Just interested to know how many of you living here actually speak any Castilian or Catalan.  Are you learning, did you learn before moving here or are you determined that 'they' will learn English first?

I'm asking out of genuine interest because I learned some Castilian before we moved here but then switched to Catalan when I realised that everyone in our village used it as their first language. Some inhabitants speak some English, but our experience is that it is impossible to conduct any sort of serious business with the adjuntament or policia unless you speak one or the other. I haven't forgotten my Castilian and will return to it when I am more fluent in Catalan.  In the mean time, I really cannot imagine actually 'living' here and enjoying the wonderful way of life if I didn't understand what is going on.

Over to you......

I speak Castillian - and spend time pretty much every day trying to improve it.  For me, learning the language was a big part of living in Spain.  If I wanted to live in Spain and speak English all day I would go to Torrevieja.  I can understand some Catalan but I've not got the time to learn both.  I get a real buzz from being able to converse fairly freely in a second language, and that really pushes me on to learn even more.  

It's not just the words either - things don't translate literally and it's always a revelation to me to realise the meaning of something new, often from how it is used in context.  Just the other day I was watching a film (in English) but with Spanish subtitles (a great way to learn, by the way). Anyway, the Spanish for a monkey is mono or mona, BUT in a different context it also means cute, so if you hear someone referring to a baby as 'que mona' or 'que mono' you know they are saying  he or she is cute and not that it looks like a hairy monkey....

Another one is salida - yes, the exit, but if someone says to you '¿estas salida?' they aren't asking you if you're on the way out, but if you are feeling randy!  Careful how you reply to that one.....

Nigel

Hi Nigel, thanks for the reply.  From memory I thought you spoke passable Catalan  8-)  As you say, it is a real buzz being able to converse in a 2nd language.  We meet up with some Catalan speaking friends every Saturday evening to help improve our Cat and their Eng.  I was really pleased that we managed nearly 2 hours just in Cat this time.  A bit mangled for sure and raised a few laughs, but it was communicating and great fun.  The mono/mona thing certainly confused me for a while as did mimosa which meens gentle as well as the plant.  A bit confused when a friend described a kitten as Mimosa.  Still, I will watch out for the 'salida' expression, I wouldn't want to go th wrong way!

I do wonder how people would get on contacting the emergency services here if they don't speak either language.  There isn't much time to find a translator if your house is burning down or your partner is having a heart attack!