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Original poster

If you could speak another language, what would it be?

35 replies

Soubriquet · 18/08/2023 09:24

I really like the Spanish language. It sounds so musical to me

I know the odd word but nothing fluently.

I used to be fluent in German as I took it for my gcse but I haven’t spoken it in 10 years.

I would also love to be able to use BSL

OP posts:
brokenbitbybit · 18/08/2023 09:32

I'm currently trying to teach myself Spanish

YouHoooo · 18/08/2023 09:33

I’d love to speak Arabic to open up cultural and historical things for me. But not enough to spend the time learning it!

stbrandonsboat · 18/08/2023 09:34

Russian. I get to sing it in church and I love it.

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TwoItalianApples · 18/08/2023 09:35

I really enjoyed a holiday to Greece but it was not nice being outside my comfort zone - I speak English and Italian - and not understanding what people said at a very basic levels. If I go back I would love to speak Greek.

CrunchyCarrot · 18/08/2023 09:36

Welsh. Am currently learning it (early stages!) - it's such a beautiful language.

fullbloom87 · 18/08/2023 09:37

That's a tough one. I agree with you on Spanish although I'd love to learn an impressive one like mandarin or Russian.
I tried once on duolingo but my brain can't retain any other language for some reason.
I spent 11 years learning French and can only remember jambon baguette, 5 years learning Germany (my grandfather was German) and know zilch and Spanish for 2 years. Can't remember sod all 🤣

cocksstrideintheevening · 18/08/2023 09:37

I'm in Spain at the moment and only know the very basics, it's so frustrating! We go to France a lot and I am fluent in French, it is just so much easier and I don't like being reliant on expecting people to speak English.

So Spanish is on the list!

I have a level German (did I go to the only school that didn't do Spanish?!) and pretty ok Arabic after a stint in the ME.

Maddy70 · 18/08/2023 09:38

I find languages really difficult. It just doesn't stick in my head. I live in Spain and try really hard. I have 2 formal lessons a week and do duo lingo every day mix with Spanish people but I'm still totally rubbish.

I'm trying....

Alsonification · 18/08/2023 09:42

I absolutely adore German. I have tried learning it over lockdown & paid a monthly fee to a language app. I also watched a lot of German shows & got chatting to a German online who was very helpful. In the last year I've fallen behind with it so I need to get back into it. I've never been to Germany but I'd love to be able to chat a bit in German before I go.

Aaron95 · 18/08/2023 09:43

Spanish. It is spoken in many more countries than most other languages so would be the most useful.

girlmeetsboy · 18/08/2023 09:52

This is a great tool for learning a language (and many other things)as it sends your prompt to revised called 'watering your garden' and when you are ready for new things you 'plant new flowers' I haven't used it for ages so it may have changed but I intend to pick it up again!

https://www.memrise.com/

Learn a language. Memrise is authentic, useful & personalised.

Learn a language as it's used now. Immerse yourself in lessons that feature videos of native speakers, so you start speaking real life language, fast.

https://www.memrise.com

eveoha · 18/08/2023 10:02

LATIN 👍🏿☘️

Angie147836 · 18/08/2023 10:08

Welsh for me too. I spend a lot of time there.
It's by no means essential for life but I'd feel less of an outsider if I spoke it.

NatWestPigFamily · 18/08/2023 10:11

Studied French to GCSE and German to A-level and would like to refresh both. Would love to learn Mandarin and Russian.

andymary · 18/08/2023 10:21

I would love to learn Chinese (Mandarin) or Japanese.
I feel like there's so much to see and explore in China and Japan, and being able to speak the common languages there would allow you to really open up to exploring and taking in the cultures.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 18/08/2023 10:23

Slovenian, as my nieces and nephews (and one set of their grandparents) will be Slovenian. And we would visit often when they all move there.

But for me, I'd like to speak Mandarin because it just seems so much more complicated.

dullandgrey · 18/08/2023 10:26

French due to French speaking family. I can understand most of what's said but cannot string a sentence together myself. Must really get on this as it's such a barrier

StinkerTroll · 20/08/2023 20:45

BSL I'm a school librarian and go in and out of schools doing story telling sessions, one school is for deaf children, I do have my level 1 from years ago and I have a friend who is fluent so she reads them to me, I record them and I learn them by rote them read them to the children, apparently I talk like an enthusiastic toddler 🤣 (that's the kids official verdict!)

IsisoftheWalbrook · 20/08/2023 20:49

Latin. So much of it around in the world, and I have to Google it.
Swedish. I like the sound and rhythm of it.
BSL.

Takoneko · 20/08/2023 20:53

I’m currently learning Japanese.
French would also be useful, but I only really have tourist phrasebook French.

SlightlyJaded · 20/08/2023 20:55

I lived in Spain for 18 months, went to Spanish school there and really tried hard whilst i was there. My Spanish is pretty good. but I'm not fluent by any stretch. I can explain myself and I've been told my accent is very natural, but I still struggle often to understand (they speak so flipping fast) and I get some of the more complex tenses mixed up. I love the sound and feel of Spanish and I'd love to be really fluent.

For anyone starting with a language, I can highly recommend the Michel Thomas courses. I did it 'old school' on CDs before I went to Spain many years ago, but I'm sure it will be on line. He does a few different languages and has a very different approach to most. You don't need to write things down or learn things or practice, he sort of 'puts it in your head'.... 😃

TheCyclingGorilla · 20/08/2023 21:04

Italian. I've been to Italy three times and know a lot of words, but I fail to form coherent sentences. I've tried Duolingo but it doesn't stick.

Nothingspecialhere · 20/08/2023 22:14

Have you considered makaton if you’re interested in BSL? I am learning makaton and have actually found I use a lot more than I’d ever imagined. It’s quite simple to pick up and lots available online to help.

TheSquareMile · 28/08/2023 13:39

I read German and French at University and enjoy both languages; out of the two, German is my favourite - I am currently translating some post-war documentation.

There are two languages which are attracting me at the moment; one is Welsh, perhaps because I come from near the border on the English side; the other is Russian, partly for the challenge, partly because it is such a significant language in current global terms.

I'm going to look for a Russian course this autumn.

Spendonsend · 28/08/2023 13:47

Id love to speak arabic. My grabdfather used to speak to me in arabic and I didnt pick any up at all.