Do non-native speakers of any language think in the non-native language?

[zerox 1,050]

My native language is slovenian. I have no problems thinking or writing in English. Most of the time I actually use English more than my native language. Most of the websites that I visit on a daily basis are English ones.

[Vefka 1,499]

I can switch between Russian (native) and English when I want to, I think mostly in English when I'm on internet and in Russian in everyday life

 

[Yakamaru 3,074]

I come from Norway and for me it's far easier to think in English than it is Norwegian most of the time as the rather large majority of my interactions happen in English. And so my wish is for me to have as much knowledge and understanding of English as possible as a language to make miscommunication and misunderstanding as a possibility as close to 0% as possible. It's kind of ironic as I end up more and more having to translate from English to Norwegian.

If you are able to think and perceive things in a different language other than your native language it's a sign of being at a point of not needing to translate between languages, which can take time in some instances. It makes communication easier and you don't have to slow down in order to translate from your native language.

Of course, there may be a few drawbacks. Syntax, sentence structure, grammar and vocabulary can and will be different/more limited based on how much you understand the language. You will probably never be as good as a native speaker of the language.

Our species is one of the most social ones, and having a firm enough grasp of communication is for me nothing more than a huge pro.

[Ittoni 536]

My native language is spanish but I usually think in english or mixed with it. That is because english is not a gendered language. If I'm thinking or speaking in spanish I usually try to think of non gendered synonyms for the gendered words. 

Edited October 14, 2020 by Ittoni

[Pentium100 2,056]

I do sometimes think in English.

On 8/2/2020 at 3:59 AM, You said:

I curse more in English when im my flat with my us flatmate even though she isn't at home 

I can curse in three languages. Lithuanian curses are not that "strong" tbh, so the second level is English and then Russian (and one Polish word).

[Xe__or 4,376]

I do actually; I think they say you're more or less bilingual if you think/dream in another language?

[Summer Breeze 2,522]

I absolutely do, I am dutch but I'm an English teacher so you could say I'm quite fluent in it. The question of whether I think in English depends on what subject I'm thinking about. When it's a dutch thing I'll think about it in dutch but when I'm either tyring to decypher my own feelings or I'm thinking about an 'english' subject such as games or a funny youtube video I saw then I'll think in English. Sometimes I don't even know which language I'm thinking in actually, it all just kinda jumbles into one. 

[Splashee 28,537]

On 10/26/2020 at 11:26 PM, Xe__or said:

I do actually; I think they say you're more or less bilingual if you think/dream in another language?

I would love to hear your inner thoughts

Spoiler

I am actually very scared of hearing your inner thoughts No matter what language

 

[Xe__or 4,376]

39 minutes ago, Funtime Splashee said:

I would love to hear your inner thoughts

  Hide contents

I am actually very scared of hearing your inner thoughts No matter what language

 

I'm already in your head anyway

[Splashee 28,537]

Just now, Xe__or said:

I'm already in your head anyway

I know. All systems are critical to survival so don't touch anything

[Xe__or 4,376]

2 minutes ago, Funtime Splashee said:

I know. All systems are critical to survival so don't touch anything

That's where the fun is

 

My first english dream was some years ago, and it included some war or something; I dunno why

[dead account 2,703]

I always think in the language I'm using at the moment. That's because I'm always in thought and I imagine to have conversations with someone. It's really not creepy, this is just me exercising and finding a good flow. Only stuff I can handle quicker are numbers. I calculate in my native language most of the time.

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

When I took French class I’d sometimes think in French, but only to see how well I could form sentences on my own 

[Props Valroa 26,039]

I would think in German from time to time. 

[Evil Pink One 12,974]

Depends..... Really it depends now that I think about it....

[Lunaholic 892]

Yes I do think in English sometimes although my native language is Finnish

[mike9199 2]

yep. from time to time. depends on the situation.

[Astralshy 23,558]

Yes, I do when I write/speak/listen/read etc. English. 

[Treeglow Flicker 13,018]

I'm a native English speaker, but I've been pushing towards thinking mostly in Japanese for various reasons.