People keep talking about the ritual cast as if it's something you'll do when you meet the creature, but as a ritual cast, wouldn't you perform it at a completely separate time? For instance, at the beginning of the day, or if you're heading into some wilderness and expect to encounter animals. Since it doesn't use a spell slot, it makes sense to cast it ahead of time, as long as you think you might use it, especially since the ritual cast lasts longer than the action cast.

Can a lizardfolk monk learn this spell\ability?

amen brotha

It doesn’t last longer if you cast it as a ritual. The 10 minute timer starts when the ritual ends though. If you cast it at the start of the day you better run into a beast in the next 10 minutes or you wasted your time.

Would this work for a group of beetles? Could one speak with a group of beetles with this spell?

Quote from RaunaerilDragonrider >>

Would this work for a group of beetles? Could one speak with a group of beetles with this spell?

 As far as I can tell, Beetles (and other insects) are classed as Beasts in 5e, so yes, you can use it to speak with Beetles.

When did they change DM to GM?

Quote from Desmond_Oakenbrand >>

Quote from RaunaerilDragonrider >>

Would this work for a group of beetles? Could one speak with a group of beetles with this spell?

 As far as I can tell, Beetles (and other insects) are classed as Beasts in 5e, so yes, you can use it to speak with Beetles.

 Beetles do not communicate verbally. Therefore as the spell description specifically states verbal communication so you could only talk to those beasts that can also make some sort of audible communication.

Quote from CreepingButtercup >>

Quote from Desmond_Oakenbrand >>

Quote from RaunaerilDragonrider >>

Would this work for a group of beetles? Could one speak with a group of beetles with this spell?

 As far as I can tell, Beetles (and other insects) are classed as Beasts in 5e, so yes, you can use it to speak with Beetles.

 Beetles do not communicate verbally. Therefore as the spell description specifically states verbal communication so you could only talk to those beasts that can also make some sort of audible communication.

"You gain the ability to comprehend and verbally communicate with beasts for the duration."

I interpret that as you can comprehend beetles (however they communicate) and they can comprehend (subject to the limitations of their intelligence) when you talk to them verbally.  So, a bee doing it's wiggle dance, a cricket rubbing it's legs together, a gorilla thumping its chest... They're all covered as far as I'm concerned.

(I think the wording is pretty clear, but I also think it would be way less fun if you excluded insects and fish and probably a bunch of other things, too.)

I am playing a sorcerer and I just took the feat magic initiate Bard and got speak with animals, am I able to metamagic it so I can a) make it last for 20 minutes instead of 10, b) have it split to a party member along side me.

It is a spell not ability 

It’s passive

it burns a spell slot sadly  

What peoples opinion on speak with animals working with monsters?

Quote from 6shadow7 >>

What peoples opinion on speak with animals working with monsters?

If the monster is classed as a Beast, no problem.
If not, then it's up to the DM to decide if it would work.

Personally, I'd allow my players to communicate with a 'bestial' sort of monster using this spell, but only if the monster had no other languages it could speak.
Something like a Darkmantle for example, is technically a Monstrosity, but it's animal-like and knows no other languages so I'd let the players try to communicate.
Would the Darkmantle suddenly cooperate with them and sit down for a nice chat? That's something else entirely ;)

can you mind control animals?

Is this a spell a Druid can learn? 

Hey yalzz