• Question: How many languages can you speak?

    Asked by anon-284762 to Gwen on 3 Mar 2021.
    • Photo: Gwen Brekelmans

      Gwen Brekelmans answered on 3 Mar 2021:

      Hi Jessica, great question! I can speak a few but I’m not equally good at all of them. So I learnt Dutch from birth, and use English every day as well now. In school I learnt German and French so I can speak those pretty well, although I’m getting a bit rusty because I haven’t used them as much in a while. And then I’ve had some lessons in Dutch Sign Language and Finnish, but I can only do those a little bit and am not very good at them yet. So 6 🙂

Comments

  • Photo: Anon

    Anon commented on :

    I can speak two, Welsh and English. I did GCSE French in school, and I have done a beginner level in British Sign Language… I would like to get better at these languages!

  • Photo: Luan

    Luan commented on :

    Hi Jessica! My first language is Portuguese. That is the language in which I feel more comfortable and confident to express myself. I learnt English at school, which I use full time living and working in the UK. I also had Spanish and French classes during my life. I read many books by Spanish and French scientists, so those languages are useful.

  • Photo: Myrto

    Myrto commented on :

    Hi Jessica! I am from Greece so my native language is Greek. I studied English at school for many years and I have been staying in Scotland for the past 8 years and all my studies have been conducted in English. As a result, I feel more comfortable talking about my job and what I do in English using the terminology of my field, rather than giving a lecture in Greek. I am also learning German.

  • Photo: Dennis

    Dennis commented on :

    First, I want to say that the difference between a dialect and a language is sometimes political rather than linguistic.

    That said, what I would call a ‘language’ would simply be a ‘dialect’ to some.

    I speak the following (in order of fluency)

    1. Filipino
    2. English
    3. Cebuano
    4. Aklanon
    5. American sign language

  • laurenmcgale commented on :

    I am from Ireland, so I speak English day-to-day, but also Irish and a bit of French. I started to learn Spanish during the lockdown but I haven’t been too successful… I know enough to have a short conversation, and maybe order some food and drinks, that’s the important thing, right?

  • Photo: Harry

    Harry commented on :

    Hi! I am fluent in English and have a good understanding of French, German, Japanese! I have also been learning Welsh for about 8 months now, so have a basic understanding of it for short conversations!