how many languages do you speak?

Question

i can speak three (English of course, Spanish and Navajo) most people around here speak at least two languages (I'm in the Southwestern USA (Arizona to be more specific) ,a good deal of people in this region speak two or more languages because of our proximity to Mexico and the indigenous people that live here as well, I'm curious about people in Europe , seems to me that there are SOOO many languages there i would assume most everyone speaks multiple languages? also how prominent is the English language in Europe, do most people speak English as well as there own language? and lastly if i were to travel in Europe is there any language that is "universal" so to say, for instance if you live in North America of course English is universal but if you go to south America even though there are many languages you can get away with speaking Spanish and do just fine almost everyone knows it, is there an equivalent to that in Europe? sorry for the over complicated question.

Answer 1

Welsh, the language of Wales and the oldest European language still spoken: and English, the most popular language spoken worldwide and in Europe!

So if you came to Europe, Speaking English would get you by!

Answer 2

This is a great question. I have travelled a lot over the past hundred or so years (!) and have learned a little of some languages. I can get by in French, Italian & Spanish though most of my language skill is related to the things needed when travelling - at petrol stations, in restaurants, hotels etc. I doubt I could talk politics in any of these tongues. These languages cover much of Europe. I speak a little Dutch and German too. Also, I learned some Turkish before my first visit to that country and was well rewarded by the delighted reaction of the Turks not to mention the free drinks my efforts brought. In every country I have visited I have learned to say hello, please and thank you and these include all the Scandinavian countries, plus Egypt and China.
Sadly, the continental Europeans are much better at speaking English than most people from mainland Britain are at speaking any foreign language at all. We (British) have a very bad reputation for rudeness when we go to Europe and it is generally well-deserved!
To get back to your question, I would say English is the universal language in Europe but to learn those three words - hello, please & thankyou goes a very long way towards fostering good international relations as does the local equivalent of "Cheers" when you are toasting each other at the bar!!!

Answer 3

Hello, you speak an interesting language, Navajo. I speak:

Swedish
Finnish
English
German
Spanish
French

Although there are many different languages spoken in Europe, I believe most people speak also English, if not the elderly, but the young ones for sure. I´m from Finland and English is taught at school. A pupil can also choose German, Spanish, French and Russian as voluntary languages.
Have a nice autumn!

Answer 4

Only English. I know a few words of spanish but thats it.Though I do think its great that people speak more than one I myself just never learned. My sister lives in Arizona and I am not sure she speaks anything other than English fluently. good luck and best wishes. Sorry this isn't really answeing your question because I don't live in Europe or have any idea if they all have at least 1 unuversal language (spoken)except the universal language of love. lol

Answer 5

Most people in Europe can speak English-they learn it in school, and a lot of the TV is from America(they have Scrubs in Spain). I speak English, Norwegian, and I can understand most French but I am currently learning how to speak it better.

Answer 6

My first language is Welsh, I'm fluent in English and I can get by in French and Portuguese.

English is widely spoken in European countries but by no means by everyone, especially outside tourist areas.It's best to learn at least some of the local language before going, it endears you to the locals and helps in places where they don't speak English...I have come across many such places.

Firecat mage..Areithia Cymraeg means '(you) make a speech in Welsh'. This would not be used in everyday language.
'I speak Welsh' would be 'Siaradaf Gymraeg' or 'Dwi'n siarad Cymraeg.'

Answer 7

English, Welsh, French (a little)

You can get by in most countries in Europe speaking English
It isn't commonly used outside of the UK so expect schoolboy usage rather than fluency.

Answer 8

Italian, English, French and Spanish..

Answer 9

English - fluently :)
Irish - i could have a basic conversation
French - a basic conversation

I also have a few words of Italian and Spanish

When travelling around Europe you'll be fine with English but when you get to countries such as Spain, France, Germany, Italy etc. it is more respectful to learn a few words so you can communicate with them and respect their culture. They will try to accomodate you as much as possible by speaking a few words of English!

Answer 10

First language Swedish, English quite fluently (daily use in my home), quite good German, Russian, Danish and Norwegian, not too bad Italian, French and Latin, some working knowledge in Chinese, Slovak, Spanish, Finnish and Polish, also studied Greek (Classical and Koine), Japanese, and Church Slavonic, have some basic knowledge about Tibetan, Turkish, Icelandic, Dutch, Yiddish and Sanskrit, and some fragments of Tajik, Arabic, Hungarian, Estonian, Pali and Hebrew.

As for languages in Europe, if you speak English you can travel virtually everywhere, BUT that doesn't mean you will have an easy travel everywhere. First, not everyone speak English, so in many countries (maybe excluding Sweden and their nearest Scandinavian neighbours, where virtually everyone speaks good English) you might have to search for someone who can speak English. Second, it's much easier to make friends if you speak at least a little of the local langauge. Third, old people in most countries rarely speak English, and the same goes for poor or uneducated people, which means you can't get to know other than a few kinds of people. Fourth, you can't read any information signs, restaurant menues, and things like that if you can't read the local language.

Europe is a very diversified continent. In the North (like Sweden) and West (like UK, of course), English is sure enough (in Sweden, people usually speak English with you even if you really want to practice Swedish ...), but in East and South Europe, English is certainly not very widely spoken, except by young, educated people. You can for example forget bying a simple railway ticket in Poland without help if you can't make yourself understood in Polish (or Russian).

If you already speak Spanish, you will manage without problems in not only Spain, but also in Italy and maybe France. German could prove useful in many parts of central Europe (not only are Germany, Austria and most parts of Switzerland German-speaking, but also many other, especially middleaged and older, in East-Central Europe can speak some German even if they from obvious historical reasons may prefer not to ... This last problem also applies to Russian. Most people in East (and East- Central) Europe were forced to study Russian until 15 years ago, but just because they were forced to they commonly resisted taking this knowledge to their hearts. Still, if they understand you're not Russian yourself, Russian can prove very useful in situations where English would be of absolutely no help (like a Polish bus or railway station, as I said ...).

So, even if you can travel everywhere with your present languages, you will have a good help (and certainly much more fun) if you add one or too more to your palette, maybe first German or Russian.

Just one last note: getting knowledge in a new language, also ever so rudimentary, has clearly proved never a waste of time! It opens doors you never thought you were looking for, when you're travelling! Many of my best and strongest memories from my travels would never have occured, if I hadn't tried to learn at least a little of the local language everytime I travelled to a new country.