How many languages do you speak?

[DHONI183]

How many languages can you speak?:

Probably, almost all the PPers around here can speak more than one language. You might be good in one and a little off in other. However, the important thing is that we are able to communicate with those who don´t understand our language.

Here´s a little summary of my knowledge of different languages:

1. Punjabi - simply amazing at that! No one can beat me!

2. Urdu - am as good as any common Pakistani is. I cannot read Urdu properly, but have started to to give it some tries in recent times. God willing, I will learn reading it very soon.

3. English - since it is a much easier language to write, I am thus much better at writing English. If compared to number four then it has to be said that overall I possess much better knowledge of English than the other.

4. German - in comparison to number three, I will have to admit that I speak much fluent German than the other. It has more to do with the fact that I haven´t really interacted with any English-speaking person in my entire life. On the other hand, Germans are all over the place in Germany (Waqaristic ). As for writing, number three simply wins the contest.

Edit: Well, if other non-Indians are including Hindi then I´m sure even I possess some handful knowledge of the language.

So there you are, make five.

What about your knowledge of different languages?

 

[mustafa]

urdu -mother tongue
Telugu -local language
Hindi and urdu are the same
English
and i can understand Tamil

 

[Keith]

English - write, speak
Afrikaans - write, speak
IsiXhosa - speak limited

In the "old SA" we were forced to take english and afrikaans. I grew up and did all my schooling during that period.

Isixhosa i have been attempting to learn for about 6 months now!! Difficult language to speak with all the "clicks" etc.

 

[Yossarian]

Body Language.
See some of the books on the subject by Allan and Barbara Pease

 

[AZ]

English
Urdu
Punjabi
French
Arabic

 

[Indieview]

I can do with 5 languages

English
Hindi
Malayalam
Tamil
Kannada

 

[Uncle Sam]

Hindko (Mother tongue)
Urdu (read write speak)
Punjabi (read write speak)
English (read write speak)
Persian/Farsi (read write speak)
Pushto (read write speak)
Russian (read write speak)
Arabic (read write)

 

[Oxy]

English

 

[Indiafan]

I can do with 5 languages

English
Hindi
Malayalam
Tamil
Kannada

English
Hindi
Malayalam
Kannada
Bengali
Oriya
Sanskrit

 

[azfar wali]

I can only speak two languages Urdu and English .

 

[Bublu Bhuyan]

English

You can't speak hindi/urdu ?

 

[Bublu Bhuyan]

Assamese, Hindi and English.

 

[kingusama92]

Urdu - I can only speak it fluently, I can't read or write it.

English - I can read, speak, and write it.

Punjabi - I can only speak it in bits

French - I can only speak it in bits

 

[siddharth]

Four languages

Malayalam
Hindi
Tamil
English

 

[zimmz]

Question for Indian PPers:

Why most of the people from Tamil Nadu do not speak hindi (India's national language) even if they are educated? Do they not learn hindi in schools?

In Pakistan Urdu being national language is mandatory in all schools as a subject, hence any educated person can speak/read/write it for sure.

P.S. I specifically mentioned tamil nadu due to personal experience with Tamil students. Question could apply to other states as well.

 

[Mohsin]

English
German
Urdu
Punjabi
Pushto

 

[Indiafan]

Question for Indian PPers:

Why most of the people from Tamil Nadu do not speak hindi (India's national language) even if they are educated? Do they not learn hindi in schools?

In Pakistan Urdu being national language is mandatory in all schools as a subject, hence any educated person can speak/read/write it for sure.

P.S. I specifically mentioned tamil nadu due to personal experience with Tamil students. Question could apply to other states as well.

Hindi is not our national langauge, just official language. India doesnt have a national langauge

 

[zimmz]

^^^ Oh I see. Thanks!

 

[Oxy]

You can't speak hindi/urdu ?

No I cant. I blame Bollywood i.e. not watching it!

 

[FAM]

English
Urdu
Sindhi
Chinese (little)

 

[Showman]

English
Hindko
Urdu
Punjabi
Spanish (a little)

 

[Bublu Bhuyan]

No I cant. I blame Bollywood i.e. not watching it!

Oh, I remember you saying that you were born and raised in the UK. I hope at least you understand Urdu/Hindi ?

