The Language Barrier – How to Overcome It
One of the toughest things about having an Asian girlfriend, particularly in the early days, is the language barrier between you. Unless she speaks fluent English, the chances are you will both find yourself in situations where you’ve misunderstood something, and perhaps even got a little frustrated with your partner. Although it’s totally understandable, the language barrier doesn’t need to cause you problems in your relationship. Here are four tips to ensure you don’t let your respective languages ruin your relationship.
Don’t make a big deal out of it
If you’re constantly worried about the language barrier or bringing it up all the time, you will of course begin to notice it. However, the reality is that it doesn’t have to be a big deal. In fact, you could look at it as something exciting, as it presents you and your partner with the opportunity to learn a new language and improve your skills. Accepting it as part of your relationship is an important first step, as you don’t want it to become a big issue for no reason.
Offer to be her language partner
While you might not be comfortable with being her language teacher or tutor, you could offer to be her language partner. What does that mean? Well, a language partner is someone who she can bounce ideas of and come to when she needs to practice or has a problem that she doesn’t understand in English. By offering to be her language partner, she will greatly appreciate your support, and will understand that she can speak to you in confidence without being judged on her English skills.
Commit to learning some of her language
Even if you decide to use English as the main language in your relationship, commit to learning some of her language. Even if it’s just simple greetings or everyday phrases to begin with, it will make her feel comfortable around you and will show that you’re serious about the relationship. As you improve your language skills, you can even begin to have some conversations in both languages, which will be excellent for both of you.
Speak slowly and don’t get annoyed with miscommunications
When you’re speaking to your Asian girlfriend, remember that you should speak slowly and give her plenty of time to respond. When you’re speaking in a second language, you often need a few extra seconds to process what has been said and think of an answer. Also, if something gets lost in translation, don’t get upset about it. You’re bound to miscommunicate from time to time, so just accept it as part of your relationship and move on quickly.
When you begin a relationship with an Asian girlfriend, you have to prepare yourself for the language barrier that will make communication a little tricky. That being said, don’t let it define your relationship, and be willing to move on if you miscommunicate from time to time.
