Mitzyboy

I remember going into a shop when we first arrived in Spain to buy some furniture and saying to the guy there "do you speak English?". He looked at me and said "do you speak Spanish?"

I never asked that question again, and eventually ended up helping others in shops in my own limited way

You have to try. The more you speak it the better you will get

cricketman

Exactly

You cannot underestimate how arrogant it sounds going into a shop and asking that question. OP, imagine if a Polish person came into your local town in Scotland and asked in all the shops whether they spoke Polish. How do you think the locals would reply?

Mitzyboy

The second word would be "off", and that would be slightly before you were thrown out of the shop

MagicWriter2014

In all my years of holidaying abroad in different countries I have never walked into a shop and asked if they speak English and never would, you always find a way of finding what you need, even if it means visiting a supermarket where you can look at the pictures on the products. And yes, we have ended up with a tin of tomato soup instead of tinned tomatoes, but hey, you live and learn. There are also such things as phrase books which give you the basics. And if someone asked me if I spoke Polish, I would say no sorry, but try and help them out if I could. It's called being polite, which I hope We are.

Moses2013

The thing is they don't have to, because you'll find a Polish shop in every town these days

Moses2013

I think you'll be fine and nobody would expect you to be 100% fluent. Making an effort and being friendly is what counts. Thousands of people are in the same position and they all seem to manage. As long as the money doesn't run out, you'll be grand. And speaking about the Polish shop:-). I went to the Polish shop to get some German stuff and the cashier spoke in Polish to me, but I smiled and said sorry I don't speak Polish. I managed to buy the products I needed LOL.

MagicWriter2014

Thanks Moses