- Thread starter turksman
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On a percentage scale. How many do you think.
Just wondering because eventhough I speak spanish my fiancee does not. And we are planning on moving to the DR in December. I have narrowed my choices down to Santo Domingo and Santiago but people are telling me that they speak more english in Santo Domingo.
I am asking because I will travel back and forth to my business outside of the DR and she will be left with the helper and driver.
Turk,
I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the amount of Dominicans in the public workplace that can comprehend enough English to help you out. When I am out and about in Santiago, I find English almost everywhere I shop. If one person doesn't know, they usually have another person there that does. And, they will get the biggest smile on their faces when they have a chance to show off what they know, It's really nice........Pick Santiago..........Beautiful city, Beautiful people..........
Never had a problem here.......
B in Santiago
I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the amount of Dominicans in the public workplace that can comprehend enough English to help you out. When I am out and about in Santiago, I find English almost everywhere I shop. If one person doesn't know, they usually have another person there that does. And, they will get the biggest smile on their faces when they have a chance to show off what they know, It's really nice........Pick Santiago..........Beautiful city, Beautiful people..........
Never had a problem here.......
B in Santiago
Like I said "from experience
I used to date a Dominican Young Lady that spoke perfect English and worked in one of those call centers off San Isidro; at first I thought she was the exception. However the more I hung out with her the more we kept running into people just like her, they either went to the university with her, worked with her or learned English together.
In addition to that there are a whole bunch of " deportees" that worked in that place as well, they not only spoke English, but very Americanized English, a good number of them had lived in the States for many many years.
So wherever I went, Boca Chica, the Jaragua, the Hilton, most of the malls, we ran into people that spoke very good English. On Fridays there's a gathering at Domino's Pizza on Maximo Gomez, it's a good sampling of some of the educated university students that speak English. I've run into retired Policemen from N.Y. City, Buffalo etc..
I find that the more educated the Dominican the higher the likelyhood that they will speak English or another language. In Las Terrenas, I've found French speaking Dominicans and in Bayahibe, Italian; I've experienced a good bit of that.
I think that once you move to the DR it will take you no time to you find an English speaking circle. Just hang out at "HERMANOS VILLAR" on the corner of Indepencia Y Pasteur.
" THIS HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE AND MY EXPERIENCE ONLY"
I used to date a Dominican Young Lady that spoke perfect English and worked in one of those call centers off San Isidro; at first I thought she was the exception. However the more I hung out with her the more we kept running into people just like her, they either went to the university with her, worked with her or learned English together.
In addition to that there are a whole bunch of " deportees" that worked in that place as well, they not only spoke English, but very Americanized English, a good number of them had lived in the States for many many years.
So wherever I went, Boca Chica, the Jaragua, the Hilton, most of the malls, we ran into people that spoke very good English. On Fridays there's a gathering at Domino's Pizza on Maximo Gomez, it's a good sampling of some of the educated university students that speak English. I've run into retired Policemen from N.Y. City, Buffalo etc..
I find that the more educated the Dominican the higher the likelyhood that they will speak English or another language. In Las Terrenas, I've found French speaking Dominicans and in Bayahibe, Italian; I've experienced a good bit of that.
I think that once you move to the DR it will take you no time to you find an English speaking circle. Just hang out at "HERMANOS VILLAR" on the corner of Indepencia Y Pasteur.
" THIS HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE AND MY EXPERIENCE ONLY"
You'll find that a lot of people here speak English and are eager to speak to a native speaker. Sometimes foreign people find it kind of frustrating that they want to practice their Spanish but they keep on meeting locals who want to practice their English.
I love French! It's such a beautiful language;I took some in college and I did attend the Alliance Francaise briefly, but I can only speak on a very basic level. I still have my books and some french songs on my cell phone.
I don't know if you could put an actual percentage to it. There will be areas where you'll be hard pressed to find one functional English speaker and where you least expect it, you'll find a number of people that speak it well.
I think the French Language is dead or dying, the French has lost all respect and influence on the world stage. They have an inferiority complex and usually have to resort to petty insults like the op above. I would never stoop to that level
I travel extensively throughout the world for work, everywhere I go, people speak ENGLISH not French.
I travel extensively throughout the world for work, everywhere I go, people speak ENGLISH not French.
^^ This.
It's very hard to predict what happens in any given situation. However, don't underestimate the need for basic spanish skills to live a regular normal life, at least in Santo Domingo.
A few can hold a basic "small talk" conversation,BUT, wait until you go to the water company,electric company,telephone company, bank,you are in for some fun!
Many times it's not the "Language Barrior", but the "Intelligence Barrier"!
Most really "Don't Get It" here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Many times it's not the "Language Barrior", but the "Intelligence Barrier"!
Most really "Don't Get It" here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
I would say this is correct % in a call centre in SD, but in the malls, no way!!! single digits