One of my best friends speaks two languages I can speak, though neither is my native language. We usually write in English, out of custom, even though her native language is actually Spanish. When we’re in voice/video calls, however, I often have trouble understanding English sometimes, so she switches to Spanish mid-sentence and we continue the convo in Spanish with mixed switching to English when needed. Or I can’t remember a word in one of the languages and switch to the other and simple begin speaking the the other. Or I mix in Portuguese hope she’ll figure it out from closeness to Spanish and context.
Reading entire books and watching entire shows and being unable to identify, sometimes right afterwards, in which language was it on
Panicking in the native language. A classic. Will never understand how some ESL youtubers don’t switch to English when playing horror/anxiety-inducing games. Also counts to frustration. (”Are you okay, Link?” “NÃO. I’M NOT OKAY. NÃO TÔ BEM NÃO FILHO DA PUTA DO CARALHO”)
Related to the one above and already mentioned: cursing is only valid when in your native language. Sure, you can offend people using English, but if you resorted to “vai pra puta que te pariu seu desgraçado de uma porra, enfia um rojão no cu e voa” shit got serious
Related still, cursing heavily under your breath and making something up when caught
Getting an accent out of nowhere. I can speak American English without an outsider accent but sometimes I just. Get tired of rolling the “r” and I can’t do it anymore for some reason. Alternatively, speaking once with someone with an specific regional accent and adopting it for life.
Struggling to make people pronounce your name right when they are unable or unwilling, giving up, adopting a nickname not to be bitter (hi, hello, that’s me)
Puns and wordplay that only work in your language. You want to share them. You cry.
Having trouble with propositions. It seems like a common issue but “on, in, at” etc aren’t that easy to figure out. I mistake them constantly.
Inadvertedly glitching out and switching to another language when talking to someone, sometimes mid-sentence, and having them look at you in awe and confusion like they pressed a button in reality or something before you realize (or they point out) they can’t understand what you’re saying
Having to deal with (mostly US) native English speakers bolstering the strength and difficulty and poetry of their language, oh it’s one of the hardest languages to learn in the world because we have so many words from so many roots, when. No, it’s actually not. English grammar is incredibly easy compared to most languages. But because you have 5000 noninterchangeable words that mean the same thing, but are used in different contexts (safe/secure, see/watch, etc), an astounding number of verbal expressions instead of one-word verbs (pick up, look out, look after, etc) and absolutely no rule or logic regarding pronunciation and written language (WHY IS “RECIPE” WRITTEN/SPOKEN LIKE FRENCH, YOU’RE NOT FRENCH), you might think so. But English isn’t hard, it’s cheating. It has no logic. It’s not fair.
On the other hand, the ridiculous amount of different words you can use makes bullshitting in English a lot easier once you get a bit more savvy. Up to and including academic essays, facebook arguments, and fanfiction.
Watching in horror people adopting English barbarisms in the most despicable way, by using false cognates as actual cognates.
Posting in all languages you’re comfortable in + English, and telling people to use the fcking embedded gtranslate when they complain
(I’m making this all too personal)
Always learning something new. Which is amazing, honestly. (”Oh you mean it’s spoken like that?! That’s so cool! Okay: *repeats sentence correctly*”)
Parroting your friends whenever they use a word or term you’re unfamiliar with until you learn it
Pronouncing words like you read them following NONEXISTENT RULES and getting frustrated
