Can Pokemon understand human speech?

[Alfieri]

Sure, Pokemon can understand a trainer's commands and there are some Pokemon that end up speaking English or Japanese. What about the wild Pokemon in general, do you think they understand everything a human says?

 

[Brendino]

As far as the anime is concerned, there are plenty of times that I can recall the main characters speaking to a wild Pokemon, and they seem to understand just fine. That, and being able to direct newly caught Pokemon mere moments after its capture shows that at the very least, Pokemon can understand basic human language.

Then again, there are probably a good number of Pokemon that have never come in contact with humanity (such as Pokemon that live in the bottom of the sea, deep in caves/forests, etc.), but if that were to somehow change by being caught or found, I expect they'd learn quickly, especially in the presence of other Pokemon.

 

[Estartica]

I feel like pokemon learn human speech similar as a baby learns being around its parents. Except at most likely an accelerated rate, which is really quite astonishing if you think about it.

 

[p!kachu]

I think they learn to understand languages quickly and pick up on things after hearing humans say them enough.

 

[Masterge77]

For a while I've actually had this head-canon that if Pokemon can say their own names, then that indicates that they have the proper vocal structures to learn any human language, and that there are many Pokemon like this, not just Meowth in the anime (and telepathic Pokemon don't count).

If anything, I believe that all Pokemon are sentient and intelligent and aren't just mindless feral beasts, and if they can understand the commands from their trainers, then they can clearly learn how to speak like humans as well.

 

[PokéMew1]

I'm pretty sure they can *somehow* understand everything humans say. They really showed that in the first season of the show, and when thinking about it, all seasons. The characters each communicate to their Pokémon as if they were communicating to another human.

 

[Hiatus]

I believe they are able, yes,

When it comes to anime, we're always seen Ash and his companions speaking with their own Pokémon and ones they encounter, as stated in previous post, and they seem to understand without much trouble at all; they respond immediately. In terms of games, they are able to understand, too; otherwise, they likely wouldn't have been able to listen to trainer commands.

In real life, animals (dogs and cats, for example) tend to listen to their human friends and reply accordingly (whether it be by making some movement of sorts, attempting an eye-contact, or barking or meowing), and same probably applies to Pokémon. It does make sense, if we think about it!

 

[Neko]

Part of me wants to believe that Pokemon can understand what humans are saying, but the other part of me says that they can't.. I see it as a kind of 'language' barrier; that's the reason why Meowth had to study from books in order to communicate with other people. He had to learn the language first.

I know that at some points in the anime it seems as if the Pokemon CAN understand what humans are saying, but I feel it's more body language than anything. For example, if you were in a pinch and someone helped you out, you could clearly tell their intentions without the use of any language (much like when Ash saved Charmander, or helped out Charizard after he was frozen by Poliwrath). However, I also feel like after being with a trainer for a while (much like being immersed in a new language), you begin to pick up certain phrases and vocabulary (ex: Pikachu's "Pipikachu!" for Team Rocket and "Pikapi" for Satoshi)

 

[Pendraflare]

Lucario's Pokédex entry from Diamond states that it can understand human speech, so that's one we know always gets that. And since we have Pokémon-Amie in Generation VI, which can get Pokémon to become closer and do crazy things in battle, that might allow them to imply that we have speech going for them (i.e. "_____ was so in synch with _____'s wishes that it landed a critical hit"). But sadly we may not always get what they say since most of them can only say their own name in the anime, haha.

 

[Scotash!]

Of course they can, and I think in the anime it's pretty clear. If you remember in Bulbasaur & the hidden village episode, Misty talks to an wild Oddish and Brock/Ash speak to various Pokémon. I think that was the first instance we really seen it, but it surely is just one of the hundreds of times we see it in the anime.