#1
#2
The first girl replies "They're all just stupid Americans, we're fine!" and without missing a beat, in perfect German, he replies, "Oh, no, please do tell: what would you do if you got the chance?"
They're getting married next spring.
#3
So there was this one time I was at a laundrymat folding clothes, while these two Hispanic ladies are at a table across from me folding their clothes.
Both of them are speaking loudly in spanish so I couldn't help but overhear what they were talking about. They start talking about alcohol. One of them said ever since she got married and had a kid she stopped drinking. The other chick was saying that she loved getting drunk and could not live without alcohol that she wanted a boyfriend so he could buy her alcohol and take care of her kid.
Then they both start talking about their ideal boyfriend. One of them says that she is lucky to have found her husband because he is everything she wanted in a guy. The other chick was listing off a huge checklist of her perfect guy. (Hot guy, must worship her, buy her everything, amazing job, clean, cook, take care of kids,etc)
She then is interrupted by her friend saying that she was never going to find her perfect guy with her list being so long she then turns and looks towards me saying what about a guy like him.
Her friend immediately rejected that idea. She then began to make fun of my clothes, hair, glasses, everything ( I'm a pretty nerdy looking dude) she says how I look like a loser who is doing nothing in life, probably that im poor and won't be able to buy her things, and more.
I think to myself that this chick is quite rude and loudly reply in spansh, I wouldn't be into a chick like yourself, because I wouldn't want a lazy drunk for a girlfriend.
She got silent and just stared at me. Her friend began to laugh uncontrollably.
An interesting thing to note is that at least half of the world’s population is bilingual, and approximately 20%-30% of folks are multilingual. This just goes to show that there are so many people conversing in different dialects on a daily basis, and getting their point across, no matter the odds.
Also, even though English is a dominant language across the world, there are a large number of Mandarin Chinese and Hindi speakers globally. In places like Papua New Guinea and India, you’ll find the most bilingual or multilingual speakers, whereas you’ll find the least in the United Kingdom.
#4
Waiting on the train platform in a rural village when a mother and her young son come through the gate. Immediately the son grabs her mother's hand and tells her in Japanese that they have to be careful of me - that I'm a dangerous foreigner. He promised to protect her but he was hiding behind her.
We had a long wait. Eventually he decided he could creep closer. Still muttering under his breath about the foreigner. So I muttered back, "I love Japanese children. They're delicious."
He ran screaming.
I did not feel bad about it.
#5
In some situations it was a game. One of my Korean friends was fluent in English. We used to take the bus together and talk about whatever just to see what happened with the crowd. He spoke English and I replied in Korean. Really messed with the other passenger's heads. Good times.
#6
travelling in a bahn somewhere near augsburg
little girl around the age of 5 or 6 with her mother sat opposite and pointed at me as asked why i am so black.
Mother patiently explains about afro-americans and slavery and freedom.
girl waves me while leaving.
I am indian.
PS: Thanks for the wedding gold , kind stranger, incidentally , tomorrow is my wedding day.
Being bilingual isn’t just great for getting your point across to other people; it’s also shown to improve problem-solving skills, multitasking abilities, and creativity. This is probably because when an individual speaks in one language, their brain’s processing remains active for their other languages as well, leading to better executive functioning and neural responses.
To understand more about the benefits of being multilingual, Bored Panda reached out to Ka Yee. She is a chartered linguist, professional translator, language teacher, and a mum raising trilingual children. She is the creator of The Multilingual Family Hub, where she supports parents around the world in raising bilingual and trilingual children.
Ka Yee explained that “being bilingual lets you connect with far more people and cultures on a deeper, more meaningful level. It builds cognitive flexibility—your brain gets better at seeing things from multiple perspectives.”
“It also gives children confidence moving between different cultural spaces, and yes, for my kids, being able to order bubble tea in Chinese and be jokingly called ‘spies in training’ is pretty cool too,” she added.
#7
PICS: But not what you were hoping for. Old work pic for hair shot, SHAVED shot to be funny (1.5 years ago) and a shot from the car, very recent, with beardly goodness. http://imgur.com/a/ax6ld.
