How Do Puerto Ricans on the island view stateside Ricans who aren't fluent in Spanish? (areas)

[EastHarlemRican]

I'd say I'm about 40% fluent in Spanish and I plan to spend three months this summer in San Juan. I'm hoping that I can really up my Spanish speaking skills and possibly become completely fluent in it. A lot of times I just feel embarrassed to speak it out loud because I'm not confident in it. Do Puerto Ricans on the island feel a certain way about u.s. Puerto Ricans who don't speak Spanish?

[Ivory Lee Spurlock]

A couple of good Spanish phrases to know when in a perdominantly Spanish speakin city are:

¿Donde esta el bano? - Where is the bathroom?

Hablar una palabra a la vez, por favor.- Speak one word at a time, please.

There are other phrases but these 2 are off the top of my head and I have used them before.

[EastHarlemRican]

Originally Posted by Ivory Lee Spurlock

A couple of good Spanish phrases to know when in a perdominantly Spanish speakin city are:

¿Donde esta el bano? - Where is the bathroom?

Hablar una palabra a la vez, por favor.- Speak one word at a time, please.

There are other phrases but these 2 are off the top of my head and I have used them before.

Gracias pero yo se the basics

[papichulo2]

ok if you boricua ya tu sabe que personas nadie care if u fro the states they understand. yo recomiendo sola hablar en spanglish pero si no sabes cosa no lo dices en espanol. tu eres de Harlem tranquilo… na’ un problem.

[EastHarlemRican]

Originally Posted by papichulo2

ok if you boricua ya tu sabe que personas nadie care if u fro the states they understand. yo recomiendo sola hablar en spanglish pero si no sabes cosa no lo dices en espanol. tu eres de Harlem tranquilo… na’ un problem.

Gracias mano

[tangelag]

Originally Posted by Ivory Lee Spurlock

A couple of good Spanish phrases to know when in a perdominantly Spanish speakin city are:

¿Donde esta el bano? - Where is the bathroom?

Hablar una palabra a la vez, por favor.- Speak one word at a time, please.

There are other phrases but these 2 are off the top of my head and I have used them before.

Just an aside, but, how else can one speak but 'one word at a time'? This question 'just hit me'. Sorry.

Perhaps it would be better to say "hablar lentemente (or 'más despacio') por favor"...

[clip314]

Thats a tricky one. Island Puerto Ricans are generally very polite, not pushy, very accommodating, except driving on the road. I'd say Puerto Ricans tolerate more than the average person , however where they draw the line is with " Cafreias" Most Educated Puerto Ricans are also VERY CLASS CONSCIOUS, one aspect that turns off many Stateside Ricans. Island Puerto Ricans withdraw from state side folks that appear lower class. This term is mis understood, maybe Low life or ghetto is better said. Not even gringos like folks who are low life. Many who term themselves Nuyoricans are stereotyped as low life, uneducated and ghetto. Read again I said MANY, not all.

Its expected to speak Spanish because all Puerto Ricans socialize in Spanish. No, they are not as rude as Americans with English. You will never hear a Puerto Rican screaming with hostility at a gringo or a New York Puerto Rican saying , SPEAK SPANISH! However if you touch areas like identity and language, BEWARE.