Do you speak any other language than English(for American)?

Question

If so...how long did it take you learn this new language?

Answer 1

I know enough spanish to order a beer or food. Enough to ask where the bathroom is. Enough to ask a hot girl her name and what she likes. Just the essentials.

Answer 2

I speak Sinhala (learned rudimentarily after two months' intensive study in Sri Lanka) and after two years spoke as well as an elementary school child of that country. I also learned to speak French and German while an Army brat in those countries (learned also in middle and high school plus continued with French at university). In addition, I can speak a number of languages basically, that is enough to get around; maybe about 10 more. If you truly wish to learn another language, by far the most effective way is immersion. Go to a country that speaks that language -- get away from English -- and with effort you will be able to speak in a matter of weeks or months. However, if when asking, "how long did you learn this language," if you mean fluidity in speaking, reading and writing, this is a process that will take years for most people, as it did for me.

Answer 3

No, not fluently. I took French in high school and have learned a wee bit of Spanish lately as my daughter has taught herself Spanish and so I catch some of it, listening to her. Nothing conversational, though. However, I don't need to learn another language, living in Canada or the USA. But, if I was thinking of moving to a country that primarily used a different language, I would make it my business to try to learn that language first before I moved there - at least enough to communicate. I would buy a translation dictionary, as well. I would not expect the citizens of my new country to have to struggle to understand me - I would struggle to make them understand me and would do my best to understand them.

Answer 4

polish fluently, french enough to get along, and i'm learning hebrew and japanese.

lol, english was the language i learned. it took me about 2 months at age 6 to start talking 80 miles a minute in my new language. french took about 3 years, and i've just started the others.

Answer 5

I'll always be learning because I am not anywhere I can use it regularly.

If you are implying that we should give people time to learn, I agree. However I know people who have been in this country for years who see no need to learn English and don't intend to. They just want to perpetuate a foreign state within our borders. I do object to that.

Answer 6

I speak some Esperanto and a little (rusty) German. I had two years of German in high school and I still remember enough of it to pick my way through written German. Esperanto's easy, you can learn it in six months.

Also, I'm picking up Spanish, more or less against my will, just from living in los Estados Unidos.

Answer 7

I can speak Dutch. It took me 11/2 years. I had to learn it since my husband is Dutch and yes he speaks and reads English fluently.

Answer 8

No. And there's no reason why by legislation I have to. If I go there, then I'd have to speak their language.

You'd have to throw me in jail rather than i have to learn to speak another language in my country.

Answer 9

I speak a few, but I have no respect for someone who knows english and refuses to speak it (mostly spanish-speakers) on American soil.

Answer 10

yea 2 other 1's and it took about 4 years to thourly understand in all languages

Answer 11

no and my sister married a illegal and they have been in the states many many years and its weird at the family picnics because he brings 4- others with him and they go stand together speaking spanish and make no efforts to talk to you so after a couple of years of this i just ignore them other than hi thats it . i cant understand why they dont try . they bring goat meat i am not kidding lol ok its weird