Can you speak same native language as your SO?

[106206 15]

Just curious...

[TBoneTX 45,522]

Whenever I try to say ANYTHING in Spanish, people look alarmed and urgently point me toward the nearest bathroom, pee man... er, si man.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

And since she is a Russian teacher as well as an English teacher, I have to say it correctly, or say it over and over and over and over

She also corrects my English

[daryl&lada 8]

My Russian is limited to a few greetings and a few words. Everything I attempt to speak is quickly corrected after I get the big eyes followed by the all too familiar... "What???"

[EAbbas 213]

I speak some urdu but mostly i understand what they are saying lol my husband was talking to my mother in law asking her about something and asked her for something to eat if she baked anything that day... and i mentioned that he was hungry and wanted paratha..... he laughed and so did mom both saying YOU know what we're talking about? I just said yep... but its kinda bad when im trying to do it on my own and instead of saying please come in and sit down i tell them to come sit on my lap LOL thank GOD they laugh like mad and say its soo cute when u make those mistakes... urgh... one day i hope to speak much better...learning a new language when your past 10 can be a little difficult.. lol

And since she is a Russian teacher as well as an English teacher, I have to say it correctly, or say it over and over and over and over

She also corrects my English

LOL!!!

[Pinenut 1]

And since she is a Russian teacher as well as an English teacher, I have to say it correctly, or say it over and over and over and over

She also corrects my English

Если так, Вам сегодня писать "сними обувь" 100 раз.

Russian is so hard... I remember making such awful mistakes when I first came here. Talking about preservatives in food, I thought preservative would be the same word in Russian, turns out it means condom!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Если так, Вам сегодня писать "сними обувь" 100 раз.

Russian is so hard... I remember making such awful mistakes when I first came here. Talking about preservatives in food, I thought preservative would be the same word in Russian, turns out it means condom!

It is all better if I take my shoes off. Or worse if I don't.

Yes, actually "preservateef", close enough to get you in trouble or at least make her wonder what she is eating. Imagine Alla's horror when I told her friend she had a nice "keeshka", I MEANT her KITTEN! They were both like

Then

"Alla, he doesn't really know if I do!"

Edited December 14, 2011 by Gary and Alla

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

My Russian is limited to a few greetings and a few words. Everything I attempt to speak is quickly corrected after I get the big eyes followed by the all too familiar... "What???"

Correct Russian pronumciation is "Vooooowhat?"

Now she taught me Russian and can just say "SCHTO???????"

[ryna 132]

Если так, Вам сегодня писать "сними обувь" 100 раз.

Russian is so hard... I remember making such awful mistakes when I first came here. Talking about preservatives in food, I thought preservative would be the same word in Russian, turns out it means condom!

Spanish is the same way (although they also have a more English-like word for it as well.)

[jojolicious 38]

When my hubby speaks our dialect it sounds funny but he speaks it nonetheless

[Nica_In_Love 98]

My husband (USC) knows a few things in Spanish but he can't really have a conversation without problems. I hope someday he can't speak it fluently; surprisingly he doesn't have much of an accent when he pronounces things right.

[106206 15]

Interesting to hear the other views.

My wife was a radio journalist and prides herself on proper pronunciation of words.

In her words I sound like a sharecropper with a 4th grade education, 'papi rancho'. She mocks me when I say y po' eso pa 'ca, ya oiste, and on top of it I've picked up a bunch of Maracucho dialect.

So when we do a double date and the other American speaks flawlessly like he is from Madrid, and then papi veguero (me) cuts in with oye chamo, esconetao, verguero, esvergateao, chimbo, charchapera, cunazos, arrecho, pixina, no me jodes, etc. And on top of it when I don't know the word I just use Italian because they probably will get it. When I talk with Venezuelans they are like where in the hell did this guy come from.

It will be interesting to say the least when I go there next week!

[Imua 0]

I know enough Nepali to have a basic conversation, ask directions, understand what Govi is saying when he is on the phone, etc. Govi's dad is trying to learn English(he is in his 60s, so good for him) but his mom knows absolutely zero words in English, yet somehow we communicate. She is not terribly demonstrative so I was unsure if she liked me or not - however the last time we had dinner before Govi came here she not only remembered all my favorite Nepali foods but cooked all of them for me(even sel roti *drool*), then I knew she loved me. When we went back to Nepal in June we hadn't seen Govi's family in 2 years and I told Govi's mom how much I loved her son and how much I wanted to make him happy and she was crying - I think we understand each other now.

[Susita 175]

I'm fluent in Spanish, but of course, not the same dialect and my husband and I are used to it by now. When I go to Peru though, I have to remember not to use the espanglish because no one will know what the heck I'm saying.

[afoyoswa 178]

I know exactly one phrase in his native tongue, but he is fluent in English, too. I do still wish I could understand when he and his relatives speak to each other, though. Sadly, there are no language materials in that language, so I'll have to pick it up from being taught/listening to people. Maybe someday.