• Tramdan@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      31·
      9 days ago

      I went to a party while I was living in The Netherlands. Everybody else at the party was Dutch. They spent the entire evening speaking to each other in English for my benefit.

        • prettybunnys@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          6·
          9 days ago

          So fucking hard trying to learn Dutch when I was working over there, everyone switched to English on me as soon as I started speaking.

          Weaponized politeness.

          • Tessellecta@feddit.nlEnglish
            5·
            9 days ago

            It’s not weaponized politeness. It’s a love for efficient communication; everyone speaks English, so why not use it.

            • prettybunnys@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
              2·
              9 days ago

              Weaponized efficiency

              I know it’s not meant to be shitty in any way it was just one of the funnier frustrations I had, I was genuinely trying to learn the language lmao

            • superkret@feddit.orgEnglish
              2·
              9 days ago

              If you try speaking their native language, they can definitely tell by your accent, though.

              • Skullgrid@lemmy.worldEnglish
                2·
                9 days ago

                yeah,I got a turkish accent. also, unless you’re SUUUPER anglo, people can just tell you have an accent, not a specific accent.

    • jballs@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      23·
      9 days ago

      I was visiting a friend in the Netherlands, who had to work one day which left me exploring Rotterdam alone. I commented that I was worried about what I was going to do for lunch, since I didn’t speak Dutch and didn’t know how I was going to order food.

      He said, “just go into a Burger King and start speaking English - the cashier will understand you unless they completely failed highschool.” I always appreciated that about Dutch culture. They all speak 3 or 4 languages seemingly effortlessly.

      • Mouselemming@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        8·
        9 days ago

        Okay but why go to Burger King except maybe to ask, “where can I get some good food in this town?” Surely the waitstaff in other places would have at least the same education.

        • jballs@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          10·
          9 days ago

          I dunno, that’s what my friend said almost 20 years ago. My time machine is outta gas so I can’t go back to ask him.

    • Akasazh@feddit.nlEnglish
      9·
      9 days ago

      In the Netherlands the person would not respond to the question:

      ‘Dove’ means deaf person in Dutch

      I know I shoehorned that joke in, but a friend of mine dated a partially deaf person that was angry because of that brand name and that was so absurdly funny to me that I needed to share