People who speak two languages: what language do you think in?

[questioner]

I know people who speak two languages very well. In fact they know English as well as Spanish. THey grew up speaking Spanish but now that they are in America they spend the majority of their time speaking English (at work and with friends). Though I always wonder what language do they "think in" ??

 

[luvmydogs]

I remember reading an interview with Martina Navratilova several years after she defected. She said she truly considered herself an American when her dreams were in English and not her native language.

 

[helenabear]

Depends on the person... in my family the answer would be "Both"

 

[Duckfan-in-Chicago]

I speak in English and Pig Latin, and for some odd reason, I think in German. It's really strange because I have a hard time understanding myself.

 

[Poohnatic]

I speak in English and Pig Latin, and for some odd reason, I think in German. It's really strange because I have a hard time understanding myself.

so, does the incredibaby understand it?

Suzanne

 

[Duckfan-in-Chicago]

so, does the incredibaby understand it?

Suzanne

At this point, I believe he thinks and talks in a few totally different languages. He came with an owners manual, but that's in Japanese. Sorry to the OP. I know these are serious questions and don't want to take away from the subject at hand.

 

[oogieboogie]

it depends who I'm talking to. If I'm talking in English, I think in English. If I'm talking in Indonesian, I think in Indonesian. My dreams are English mostly but sometimes I'll be talking Indonesian in my English dreams.

Most of the time what comes out of my mouth is intelligible anyways so it doesn't really matter what the language is right?

 

[Annam26]

It's also both for me, depending on what language is being used in the situation I'm dealing with.

It would really be a pain to keep traslating my thoughts from one language to the other! Too much work

 

[mushumadness]

I speak english as my first language, but my nonna was greek so I can speak that too, and tend to think that way as well

my children will also learn greek

the only way i learnt it was by nonna speaking greek to me all the time (she just plain refused to speak english though she could)

 

[MrsNick]

When my mother speaks English, she thinks in English. When she speaks Chinese, she thinks in Chinese.

At one time, when I was speaking French pretty well, I started to think in French occasionally. But I don't speak French so well, anymore. No opportunity to practice.

 

[daisyduck123]

I took 5 years of Spanish (junior-high & high school) & was pretty good at it back then. In high school I would often "catch" myself thinking in Spanish. This was 20 years ago...I don't do it anymore.

 

[Mysteria]

I speak in English and Pig Latin, and for some odd reason, I think in German. It's really strange because I have a hard time understanding myself.

Myst

 

[Sparx]

I know alot of people like you, and I asked one once, they said that they thought in spanish.
I only FLUENTLY speak english, I can speak a little french and very little spanish, but I can't really imagine thinking in another language. It is just hard for me to wrap my head around.

 

[Lil_Tink]

I speak english and pidjin. I sometimes think in jeberash though...

 

[froglady]

A looong time ago I worked with a resident (doctor) who grew up in an area of the US where everyone in the neighborhood, including his parents, spoke French. When he would get tired (when awakened to see a patient at 2AM, for instance), he would start writing his patient notes in French, so I assume that he was thinking in it.

 

[PixieDust32]

It's also both for me, depending on what language is being used in the situation I'm dealing with.

It would really be a pain to keep traslating my thoughts from one language to the other! Too much work

Exactly! If I watch a TV show in Spanish of course I think in Spanish, same for English!

 

[Mad4Mickey]

I speak English but I dream in Italian alot

 

[LK03]

I usually think in English until I'm mad. When I'm mad or irritated I think in French. I used to think in French a lot while walking to class as well, it was very interesting.