 

[insaftak]

Hindko (Mother tongue)
Urdu (read write speak)
Punjabi (read write speak)
English (read write speak)
Persian/Farsi (read write speak)
Pushto (read write speak)
Russian (read write speak)
Arabic (read write)

were you a mujahid in afghan war against russians.

 

[Oxy]

Oh, I remember you saying that you were born and raised in the UK. I hope at least you understand Urdu/Hindi ?

I can understand basic Urdu - no Hindi though.

I understand basic Punjabi, and can gt by a bit in speaking.

 

[On_the_up]

Oh, I remember you saying that you were born and raised in the UK. I hope at least you understand Urdu/Hindi ?

He's admitted to watching the odd dramas on ARY so he must understand a bit, although the speed with which they progress, you could have a dictionary on standby and still not miss a thing!

 

[Ayyub]

SARAIKI :- FULLY MAN ...LOVED IT SWEET LANGUAGE OF PAKISTAN IS SARAIKI ACCORDING TO ME .,

Urdu :- fully
English :- Guzara Time Pass not fully

little bit punjabi also ..

 

[hussein]

bunch of showoffs!

 

[TAK]

Hindko (Mother tongue)
Urdu (read write speak)
Punjabi (read write speak)
English (read write speak)
Persian/Farsi (read write speak)
Pushto (read write speak)
Russian (read write speak)
Arabic (read write)

very impressive

 

[insaftak]

very impressive

i think he fought against russians in afghanistan.

 

[Oxy]

He's admitted to watching the odd dramas on ARY so he must understand a bit, although the speed with which they progress, you could have a dictionary on standby and still not miss a thing!

My wife is the dictionary - I am constantly pestering her!

"what did he say" "What does that mean" "Why did she say that?" etc etc

 

[Fallen King]

You guys speak and write too many languages. Consider yourselves this the achievement of learning many languages.

English and Urdu.

 

[Bublu Bhuyan]

My wife is the dictionary - I am constantly pestering her!

"what did he say" "What does that mean" "Why did she say that?" etc etc

Is your wife born and raised in the UK as well ?

 

[Momo]

"Why did she say that?" etc

As if women always say things for a reason !

 

[12thMan]

My wife is the dictionary - I am constantly pestering her!...

"What does that mean" "Why did she say that?" etc etc

As if women always say things for a reason !

I added another phrase in there which you ignored though it is not good to ask it because it becomes you just don't understand. But chalaki is the third person thinking info is being gathered so it is not that obvious. In research it is good to get inside info.

 

[f.b.m]

l337

 

[jusarrived]

Kannada
Tulu
Hindi
English

understand konkani , coorgi ,Marathi , sanskrit , Gujrati & telugu ...though Konkani , Telugu and snaskrit , am slightly out of touch!

 

[kashmiri_lad]

Speak and Understand:
Kashmiri
Hindi
Punjabi
English

Understand:
Marathi (can speak a bit)

 

[nazimcricket]

I wish this were a thread about languages learnt and forgotten, in which case my response would have been ...

Swahili
Spanish
French

but alas, I'm down to only (stupid brain):

English
Urdu
Pittman Shorthand (It's a language, right?!)

 

[princess_of_punjab]

Urdu
English
Hindi
Punjabi
French
A bit of German
Can understand a bit of Gujarati and Sindhi

 

[Kodak_24]

Sinhala - Mother Language
English

 

[Oxy]

Is your wife born and raised in the UK as well ?

Born & raised in Pak - until I happened. She doesnt speak Eng. I dont speak Urdu.

Its perfect really

 

[Keith]

Born & raised in Pak - until I happened. She doesnt speak Eng. I dont speak Urdu.

Its perfect really

Sounds perfect!!!!!

Thing is mate, I know you are happily married (she is happy and you are married!!!), a good father and a good family man!!!!!

 

[Saj]

I wish this were a thread about languages learnt and forgotten, in which case my response would have been ...

Swahili
Spanish
French

but alas, I'm down to only (stupid brain):

English
Urdu
Pittman Shorthand (It's a language, right?!)

You have connections with Kenya ?

Here's mine :-

English
Geordie
Scouse
Punjabi
Can speak Urdu but not very well, can understand most of it
Can speak some French
Can speak and understand some Swahili

 

[Keith]

You have connections with Kenya ?

