“He understands a (tiny) little German”

They’re convinced German is hard to learn. Most people, they assume, are not going to get very far in it.

I ran into this in the German-speaking part of northern Italy, in South Tyrol. I said I spoke German, and a German immediately said, “Oh, you speak a little German!” A few days later, someone else said about me: “He can understand a little German.”

These assumptions sometimes are made even before we open our mouth or have an actual conversation. We’re starting with the premise that a German learner, by default, understands just a little (by the way, this also applies to Spanish learners and learners of other languages).

Maybe they can follow a bit. Most likely they can’t express themselves well. If they try to speak, it’ll come out with lots of mistakes, in a messed up way. So, let’s not bother them! Let’s not even invite them to speak German, because that’s too high of a challenge. Let’s just speak English!

What this tells me is that the native here isn’t very encouraging, or very hopeful. They don’t really believe a learner can speak fluent German or communicate well in it. So they don’t invite those conversations.

That’s fine. But I don’t have to submit to it.

I don’t have to be passive.

I can invite something different, even if I’m not 100% ready. Even if I do understand just a little, or speak just a little.

Of course the natives might refuse. They might say, “No, your comprehension is not good enough. You’re not quite there yet. Let’s do this in English.” That’s their choice. And the invitation is still mine to make.

Are you living some version of this in Spanish?

Maybe Spanish speakers assume you understand or speak just a little.

It could be the case that’s true for you right now. It’s possible that’s your current reality.

So here’s a question for you: Are you going to use that as one more reason not to engage?

One more reason to keep avoiding real Spanish interactions? Are you going to use it to put things off until some later version of you has good enough comprehension, good enough production, until you can finally speak fluently or with few mistakes?

If your answer is no, then, what are you going to do instead?

Here’s my invitation: tell people you want to practice Spanish. Be proactive.

Invite those conversations yourself. You’ll be surprised by what you find on the other side. People can be encouraging, if you let them be.

And if you understand a little Spanish and want to understand more, if “a little” doesn’t satisfy you, one way forward is to keep practicing with organic content: books and audios. The Spanish Novels series is good material for exactly this.

​

Spanish Novels Ebooks + Audiobooks

➡️ Browse the bundle packs​

Spanish Novels Paperbacks

📚 Get them with print on demand here​

​

I see real possibility in you understanding and speaking more Spanish (not just “a little”)!