Now I know for us Americans, it's probably English as a vast majority of us are only truly fluent in one language. But this is more for the people on other continents. I'm really just curious as to how the thinking process would work in other languages. Do those of you that are fluent in multiple languages think in both of them, or one in particular?

 

Thanks for fueling my curiosity!

I personally think in English. I assume most people think in whatever their mother tongue is, or in whatever they're using at the current moment.

I know both English and Spanish, but there's no way I would think in Spanish. :lol:

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I think in English and occasionally Spanish.

I think in English.

If I'm talking/writing in Swedish, I think in Swedish.

 

If I'm talking/writing in English, I think in English.

That's an interesting question, which happened to come up at work the other day.

 

I am trilingual, and I think in all languages. The deciding factor is what action I am doing or who I am talking to, in example if I am having a conversation with someone from Denmark, it just comes natural to think in Danish - otherwise the thought to speach process would simply be too slow in most cases. Especially at meetings or in conversations where you need to keep a professional image, then thinking in a different language than you're speaking can slow you down just enogh for you to seem uninterested or like you are stuttering and are unprepared. I am thankful that I didn't have my current job when I had just moved, because I wasn't mastering the language well enough to make it natural to think in it, meaning that I thought in Norwegian and spoke Danish-ish.

 

When I use English-spoken forums or voice chats, I solely think in English. Sometimes I even catch myself thinking in English at other times where it would be natural to utilise Danish or Norwegian, but I take that as a good sign. I guess that's better than admitting to insanity anyway. ;)

 

Off topic: I dream in all three languages, but mainly in the one I use the most. (Currently Danish.)

I'm bilingual, speaking english fluently and being nearly fluent in french. But I've always "thought" in english.

I think in almost-thoughts and vaguenesses.

It really depends on what I'm doing. If I'm typing in English, I'll think in English. If I'm with people and for instance we're drinking Arabic coffee, I think in Arabic. If I'm praying, especially if I hear the phrase "the words the Lord gave us" I think in Syriac.

 

It was interesting once though because I was translating back and forth so quickly between Italian and English that I spoke English to the Italian people and Italian to the English people and thought correspondingly. I guess it was a result of overload. haha

I think mainly in English, but occasionally have a word pop up in another language (mostly Spanish, because that's what I've studied). This usually happens when I can't remember the English word, or it just doesn't exist.

 

I'd love to have a dream in another language someday. It probably won't happen, as I've heard you need to really submerge yourself. I won't be staying in Spain for 5 years anytime soon.

I think in English. The only language I know largely. I did learn some German back in the day, but all I can truly remember is how to count.

english is like my 3rd or 4th language, but i think in english

 

conformity ftl :P

English. I know some German, so sometimes if i'm talking to German's I occasionally think in that.

I think in English and occasionally French (mostly just when I am speaking it however, usually only in France)

I think In english,

 

Sometimes I think in the kind of language that's filtered from this board though..xD

I only think in another language when speaking it. Usually I think clearly in English though.

lol das...

Interesting you should ask this...about a month ago, when I had been in Taiwan for about 3 weeks, I started to think in Chinese again. As in, it was my default language, and no matter what language you spoke to me in, I would respond in Mandarin. Not the case online since it's a pain in the ass typing in Chinese, but yeah...that hadn't happened in over 10 years (waaaaaaaay back when Mandarin and Taiwan were all I knew, and I wasn't online much if at all, so there weren't things like forums about a MMORPG for me to use English on).

There are some words or phrases that I will think in languages other than English. Back when I took French, aussi was a common one for some reason, and there are some Mandarin phrases that simply don't exist in English. If you speak to me in Mandarin (as my mom and some other adults I know do), I will respond in English 99% of the time, unless, of course, as I mentioned, I've just spent a few weeks in a place where everyone speaks the language.

But! Sometimes, very randomly, I will just start speaking Mandarin instead of English for no apparent reason. (thinking in Latin would just be awkward. anyway.)

I think in English but for Math I think in Spanish, I sometimes answer the math question in Spanish and confuse people (mil = 1,000 but people think it's a million). Also according to my overhearing nosy friends, when I sleep I mumble in Spanish so I'm guessing my subconscious thinks in Spanish.

 

But my dreams are mostly Spanish mixed with English. Those in my dreams who only know Spanish speak in Spanish and those who can speak English speak in both Spanish and English.

Klingon of course?

I only ever think in English, unless of course I am thinking of another language.

Mostly in french, but that's my mother tongue. Actually, no, it's a language called Chiak which is a kind of mix between french and english, a kind of mix only found in New-Brunswick (Canada) and other Acadian places.

In my opinion you don't know a language until you catch yourself thinking in it without trying.

 

If I'm talking/writing in Swedish, I think in Swedish.

 

If I'm talking/writing in English, I think in English.

Generally this, although sometimes I'll think in Swedish at home.

Generally English, but if I'm in the mood to speak German I think in German too. And occasionally I dream in German.