amideislas

My Spanish isn't all bad, but I make the usual grammatical or contextual mistakes - as most non-native speakers of any language do. But it works and I can carry on a conversation without sounding like a complete idiot. Catalan is a bit more troubling for me, and I've developed this bad habit of intermixing Castellano phrases with Catalan words ("Voy a volver el Dilluns"). But they still get it, so no harm done.

It's always a chuckle when speaking with say, a shopkeeper, in Spanish. In recognition of my non-native tongue, they will often respond to me in (poorly assembled) German, so we'll continue the conversation in German, and if/when they ask where I come from, they're always gobsmacked. Estás Inglés?

cricketman

Then they must be German shopkeepers

cricketman

That is the way the Spanish education system works, as you say

The bottom 20% are "thickos" who won't need the qualifications when they are working in the fields/cleaning etc.

I do have children by the way, still very young though.

amideislas

No most around here are Mallorquin. But they're accommodating.

cricketman

It was a little joke based on the bad grammar. If someone is asking whether you are English, they would say "?Eres Ingles?".

Ser and Estar is always tricky for beginners and I am sure it puts a lot of people off learning Spanish

Mitzyboy

Getting back to the original subject ...... I can't say theres anything that falls into the above for us.

We wish we had known everything of course, but we did do a good years research before we moved

We travelled a lot when we were there, and that was great .... Spain is such a fantastic country when you leave the costas. So much more to the country than many ex pats discover

I'm glad I knew a hell of a lot by the time we arrived in Spain, I just didnt know how difficult sometimes it was going to be getting it done

jimenato

I would have thought "Es Ingles?" on the grounds that if they were on familiar terms with you they would know that you were English.

cricketman

Nobody uses usted anymore, unless you are 80 years old, are dressed like a Lord or they really don't want to be your friend

Rosemary

Shops and restaurants all use usted in my area.

We researched thoroughly before coming to live here but we had underestimated the amount of people speaking Valenciano as their first language. In our small town the only time Spanish is used is when they speak to people like me and at the health centre.

We also vastly underestimated how welcome we would be, how friendly the people are and how involved we became in a very short time. Totally immersed in all that occurs, told by one particular family that we were important members of their family. We had always had a tendency to keep ourselves to ourselves so it was all due to them not us. All we did was greet people in a friendly manner and it blossomed from there. I certainly did not expect to be so happy here.

Rosemary

cricketman

I was saying how the Spanish education system works

It is contrast to the UK education system which gives a pass to everyone

I am not calling anyone a thicko

jimenato

Quite.

cricketman

You guys are a lot older than me, no?

People still call me "joven" or "chaval"

stuboy

I see your attitude has softened a little from your original reply. Thank you for that.

They did try several times to learn Spanish both in groups and privately. I remember one occasion where they were both sat on the terrace with work books. the task was to conjugate regular 'ar' verbs in the present tense. With the book and crib sheets in front of them they were OK as soon as they needed the verb in a social situation they could neither recall it still less conjugate it.

I think it was primarily confidence. Trying too hard to fit in and not look silly.

They developed quite a few 'face saving strategies' one I remember was being in a local supermarket at the deli counter, my friends did not make eye contact with the assistant pretending instead to wax lyrical about all the marvellous produce and then all of a sudden this young girl (Spanish) came over and spoke to them in near perfect English. They got their ham and cheese or whatever and they turned to me and said 'she always serves us, she likes to practice her English'

As to the remark about Cornish Pasties it was really intended more as a metaphor.

Rosemary

They use it for all customers no matter what age they are.

Rosemary

cricketman

I have never anywhere in Spain heard a say, 18 year old being called usted in a shop

But OK, one of the best things about Spain is it's diversity!