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Dear all,Kindly see the following sentences. They are simple, but sometimes confuse me. Please advise me on this.1) I don't speak English. (Actually what is the real meaning of this expression. My question is, does it mean I know English, but i am not interested to speak in English? or does it mean I don't know English?)2) A father to his son: You don't smoke cigarettes anymore. (Does it mean "you shouldn't smoke cigarettes anymore"?)3) You don't go there/You shouldn't go there ( Do both expressions have the same meaning?)Thank you.

GPY · Accepted Answer

cat navy 4251) I don't speak English. (Actually what is the real meaning of this expression. My question is, does it mean I know English, but i am not interested to speak in English?

This meaning is possible in the right context.

cat navy 425does it mean I don't know English?

With no more context, this is the normally understood meaning, except that it is potentially self-contradictory, unless, I guess, you have just learned this one phrase by rote.

cat navy 4252) A father to his son: You don't smoke cigarettes anymore. (Does it mean "you shouldn't smoke cigarettes anymore"?)

With the right emphasis or intonation it could mean that, but it may be confusing to understand in writing, at least without more help from the punctuation. There are clearer ways to say it.

cat navy 4253) You don't go there/You shouldn't go there ( Do both expressions have the same meaning?)

This is essentially the same question as (2).

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