Can any native Spanish-speakers answer this question?

[Anonymous]

I am attempting to learn some basic conversational Spanish. With the large number of Spanish speakers in the DC area, I have ample opportunity to practice my Spanish with them - thus far, mostly with fast-food workers, contractors who come to the house, and my bi-weekly housekeeper. (I tell them I am learning and appreciate the chance to practice.) Mainly, I think it would be nice to speak a second language, even with limited proficiency, but also I think it shows that I am welcoming to immigrants and don't recoil at the idea of a foreign language.

Here's the question: a friend (native English speaker) told me that this is being condescending to native Spanish speakers, since my grammar is wrong, my accent is wrong, and I am undoubtedly missing words. She said that although they're polite, they are actually put off by it.

What do you all think?

(I put this in politics because of all the Spanish language immigrants and the "issues" discussed here, but if the moderator thinks it should be elsewhere, that's fine.)

[Anonymous]

You have more power than your housekeeper and fast food workers. They have to put up with you and Speak Spanish if the want to keep their job— or at least they might think that.

Turn it around: how would you feel if you were just trying to do your job, and your boss walked up to me and insisted and speaking in very poor, broken English that You had trouble understanding. And expected you to respond appropriately, in English, at a level they could understand?

I don’t think it’s okay to forcible conscript people working for or serving you into being your Spanish language study buddies.

It does also seem condescending. Lots of better ways to make someone feel welcome. Like treating them the way you would want to be retreated. This isn’t it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am attempting to learn some basic conversational Spanish. With the large number of Spanish speakers in the DC area, I have ample opportunity to practice my Spanish with them - thus far, mostly with fast-food workers, contractors who come to the house, and my bi-weekly housekeeper. (I tell them I am learning and appreciate the chance to practice.) Mainly, I think it would be nice to speak a second language, even with limited proficiency, but also I think it shows that I am welcoming to immigrants and don't recoil at the idea of a foreign language.

Here's the question: a friend (native English speaker) told me that this is being condescending to native Spanish speakers, since my grammar is wrong, my accent is wrong, and I am undoubtedly missing words. She said that although they're polite, they are actually put off by it.

What do you all think?

(I put this in politics because of all the Spanish language immigrants and the "issues" discussed here, but if the moderator thinks it should be elsewhere, that's fine.)

I think you are doing it for the wrong reasons. You may think it shows that you are welcoming, but we know you are just doing it to make your self feel more progressive and cosmopolitan.

People from my home country do appreciate it when foreign visitors there make some basic effort to speak a few words of the local language, as it shows that they are polite guests. But people here in the US trying to speak to my in my mother language is just awkward. Not that my English is perfect, but my English is better than your (insert language), and the goal of communicating here in the US is to get things done, not for you to practice your foreign language on me.

That said, it's not about the grammar, or accent, or it being condescending, it's that you are being selfish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have more power than your housekeeper and fast food workers. They have to put up with you and Speak Spanish if the want to keep their job— or at least they might think that.

Turn it around: how would you feel if you were just trying to do your job, and your boss walked up to me and insisted and speaking in very poor, broken English that You had trouble understanding. And expected you to respond appropriately, in English, at a level they could understand?

I don’t think it’s okay to forcible conscript people working for or serving you into being your Spanish language study buddies.

It does also seem condescending. Lots of better ways to make someone feel welcome. Like treating them the way you would want to be retreated. This isn’t it.

OK, thank you. I appreciate your input. I never thought about the power differential, but it's true what you say.

Do others here agree I should not be attempting to speak Soanish with native Spanish speakers (especially in a situation with a power differential)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am attempting to learn some basic conversational Spanish. With the large number of Spanish speakers in the DC area, I have ample opportunity to practice my Spanish with them - thus far, mostly with fast-food workers, contractors who come to the house, and my bi-weekly housekeeper. (I tell them I am learning and appreciate the chance to practice.) Mainly, I think it would be nice to speak a second language, even with limited proficiency, but also I think it shows that I am welcoming to immigrants and don't recoil at the idea of a foreign language.

Here's the question: a friend (native English speaker) told me that this is being condescending to native Spanish speakers, since my grammar is wrong, my accent is wrong, and I am undoubtedly missing words. She said that although they're polite, they are actually put off by it.

What do you all think?

