quick brussels question: do I need a phrase book?

The extent of my french is: "Do you speak english?" "I don't speak french". "Thank you" And I can count to three, but that's only from one of my favorite resturants in nyc's theatre district being called un duex trois.

I get by reading with my spanish fluency, but last couple times I was anywhere french speaking, I always had a french speaking guides. Should I get a French phrase book for getting around?

Also, do they speak dutch in Brussels or is that other parts of the country?

All I know of Dutch is Pepe Reina punche Robben in a Chelsea/Liverpool match last year and that was fucking funny.

Would I need a dutch phrase book as well for Brussels? I will prolly only stay in the city so if I don't need it for Brussels I won't get it.

Everyone in Europe speaks English.

If they don't understand you it's probably because you're not speaking loudly enough. They are all quite deaf. Shout at them nice and clearly and you should get by just fine.

You'll enjoy the food in Brussels, the sprouts are amazing.

C-Ro wrote: The extent of my french is: "Do you speak english?" "I don't speak french". "Thank you" And I can count to three, but that's only from one of my favorite resturants in nyc's theatre district being called un duex trois.

I get by reading with my spanish fluency, but last couple times I was anywhere french speaking, I always had a french speaking guides. Should I get a French phrase book for getting around?

Also, do they speak dutch in Brussels or is that other parts of the country?

All I know of Dutch is Pepe Reina punche Robben in a Chelsea/Liverpool match last year and that was fucking funny.

Would I need a dutch phrase book as well for Brussels? I will prolly only stay in the city so if I don't need it for Brussels I won't get it.

Brussels is in the French-speaking part of Belgium, they will expect you to speak at least some French, even if it doesn't sound right!

Run Wilder wrote: Everyone in Europe speaks English.

If they don't understand you it's probably because you're not speaking loudly enough. They are all quite deaf. Shout at them nice and clearly and you should get by just fine.

You'll enjoy the food in Brussels, the sprouts are amazing.

the sad part is... minus the speaking loudly bit.. this is basically what people at work were telling me.. and I was like "umm yeah ok sure"

Hence asking here :)

Tim wrote:

C-Ro wrote: The extent of my french is: "Do you speak english?" "I don't speak french". "Thank you" And I can count to three, but that's only from one of my favorite resturants in nyc's theatre district being called un duex trois.

I get by reading with my spanish fluency, but last couple times I was anywhere french speaking, I always had a french speaking guides. Should I get a French phrase book for getting around?

Also, do they speak dutch in Brussels or is that other parts of the country?

All I know of Dutch is Pepe Reina punche Robben in a Chelsea/Liverpool match last year and that was fucking funny.

Would I need a dutch phrase book as well for Brussels? I will prolly only stay in the city so if I don't need it for Brussels I won't get it.

Brussels is in the French-speaking part of Belgium, they will expect you to speak at least some French, even if it doesn't sound right!

kthnx :) Will get a phrase book today

Tim wrote: [Brussels is in the French-speaking part of Belgium, they will expect you to speak at least some French, even if it doesn't sound right!

Actually, Brussels is officially bilingual. 90 % of the inhabitants speak French though. Everybody understands and speaks at least a little bit of English. After all, Brussels is flooded with foreign (esp. American, Spanish and Japanese) tourists.

C-Ro wrote: The extent of my french is: "Do you speak english?" "I don't speak french". "Thank you" And I can count to three, but that's only from one of my favorite resturants in nyc's theatre district being called un duex trois.

I get by reading with my spanish fluency, but last couple times I was anywhere french speaking, I always had a french speaking guides. Should I get a French phrase book for getting around?

Also, do they speak dutch in Brussels or is that other parts of the country?

All I know of Dutch is Pepe Reina punche Robben in a Chelsea/Liverpool match last year and that was fucking funny.

Would I need a dutch phrase book as well for Brussels? I will prolly only stay in the city so if I don't need it for Brussels I won't get it.

Brussels is about three quarters French speaking I think, even though its in the Dutch/Flemish part of the country.

Most capitals you can get by in English without too much trouble.

Ask Bart! (mrgreen71)

Oops, he beat me to it..

French fries were invented in Belgium.

And they eat them with mayonaise.

And, like the French, they shit in the shower and push it down the plug hole with their toes.

And if you order and omlette, make sure you emphasis the 't' at the end. Otherwise they won't understand you and all you'll get is a dirty look. At least if you say it right you'll get an omlette as well as a dirty look.

Biggy's travel advice - travel the world with confidence.

