# What languages do you speak? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 25, 2001, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246 "2001-04-25T04:49:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246/61 "2001-04-28T05:40:34Z")
I speak English, French, Spanish, some Italian, and Esperanto. My next trick will be German, but I will have to drop Italian as it is encroaching on my Spanish. _sigh_ Tante lingue, tanto poco di tempo… ---
**Author:** ![Pammipoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/87869e/32.png) [@Pammipoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pammipoo)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246/62 "2001-04-28T06:25:19Z")
I used to know tons of Spanish…3 years later, and my knowledge ahs dwindled to “Hola!”. Now, all my closers are Brazilian. Communicating with them is a pain in the butt…anyone who knows Portuguese who’s willing to tutor me? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246/63 "2001-04-28T10:43:46Z")
I grew up learning **Polish** and **English** simultaneously, if not the Polish first. However, my Polish is only conversationally fluent (having never formally studied it for too extensive a period of time) – meaning that I can’t discuss the intracacies of business or biology. But I can think and dream in it, and it feels like a mother tongue, which it technically is. **Hungarian** – Been trying to sort of teach myself, ya know, living here and all, but it’s been remarkably difficult. I understand much more than I can say, and I know enough to get by with simple conversations. **German** – Learned it out here, figuring it was easier than Hungarian and more useful in the region. It is fairly easy (compared to Hungarian or Polish) but I only studied it in class for 6 months, which got me to a stuttering conversational level. Still can’t understand “The Simpsons” in German, which was another motivating factor for learning it. (Plus I was in love with an absolutely lovely southern German girl at the time.) **Croatian/Serbian** – Spent three months doing volunteer work in a split town in Croatia. Easy to pick up since I spoke Polish. Not fluent, but functional. Tested myself a few weeks ago by asking a cab driver in Belgrade directions to a hotel. I understood him. (Woo hoo. I’m always excited when I can communicate successfully in a foreign language I’m unused to.) **French** - The language I studied the most, but remember the least. Four years in high school. Enough to get by in France with simple requests and read French photo magazines. Not enough to understand the blizzard of syllables that assaults you in a French film or TV series. **Other Slavic languages** They’re relatively closely related, so I can understand and make myself understood (with varying levels of difficulty, depending on which language it is) in pretty much any of them. Czech and Slovak are especially easy. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246/64 "2001-04-28T12:23:53Z")
I took Chinese during university. Don’t ask why 'cause I’ve never had a real good answer, even for myself. I liked it for some godawful reason and it drove me to study about 8 hours a day. I took two years, went to Taiwan, and learned how to speak fluently. Took two more years at University and got a degree in Chinese. While I’m still painfully from California, I’ve lived in Taiwan, Hong Kong and China for about 15 years, have settled in Shanghai, my daughter is a dual citizens and I’ve got no plans to leave. I can and do do business in Mandarin. Can handle basic Shanghaiese, and can swear quite fluently in Cantonese, Taiwanese and Sichuanese. After 5 years of the Taiwan, HK, China thing, I got sick of it, and did a few years of Japanese and lived in Tokyo. My Japanese isn’t that great but I can get by. Took two pathetic years of French in High School and couldn’t say jack when I went to France a few years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246/65 "2001-04-28T12:56:06Z")
Took two years of high school French. I can still read and write it, but I have a speech impediment in English and could never really pronounce it. I have a Swedish sister-in-law, and I’ve learned a lot of the language from her. I collect Andrew Lloyd Webber musical cast CDS, and have learned a lot from them. Particularly the German, Swedish and Dutch ones. I can pretty much “decipher” written German, and I’m beginning to understood it when it’s spoken. Hardly an expert, but I’d say I’ve learned about 35-40% of it without any effort. When I was reading these posts, my brain was going “Japanese? Superstar, CATS, Phantom, Aspects. Hindu? Zindagi. Czech? Superstar, Evita…” Totally obsessed! ---
**Author:** ![fierra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58956e/32.png) [@fierra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fierra)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246/66 "2001-04-28T16:15:22Z")
English (obviously), French from school, & know, but not speak, Latin & Ancient Greek. I could swear in about 14 languages in my teens, but I think I’ve forgotten a lot of them now. I had this theory that to speak a language like a native, you had to be able to swear in it…I think I took a short cut with the logic there…😉 ---
**Author:** ![hardygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@hardygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hardygrrl)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246/67 "2001-04-28T16:26:22Z")
Fluent in English and American Sign Language. Took four years of Spanish back in high school- I can read it and understand it spoken but it takes me a while to put sentences together and speak. Knowing Spanish I can sometimes make out French and Italian. I’ve picked up a little Tagalog and Croatian from friends who are fluent. Being raised Jewish I know some Hebrew but a lot of Yiddish. When I hear my friends calling someone a putz or a shiksa I LMAO-because I know where they learned those words. ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246/68 "2001-04-28T21:38:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KarlGrenze \* > \*\*Conozco un poco de español, pero he olvidado mucha de la lengua. No hay la necesidad para mi que usar la lengua. > > Trans: I know a little spanish, but i have forgotten much of the language. There is no necesity for me to use the language > > Should be then: No tengo necesidad de usar la lengua. or No hay necesidad para mi de usar la lengua. > May you like and learn on your time abroad. Good to know you like Spanish enought to make it your major. (Sorry, I come from a place where some people think Spanish is useless, but that’s for another thread) \*\* _Conozco un poco de español._ is incorrect. Should have used the verb _saber_ here. Sé un poco de español. To express knowledge or ignorance of a fact or information about something, use saber. Or you could say: Conozco el idioma(o la lengua) de español. To say that one is or is not acquainted with a person, a place, or an object, use conocer. The difference between _saber_ and _conocer_ is confusing sometimes. This is where immersion comes in handy. After constantly hearing the language, you’ll know what sounds right. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246/69 "2001-04-28T22:01:41Z")