(I put this in politics because of all the Spanish language immigrants and the "issues" discussed here, but if the moderator thinks it should be elsewhere, that's fine.)

I think you are doing it for the wrong reasons. You may think it shows that you are welcoming, but we know you are just doing it to make your self feel more progressive and cosmopolitan.

People from my home country do appreciate it when foreign visitors there make some basic effort to speak a few words of the local language, as it shows that they are polite guests. But people here in the US trying to speak to my in my mother language is just awkward. Not that my English is perfect, but my English is better than your (insert language), and the goal of communicating here in the US is to get things done, not for you to practice your foreign language on me.

That said, it's not about the grammar, or accent, or it being condescending, it's that you are being selfish.

OK, I appreciate your input as well, but you're being a little harsh to call me selfish.

So far, two out of two think it's wrong of me. One more poster to make it three of three, and that's enough to convince me - and I'll stop doing it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have more power than your housekeeper and fast food workers. They have to put up with you and Speak Spanish if the want to keep their job— or at least they might think that.

Turn it around: how would you feel if you were just trying to do your job, and your boss walked up to me and insisted and speaking in very poor, broken English that You had trouble understanding. And expected you to respond appropriately, in English, at a level they could understand?

I don’t think it’s okay to forcible conscript people working for or serving you into being your Spanish language study buddies.

It does also seem condescending. Lots of better ways to make someone feel welcome. Like treating them the way you would want to be retreated. This isn’t it.

NP here: Are you a native Spanish speaker? Have you experienced/been annoyed by what OP describes?

[Anonymous]

I think the immediate implication is that you assume they don’t speak English - this may insult them.

[Anonymous]

It's cringeworthy.

[Anonymous]

My face says I'm foreign but I was born here in the US. Spanish was my first language but I am fluent in both English and Spanish. I know you mean well but it annoys me when people come up to me and try to speak to me in slow, broken Spanish. I don't like that they assume I can't speak English because of the way I look. I always stop them mid sentence and let them know I speak English.

[Anonymous]

I tell the cafeteria workers at my job "gracias" after they serve me. They smile. Sometimes we'll carry on a simple conversation.

If you have doubts, just tell them "quiero practicar el espanol. Me interesa aprender otros idiomas."

Political correctness should not be a reason to limit your capacity to learn things.

[Anonymous]

It wouldn't be a big deal if you just ask the person if they speak Spanish and ask if its okay to practice speaking it with them. I speak English to everyone. I've had Hispanic or other Spanish speakers ask do you speak Spanish or you speak Spanish? I let them know I do and we start conversing in Spanish from then on.

[Anonymous]

Ain't no universal response.
Some folks may like it and play along.
Some folks may mutter under their breath, "¡Qué puta de mierda!"

[Anonymous]

I speak almost perfect Spanish and even then some native speakers are annoyed when I speak to them in Spanish - I think they're annoyed because it's like I'm assuming they don't speak English. So yes, avoid...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I tell the cafeteria workers at my job "gracias" after they serve me. They smile. Sometimes we'll carry on a simple conversation.

If you have doubts, just tell them "quiero practicar el espanol. Me interesa aprender otros idiomas."

Political correctness should not be a reason to limit your capacity to learn things.

You forgot the last section of your sentence “at the expense of others”.

No one has the obligation to teach you anything. Also PP’s sentence above is riddled with errors. Idiot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have more power than your housekeeper and fast food workers. They have to put up with you and Speak Spanish if the want to keep their job— or at least they might think that.

Turn it around: how would you feel if you were just trying to do your job, and your boss walked up to me and insisted and speaking in very poor, broken English that You had trouble understanding. And expected you to respond appropriately, in English, at a level they could understand?

I don’t think it’s okay to forcible conscript people working for or serving you into being your Spanish language study buddies.

It does also seem condescending. Lots of better ways to make someone feel welcome. Like treating them the way you would want to be retreated. This isn’t it.

NP here: Are you a native Spanish speaker? Have you experienced/been annoyed by what OP describes?

Native Spanish speaker here-

It annoys me greatly. I have no obligation to teach you Spanish. There are lots of people charging good money for that work. When I come across someone who cannot speak English or is badly struggling, I ask them if they’d like to speak Spanish. By the way, my Brazilian friend gets a lot of people like the Op who insist on speaking Spanish to her when she does not speak it at all.

Do not do this.