BiginTravel-Working hard so you don't have to!

Belgium would need to be Biginplugholes to cater for the mansize do do's.. Or the tourist industry will be going down the plughole..

Run Wilder wrote: French fries were invented in Belgium.

And they eat them with mayonaise.

True !

And, like the French, they shit in the shower and push it down the plug hole with their toes.

Nope, we use "English" toilets.

And if you order and omlette, make sure you emphasis the 't' at the end. Otherwise they won't understand you and all you'll get is a dirty look. At least if you say it right you'll get an omlette as well as a dirty look.

make sure to go to ghent, in the flemish part of belgium. it's absolutely beautiful. most people speak english or french, but they'll be chuffed if you can speak a few words in flemish.

AgentWood wrote: make sure to go to ghent, in the flemish part of belgium. it's absolutely beautiful. most people speak english or french, but they'll be chuffed if you can speak a few words in flemish.

I concur. I live in Ghent

To answer the subject question; no, just a bit of toast and a squeeze of orange juice. Lovely.

No need... French is an easy language to speak... I use it much more than English - lazy as I can be... My neighbour's kid is three years old and he speaks it fluently already ! So no need to worry about, really...

On the other hand, Brussels is a European Babel Tower, you could easily get through with English in my opinion.

Dude, can I just say, that the only people who say that everyone understands/speaks english are people who do not speak english as a first language or with native fluency?

I have had the *worst* time trying to get around. I'm not an arrogant traveller type either, and it's partly my "fault" for not knowing French, but when communicating in English it's just been really really hard. :)

The best time I've had with a non-native english speaker was the girl at the front desk who speaks Spanish. My spanish isn't the strongest anymore, but it's been easier to communicate than in English or French. :P

I do have a kick ass phrase book though that tells you how to call someone a slut. i can't wait to try that out.

ChrissMari Must Die! wrote: Dude, can I just say, that the only people who say that everyone understands/speaks english are people who do not speak english as a first language or with native fluency?

I do have a kick ass phrase book though that tells you how to call someone a slut. i can't wait to try that out.

1. We must learn English as first foreign language to feel happy "globalized" people. So, let us dream and if it is not pure English, it is better than nothing.

2. I think that you can use some words to express slut in French. Here are some : salope, putain, pétasse... the choice is yours. A few weeks ago, I read a good one on a wall. I will not give the name of the person the message was intented to, so I will use X instead. "X, garage à bites".

Which words are the ones in your book to express this ?

I have always been astonished with the rude words section of phrase books. Most of the time, you struggle while reading what you mean to say... Once you have finished this struggle, the one in front of you answers something you do not understand as it is not written and translated on your book. You feel lonely for a while and then you have two options :

1. Check how to say "thank you very much"
2. Check how to say "fuck off"

Run Wildest wrote: And if you order and omlette, make sure you emphasis the 't' at the end. Otherwise they won't understand you and all you'll get is a dirty look. At least if you say it right you'll get an omlette as well as a dirty look.

Tell me about it - the trouble I had trying to order a cheese omelette in France was unbelievable - it's a dish you invented, hence why I'm asking for one (in French)!

"The French don't even have a word for entrepreneur" (George W Bush) :)

Try speaking proper English like what I does

They won't understand Americanabic or what ever it is you are speaking,you can't expect them to over there Chrissi...

What is the word for Slut,and what are you looking for a slut for Chrissi?

Boatraceface wrote:

What is the word for Slut,and what are you looking for a slut for Chrissi?

Hope its nothing to do with that pink thing in her suitcase..

Nick King wrote: "The French don't even have a word for entrepreneur" (George W Bush) :)

When I read this, I already miss him...

Burt Reynolds wrote:

Boatraceface wrote:

What is the word for Slut,and what are you looking for a slut for Chrissi?

Hope its nothing to do with that pink thing in her suitcase..

I would imagine she'd struggle for a game of Rounders this late on.Bad light stops play,and all that. Even if the thing is pink yer fucked after dusk..

Who cares? As a viking overseas surely you're only gonna pilage your way along leaving a trail of death,destruction and cheese burger wrappers on your way.

Boatraceface wrote:

Burt Reynolds wrote:

Boatraceface wrote:

What is the word for Slut,and what are you looking for a slut for Chrissi?

Hope its nothing to do with that pink thing in her suitcase..

I would imagine she'd struggle for a game of Rounders this late on.Bad light stops play,and all that. Even if the thing is pink yer fucked after dusk..

oh lord i dont think it's big enough to play baseball with

Boatraceface wrote:

Burt Reynolds wrote:

Boatraceface wrote:

What is the word for Slut,and what are you looking for a slut for Chrissi?

