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Slang/Expressions - Something that comes in handy - Language Exchange


Category: Slang/Expressions
Discussion: Something that comes in handy

All messages in this discussion:
# Message Posted By
1186
Something that comes in handy
In English if we didn't know much English we would say "I don't speak much English", or "I don't know much English", but how would we say it in other languages? Or we say "I don't speak English" if we didn't know English, how would we say that in other languages? I'd just like to know, 'cause it comes in handy.

Language pair: English; All
ArchivedMember
May 11, 2002

Reply
1202
Re:Something that comes in handy
Well, if you're in Italy and you want to communicate that you're not able to speak much English, you should say: "Non parlo inglese molto bene".

Language pair: Italian; English
This is a reply to message # 1186
ArchivedMember
May 12, 2002

Reply
1226
Re:Re:Something that comes in handy
Well, that's not exactly what I was asking, I was asking...hmm, I'm not sure how to explain this...Okay, like if someone started talking to you in Spanish, how would you say that you didn't speak Spanish in Spanish. Get what I'm saying?

Sorry for the confusion!

Language pair: English; All
This is a reply to message # 1202
ArchivedMember
May 13, 2002

Reply
1287
Re:Re:Re:Something that comes in handy
In German:

Ich spreche kein Deutsch.

In Russian:

Ne govoryu po-russkyi.

(Gotta hate having to transcribe Russian letters...)

Language pair: German; English
This is a reply to message # 1226
ArchivedMember
May 19, 2002

Reply
1308
Re:Something that comes in handy
In spanish:

Yo no hablo español (I don´t speak spanish)

Yo no hablo bien el español (I don´t speak well the spanish)

Yo hablo un poco el español (I speak a little in spanish)

Sorry for my english :(


Language pair: Spanish; All
This is a reply to message # 1186
ArchivedMember
May 20, 2002

Reply
1331
Re:Something that comes in handy
¹ï§^¦í! §Ú§^ÃÑ­^¤åo¬[!
Dui mm chu! Ngor mm sik ying mun ga!
This is in Oral Cantonese

Language pair: English; All
This is a reply to message # 1186
Alice
Wong

May 22, 2002

Reply
1332
Re:Re:Something that comes in handy
Re:
¹ï§^¦í! §Ú§^ÃÑ­^¤åo¬[!
Dui mm chu! Ngor mm sik ying mun ga!
This is in Oral Cantonese
Sorry! I don't know English! Or I don't understand English

Language pair: English; All
This is a reply to message # 1331
Alice
Wong

May 22, 2002

Reply
1379
Re:Something that comes in handy
In French, we usually say:

Je ne parle pas vraiment l'anglais (I don't speak much English)

or the more direct:

Je ne parle pas l'anglais (I don't speak English).

Hope that help.

Ciao,
...David

Language pair: English; All
This is a reply to message # 1186
ArchivedMember
May 27, 2002

Reply
1480
Re:Something that comes in handy
Well, in Dutch it would be:

Ik spreek weinig Nederlands. (I speak little Dutch)

or

Ik spreek geen Nederlands. (I don't speak Dutch).


Language pair: English; All
This is a reply to message # 1186
ArchivedMember
June 5, 2002

Reply
2052
Re:Something that comes in handy
Here is another phrase that is very handy for traveling

"Do you speak english"

German: Sprechen Sie Englisch?

Spanish: Habla Usted ingles?

French: Parlez vous anglais?

Japanese:eigo ga dekimasu ka?

From personal experience I have found out that asking a native this, in their own language will encourage them to be more helpful even if they do not speak any English.

Language pair: English; All
This is a reply to message # 1186
ArchivedMember
August 11, 2002

Reply
2246
Re:Something that comes in handy
Hi

If you're ever in Israel, you can say
^ ^ ^ ^
Ani lo mamash medaberet ivrit.

The carats on top indicate the stress.

It's a colloquial, free translation of "I can't speak Hebrew very well"

Hope to see you here!

Ilan


Language pair: English; Hebrew
This is a reply to message # 1186
Ilan
Yavor

August 18, 2002

Reply
2432
Re:Something that comes in handy
in Mandarin

Wo bu shuo hanyu = i dont speak chinese

Wo shuo yi dianr hanyu = i speak a little chinese... note the n is silent in dianr...

wo bu dong hanyu = i dont understand chinese

or

wo ting bu dong = i hear but i dont understand

note this is pinyin without the tones...



Language pair: English; All
This is a reply to message # 1186
ArchivedMember
August 24, 2002

Reply
4443
Re:Something that comes in handy
Well, if you are in the basque country and you don't speak "euskera" (basque) but you speak spanish you won't have any problem, but anyway "el saber no ocupa lugar", what means "Knowledge doesn't take up any space" (or aomething like that, sorry):

Ez dakit euskeraz .....I can't speak basque
Ez dut euskeraz ondo hitz egiten..... I don't speak basque very well.

If you are interested in this beautyful and ineresting language contact me!!

Language pair: English; Basque
This is a reply to message # 1186
ArchivedMember
October 21, 2002

Reply
11847
Re:Something that comes in handy
In Thai you can say

'Khor tod kha , Dichan pood Thai maidai kha'

Khor tod = Sorry
Dichan = I (Formal word for singular 1st subject female, if you're a man you can use the word 'Pom'instead)
kha = is the word that express politeness, if you're a man you must say 'krub' instead

'Pood Thai dai nidnoi' = I can speak only a little bit Thai

(nidnoi = a little bit)

Language pair: English; All
This is a reply to message # 1186
ArchivedMember
April 14, 2003

Reply
17510
Re:Re:Something that comes in handy
hi!
lo yakolty shelo lasim lev she ata ma israel...gam ani...ha ha ha...ben kama?
translation:
i couldens notice that your from israel...me to...ha ha ha...how old are you?

Language pair: English; Hebrew
This is a reply to message # 2246
n
s

August 10, 2003

Reply
117394
Re:Re:Re:Something that comes in handy
Hello,

My name is Laetitia but please call me Lael,I am 28 years old and from Gabon but I live in South Africa.I am both fluent in english and in french and I am interested in making friends from all over the world at the same time learn about new cultures.I would like to learn hebrew in exchange for friendship and french.I am not a gold member but we can chat on skype,hotmail or yahoo messenger.Thank you for the help.

Regards,

Lael

Language pair: English; Hebrew
This is a reply to message # 17510
Laetitia
Mandji

September 1, 2007

Reply
117400
Re:Re:Something that comes in handy
Hello,

My name is Laetitia but please call me Lael,I am 28 years old and from Gabon but I live in South Africa.I am both fluent in english and in french and I am interested in making friends from all over the world at the same time learn about new cultures.I would like to learn hebrew in exchange for friendship and french.I am not a gold member but we can chat on skype,hotmail or yahoo messenger.Thank you for the help.

Regards,

Lael

Language pair: English; Hebrew
This is a reply to message # 2246
Laetitia
Mandji

September 1, 2007

Reply

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