What is you 1st language what other languages you can unserstand

[asifnaz]

Since everybody posts in English here I wonder what language they use as mother tongue .

I use URDU (which is 3rd most spoken language ) as 1st language .

I can understand/speak English . French , Arabic , Punjabi ,Hindi and Persian as well.

Your...??

[ki4jgt]

Mother tongue: English
Spoken Language: English, Esperanto, German, a little Latin (haven't studied any of these in so long, don't know if I still know them or not)

[asifnaz]

Mother tongue: English
Spoken Language: English, Esperanto, German, a little Latin (haven't studied any of these in so long, don't know if I still know them or not)

I read a lot about Esperanto that it would become next global language but it never happen

[1985davidwhite]

Mother tongue: Hindi
Spoken Language: English, Urdu, Arabic and Sanskrit.

[ki4jgt]

I read a lot about Esperanto that it would become next global language but it never happen

I don't share the same goals as all the other speakers of Esperanto. I just think it's very cool language. Plus the fact that it was it's own country once kind of gives it culture, which is missing from artificial languages such as Klingon.

[ivanovnegro]

Mother tongue is Serbian.
Spoken languages are Spanish, Catalan, German, English.
Only at school French.

[Lancro]

Mother tongue: Spanish (Español).
Second Language: English.

[Donalt2010]

English. Dont care for french the language that is, I was learning it in school but never paid too much attention it bored me. Spanish is a language I'd like to learn some day.

Theres a pizza joint in my town called Esperanto didnt think it was a language:O

[weasel fierce]

Mother language is Danish. Speak English and a tiny tiny bit of German, but it's gotten pretty rusty

[cgroza]

First language Romanian.
Spokaen languages: English and French.

[ki4jgt]

English. Dont care for french the language that is, I was learning it in school but never paid too much attention it bored me. Spanish is a language I'd like to learn some day.

Theres a pizza joint in my town called Esperanto didnt think it was a language:O

Yeppers, many people view it as the easiest language to learn. It's been said that learning Esperanto is 10X faster than learning any other language.

[Donalt2010]

What is it? Wheres it from?

[ki4jgt]

What is it? Wheres it from?

Don't believe everything you read from wikipedia.org but:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esperanto

I can tell you that:
It was it's own country -> It has a seat in the U.N.
It is taught in public schools
It is considerably faster to learn

You can read up on it and learn it for free at:
http://www.lernu.net also :-)

I would recomend:
A Complete Grammar of Esperanto by Ivy Kellerman Reed
found here: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/7787

[Jahid65]

Mother tongue: Bengali (Bangla)
Spoken Language: English

I can understand little bit Hindi & Urdu.

[juancarlospaco]

Na'Vi and Klingon

[ki4jgt]

Na'Vi and Klingon

I love the Na'Vi language. Elvish is kind of cool too. Klingon is a little rough for my tastes :-)

[chucky chuckaluck]

American English is my first language. I've studied French, German and Italian. In addition to these languages, I've sung in Russian, Portuguese, Spanish, Armenian, Czeck, Finnish, Latin, Hebrew and Japanese, which would be an impressive feat, I suppose, had I even the slightest notion what I was singing about.

[Zero2Nine]

Mother tongue: Dutch
Quite proficient: English and German (mainly reading)
Just a little: French

Other languages I have too little knowledge of to mention them. Although knowing 3 Germanic languages gives some basis to read others of that group, listening to them is a different game.

[Giant Speck]

Mother tongue - English
Spoken Languages - English, Russian (но очень плохо/but very poorly)

[ashwinrao]

Mother Tongue: Kannada
Spoken Language: English, Hindi, Tulu, Malayalam, Sanskrit.

[reyfer]

Don't believe everything you read from wikipedia.org but:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esperanto

I can tell you that:
It was it's own country -> It has a seat in the U.N.
It is taught in public schools
It is considerably faster to learn



I like Esperanto and the idea behind it a lot, but just to be clear, Esperanto NEVER was a country, nor any country ever had Esperanto as official language. There was a project in 1908 or around that date to have one small neutral region, Neutral Moresnet, shared by France Belgium and Germany, to become the first Esperanto country, but it failed http://www.ipernity.com/blog/49926/242660. What has an OFFICE at the U.N. (not a SEAT) is the Universal Esperanto Association.

