Talking Pokémon

Talking Pokémon are Pokémon who can speak human language (what that language is depends on your particular location). While it appears that all Pokémon can understand human speech, very few can communicate with humans except via body language.

There are exceptions to this of course, depending on the version of the Pokémon world being depicted:

Talking Pokémon in Manga

In the Pokémon PiPiPi Adventure manga, Clefairy and Squirtle can speak human language, however most Poké-speak is translated for the reader's ease (indicated by a different font in the word bubbles). They are easily understood by humans just the same.

In the Pokémon Getto Da Ze! manga, Shuu can understand his Pokémon by using a special headset device called an In-Com.

In the Pokémon Zensho manga, Sabrina has a unique telepathic Lapras that can communicate with humans.

Talking Pokémon in Video Games

In the Pokémon games, Mr. Stone wants to be able to communicate with Pokémon, so he's having Devon Corporation build a translation device for Pokémon. However, the development isn't going so well.

Talking Pokémon in the Anime

In the Pokémon anime, very few Pokémon can talk, although many Legendary Pokémon can. Here's a rundown of all the talking Pokémon that have appeared:

• Meowth is the most famous talking Pokémon, and the one that makes the most appearances. His clone, however, cannot speak, as this was not an innate ability, but rather one that was learned through much hard work.

• A Gastly in "The Ghost of Maiden's Peak" has the ability to talk. It is unclear if all Gastly have this ability and chose not to exercise it, or it this particular one was unique. However, no Gastly has spoken before or since, preferring to use other means of communication.

• A giant Tentacruel in the episode Tentacool and Tentacruel spoke through Meowth via telepathy.

• A Lapras in "Holiday Hi-Jynx" has the ability to talk telepathically.

• Mewtwo can talk via telepathy.

• So can the Lugia in The Power of One.

• There's a Slowking the Power of One that can talk without telepathy.

• Entei can talk in Spell of the Unown. Although this Pokémon is a figment of Molly's imagination, so therefore Entei itself cannot actually talk.

• Jirachi can talk in Jirachi: Wishmaker.

• Finally, * Lucario can talk in Mew and Lucario - the Wave Guiding Hero.