Hope its nothing to do with that pink thing in her suitcase..

I would imagine she'd struggle for a game of Rounders this late on.Bad light stops play,and all that. Even if the thing is pink yer fucked after dusk..

oh lord i dont think it's big enough to play baseball with

mrgreen71 wrote:

Tim wrote: [Brussels is in the French-speaking part of Belgium, they will expect you to speak at least some French, even if it doesn't sound right!

Actually, Brussels is officially bilingual. 90 % of the inhabitants speak French though. Everybody understands and speaks at least a little bit of English. After all, Brussels is flooded with foreign (esp. American, Spanish and Japanese) tourists.

Sure they understand what you say, but they will nearly always pretend they don't, and will try to prolong your suffering if you do try to speak some pidgin French afterwards!

Worst experience I recall in Belgium was at Antwerp Berchem railway station. I wanted two tickets to Beveren, which I asked for in my best correctly pronounced Vlaams. Bastard ticket man made me ask three times before loudly and slowly saying "Bay-veren" (I had pronounced it Bev-eren). Cunt. Bet he didn't stop laughing about that all night. Hope he choked on his moutardes.

Tim wrote:

Sure they understand what you say, but they will nearly always pretend they don't, and will try to prolong your suffering if you do try to speak some pidgin French afterwards!

Worst experience I recall in Belgium was at Antwerp Berchem railway station. I wanted two tickets to Beveren, which I asked for in my best correctly pronounced Vlaams. Bastard ticket man made me ask three times before loudly and slowly saying "Bay-veren" (I had pronounced it Bev-eren). Cunt. Bet he didn't stop laughing about that all night. Hope he choked on his moutardes.

You can find *ssholes everywhere in the world, but it's not a coincidence that this happened in Antwerp. Antwerp people tend to have a weird sense of "humour". You could have that kind of experience experience in Brussels too (even if you're Flemish and don't speak French very well - some French-speaking people in Brussels understand Dutch very well, but refuse to speak it and even pretend they don't understand it).

Btw, what the hell were you doing in Beveren ?

"Je voudrais les bootlegs de New Order, s'il vous plait" Should get you started nicely....!

mrgreen71 wrote:

Tim wrote:

Sure they understand what you say, but they will nearly always pretend they don't, and will try to prolong your suffering if you do try to speak some pidgin French afterwards!

Worst experience I recall in Belgium was at Antwerp Berchem railway station. I wanted two tickets to Beveren, which I asked for in my best correctly pronounced Vlaams. Bastard ticket man made me ask three times before loudly and slowly saying "Bay-veren" (I had pronounced it Bev-eren). Cunt. Bet he didn't stop laughing about that all night. Hope he choked on his moutardes.

You can find *ssholes everywhere in the world, but it's not a coincidence that this happened in Antwerp. Antwerp people tend to have a weird sense of "humour". You could have that kind of experience experience in Brussels too (even if you're Flemish and don't speak French very well - some French-speaking people in Brussels understand Dutch very well, but refuse to speak it and even pretend they don't understand it).

Btw, what the hell were you doing in Beveren ?

We were playing football against them!

Tim wrote:

mrgreen71 wrote:

Tim wrote: [Brussels is in the French-speaking part of Belgium, they will expect you to speak at least some French, even if it doesn't sound right!

Actually, Brussels is officially bilingual. 90 % of the inhabitants speak French though. Everybody understands and speaks at least a little bit of English. After all, Brussels is flooded with foreign (esp. American, Spanish and Japanese) tourists.

Sure they understand what you say, but they will nearly always pretend they don't, and will try to prolong your suffering if you do try to speak some pidgin French afterwards!

Worst experience I recall in Belgium was at Antwerp Berchem railway station. I wanted two tickets to Beveren, which I asked for in my best correctly pronounced Vlaams. Bastard ticket man made me ask three times before loudly and slowly saying "Bay-veren" (I had pronounced it Bev-eren). Cunt. Bet he didn't stop laughing about that all night. Hope he choked on his moutardes.

And foreigners wonder why we don't bother to learn their languages. Itallians are the worst offenders. Every time you attempt some Tally in a restaurant or bar they'll look at you like your speaking Martian even when they know exactly what you're trying to say. French are knobheads in that department to.

The best folk in my opinion are the Japanese. They seem genuinely appreciative of your efforts although invariably they answer you back in English!