Now, on topic:
First language Spanish, fluently speak English, Italian and Brazilian Portuguese, and learning both Japanese and Tsalagi (Cherokee)

[GabrielYYZ]

main language: spanish
2nd language: english
know a bit to get by: german, portuguese, french

[underquark]

1st English. Smattering of Spanish, French, German, Italian (about enough to ask directions to a restaurant, order food, pay bill and get a taxi back to hotel). Given that we have cold weather in Scotland at the moment the only Esperanto word I can remember from when I tried to learn it 30 years ago is "veteraĉo" from veter meaning weather and the suffix -ĉo meaning filthy.

[ulfj]

First language is German, English next, can understand and speak Spanish and Portuguese.

[forrestcupp]

I speak American. ;)

Also a little Spanish, a small amount of Koine Greek, and a couple of cuss words in German.

[Austin25]

I am a native English speaker, and am taking a Spanish class.

[ki4jgt]

I like Esperanto and the idea behind it a lot, but just to be clear, Esperanto NEVER was a country, nor any country ever had Esperanto as official language. There was a project in 1908 or around that date to have one small neutral region, Neutral Moresnet, shared by France Belgium and Germany, to become the first Esperanto country, but it failed http://www.ipernity.com/blog/49926/242660. What has an OFFICE at the U.N. (not a SEAT) is the Universal Esperanto Association.

Now, on topic:
First language Spanish, fluently speak English, Italian and Brazilian Portuguese, and learning both Japanese and Tsalagi (Cherokee)

I was talking about the Republic of Rose Island (Which had it's own currency and president). Technically making it a nation in exile. I didn't find it in the website you showed me, so I didn't know if you were talking about it or not.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Rose_Island

[lisati]

My first language is one of the dialects of New Zealand English. I also have a little French (mostly forgotten due to lack of use), Samoan (useful for interacting with the in-laws) and Māori (useful for work).

[Majorix]

Turkish is my mother tongue. I am fluent in English and German. I have also studied French at high school, but I am a little rusty.

[aG93IGRvIGkgdWJ1bnR1Pw==]

First language: Pennsylvania Dutch

Can speak fluently: English, German, French

Can understand: Russian, Dutch

Can mostly understand: Spanish, Italian

[The Real Dave]

First Language: English
Second: Irish and German.

I'm fairly decent in writing and speaking both, but unless I've stopped thinking in English, I'm not massively fluid. If I watch a movie or listen to some music in Irish or German, conversation comes much more easily.

[rg4w]

First: English
Second: Boontling

[odiseo77]

First language: Spanish
Second language: English
I also can understand Italian (and can speak a little bit too), and currently I'm taking French classes (but I'm too green with French, still).

[earthpigg]

English is my first language.

I'm learning American Sign Language (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASL) at the moment, and plan for Esperanto to be my third language.

[Zero2Nine]

First Language: English
Second: Irish and German.

I'm fairly decent in writing and speaking both, but unless I've stopped thinking in English, I'm not massively fluid. If I watch a movie or listen to some music in Irish or German, conversation comes much more easily.

I recognize that. Listen quite some German music and after that you feel more capable of understanding it. Although for me that's probably a little easier because of my first language which is very similar to German, but also to English in fact ;) You also must have noticed how similar German and English are when you look closer (especially when written)

[ki4jgt]

I recognize that. Listen quite some German music and after that you feel more capable of understanding it. Although for me that's probably a little easier because of my first language which is very similar to German, but also to English in fact ;) You also must have noticed how similar German and English are when you look closer (especially when written)

Anyone have a first language of Esperanto??? :-) (Hey, it has happened before)

[Zero2Nine]

Anyone have a first language of Esperanto??? :-) (Hey, it has happened before)

No, as I mentioned before, Dutch is my 1st language. Although I have a funny story about Esperanto. In 1816 after some border disputes between the Netherlands and Prussia some neutral terrain was created between them and later someone thought it would be nice to make that area an Esperanto state:


The most remarkable initiative occurred in 1908, when Dr. Molly proposed making Neutral Moresnet the world's first Esperanto-speaking state, named Amikejo ("place of friendship"). The proposed national anthem was an Esperanto march of the same name. A number of residents learned Esperanto and a rally was held in Kelmis in support of the idea of Amikejo on 13 August 1908. The World Congress of Esperanto, meeting in Dresden, even declared Neutral Moresnet the world capital of the Esperanto community.[8] Esperanto still plays a prominent role in the society of Kelmis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutral_Moresnet

[libssd]

First language: English

Additional languages: French, Turkish, Arabic, Ottoman (not much call for that one), plus a smattering of Italian and Spanish. Everything but English is rusty, due to living in a world of English-speakers for the past 27 years.

