Can You Speak Your Foreign SO's Native Language?

[~ameriptian~ 54]

Just wondering...

Edited January 21, 2010 by Aya&John

[~ameriptian~ 54]

Ok, obviously I made a mistake while writing the last question so, both the USC and non-USC members can answer that question

As for me,

I am not the USC.

My USC fiance/spouse can't speak my native language, but I think he is trying hard to learn it.

We will make sure that our children speak my native language.

Edited January 21, 2010 by Aya&John

[illnevergetthis 5]

Yes, I speak my SO's language. My sentence structure needs work, but I'll get it eventually inshalla.

There is still plenty that I translate in my head. I can't wait until I don't do that at all anymore.

I like to say that some days my brain works better in Arabic then others, but I can talk about whatever I need to.

Inshalla we have children and we will make sure they know both languages (reading and writing).

[Twisted K 2]

i am the usc. i am currently learning hindi, although i can only say a few phrases. his mom and dad do not speak english, so it is very important to us that me and our future children speak both english and hindi.

[DanielParul 50]

I asked Daniel and here are his answers -

He is trying to learn hindi. Can say a few phrases and understands quite a bit now. We talk in english and most of my family speaks english too so Daniel is doing it because he wants to learn a new language.

We want Aditya to learn hindi but there is no pressure. On our trips to India he will pick the language up. I speak to him in hindi and english both so he has started understanding and responds to either.

[K and L 27]

I'm the USC. I don't speak Portuguese fluently (very slowly and pronounced wrongly most of the time), but enough I can more-or-less follow the conversation and can understand dubbed movies. I can read it fairly well, but writing is hit and miss.

We plan on raising our future children to be bilingual -- his family doesn't speak English, and we are thinking about moving to Brazil at some point in the (long-distant) future.

Edited January 21, 2010 by K and L

[Darnell 8,478]

Mandarin all the way, baby.

I just wish I could read more than half of what is put before me

We do use english, practice together much, but mostly, is all Mandarin.

[NancylovesAhmad 1]

I speak, read, and write my husband's language, but that is because I am also from Egypt as is he. We definitely plan to teach our children to be fluent in both languages as my parent's did with me when I was growing up.

[Nessa 23]

there was not an answer that applied to me, but i voted this one that is close to the answer:

My USC fiance/spouse can't speak my native language, and I think s/he isn't showing enough interest to learn it. he refuses to learn.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

1. Neither of us can speak the other's language fluently (though some words do happen to be common between them); we are both originally from neighbouring Indian states
   
2. I am the USC
   
3. Any children we have, we would like to have learn both neighbouring-states' languages
   

[jundp 191]

I am the USC. I speak a little German (very little) but I am learning. I already speak Spanish and some French and would like to be conversational in German as well. He and most of his family are fluent in English but I find it a tad rude to not even attempt his language.

If we have children together (I brought 2 children to the marriage) they will be fluent in both languages. My son is fluent in German and my daughter wants to learn.

[teddy000 0]

My hubby has expressed a willingness to learn hindi. My native language is gujrati but he says hindi would be more practical in India. I am going to buy him Rosetta stone as its success rates are pretty high. Hopefully, he catches up soon so that he does not feel left out when I am conversing with somebody in hindi. He has learned a few hindi words and his pronunciations are just perfect.

[RebeccaAndPhil 5]

My husband is from Canada so there wasn't much to learn since we both speak English. However, French is the secondary language in Canada and we'll probably have our kids learn both English & French (and maybe Spanish too)

[trinket 30]

Answering for my USC husband; he understands a few phrases here and there and can speak a few words. He did show some interest but after a while he kind of gave up, and its ok really. The only reason he wants to learn is to communicate with my grandma, hopefully he will catch up a bit on Hindi by his next trip to India.

About kids, we don't have any kids yet but whenever we do, I do plan to talk to them in either Hindi or Bengali, or may be both, most probably just one, but we do want our kids to know Indian heritage and follow some of the Indian cultures.

[Rhiannercakes 14]

I'm the foreign SO and my native language is English.

My USC SO though can speak Manadrin Chinese, trying to learn that and we would like our kids to one day.