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Eu sei falar português.

Eu sei falar português.
I know how to speak Portuguese.
From Lesson 46:The verb to want (querer)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Breakdown of Eu sei falar português.

eu
I
português
Portuguese
falar
to speak
saber
to know

Questions & Answers about Eu sei falar português.

Why isn't there a word for "how to" in the Portuguese sentence?
In English, we say "I know how to speak". In Portuguese, the verb saber (to know) is followed directly by an infinitive (unconjugated) verb to express that you know how to do a skill. So, sei falar simply translates to "I know to speak".
Since this lesson is about querer (to want) + infinitive, how does this sentence relate?
This sentence uses the exact same grammatical pattern! Just like you can say quero falar (I want to speak), you can say sei falar (I know how to speak). Both verbs connect directly to the next action verb (falar) without needing any extra connecting words in between.
Could I use the other Portuguese word for "to know" (conhecer) here?
No. Portuguese has two verbs for "to know". Saber is used for knowing facts or having a learned skill (like speaking a language). Conhecer is used for being familiar with a person, place, or thing. Because speaking a language is a skill, you must use saber (conjugated here as sei).
Why isn't the word português capitalized?
In Portuguese, the names of languages, nationalities, and days of the week are always written in lowercase letters unless they happen to be the very first word in a sentence.

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