[ki4jgt]

No, as I mentioned before, Dutch is my 1st language. Although I have a funny story about Esperanto. In 1816 after some border disputes between the Netherlands and Prussia some neutral terrain was created between them and later someone thought it would be nice to make that area an Esperanto state:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutral_Moresnet

Sorry, LOL quoted the wrong response Yay, I feel like a goof :-P

[Zero2Nine]

Sorry, LOL quoted the wrong response Yay, I feel like a goof :-P

No problem, now you have a free story about an Esperanto state which is not really relevant to the topic ;)

[Majorix]

Ottoman (not much call for that one)

Haha, I don't think it can even be considered a language, but rather a mixture of Turkish, Arabic and Persian. Eventually it died out decades ago. Not much use speaking it nowadays, except if you study history :)

[forrestcupp]

First language: Pennsylvania Dutch

Awesome! Ubuntu has made it's way into the Amish community. :)

[ki4jgt]

Awesome! Ubuntu has made it's way into the Amish community. :)

Das war meine Reaktion!

[d.atanasov]

First language: Bulgarian
after that English, German(only at school) and Python :P

[The Real Dave]

I recognize that. Listen quite some German music and after that you feel more capable of understanding it. Although for me that's probably a little easier because of my first language which is very similar to German, but also to English in fact ;) You also must have noticed how similar German and English are when you look closer (especially when written)

They seriously are, and not even words that have creeped from english to german, but german words, that you then realise the english counterparts are based on.

Makes learning off irregular verbs easier :P

beginnen beginnt begann hat begonnen

[Linye]

first Spanish

second English

[TriBlox6432]

1st Language: English
Languages I speak: German, Experanto, Arabic
Language I can understand, but can't speak: Swedish

[rich52x]

My mother tongue is English, and I understand a lot of french, having just finished French GCSE

[uRock]

American English

A few words in Russian and a few more words in Spanish.

[grobar87]

first: Macedonian
second: very bad english

[flukeairwalker]

First: English (American)
Second: Spanish (Puerto Rican)
Third: Korean (Seoul standard)

[12apennachi]

Mother: English
Taking French in school, I am in my 5th year.

[JustinR]

English + Spanish

[devondashla]

Mother Tongue: Enlgish
Also know: American Sign Language and very little Spanish

Just to let everyone know, not all languages are spoken/written.

[MisterGaribaldi]

Mother Tongue: English
Spoken Language(s): English

[asifnaz]

Mother Tongue: English
Spoken Language(s): English
you are very lucky . I have to speak punjabi at home , urdu in my neighborhood , english at collage , arabic in religious places and french in french class :D

[Frak]

Mother Tongue: English
Secondary: German
Semi-Fluent: Spanish
Can read but can't speak: Russian

[bouncingwilf]

Mother tongue :English
Also speak good French & Spanish
Can get by in Bahasa indonesia/Malayu and Arabic
Wouldn't starve in Hindi or Nihon-go (japanese)

Oh - was also taught Latin and German at school.

Hardest dialect to understand? Geordies or good 'ol boys from the boonies of S Carolina

Bouncingwilf

[msandoy]

Mother tongue: Norwegian
Secondary: English.

Didn't see many norwegians here. I would have tought there should be at least a few.

[SpadeIV]

I am surprised how many people here can speak German, which is my mother tongue.

Fluent in English and Japanese, although my spelling and Kanji sucks. ;)

Understand a little bit of Spanish, Italian and French. But when asked something at the airport, my reply is something like: "Airplane, Arrival, Luggage, There! Yes!" :D

[gnomeuser]

Mothers tongue: Danish
Others: English (excellent), Brazilian Portuguese (poorly), French (very poorly).

I always wanted to learn sign language but first I have to master the Portuguese since nobody really speaks or understands English in Brazil

[gintovan]

Mother tongue: Danish.
Second: English, which I speak and write just as well as Danish.
Third: German, which is quite basic and has been years since I used it.

Other than that I understand some Swedish, Japanese and French spoken (as in not any written or for that matter, speaking).

[aytech]

Mother lang: Russian,
Spoken: English, Czech. I tried French in college, but didnt manage.

[korleon]

My first language is English.
I can speak and read Spanish very well on some days ...

[infestor]

Native: Turkish
Others: Bulgarian (fluent), English (fluent), Danish (intermediate), German (poorly)

[mips]

Mother tongue: Afrikaans
Fluent Language: English
Other Languages: Can read and understand Dutch/Flemish. Can read a bit of German and if you speak slowly I might just understand you. As you can see they are all Germanic Languages so it makes it easier.

