A question for those that have lived abroad and are bi-lingual.

Are you fluent in another language?

Have you lived in a country for extended periods when you've had to use a second language day in, day out?

Now the main question:

Did you/do you ever dream in this language?

Re: A question for those that have lived abroad and are bi-lingual.

I lived in South America as a young girl among people who did not speak English so I spoke Spanish all the time. I don't dream in Spanish actually in my dreams I don't speak much at all.

Re: A question for those that have lived abroad and are bi-lingual.

I find this hard to believe

You were one of those I had in mind, along with a couple of others on here(Clumsy and Cass)when I thought about it.

Re: A question for those that have lived abroad and are bi-lingual.

It's my shy an effacing nature .
If I do talk I have forgotten by the time I have woken up!

Re: A question for those that have lived abroad and are bi-lingual.

That's an interesting question. Surely it must happen?

Re: A question for those that have lived abroad and are bi-lingual.

I have a friend who lives in Spain, she thinks she can speak Spanish but it's hilarious going out with her to shops etc. The locals look at her when she speaks and usually answer her in English as they have no idea what she is saying. I think it's her own dialect of Spanish so if she dreams in it its ok, no one will understand

Re: A question for those that have lived abroad and are bi-lingual.

I have a friend who is like that.....he speaks to them in English, with a Spanish accent that sounds more Mexican Gringo stuff and if they don't understand he raises his voice, says it slower and puts an O on the end

Re: A question for those that have lived abroad and are bi-lingual.

It's very difficult to speak Spanish in Spain in the areas where there are lot s of English people .
The Spanish do have preconceptions and just close their minds to what people are saying .
So when you are speaking Spanish they think you are not!
If I go out with English people no one understands me .
If I go out alone talk quickly and brusquely ( no por favors ) they think I'm South American .
I mean the Spanish are not the most friendly people in the world ( people think they are) actually they are a proud aloof people and are not over fond of us English .
Probaby too much exposure to less than pleasant English tourists
Not everyone of course the same as people everywhere there are very nice people ! ( Spanish and English)
Unfortunately the Spanish don't like South Americans much either .
However other South Americans twig my accent straight away .
If you want to speak Spanish in Spain get a hobby that involves being with Spanish people .

Re: A question for those that have lived abroad and are bi-lingual.

I don't think I could call myself bi-lingual, I still struggle with some of the Spanish, (despacio por favour must be my most used phrase). I found everyday Swahili easier to learn, but of very little use here. Goodness only knows what language we do use here, it's sort of mixed up with Swedish, Finnish, German and heaven knows what else, it's good fun though. If I do dream in any other language, well, I must forget when I wake up, but I don't think I do.

Re: A question for those that have lived abroad and are bi-lingual.

It very much depends who I am with in the dream .. So sometimes in English and sometimes in Dutch..