we hardly spoke

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "we hardly spoke" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where there was very little conversation or communication between people. Example: "During the entire event, we hardly spoke, as we were both preoccupied with our own thoughts."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Other than that, we hardly spoke.

The New Yorker

We hardly spoke, but we read a lot.

The Guardian - Travel

I never thought you would throw it all away to go and become a pop star.' And really we hardly spoke for about a year or more, which was very sad; I'd been very close to my dad and he'd helped me make the guitar". When Queen played America for the first time, at Madison Square Garden in New York, May flew his parents out to watch him.

The Guardian - Music

"We hardly spoke," she says.

BBC

We hardly spoke to the two people in the front seat and I only remember their long, dirty hair bouncing in the wind from the lowered glass.

Huffington Post

The other, however, seemed interesting, which I later realised was simply due to the fact that we hardly spoke before playing tonsil hockey in my kitchen.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

We hardly speak when we bump into each other, and we never arrange to meet.

The New York Times

We even hardly spoke to each other.

Cornell University

Some days we would hardly speak because we'd have had a massive row the day before.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

It was strange, because during our long drive we'd hardly spoken to each other, but now that we'd gone through this tough experience together there was something in our common suffering that made us feel close to each other.

The New Yorker

How would we get across that Marie and Aleksei had been living together for 10 years when we had hardly spoken?

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "we hardly spoke" to concisely convey a lack of communication without explicitly stating arguments or negative feelings. It implies distance or a specific situation hindering conversation.

Common error

Avoid assuming "we hardly spoke" always signifies negativity. The lack of conversation might stem from respect, focus, or situational constraints rather than animosity. To remove doubt, add information to clarify the reasons, such as "we hardly spoke, as we were concentrating on the task at hand."

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "we hardly spoke" is to act as a declarative clause. It conveys information about the extent of communication between individuals. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically correct and clearly understood, conveying that there was little to no conversation.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "we hardly spoke" is a grammatically sound and neutrally toned expression used to describe a situation where minimal conversation occurred. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is appropriate and usable in written English. While relatively uncommon, it is found in various contexts, especially in News & Media and Academia. Understanding the specific reasons behind the lack of communication is crucial for accurately interpreting the intended meaning. Using related phrases like ""we barely talked"" can provide similar meaning with slightly different nuances. Ultimately, "we hardly spoke" offers a concise way to convey limited interaction, making it a valuable tool in descriptive writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

we barely talked

Emphasizes the minimal amount of talking that occurred.

we seldom communicated

Highlights the infrequency of communication between the parties.

we rarely conversed

Indicates that conversations were uncommon.

we didn't talk much

A more casual way of expressing limited conversation.

we had little dialogue

Focuses on the lack of substantial exchange of words.

our conversations were few

Highlights the scarcity of interactions.

we exchanged few words

Emphasizes the small number of words spoken.

communication was minimal

Focuses on the low level of interaction between the parties.

we were not talkative

Highlights the general disposition to not engage in talk

we kept to ourselves

Highlights how each person didn't try to engage and kept to themselves

FAQs

What does "we hardly spoke" mean?

The phrase "we hardly spoke" means that there was very little conversation or communication between two or more people. It indicates a lack of verbal interaction, which could be due to various reasons such as disagreement, preoccupation, or simply not having much to say to each other.

What are some alternatives to "we hardly spoke"?

Some alternatives to "we hardly spoke" include "we barely talked", "we seldom communicated", or "we rarely conversed". The choice of alternative depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "we hardly spoke" grammatically correct?

Yes, "we hardly spoke" is grammatically correct. It follows standard English sentence structure with a subject ("we"), an adverb ("hardly"), and a verb ("spoke").

How can I use "we hardly spoke" in a sentence?

You can use "we hardly spoke" in a sentence to describe a situation where there was minimal conversation. For example, "During the long car ride, we hardly spoke, as we were both lost in our thoughts." Or "After the argument, we hardly spoke for days."