#8
#9
I told them *in German* that they looked like typical “Deutsch-douches.”
They stared, shocked, as I got off at my stop.
Although it can be extremely fun and cool to switch between languages, it could be uncomfortable to randomly overhear people talking about you in a different one. As you’ve probably noticed from this list, many folks have had the experience of being bad-mouthed in another language, which is definitely unpleasant to go through.
That’s why psychologists state that it’s important to decide how you would want to handle the situation and whether you are comfortable being confrontational or wish to protect your peace. If you don’t mind taking a stand, you can call the person out on their behavior and explain how their words made you feel, which will help them understand that they were being cruel or demeaning.
To get a better understanding of the cultural aspects of bilingualism, we also reached out to Stefanie, who is a PhD student specializing in second language acquisition. As a researcher and mother raising bilingual children, she bridges the gap between linguistic theory and everyday practice. She is the creator of Live Your Language, where she shares insights on multilingual living.
She explained that “bilingualism can be a vital cultural bridge, allowing you to deeply experience new cultures and make new friends. It also helps preserve heritage languages that might otherwise be lost across generations. Speaking another language also helps protect against cognitive decline with aging, promotes academic achievement, and enhances career prospects.”
#10
#11
They discussed their strategies in German. I understand German. I did well that game.
#12
It is really is a different culture.
Even though some of these stories might seem like cautionary tales, learning a new language is actually a lot of fun and a worthwhile experience. Although it might be tough at first, experts advise starting off by memorizing at least 100 of the most common words in that language and practising them as much as you can.
When we asked Ka Yee for tips on becoming bilingual or trilingual, she said that “growing up multilingual is a cheat code, but people can become bilingual at any age. The key is immersion—surround yourself with the language through TV, music, podcasts, and daily habits.”
She also added, “I became fluent in English through pop culture, obsessively watching and listening to Hanson and the Backstreet Boys. Having a [friend] or romantic partner who’s a native speaker of the language can definitely help!”
Stefanie shared that “a successful plan incorporates a consistent routine, reliable language input, and regular feedback. Making progress and keeping topics relevant to your interests and goals will help sustain motivation.”
“Finding a conversation partner with similar interests is ideal for this, as they provide authentic context and immediate feedback. This social connection ensures practice remains engaging and helps you master relevant vocabulary naturally,” she added.
#13
I've heard a few things directed to me once or twice. On one particular occasion, two Ukrainian girls were talking about me on the subway, but not letting them know I understood. When I had to get off the train, I simply smiled at them and said "I understood everything you two were talking about." and left.
Their faces dropped.
#14
They were never rude to me again, especially since I was the only one of their children's significant others to bother learning the language. So not exactly the lazy, bringer-down they thought.
#15
One day I left my cell phone in a taxi, and had to chase it all the way to the taxi ranks. Out of breath I asked, in english, for my phone. She said she had it and I had to pay what amounted to $10. I said no, and she should give it to me, i paid my fare.
Her and the other drivers started speaking Fanti, saying I should pay more, maybe $20. I had the money. I was an American.
So I walk over to her slowly, put my hand on her shoulder and say "Auntie, Osiande me ye obroni, wo dwin m'insase fanti, a? Wo se, Dzin Pa ye sen Ohonia. A?" (Auntie, because I'm a white guy, you think I don't speak Fanti? Your people say that a good name is better than riches, yes?)
All of the cabbies got quiet and turned to her. She just held out my phone, and I grabbed it and casually walked away to the "Ooooooo"s of all the other cabbies. From that day, whenever I took a cab in that town, they called me Dzin Pa (A Good Name).
There’s so much more to being bilingual than surprising people who are bad-mouthing you in public. The best parts of learning a new language and trying it out are that you can experience so much more, get creative, and even boost your thinking and processing abilities.
There seems to be no better time than now to start on your journey to being bilingual or trilingual, so why not get going? We’d also love to hear if you have any amusing stories about learning a language or overhearing someone talking about you in one they don’t know you understand.
#16
I answered in Chinese: "I'm an American!".
#17
#18
#19
#20
...I don't even speak French.