Life /
Do expats living in Poland speak Polish? [233]
I'm only 17 and I've just moved to Poland a couple of weeks ago. I'm half Polish so I know some Polish from growing up, enough to hold conversation, but sometimes I find I don't know the right word/phrase for what I want to say, in which case I'll ask in English if they could tell me the Polish for the word/phrase.
I quite like the Polish language, but I never learnt to read/write in Polish, so this is something I'm now trying to learn. Hopefully GaduGadu will help there :P
As for whether people should speak the language if they are living here? Of course, at least try to learn. Even if you find it hard and don't learn much, people will really respect that you've made the effort to learn. I find it nice to see how many Polish people have a good grasp of English, so I'm sure Polish people like it just as much when they see someone who can speak some Polish, even if it's basic.
Our whole perception of the world is shaped by language. Without language our view of the world would be much more linear. It is vital to at least attempt to learn the language for the area in which you live if you truly wish to understand the people there for who they are :)