If you speak multiple languages, which ones and how did you learn each one?

[Anonymous]

E.g. first language, learned in college

[Anonymous]

Grew up bilingual, learning one parent's native language as well as English.

Took Spanish in middle school, then switched to French in high school. Minored in German in college. Lived in Switzerland and Spain when in my 20s and became fluent in German and Spanish, with passable French.

Now in my 40s, have been studying Mandarin for 2 years. Took a class pre-covid, have been studying on my own since covid. I am pretty good at reading and writing about 1000 characters, and can understand some Chinese when I hear it spoken, but still have difficulty saying anything in response. I hope to be able to travel to PRC or Taiwan and immerse myself in the language.

[Anonymous]

Native English speaker. Also speak German (advanced proficient) and Mandarin (proficient).

Learned German in high school/college (in the US). Lived in China and learned Mandarin there.

They are both much weaker now in the absence of conversation partners and practice. I am trying to teach my daughter German but find myself forgetting random words. Use it or lose it!

[Anonymous]

Grew up speaking mandarin but don't learn how to read and wrote until college. Learned Spanish in middle and high school. Fluent enough to use it at my job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Grew up speaking mandarin but don't learn how to read and wrote until college. Learned Spanish in middle and high school. Fluent enough to use it at my job.

Forgot to add: native English

[Anonymous]

Also grew up bilingual, speaking English and Bengali. I'm able to get by in Hindi. I studied Spanish and Latin in high school. Double majored in Spanish in college and I can get by in Italian.

[Anonymous]

I modeled, moved around in Europe, then worked in the US illegally. I speak five languages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I modeled, moved around in Europe, then worked in the US illegally. I speak five languages.

Malania???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I modeled, moved around in Europe, then worked in the US illegally. I speak five languages.

I also moved around Europe working for a private company and leaned German and enough Swiss German to get by through company sponsored language classes. I leaned Norwegian and Swedish at the language school at Malmo University. I am now in Islamabad and have learned Urdu and Punjabi but having difficulty with writing.

[Anonymous]

Native English speaker and native like fluency in Spanish. First learned it while attending high school in South America and have kept it up ever since. Have studied multiple other languages but never obtained real fluency.

[Anonymous]

I grew up along the border. Many of my close friends only spoke Spanish at home. It was also the days before cable so I also watched Mexican television (bumblebee man was real!). I took French in high school and college. In college, I minored in German.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I modeled, moved around in Europe, then worked in the US illegally. I speak five languages.

Malania???

She barely speaks English.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Grew up bilingual, learning one parent's native language as well as English.

Took Spanish in middle school, then switched to French in high school. Minored in German in college. Lived in Switzerland and Spain when in my 20s and became fluent in German and Spanish, with passable French.

Now in my 40s, have been studying Mandarin for 2 years. Took a class pre-covid, have been studying on my own since covid. I am pretty good at reading and writing about 1000 characters, and can understand some Chinese when I hear it spoken, but still have difficulty saying anything in response. I hope to be able to travel to PRC or Taiwan and immerse myself in the language.

That's awesome! If you feel comfortable sharing, how did you get the chance to live abroad? You can be vague, obviously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Native English speaker. Also speak German (advanced proficient) and Mandarin (proficient).

Learned German in high school/college (in the US). Lived in China and learned Mandarin there.

They are both much weaker now in the absence of conversation partners and practice. I am trying to teach my daughter German but find myself forgetting random words. Use it or lose it!

I wish I could speak those languages! If you feel comfortable sharing, why did you live in China?

[Anonymous]

Thanks for sharing, PPs!