discussion Multilingual ATRLers: In what language do you "think" in?

[Feanor]

When doing mental notes or having thoughts etc., in what language are they in your head?

 

Do you "think" in your native language or in another? Or does it switch back and forth?

 

[dumbsparce]

Native is greek but I think in english bc it's much easier and simpler to make notes out of. Mental or in written form.

[D.Va]

In both. Depends of the situation I am in.

[katytiger]

English. because its way easier than Arabic sometimes it depends on the situation 

Edited November 10 by katytiger
typo

[bliaz]

Spanish. I always think in my native language first and translate automatically 

[heckinglovato]

Just now, katytiger said:

English. because its way easier than Arabic sometimes it depends on the situation 

This  unless my brain is feeling snappy/pissed then I'm definitely thinking يلعن أبوك instead of "screw you"

[Kayseri Mantisi]

i definitely use both turkish & english

[illia]

Native language except for work because all my colleagues are English speakers

[Princess Aurora]

Italian and English of course.

[SlowGinFizzzz]

Depends on the situation. If I'm having a conversation or reading something in English (or browsing ATRL lol), my accompanying thoughts will be in English as well, but if u ask me something in German, my brain will obviously process it in German. It really depends on the context, what I'm doing, probably even little things like what music is playing at that moment. Overall I do think it's split at around 50:50. 

[Illuminati]

About equally in English and in my native language.

 

If I'm alone at home I tend to default to thinking in English. I also dream in English but less often

 

I hope I can reach that stage in Spanish someday

[Velvet Night]

It switches depending on the situation. When I talk or read something in English I'm also thinking in English. The same goes for the other languages I can speak fluently. 

[Escape]

Switch between English/Finnish.

[Pendulum]

Patagonian 

[The7thStranger]

I speak three languages fluently, and it highly depends on where I am, what I'm doing, what my general mood is that day.

 

My first language is English, and I'm a heritage speaker of both German and Italian. Also, for added context, I've worked in linguistic fields for a very long time.

 

If I'm at work translating something, then I'm only thinking in English and German.

 

I live in Germany, and if I'm driving around or shopping, I think far more in German than I do in English. The same applies when I go back to Italy to visit. When I'm there, I mostly think in Italian.

 

That being said, of course, I can't exactly turn my English off. It's more that the other two "take over" depending on what I'm doing.

 

Weirdly, I've found I can only be angry in English or Italian. Go figure.

[getBusy]

Mostly Spanish but sometimes English. 
 

my biggest struggle is that my husband and i switch back and forth between both languages, so my brain nevrr knows what to expect, and many times i say WHAT because i'm not sure what he asked

[shyboi]

i have a war in my mind between spanish, english and italian at all times 

[JoeAg]

english 95% of the time but when I'm bored at work lately I'll start talking in my head in french and doing it for 30 minutes at a time! I neeeed to get back into learning russian and italian and maybe spanish too but tbh there are so many things i need to do rn  I'm about to finish a book, i'm saving up for a fancy new keyboard which i will DEFINITELY be needing to hyperfocus on to remind myself how to be good at it when I get it, and I need to get back into my workout routine cause my dumbass barely worked out the past two weeks! I obviously need to pace myself but i also neeeed to keep my brain and heart and body healthy and happy world

[gab00]

I can switch to both languages without any problem depending on the language of the other person i'm talking to.

 

I will always be a little bit more competent in my native language tho

Edited November 10 by gab00

[Harsh2256]

English. But if I'm angry my mother tongue cusses everyone around me. 

[tost1]

I started thinking in English when i moves abroad, it makes it so much easier and lbr, it's my first language now so no point in thinking in my mother tongue

[GentleEarthquake]

Both english and spanish, depends on the situation

[SoldierofLove]

Only English.

[John Slayne]

it's increasingly English tbh, i've lived in Englad for 6 years now

[MP3]

I think in French because it's my first language but I use English on a daily basis