Here's mine :-

English
Geordie
Scouse
Punjabi
Can speak Urdu but not very well, can understand most of it
Can speak some French
Can speak and understand some Swahili

How the heck do you know some swahili? I am assuming that you spent some time there in the past as I have seen you post a number of times with reference to Kenya?

If so, what is your opinion of your experience in Africa?

 

[abc_to_xyz]

Punabi (Beginner!)
Urdu (Normal)
English (Normal)



Other Languages that I do know:
.
.
.
.
.
C++ (Good)
VB6 (Excellent)
Java (Only Basic)
HTML (Superb)
JS/CSS (Normal)

 

[DHONI183]

English
German
Urdu
Punjabi
Pushto

Really Mohsin???

 

[Saj]

How the heck do you know some swahili? I am assuming that you spent some time there in the past as I have seen you post a number of times with reference to Kenya?

If so, what is your opinion of your experience in Africa?

Keith my fathers side of the family are from Kenya, so in fact I am half Kenyan half Pakistani. We speak mainly Punjabi at home but there's always a bit of Swahili flying around too.

I love Africa, I've been to Kenya several times. Kenya is such a beautiful country. Yes it has many issues and negatives, but the beauty is breathtaking and so natural - the beaches of Mombasa, the plains of the Mara where all the wildlife roams, the hustle and bustle of Nairobi. Not many places in the world you can go when you are driving on the motorway and you drive past a herd of Zebra and a group of giraffe or have to stop your journey because an elephant has blocked the road.

 

[love pak]

urdu,panjabi,english,chinese

 

[MIG]

urdu english and a spattering of Arabic....

 

[lahori@denmark]

punjabi
urdu
danish
sweedish and norwegain( similiar to danish so i can understand and read it )
english
german(ich kan verstehn, wen sie sprechen deutsch)
and then i can understand potohari becouse of some friends who speak it, and some months ago i was watching a program where they spoke in saraiki, i cld understood it very well, and found it very intresting and sweet language

 

[Da Best]

Urdu

English

Punjabi

 

[HuZi]

English - write, speak
Afrikaans - write, speak
IsiXhosa - speak limited

In the "old SA" we were forced to take english and afrikaans. I grew up and did all my schooling during that period.

Isixhosa i have been attempting to learn for about 6 months now!! Difficult language to speak with all the "clicks" etc.

Dutch
Urdu
English
German not properlybut still =D

but keith I heard from people afrikaans looks a bit like dutch tell me if you understand this:

versta je dit? want dit is nederlands kun je wat afrikaans schrijven voor mij?

 

[Inswinger]

Punjabi
Urdu
English
Spanish (forced to take in high school)

 

[TAK]

English
Punjabi/Pottwaari

Urdu - but generally don't bother speaking it unless i have to i.e. if the other person is a non-punjabi/pottwaari speaker e,g,g Bengali, Pathan, etc .etc.

2 punjabis speaking urdu is a pretty absurd concept

 

[Shahid A]

English
Urdu
Punjabi
Spanish ( Lived there for 2 years when i was young)
French (learnt at school for 2 years ) can speak very well
mexican (my dad's best mate comes around everyday to see my dad and i get mexiccan language lesson's off him lets just say i can have a proper conversation with him without my dad knowing what were on about )

 

[TAK]

mexican

don't they speak spanish in mexico?

 

[Saj]

don't they speak spanish in mexico?

I've never heard of a language called Mexican.

 

[Oxy]

I get mexiccan language lesson's off him lets just say i can have a proper conversation with him without my dad knowing what were on about )

I think he's winding you up!!! Esp if you say you speak Spanish....

 

[darkmoon459]

Urdu
English
Punjabi
Hindi
Spanish
French

 

[nazimcricket]

I was born in Uganda. Apparently I spoke a little swahili as a toddler, but naturally forgot the language after we ended up in Australia courtesy of Idi Amin.

 

[srh]

English
Punjabi/Pottwaari

Urdu - but generally don't bother speaking it unless i have to i.e. if the other person is a non-punjabi/pottwaari speaker e,g,g Bengali, Pathan, etc .etc.

2 punjabis speaking urdu is a pretty absurd concept

I have never seen 2 punjabis speaking urdu between them. Same with Pathans, Sindhis, Balochis etc.