I also know enough Zulu just to get me around.

Used to be able to read/write Latin but that's all gone now :D

[julio_cortez]

First language: Italian
Other spoken languages: English, a little bit of French/Spanish (though not much*).

..and I should know ancient Greek and Latin but I doubt I can translate them anymore (high school days are over :()

* the way I can speak/understand French and Spanish varies from day to day and, after a long discussion on the topic with a close friend of mine, we came to the conclusion that it depends on the amount of alcohol I've had. The most alcohol one drinks, the better he/she understands/speaks foreign languages that otherwise would be almost unknown.

[smellyman]

Native: English

Spanish - decent

Cantonese - Poor, but getting there.

[Elitist]

Native: Finnish
Fluent: English
"Can have conversations": Russian
Elementary: Swedish

[markp1989]

1st Language is English, I understand a very little bit of French from school, but not enough to speak it.

[Carondimonio]

Mother tongue: Italian
Other languages: English, German, French, Spanish (Spoken and written)

I also have some basic knowledge of spoken Russian and a passable understanding of Romanian, Portuguese, Romansh

[_outlawed_]

English



Other languages known: Italian, French, Spanish, a little German.

[s.fox]

First Language:


English

Other Languages:


Scotch Gaelic
French
German
Spanish

Non Spoken Language:


British Sign Language

[forrestcupp]

English + SpanishSpanglish? :)


Also know: American Sign Language

Just to let everyone know, not all languages are spoken/written.Good point.


* the way I can speak/understand French and Spanish varies from day to day and, after a long discussion on the topic with a close friend of mine, we came to the conclusion that it depends on the amount of alcohol I've had. The most alcohol one drinks, the better he/she understands/speaks foreign languages that otherwise would be almost unknown.
More likely, the more you think you understand because everything is so jumbled together that it doesn't really even matter what anyone is saying. :)

[NCLI]

Mother tongue: Danish
Other languages: English, French, German, Japanese.

[beetleman64]

First Language: Scottish English (it does exist, apparently: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_English )
Other Language French (very, very patchy. I hated it in school, didn't pay enough attention and ditched it at the first opportunity.)

[oarion7]

Interesting thread!

Native language is American English. I also speak French pretty fluently.

I have also lightly studied at least a couple dozen other languages (most of the languages that have been mentioned throughout the thread), as linguistics has always been a hobby of mine, as long as technology has. I am pretty familiar with the grammatical structure of Persian, for example, but I don't have any vocabulary. Like most linguists, I know "about" many languages but don't know how to speak any of them. :D

I hope to learn Persian and Arabic in the coming years. Pursuing a PhD in Islamic Studies, the latter is.... an absolute necessity.

[wojox]

Main English: (You talk'in to me?)

Australian: (Shrimp on the barbie?)

Canadian: (More Beer, eh?)

[albert s]

mother tongue : Ullans
extremely fluent : English
tourist : bad French and even worse Spanish, a little German(preferable written but speak a little)
can read a little Russian

fluent BS is another, (usually after some refreshments)

[Khakilang]

Mother tongue, Chinese, Hokkien and Cantonese. Teacher tongue, English. Other language, Malay.

[Khakilang]

Mother tongue, Chinese Hokkien and Cantonese dialect. Teacher tongue, English. Other language, Malay.

[Viva]

Mother tongue is Telugu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telugu_language). I can read, write and speak english. I can also read and write hindi.

[Gondrano]

Italian and French as mother tongue, fluent in English less in German.

I can understand some Spanish and few Italian dialects. A very very little of Portuguese. I have studied Latin at school but it is nearly all vanished.

I would like to learn a program language: maybe Python.

[ziekfiguur]

1st language: Dutch
2nd: English
I've also learnt a bit of esperanto, but my vocabulary is to small for it to be useful.
I can understand German reasonably well, if you don't speak to fast, and I'm starting a Spanish course next week.

[lz1dsb]

mother tongue: Bulgarian
I'm fluent in English. I can also use freely German, but I'm still learning...

[Skara Brae]

Mother tongue: Flemish (same as Dutch, but with a sexy accent).
English and German fluently.
French: well, I won't get lost if dumped in France.

Perhaps I should say my mother tongue is a Flemish dialect :)



Mother tongue: Dutch
Quite proficient: English and German (mainly reading)
Just a little: French
Ah, a neighbour from the north :)


First language: Pennsylvania Dutch
What is "Pennsylvania Dutch"? Do they speak Dutch in Pennsylvania?