The difference between saber and conocer is confusing sometimes. This is where immersion comes in handy. After constantly hearing the language, you’ll know what sounds right. Ive’ been immersed in Spanish all my life, and I still have errors.(though minor ones). BTW, where where you this morning when I took my AP Spanish test? (Sample question for the essay part of the English AP test here.“Who is your favorite person? Explain why”. Sample question for the essay part in the Spanish AP test "¿Qué entiendes por la eficacidad o eficacia de la labor de un profesional auténtico? What you understand by the efficacy of labor on an authentic proffesional? Bad translation of my part, probably, but the Spanish question is written word by word. Incoherence…) ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246/70 "2001-04-28T22:38:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KarlGrenze \* > \*\* > "¿Qué entiendes por la eficacidad o eficacia de la labor de un profesional auténtico? What you understand by the efficacy of labor on an authentic proffesional? Bad translation of my part, probably, but the Spanish question is written word by word. Incoherence…) \*\* "¿Qué entiendes por la eficacidad o eficacia de la labor de un profesional auténtico? I believe this should read “¿Qué entiendes de la eficacia de la labor de un profesional auténtico?” I would translate it like this “What do you understand about the efficiency of an authentic professionals work.” Translating is always tricky and I really admire those who do it well. Simultaneous translators are my heros!! ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246/71 "2001-04-28T22:48:59Z")
Whoops make that read “¿Qué entiendes de la _eficiencia_ de la labor de un profesional auténtico?” ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246/72 "2001-04-28T23:08:34Z")
The question I wrote in Spanish was WORD FOR WORD what was written on my essay sheet. I really think the person who wrote the question was either a bad translator or stupid. I know it does not makes sense, but I had to write a 300 letter essay. Btw, do u know other languages? ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2001, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246/73 "2001-04-29T03:04:01Z")
I’m fluent in English (I have on occasion translated English into English for other native speakers, for example Chaucer, Shakespeare and British English). I’m in my fourth year of French and I’m passable at it. I get the different tenses confused sometimes but I have a good conversational level and I’m quite good at reading it. I know a negligible smattering of Latin that I’ve picked up from singing stuff in Chorus. I can say three sentences in Spanish. La llama es un quadrupedo. Como estas? No hablo espanol. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2001, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246/74 "2001-04-29T07:17:58Z")
I speak English (or at least the American version of it). I have a somewhat reasonable grasp of Spanish, and I know a few words in German (mostly military terms, however, picked up from extensive research on World War Two.) I’ve also been meaning to learn Latin, Russian, and possibly Dutch and Old English. Lord only knows why. ---
**Author:** ![City\_Gent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a87d85/32.png) [@City\_Gent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/City_Gent)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2001, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246/75 "2001-04-29T07:31:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Phallyn \* > \*\*My father taught me how to say “goodbye” (didi mow)… in Vietnamese, which he learned while in the Armed Forces. > \*\* _Di di mau_ means “get out of here fast”, not “goodbye”. I don’t speak Vietnamese, but I do speak English well and French, Japanese, and Italian poorly. ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2001, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246/76 "2001-04-30T05:12:05Z")
I can curse and/or ask for a beer in Latin, French, German, Spanish, and Russian. That’s really all you need to know in a foreign language, isn’t it? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2001, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246/77 "2001-04-30T21:35:42Z")
Fluent in English (mother tongue) and Afrikaans passable in Fanagalo (_patois_ of South African gold mines) very rudimentary italian (_quante pane, per favore_) to be able to eat on foreign trips latin read/write with dictionary in hand Am I the only Afrikaans speaker on this board? (Dutch doesn’t count, Vlaams is close enough to be intelligeable) ---
**Author:** ![Doobieous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Doobieous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doobieous)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2001, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246/78 "2001-05-01T03:48:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KarlGrenze \* > \*\* > > May you like and learn on your time abroad. Good to know you like Spanish enought to make it your major. (Sorry, I come from a place where some people think Spanish is useless, but that’s for another thread) \*\* I’ve always been interested in it, and seem to have a good deal of proficiency in languages (i was able to write a one page essay in Tagalog after 3 weeks of an intensive Tagalog course). Also, even if I dont become a translator or teacher, it’s always good be be bilingual (though i doubt i’d ever approach native speaker status unless I live the rest of my life abroad). But, i think i may go with text translating. Simultaneous translation is a lot of work and takes a lot of skill to be able to do. Something I might not reach. ---
**Author:** ![Zion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b5e925/32.png) [@Zion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zion)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2001, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246/79 "2001-05-01T04:55:24Z")
Se un pocito de espanol, pero…no hay que usarlo…digo, tengo que usarlo, porque mi novia es mexicana, y no sabe ni papas en ingles. Bueno, si sabe algunas palabras, pero, le voy a ensenar mas, muy pronto. Native language is English, but my Spanish is getting better and better. It’s all learned by ear too; i.e. I haven’t studied it extensively. (Which is probably why I messed up in my paragraph) ---
**Author:** ![mongrel\_8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@mongrel\_8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mongrel_8)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246/80 "2001-05-03T01:52:38Z")
Well I just want to say that I admire all you people who are fluent in more than one language. As for me, I am fluent in English (my mother tongue), and I have taken 3 yearrs of high school Spanish which has helped me marginally. I am also in the process of attempting Irish Gaelic, although I am losing some of my motivation. I also recently purchased one of those cool foreign travel tapes on German and have been listening to it before I go to bed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-do-you-speak/63246.md?page=5)