Language assistance in Belgium
May 15th, 2011, 03:45 PM
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Language assistance in Belgium
In a couple weeks I'm heading to Bruges and Belgium. I know both of those cities speak Dutch and French. I know absolutely no Dutch and I am unsure of how well Belgians know English? Should i start a conversation by saying bonjour?
May 15th, 2011, 04:04 PM
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Bonjour will not be a good idea in Bruges.
Belgium is a country with 2 primary languages, but that does not mean that most people speak both Dutch and French. In actuality, the country is split into French-speaking provinces (Wallonia) and Dutch-speaking provinces (Flanders). One province is German-speaking, but you'll likely not be there. The city of Brussels is the only part of the country that's bi-lingual.
In the Dutch-speaking provinces, people are more likely to have English as a 2nd language than French, and the same goes for the 2nd language of people in French-speaking provinces.
And because Belgium is such a small country, virtually everyone you'll run into as a tourist will speak English.
If you want to be polite, learn the French and Dutch phrases for hello and please and thank you, and use those phrases according to the province you're in. Then speak English for the rest.
Tot ziens / A bientot,
Don
Belgium is a country with 2 primary languages, but that does not mean that most people speak both Dutch and French. In actuality, the country is split into French-speaking provinces (Wallonia) and Dutch-speaking provinces (Flanders). One province is German-speaking, but you'll likely not be there. The city of Brussels is the only part of the country that's bi-lingual.
In the Dutch-speaking provinces, people are more likely to have English as a 2nd language than French, and the same goes for the 2nd language of people in French-speaking provinces.
And because Belgium is such a small country, virtually everyone you'll run into as a tourist will speak English.
If you want to be polite, learn the French and Dutch phrases for hello and please and thank you, and use those phrases according to the province you're in. Then speak English for the rest.
Tot ziens / A bientot,
Don
May 15th, 2011, 04:08 PM
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You are better off saying 'goede middag', Flemish for Bonjour.
My French cousins told me that when they visited Northen Belgium and asked questions in French, many people acted as they did not understand the french language..
Which is Not true they know it very well.
My French cousins told me that when they visited Northen Belgium and asked questions in French, many people acted as they did not understand the french language..
Which is Not true they know it very well.
May 15th, 2011, 04:42 PM
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kismetchimera,
I think many non-Dutch-speaking people would have quite an interesting time trying to correctly, or even understandably, pronounce <i>goede middag</i>. Probably better to stick to English. Also, if it's morning or evening, you would want to say something different in Dutch, even though 'Bonjour' would be appropriate in French at those times of day.
Don
I think many non-Dutch-speaking people would have quite an interesting time trying to correctly, or even understandably, pronounce <i>goede middag</i>. Probably better to stick to English. Also, if it's morning or evening, you would want to say something different in Dutch, even though 'Bonjour' would be appropriate in French at those times of day.
Don
May 16th, 2011, 12:23 AM
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You could say goeden dag (rhymes with wooden jag) - that is bonjour. In Belgium they do use the same pronunciation of the G as they do in the Netherlands - it is a softer sound so you would be fine with saying it like you would say the English good.
Brussels is mostly French speaking, even though in theory it is bi-lingual. It drives Dutch and Flemish speakers nuts that so many shops have no-one who can speak their language. The advantage is that the French spoken is quite slow and easy to understand.
You will get by just fine with English in Brugge. Maybe dank u (dank oe) to say thankyou to show willing.
Actually Kistmet many Flemish speakers do not speak French just as most Walloons speak no Flemish.
Brussels is mostly French speaking, even though in theory it is bi-lingual. It drives Dutch and Flemish speakers nuts that so many shops have no-one who can speak their language. The advantage is that the French spoken is quite slow and easy to understand.
You will get by just fine with English in Brugge. Maybe dank u (dank oe) to say thankyou to show willing.
Actually Kistmet many Flemish speakers do not speak French just as most Walloons speak no Flemish.
May 16th, 2011, 01:09 AM
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Better to use English than to risk offending a Belgian person by using the wrong language; they're touchy about the language issue.
I was in a Flemish shop the other day, where the customer spoke french, the shopkeeper dutch, both understanding each other perfectly but refusing to speak the other's language.
I was in a Flemish shop the other day, where the customer spoke french, the shopkeeper dutch, both understanding each other perfectly but refusing to speak the other's language.
