20T09:49:49.277Z
@salamander I am really puzzled, in what way would that be different?
imrek
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-20T09:54:02.663Z
For example, the former sentence would be more appropriate for a situation in which I simply want to hear someone speak Chinese (for whatever reason), whereas the latter would be more applicable to a situation in which someone is already speaking to me (in another language) and I want them to speak Chinese instead.
salamander
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-20T10:24:06.253Z
@salamander You are overdoing this. Chinese is a context-based language. I tell you 100% they will understand what you mean either way.
imrek
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-25T03:46:00.870Z
OK thanks, but you understand the point of this website is to learn new things, not to learn how to get away with using what I already know.
salamander
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-25T10:31:41.630Z
@salamander For sure, just don't waste time on nuances, there is a lot to do, when you spend your time learning Chinese.
imrek
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-20T09:29:48.250Z
2014-11-20T09:41:40.417Z
2014-11-20T09:41:40.417Z
imrek
<p>You may use these expressions:</p>

<ul>
<li>说汉语/說漢語</li>
<li>说中文/說中文</li>
<li>讲汉语/講漢語</li>
<li>讲中文/講中文</li>
<li>讲國語/講國語</li>
</ul>

<p>汉语/漢語: The language of the Han nationality<br>
中文: The text of China<br>
国语/國語: The national language (commonly seen in HK, TW)  </p>

<p>Before the foundation of PRC, the government of ROC draw up the China's common language called 国语 (national language), later its name changes to 普通话/普通話 (universal common speech) in mainland China, but the name is still used in HK &amp; TW. People in mainland China in these days prefer to use 说中文/說中文 or 讲中文/講中文, 说汉语/說漢語 and 讲汉语/講漢語 are commonly used in the past tens of years, but less used nowadays, it is still acceptable. The word 中文 is not suitable name in theory, for there are many languages in China.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-11T12:15:08.490Z
2017-12-11T12:15:08.490Z
xenophōn
<p>If I want to tell someone they can speak to me in Chinese, how can I say it?</p>

<p>My guess is:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>你可以给我说用中文</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Is this correct, and is there any other way to say it, for example using the 把 structure (i.e. <code>你可以把中文给我说</code>)。 Is this correct???</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-20T06:19:03.233Z
把 means the object is affected/changed as a result, so you can't use it here. You should just be able to say 我会说汉语 and people will get what you're after.
Ming
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-20T06:34:42.173Z
Thanks, but that's not what I'm looking for. There's an obvious difference between saying I can speak Chinese, and telling someone they can speak to me in Chinese (for example, if they already know I can speak Chinese). I don't want to settle for an alternative statement, because I'm sure there is a way to say what I want to say.
salamander
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-14T01:58:53.590Z
please speak English,please speak Chinese. The same
Wizard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-14T16:07:47.727Z
在中国请说中国话or 操，能说人话不。or,亲能说普通话不。
xuhongda
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-07-03T07:38:01.347Z
请说汉语吧 or something like this. Nobody speaks 中文，it's the word for the written language.
Vitaly Osipov
<mandarin>
How to say, “In Chinese" in Chinese
# How to say, “In Chinese" in Chinese

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-11-20)

If I want to tell someone they can speak to me in Chinese, how can I say it?

My guess is:

> 你可以给我说用中文

Is this correct, and is there any other way to say it, for example using the 把 structure (i.e. `你可以把中文给我说`)。 Is this correct???

**Tags:** mandarin

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 把 means the object is affected/changed as a result, so you can't use it here. You should just be able to say 我会说汉语 and people will get what you're after.  
> **username_0**: Thanks, but that's not what I'm looking for. There's an obvious difference between saying I can speak Chinese, and telling someone they can speak to me in Chinese (for example, if they already know I can speak Chinese). I don't want to settle for an alternative statement, because I'm sure there is a way to say what I want to say.  
> **username_2**: please speak English,please speak Chinese. The same  
> **username_3**: 在中国请说中国话or 操，能说人话不。or,亲能说普通话不。  
> **username_4**: 请说汉语吧 or something like this. Nobody speaks 中文，it's the word for the written language.  

---

## 6 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2014-11-20. Score: 2

你能跟我說中文

Or any of the following combinations in the same sentence.

* 能<-->可以
* 跟<-->與 （or 和 or 對）（給 has some regional flavours）
* 說<-->講
* 中文<-->漢語

If you insist in using "用"

你能用中文跟我說

* 說<-->對話

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for the great answer! I accepted the other one because it more directly answered my question, but this is really useful too! (And +1 for the 繁体 if I could ;))  

---

### Answer by username_6 on 2015-10-08. Score: 0

你可以用中文给我说or你可以用中文给我说吗,你可以给我说中文。


---

### Answer by username_7 on 2016-07-20. Score: 0

If you want someone to speak to you in Chinese, you can simply just say that you know Chinese and that someone would naturally converse in Chinese with you.

"我会说中文" would mean I know how to speak in Chinese.


---

### Answer by username_8 on 2017-12-13. Score: 0

The most natural way to say it (preserving all context):

> 你可以跟我說中文。  
> You can speak with me in Chinese.


---

### Answer by username_9 on 2014-11-20. Score: 0

There is a lot of ways to say "Chinese" in Chinese, 中文 is only one of them, and speak may also be translated with an other word, but since context in which you want to use it is clear, there is no need to further complicate this simple sentence.

As for the sentence itself you want to use, I would go with `你可以跟我说中文吗？`

OK， there is no part that says "in Chinese" or "using Chinese", but there is nothing wrong with 说中文, even if there is no "preposition" or similar before 中文.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks, but I think are are some subtle differences between "Can you speak Chinese to me?" and "Can you speak to me *in* Chinese". That's what I was trying to get at with this question.  
> **username_9**: @username_0 I am really puzzled, in what way would that be different?  
> **username_0**: For example, the former sentence would be more appropriate for a situation in which I simply want to hear someone speak Chinese (for whatever reason), whereas the latter would be more applicable to a situation in which someone is already speaking to me (in another language) and I want them to speak Chinese instead.  
> **username_9**: @username_0 You are overdoing this. Chinese is a context-based language. I tell you 100% they will understand what you mean either way.  
> **username_0**: OK thanks, but you understand the point of this website is to learn new things, not to learn how to get away with using what I already know.  
> **username_9**: @username_0 For sure, just don't waste time on nuances, there is a lot to do, when you spend your time learning Chinese.  

---

### Answer by username_10 on 2017-12-11. Score: -1

You may use these expressions:

* 说汉语/說漢語
* 说中文/說中文
* 讲汉语/講漢語
* 讲中文/講中文
* 讲國語/講國語

汉语/漢語: The language of the Han nationality  
中文: The text of China  
国语/國語: The national language (commonly seen in HK, TW)

Before the foundation of PRC, the government of ROC draw up the China's common language called 国语 (national language), later its name changes to 普通话/普通話 (universal common speech) in mainland China, but the name is still used in HK & TW. People in mainland China in these days prefer to use 说中文/說中文 or 讲中文/講中文, 说汉语/說漢語 and 讲汉语/講漢語 are commonly used in the past tens of years, but less used nowadays, it is still acceptable. The word 中文 is not suitable name in theory, for there are many languages in China.


---

