I would like to move to Belgium knowing 0 french? Will i be hated by locals?

Question

I would like to go study in Belgium for 1,5 although i know 0 french and dutch. I don't know how locals there hate people who don't speak French or Dutch and how hard is to be living there knwong only English? Anyone had this experience? Pls help

Answer 1

Almost everyone knows here English but yes think twice before to come over.
Belgium is terrible to life in!And my husband is...Irish!
And forget the interim offices there terrible too!

Answer 2

Don't worry. Most Belgians speak English very well, as well as Dutch, French and sometimes German too. Being a tiny country in the middle of Western-Europe making a lot of money out of transit traffic, we don't have much of a choice, do we? Once you're here, you might even find it difficult to learn the language because whenever you try to speak a few words of Dutch and a local notices your native tongue is English, he'll immediately switch to the latter. And he'll be very persistent about it, too. And indeed, Brussels being the 'capital' of Europe (yet more money for us!) and Antwerp being a very cool city for fashion designers and other creative people, you'll find that there are a lot of Anglo-Saxon expats here, and if any of them is hated by the locals, it won't be because of the language he or she speaks :)

Answer 3

Hi, Belgium is not terrible to live in. I'm belgean though live abroad. People in Belgium are very nice but a little hard to get to know. They are not as open as Americans, but once you know them, you have made friends for life. Don't get upset when it does not work out immediately. People tend to be polite and distant.

If you plan to go to spend some time in Belgium it might be interesting for you to learn one of the current languages, although with English you might be able to find a job too. It will take more time though. And all depends on your degrees, experience, wishes, timetable.

When studying, go to see the university secretary, they might help you a hand with a students job. And get yourself inscripted in a so-called 'interim' office. These offices provide you with all kinds of temporarily jobs, they will make you do some tests, and take your resume with you.

Good luck! Have fun, and don't forget to visit Antwerp. (Btw, I would live in Antwerp, nicer & safer place than Brussels, and everything reachable by bike)

Answer 4

There are a lot of people in Brussels who can't speak a word of French or Dutch because of the European institutions. I'm from Belgium and I'm used to hear other languages in Brussels than mine. So don't worry about that.

Answer 5

Most people in Belgium speak very good English. You will have a better time and be more respected if you speak (or at least attempt to learn) French, but they won't hate you if you don't. You will get some snooty types who will pretend not to understand you though.

Answer 6

Liege is a tremendously cool city, you will adore the situation. English is robotically taught in Belgian colleges and maximum little ones would have a good know-how. issues like highway indications will all be in French so which you will would desire to verify a minimum of the fundamentals to get around. it is not that annoying to verify. college instructions in French would be a project yet you would be surprised how speedy you will study. bear in suggestions that being bi-lingual is a super plus on your CV once you come to searching for a job. Ian

Answer 7

Brussels is the capital of Europe; you will likely be more at home there where other languages will be more normal.

also, you plan to study? if your coursework will be in French or Flemish, an emersion course would go a long way to solving your problems.