Ask HN: Anyone else understand a language but not able to speak it?
2 comments
I'm a lot like the OP [Xtac]. I was born in Oklahoma and raised to speak English. I picked up Hindi off my parents, who are from India.
It's not difficult for me to speak Hindi, but it's not easy either. My limits are very basic Hindi, or phrasing answers that are very based on the question asked.
It's not difficult for me to speak Hindi, but it's not easy either. My limits are very basic Hindi, or phrasing answers that are very based on the question asked.
That's interesting, I also forgot to mention that my parents spoke punjabi, and I find myself understanding punjabi more so than hindi. While alike they are very different and often confusing.
I have the same issue with Mandarin. I believe with practice you will develop the confidence to speak it.
Are you actively trying to learn it? Do you find it hard to tie words together?
I have lunch with a mandarin speaker once a week to practice. My parents native tongue is cantonese, so it's similar in grammar at least to mandarin. I found I really suck at speaking cantonese, but a couple of months ago I went to China. With no english speakers around me, I was forced to adapt, within 3 days I was speaking fluent cantonese to my cousins. So I'm a firm believer in practice makes perfect.
Little background: My parents are from india, I grew up in the US. Both my parents do speak english very well. I never grew up with any friends who spoke hindi, or had relatives my age who spoke it, so I guess because I never needed to try to speak it I never learned how to, and I find it extremely hard to speak it now(im 26)
Anyone else have something similar?