 

[insaftak]

I have never seen 2 punjabis speaking urdu between them. Same with Pathans, Sindhis, Balochis etc.

i have never met a balochi

 

[PlanetPakistan]

Keith my fathers side of the family are from Kenya, so in fact I am half Kenyan half Pakistani. We speak mainly Punjabi at home but there's always a bit of Swahili flying around too.

I love Africa, I've been to Kenya several times. Kenya is such a beautiful country. Yes it has many issues and negatives, but the beauty is breathtaking and so natural - the beaches of Mombasa, the plains of the Mara where all the wildlife roams, the hustle and bustle of Nairobi. Not many places in the world you can go when you are driving on the motorway and you drive past a herd of Zebra and a group of giraffe or have to stop your journey because an elephant has blocked the road.

I think they speak Swahili all over East Africa, i was trying to learn it through one of my Tanzanian friends but it hasn't worked out too well yet.

 

[DHONI183]

punjabi
urdu
danish
sweedish and norwegain( similiar to danish so i can understand and read it )
english
german (ich kan verstehn, wen sie sprechen deutsch)
and then i can understand potohari becouse of some friends who speak it, and some months ago i was watching a program where they spoke in saraiki, i cld understood it very well, and found it very intresting and sweet language

Surely can´t be Google Translator since it cannot misspell like that.

Correction:

"Wenn sie Deutch sprechen werden, werde ich verstehen."

 

[TAK]

I have never seen 2 punjabis speaking urdu between them. Same with Pathans, Sindhis, Balochis etc.

my wife and her freinds are an example

really does my head in

 

[Shahid A]

I think he's winding you up!!! Esp if you say you speak Spanish....

YEAH OMG I DIDNT KNOW HE WAS DOING THAT SO I ASKED HIM WHAT LANGUAGE IT IS AND HE SAID NEVER YOU MIND ITS AN LANGUAGE USED IN HIS VILLAGE

 

[HuZi]

Surely can´t be Google Translator since it cannot misspell like that.

Correction:

"Wenn sie Deutch sprechen werden, werde ich verstehen."

aber naturlich, meine deutsch ist super toll aber wo bist du in urlaub gewesen ? I can talk a little deutsch what I learn on my school my 2nd year with deutsch this

 

[Lethal]

English
Kashmiri/Mirpuri
Urdu
Bit of Pathan/Chachi lingo

 

[pakistani_banda]

Punabi (Beginner!)
Urdu (Normal)
English (Normal)



Other Languages that I do know:
.
.
.
.
.
C++ (Good)
VB6 (Excellent)
Java (Only Basic)
HTML (Superb)
JS/CSS (Normal)

english
urdu
hindi(can understand)
.
.
.
.

C++
Assembly Language
Binary Language
PHP
HTML/XHTML
CSS
MYSQL

 

[saeed-sohail]

Pothohari/mirpuri.
Urdu.
English.
Punjabi. love sardar punjabi with "KADAK".
Hindi.bolly type.

Use to do 3 different radio shows in urdu,English and pothohari not long ago.

 

[DHONI183]

aber naturlich, meine deutsch ist super toll aber wo bist du in urlaub gewesen ? I can talk a little deutsch what I learn on my school my 2nd year with deutsch this

Wieso fragst du das? Wolltest du mitfahren?

 

[Mohsin]

Really Mohsin???

Yup, did it at GCSEs

Ich heise Mohsin, meine gebutstaag ist siebsten August ein-un-neunzehn, ich wohne in London...

Does that make any sense to you?

 

[pakistani pride]

Punjabi
Urdu
Dutch
English
Turkish

 

[HuZi]

Wieso fragst du das? Wolltest du mitfahren?

keine Weise hasse ich Dhoni

 

[DHONI183]

These Google Translators are not serving the PPers well........

 

[DHONI183]

Yup, did it at GCSEs

Ich heise Mohsin, meine gebutstaag ist siebsten August ein-un-neunzehn, ich wohne in London...

Does that make any sense to you?

This part was grammatically fine!

 

[alexjohn_tcr]

English
Malayalam
Hindi
Tamil
Arabic

 

[DHONI183]

To all of my Mallu brothers,

Sugham Ano!

(Was that correct?)

 

[alexjohn_tcr]

To all of my Mallu brothers,

Sugham Ano!

(Was that correct?)

That was perfect

Sugham Anu.

 

[USaqaf]

English, Dhivehi, Tamil, Urdu