Can you "think" in other languages?

[Antonio the Sixth]

Rarely. I thought in Italian sometimes when I was younger, but I don't anymore.

[titaniumtux]

I mostly think in whichever language I am using, which is usually English. Sometimes I'll talk to myself, and I may talk to myself in different languages depending on what I want to express, and then sometimes I wonder what the best way would be to express that phrase in the other languages I know...I mostly hate translation, I love meeting other polyglots who share many common languages, allowing me to use whichever language allows the most efficient way of saying something.

Doesn't happen too much right now that I'm mostly using English plus a fair - but not abundant - amount of French  (living in Ontariario), but it really kicks in whenever I travel, take on certain language-related assignments and such.

It's amusing, because my preferred language software uses French as a primary language (as a go-between for all the languages I know). I use a lot of web based dictionaries, but the Bibliorom Larousse is so good

[JSojourner]

I sometimes catch myself thinking in "Opeboism".

Driving behind some slowpoke...  "Damn olds."

Spotting some snotnose Emo punk...  "Youngs these days."

Looking at myself in the mirror...  "Fats are so disgusting."


And to think, I used to hate that.  The bastard has completely sucked me in!  It's an evil plot, I tell you!!!

[MaxQue]

I sometimes catch myself thinking in "Opeboism".

Driving behind some slowpoke...  "Damn olds."

Spotting some snotnose Emo punk...  "Youngs these days."

Looking at myself in the mirror...  "Fats are so disgusting."


And to think, I used to hate that.  The bastard has completely sucked me in!  It's an evil plot, I tell you!!!

You are thinking in French then! ''Opeboisms'' would look totally normal in French.

[Lief 🗽]

Nope. Speaking and writing in German is difficult enough, thanks.

[Хahar 🤔]

Nope. Speaking and writing in German is difficult enough, thanks.

Isn't your dad German? You didn't pick up any from him?

[Lief 🗽]

Nope. Speaking and writing in German is difficult enough, thanks.

Isn't your dad German? You didn't pick up any from him?

My mom is German, but we've always only spoken English in the house, since it's the only language my parents both speak.

[Lunar]

I've had maybe one or two dreams that I can remember in Indo, but that's about it (I've also had a dream where people were speaking certain languages that I myself don't speak, making me think it was mostly gibberish in retrospect).  I can occasionally speak without translating things in my head, but I can't like try and try and "think" in anything but English as my vocabulary in all other languages is really rudimentary.  

[Lief 🗽]

I've had maybe one or two dreams that I can remember in Indo, but that's about it (I've also had a dream where people were speaking certain languages that I myself don't speak, making me think it was mostly gibberish in retrospect).  I can occasionally speak without translating things in my head, but I can't like try and try and "think" in anything but English as my vocabulary in all other languages is really rudimentary.  

Hm, when I was on exchange in Germany, my dreams were sometimes in "German," though as I was speaking fluently (and the people in my dreams were also speaking fluently) I'm pretty sure a solid chunk of that dream German was actually gibberish, like Lunar said.

[Lunar]

What's funny though, is that consciously I can't really talk in giberish in any language.  If I'm trying to do giberish in German or Dutch or Indonesian I just make up simple absurd sentences (something like Le chat est bleu en mardi, tu sei la cucina, [for French and Italian gibberish that's usually about what I say if the occasion calls for it] etc. ).  I can't actually come up with authentically-German or Indo-sounding sentences with fake-words off the top of my head...at least not for a sentence or two.

But I'm a native speaker of English and I don't think I could come up with semi authentic-sounding English sentences off the top of my head either.  It's an interesting challenge.

[fezzyfestoon]

Interestingly, whenever I take German tests I start thinking in Spanish.  It definitely does not make things any easier.

[Sbane]

Yes. In 3 languages actually including English.

[Lunar]

Yes. In 3 languages actually including English.

How many not including English?

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I think frequently in English. Never in German, even if I have some knowledge of this language

[Sbane]

Yes. In 3 languages actually including English.

How many not including English?

3-1=2

[Lunar]

Dude, I think you better recheck your math before you look stupid.

[Sbane]

I can think in 3 languages total, dawg. Remove 1 (english) and you are left with 2 (Bengali and Hindi).

Here let google help you.

[Lunar]

Alright dude, if you don't mind looking like a fool, you can stand by your math.

[Хahar 🤔]

Hindi I never want to learn.

[Sbane]

Alright dude, if you don't mind looking like a fool, you can stand by your math.

I am pretty sure I am right. Google said so.

Well I guess I can think in 2 other languages but that's just semantics.

[Lunar]

tānā kabhī kabhī kā patā lagānē kē li'ē kaṭhina hai

[Sbane]

tānā kabhī kabhī kā patā lagānē kē li'ē kaṭhina hai

The Indonesian "bhasa" sucks.

[Lunar]

Now I'm confused.

[East Coast Republican]

Rachel Maddow is wrong

[Sbane]

tānā kabhī kabhī kā patā lagānē kē li'ē kaṭhina hai

Dude is this supposed to be hindi?