Is the language of Miami workplaces Spanish? (Hialeah, Doral: neighborhoods, restaurants)

[Workaholic?]

Last time I was in Miami pretty much everyone I came in contact with was speaking Spanish. I went into a number of stores and restaurants and they could not understand me because I speak English. Even the cashiers at a national company as large as Walmart had few English speaking staff members.

I passed a number of office buildings in Miami and wondered what was being spoken in official work related conversation in the Miami companies in those office buildings. Is it usually English or Spanish?

[doggiebus]

It really depends on the company, the location of the company and who the clients are of the company. Some companies are all in english, some are all in spanish and some are mixed language.

[aggrocrag]

Depends on the area of the city and the kind of workplace. Spanish ONLY is more common in retail, restaurants, fast food places, small businesses etc in places like Hialeah, Sweetwater, West Miami area. Those kinds of jobs generally are taken by recently arrived or first generation immigrants so many don't speak English well, if at all.

But I'd say the vast majority of workplaces in Miami are English speaking. Sure, many people are bilingual but English is more common. Especially in the younger generations of people who grew up in Miami who I'd say overwhelmingly use English over Spanish.

[portorro]

I used to work in Medley and everyone spoke English. Futhermore, I was surprised how many placed I went in Doral and Hialeah where people were using English. Certainly, younger people used English more than the elders.

[FlyMIA]

Originally Posted by portorro

I used to work in Medley and everyone spoke English. Futhermore, I was surprised how many placed I went in Doral and Hialeah where people were using English. Certainly, younger people used English more than the elders.

Any Hispanic born in this US does prefer English much much more than speaking Spanish. Most of my friends, and I are 2nd generation, so we are the first generation born in the US and well all speak English. Some do not even speak Spanish well or at all. The major problem with the Spanish speaking is the newer immigrants these days.

Anyway to the OP I guess you must of been in some Hispanic neighborhoods like hialeah or wesrchester etc..? Or if you were closer to Miami I guess it was just bad luck. Now it all depends. A Spanish or Argentinian bank employees might be speaking Spanish to each other. But the law firm on the 30th floor or the jp Morgan office will be speaking English. Most people in Miami but especially in a professional work place are bilingual. Two bankers that are friends may speak Spanish to each other and then go ahead and speak English to a customer or vice Versa.

From the way you asked the question I think the answer is English. Law firms corporate HQs, consultant agencies, investment banks etc.. Those people will most likely speak English for work, but many of those people likely speak Spanish also.

[♥♥PRINC3Ss♥♥]

You will probably hear more English than spanish but it is possible to hear spanish. We have a lot of immigrants with office and professional positions in Miami unlike the rest of the nation.

Most people who are born in the US or came as young children will prefer English, like 99.9% Some speak terrible Spanish and some will never speak it even if their life depended on it because they consider it "ref-ish" and are embarresed of their own parents, but that's a minority. The rest who migrated in their late childhood, teens or as adults will most likely prefer to speak spanish like me.

I usually speak English around those who don't speak Spanish or US born hispanics I always speak Spanish with those who speak mainly spanish. So if you hear me on the street you might assume I don't speak English but that rarely happens unless it is a clueless tourist from another state.

[Manolón]

Originally Posted by FlyMIA

Any Hispanic born in this US does prefer English much much more than speaking Spanish. Most of my friends, and I are 2nd generation, so we are the first generation born in the US and well all speak English. Some do not even speak Spanish well or at all. The major problem with the Spanish speaking is the newer immigrants these days.

Anyway to the OP I guess you must of been in some Hispanic neighborhoods like hialeah or wesrchester etc..? Or if you were closer to Miami I guess it was just bad luck. Now it all depends. A Spanish or Argentinian bank employees might be speaking Spanish to each other. But the law firm on the 30th floor or the jp Morgan office will be speaking English. Most people in Miami but especially in a professional work place are bilingual. Two bankers that are friends may speak Spanish to each other and then go ahead and speak English to a customer or vice Versa.

From the way you asked the question I think the answer is English. Law firms corporate HQs, consultant agencies, investment banks etc.. Those people will most likely speak English for work, but many of those people likely speak Spanish also.

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Miami is the Financial Hub of Latin America, so I'm sure that those JP Morgan employees also speak Spanish/Portuguese. Also, many financial institutions are Hispanic and European and they cater to LatAm. I guess that any Financial professional in that city needs English/Spanish and Portuguese would be a great plus.

I'm sad about those Hispanics that abandon their language. As Latin America grows and the US stagnates. Spanish/Portuguese will be more important than ever in that city.

Brazilians are now the foreign visitors that spend more money and most get around in portuñol.

[FlyMIA]

Originally Posted by Manolón

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Miami is the Financial Hub of Latin America, so I'm sure that those JP Morgan employees also speak Spanish/Portuguese. Also, many financial institutions are Hispanic and European and they cater to LatAm. I guess that any Financial professional in that city needs English/Spanish and Portuguese would be a great plus.

I'm sad about those Hispanics that abandon their language. As Latin America grows and the US stagnates. Spanish/Portuguese will be more important than ever in that city.

Brazilians are now the foreign visitors that spend more money and most get around in portuñol.

If they are born in the US they should prefer English and they should be speaking t much more than Spanish etc.. You are right since Miami is Latin Americas finincial capital basically many of the employees come from those countries and/or speak the language but more often than not in a domestic bank or company even if they speak another language they will often speak English in the professional setting.

English is the global language and anyone who travels and does a lot of business in countries which don't speak their language either learn English or have translator. A German and Braziliian will likely do business deals in English etc..

[♥♥PRINC3Ss♥♥]

^^^ not really, some might not speak a word of English or speak very broken English. Many things get lost in translation too, many times because the translator speaks broken English. I've dealt some Brazilian business people and it is much easier to communicate in Spanish than in English. There are also people like receptionists, and other employees that you might have to deal with.

[Manolón]

Originally Posted by FlyMIA

If they are born in the US they should prefer English and they should be speaking t much more than Spanish etc.. You are right since Miami is Latin Americas finincial capital basically many of the employees come from those countries and/or speak the language but more often than not in a domestic bank or company even if they speak another language they will often speak English in the professional setting.

English is the global language and anyone who travels and does a lot of business in countries which don't speak their language either learn English or have translator. A German and Braziliian will likely do business deals in English etc..

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Germans will usually make their deals through some German-Brazilian with political connections, so will Italians, Spanish, etc.

Brazil is a very nationalistic country, with a lot of redtape, they are a "nation-continent" just like the US and they speak Portuguese or Portuñol.

Any American coporation wanting to enter into the Brazilian market will need Brazilians that speak Brazilian-Portuguese. A very protectionist market.