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I can't even think of how life would be like not to be fluent in two languages anymore.
How much do you use Spanish in your daily life btw Alex?
Yeah, I honestly couldn't imagine myself not being fluent in two languages neither. It's just second nature by this point.
I use it a lot, this is Miami in a lot of parts it's more surprising finding English speakers if anything lol. Plus, I speak with my family everyday in Spanish.
Yeah, I honestly couldn't imagine myself not being fluent in two languages neither. It's just second nature by this point.
I use it a lot, this is Miami in a lot of parts it's more surprising finding English speakers if anything lol. Plus, I speak with my family everyday in Spanish.
Any other languages then? Italian and Portuguese are obviously very similar do you understand those in speech ot speak a bit yourself? Perhaps you challenged yourself by giving it a go while in Italy?
I can understand Swedish, English and the Oslo variety of Norwegian fluently. If a German makes an effort not to speak dialectal I pick up the majority of what's being said as well. Dialectal Norwegian, German and Danish are extremely hard though. If a Dane makes a textbook slow pronounciations I get what they mean though even though some words are lost. That's the difference. I'd say nearly all Norwegians can with a bit of an effort make a random Swede understand them and vice versa.
As for speech, Swedish and English are the only necessary ones living here but I can make my way around a German town with what I've got and especially pronounciation-wise I'm very natural in that regard so they'll understand me. If I really made an effort I could learn to speak Norwegian but the problem with that is that it's essentially a dialect of the same proto-language as Swedish so for that to happen I'd have to be careful with every single word not to fall back into my East Sweden dialect If I use that one... bless them Norwegians they won't understand that much unless they're from Oslo
Yeah, I honestly couldn't imagine myself not being fluent in two languages neither. It's just second nature by this point.
I use it a lot, this is Miami in a lot of parts it's more surprising finding English speakers if anything lol. Plus, I speak with my family everyday in Spanish.
Any other languages then? Italian and Portuguese are obviously very similar do you understand those in speech ot speak a bit yourself? Perhaps you challenged yourself by giving it a go while in Italy?
I can understand Swedish, English and the Oslo variety of Norwegian fluently. If a German makes an effort not to speak dialectal I pick up the majority of what's being said as well. Dialectal Norwegian, German and Danish are extremely hard though. If a Dane makes a textbook slow pronounciations I get what they mean though even though some words are lost. That's the difference. I'd say nearly all Norwegians can with a bit of an effort make a random Swede understand them and vice versa.
As for speech, Swedish and English are the only necessary ones living here but I can make my way around a German town with what I've got and especially pronounciation-wise I'm very natural in that regard so they'll understand me. If I really made an effort I could learn to speak Norwegian but the problem with that is that it's essentially a dialect of the same proto-language as Swedish so for that to happen I'd have to be careful with every single word not to fall back into my East Sweden dialect If I use that one... bless them Norwegians they won't understand that much unless they're from Oslo
I speak some Portuguese since my dad lived in Brazil from 1966 until 1971 so he knows a lot and I somewhat picked it up from him. I understand the grand majority of words though, probably about 80% or so. I'd do fine if I were to go to Portugal or Brazil.
Italian is a bit tougher, but I understand a lot of it, probably about 50% or so. I only a know a few words though I would love to learn it, Portuguese also. German, Russian and Swedish are other languages that I wouldn't mind learning, as ugly as German sounds.
Is there a lot of cultural ties between Germany and Sweden?
Quote:
Originally Posted by atsizat
How does your family know Spanish?
My family and I are from Venezuela we moved here in 1998 when I was six years old.
The best way to learn a language is living among native speakers, no doubt. I have an uncle who lived in west Wales, and after a few years he spoke fluent Welsh, despite never taking lessons.
How did you learn English, Alex? I'm guessing a combination of classes and living among natives, how long did it take before you felt confident speaking to others?
The best way to learn a language is living among native speakers, no doubt. I have an uncle who lived in west Wales, and after a few years he spoke fluent Welsh, despite never taking lessons.
How did you learn English, Alex? I'm guessing a combination of classes and living among natives, how long did it take before you felt confident speaking to others?
Just by living here I've been living 76% of my life (19 out of 25 years). It's easier to pick up foreign languages as a little kid than as a grown adult or even a teenager, since you spent so much less time in your native country and growing accustomed to only one language.
It only took me like two years I think, I'm not sure. I only really remember struggling with it in 1st and 2nd grade, after that I was quite ok. I remember I would get in fights a lot because kids would make fun of me for not knowing English.
I feel like people who come to the country by 7 or so learn English without an accent. It's the border of having the young child-level of learning a language.
Just by living here I've been living 76% of my life (19 out of 25 years). It's easier to pick up foreign languages as a little kid than as a grown adult or even a teenager, since you spent so much less time in your native country and growing accustomed to only one language.
It only took me like two years I think, I'm not sure. I only really remember struggling with it in 1st and 2nd grade, after that I was quite ok. I remember I would get in fights a lot because kids would make fun of me for not knowing English.
But then you said you hear more Spanish than English in Miami, so wouldn't that make it harder to learn English quickly?
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in a lot of parts it's more surprising finding English speakers if anything lol. Plus, I speak with my family everyday in Spanish.
If I use that one... bless them Norwegians they won't understand that much unless they're from Oslo 
I would love to learn it, Portuguese also. German, Russian and Swedish are other languages that I wouldn't mind learning, as ugly as German sounds. 
we moved here in 1998 when I was six years old.