May 16th, 2011, 12:30 PM
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That's funny Tulips
As others have said, we found that people in Belgium speak very good English, so not a problem at all. A lot of people we encountered also spoke Spanish and German in addition to French and/or Flemish, and who knows what else. We were quite impressed with multi-lingual fluency, or at least proficiency, of the Belgians.
As others have said, we found that people in Belgium speak very good English, so not a problem at all. A lot of people we encountered also spoke Spanish and German in addition to French and/or Flemish, and who knows what else. We were quite impressed with multi-lingual fluency, or at least proficiency, of the Belgians.
May 16th, 2011, 01:23 PM
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@ hetismij
Most Flemish speakers DO speak French. It's the second language in our Flemish schools and children learn French as from 4th class (age 10). This is not the case in Wallonia where children are free to chose their second language. Obviously most of them chose English. So, what you say about most Walloons not speaking Flemish, is correct. Unfortunately.
@ Ryan-Fleming
No worries, shopkeepers / waitstaff / in fact everyone who is in the tourist business speaks English.
Most Flemish speakers DO speak French. It's the second language in our Flemish schools and children learn French as from 4th class (age 10). This is not the case in Wallonia where children are free to chose their second language. Obviously most of them chose English. So, what you say about most Walloons not speaking Flemish, is correct. Unfortunately.
@ Ryan-Fleming
No worries, shopkeepers / waitstaff / in fact everyone who is in the tourist business speaks English.
May 16th, 2011, 01:33 PM
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I spoke French in Brussels, I was glad I could do that (only language other than English I know very well). I was in Brussels proper but outside the very tourist center, and I encountered people in shops who couldn't speak English and were delighted I could speak French. I don't know if I'd say that makes them in the "tourist business", it was just a regular shop not geared to tourists.
May 16th, 2011, 03:16 PM
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Most people in Brussels that work in tourism speak English because of the EU headquartered there. The only trouble I had was from a transit worker who didn't want to deal with me and pretended not to know English
.
It was quite fun to use my minuscule French in Brussels. I was able to use it in two shops, however it must have been bad enough that my waiter immediately gave me the English menu when I ate at a restaurant. Unfortunately i speak languages with an American accent.
.It was quite fun to use my minuscule French in Brussels. I was able to use it in two shops, however it must have been bad enough that my waiter immediately gave me the English menu when I ate at a restaurant. Unfortunately i speak languages with an American accent.
May 16th, 2011, 11:29 PM
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Apologies MyriamC.
The only Vlamings I know don't speak French - they never learned it and they told me that many don't learn it or drop it asap at school. Obviously they have been away from home too long.
The only Vlamings I know don't speak French - they never learned it and they told me that many don't learn it or drop it asap at school. Obviously they have been away from home too long.
May 17th, 2011, 03:17 AM
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Don't be shy about using English in Brugge. Saying "hello" or "hi" is quite common nowadays, no matter what your mother tongue is. Try "tot ziens" for good-bye, and after a few beer the pronuciation should be fluent.
Some French words will do nicely in Bruxelles. The (French speaking) Bruxellois are not touchy like some say the French are when you make mistakes. Just don't be surprised when merchants or waitstaff switch to English immediately to speed up the conversation. They are used to deal with visitors from all over the world, a few speak really good French.
When taking trains or the Brussels subway/buses, don't get confused when destinations always appear twice - in Flemish and French.
Outside the Brussels capital region, you will find place names (mostly) only in the proper local language.
So it does not hurt to remember the correct version when in Flanders, i.e. Brugge not Bruges, Antwerpen not Anvers, Gent not Gand, and so on.
Goede reis!
Some French words will do nicely in Bruxelles. The (French speaking) Bruxellois are not touchy like some say the French are when you make mistakes. Just don't be surprised when merchants or waitstaff switch to English immediately to speed up the conversation. They are used to deal with visitors from all over the world, a few speak really good French.
When taking trains or the Brussels subway/buses, don't get confused when destinations always appear twice - in Flemish and French.
Outside the Brussels capital region, you will find place names (mostly) only in the proper local language.
So it does not hurt to remember the correct version when in Flanders, i.e. Brugge not Bruges, Antwerpen not Anvers, Gent not Gand, and so on.
Goede reis!
May 17th, 2011, 11:24 AM
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" The (French speaking) Bruxellois are not touchy like some say the French are when you make mistakes."
When we were in Brussels, my husband said something like "I like this place - it is like France, but without the attitude."
When we were in Brussels, my husband said something like "I like this place - it is like France, but without the attitude."
