The Reading Challenge Group discussion

I'd be interested to know in which languages you guys can read.

I can read in both French and English, but somehow I've been reading more books in English ever since I started my English degree. 5 years down the line and I still read more in English than in French. I have to make an effort to read more in French, but it's difficult to find books in French in physical shops here.

I can also read some German, but it has to be a children's book for me to be able to read it.

I am now learning Russian ans I am hoping to be able to read in Russian one day!

I love this question, Camille! I hope a lot of people answer.

I can read in Spanish and English. I mostly read in English these days, as my shelves can attest. But, like you, I want to make an effort to become more familiar with Spanish literature.

One of my goals this year was to be able to read Die Verwandlung/The Metamorphosis in German. I still can't, but I think at this point I could probably read children's books. I just don't have access to any. :P

And, in a perfect world, I'd be able to read in Basque, Russian, Italian and French. :D

I read above all in my mother tongue, Italian, but I read also in English and German. I know also French but it's many years I don't pick up a book in French.
Knowing so many languages is really good because it's possible to read in the original language or to read books that have never been translated into my mother tongue.

I am so jealous! I can only read English.

I can read in German if it's fairly straightforward.

Predominantly, I read only in English. However, I had learnt french a long time ago and used to read pretty fluently in French, something that I have been meaning to pick up and smooth the rust off for quite some time :)

In addition, being an Indian, I can read fluently in four Indian languages - Hindi, Marathi, Tamil and Gujarati.

Thanks for the link, Iasa!

I mostly read in English since a few years, but I can read in English and German. I also had to read in French during my apprenticeship, but I haven't done that in years and wouldn't count that. I hope to be able to read Japanese one day, but at the moment I'm not attending any classes :( *got no time atm and never came as far as being able to really read books*

Sadly I can only read fluently in English. In my 7-8th career I'd like to make time to reacquaint myself with French and Spanish so I can read in those languages as well.

And then there's me with just English!

I struggled with languages in school, but have picked up a module in Beginners Spanish for my semester year at Uni. While I definitely won't be able to read fluently, I'll at least be able to say I know a bit of a language!

I can read in English and Spanish. I've been reading more in English this year, but I've making an effort to also get into some good Latin-american authors. That books in English tend to be cheaper where I live doesn't help, though.

I've been wanting to learn Japanese, so I've been working on learning the alphabet (all 3 of them!)... not very successfully. Speaking it is way easier.

I read in Swedish and English. Sadly I used to be more fluent in English earlier than I am now, so I'm working on increasing my reading speed again.

I also started to read in Japanese. So far I only read magazines and manga, but I have a couple Japanese novels on my shelf right now that I really really look forward to being able to read soon!

I can read Russian, Swahili, Arabic and English. Russian is my first language, Swahili is my second, and English is my third; Currently, I'm learning French because I moved to North Africa where French is a dominant language. Gosh, talking about mental yoga! ;)

I mostly read in English, since some of the books translated into Estonian are not very good - especially books like "Harry Potter" and "The Maze Runner", which have it's own terms, it is really weird to read those things in Estonian. But I do read in Estonian quite a lot too, after all it is my main language :)

Russian, English, Latvian :)

Coolio. I'm just lucky, I suppose. I'm a biracial: My mom is Russian from St.Peters where I was conceived and born; thus I speak and read Russia . My Dad is Tanzanian from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, where I grew up; thus, I speak and read Swahili. I learned English because English is also an official language in Tanzania. Why Arabic and French? Well, I live in Algeria at the moment; Arabic and French are official languages here. Although there are many advantages of being multilingual, there are some drawbacks: my vocabulary and grammar --- which I have come to notice -- isn't quite as good as monolingual speakers.

Coolio. I'm just lucky, I suppose. I'm a biracial: My mom is Russian from St.Peters where I was conceived and born; thus I speak and read Russia . My Dad is Tanzanian from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, where I grew up; thus, I speak and read Swahili. I learned English because English is also an official language in Tanzania. Why Arabic and French? Well, I live in Algeria at the moment; Arabic and French are official languages here. Although there are many advantages of being multilingual, there are some drawbacks: my vocabulary and grammar --- which I have come to notice -- isn't quite as good as monolingual speakers.

Wow, a lot of bilinguals here. I just read, speak (barely) and other stuff in English.

This thread always makes me drool a little bit... I AM SO JEALOUS.

I can read children's books (and maybe lighter adult books) in French and Spanish if I have really good dictionaries handy, but it's frustratingly slow. I'd really hoped to be more fluent by now, but I can never devote the time to it that I'd like to.

I've attempted Russian and Latin, but I've had to set those aside for now. One of these days! I will conquer!! *shakes fist*

You go girl! I love your attitude, Faye.

I can read in English. I'm starting to read in French, but I'm still slow. I'm still working at it because I eventually want to be fluent in French.

I can read in Italian (my mother tongue), English, German and French. I'm not so fluent in French but reading is OK. I am eternally learning Spanish (have started and stopped various times) but I won't be able to read in it in the near future. My dream was to be able to read the classics in Russian, but after one year of Russian language at University I set it apart, it was too difficult for me.

I can read in both English and Spanish although I mostly read in English. I will be picking up more Spanish though because since I am getting a new Kindle I am giving my mom my old Kindle and I will read the books she gets since her Kindle will be on my account? :)

I can read in my mother tongue Hungarian and English. I still read more Hungarian, because reading is usually free time activity for me after work, and I work in English for the most part. But I do read in English from time to time!

I read mostly in English, second place Dutch and (I should read more in) Portuguese.

I'm reading in German and English. I try to read the book in the language that it was publishes. If it is neither of both of these languages I'm picking it up in German.
Sometimes I'm picking up a book that was translated from English to German because it is easier to get. Almost every English book I'm buying I have to order online. Sometimes it is nice to go in a bookstore and pick whatever book I want to read.

I can read in the following languages, starting with my strongest languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese

Wow, how did you get to be able to read in so many languages Rosemarie?

I was born in Germany and came to Canada when I was six. Canada is bilingual so I started learning French in high school and then majored in French and German literature in university.
I was a teacher for nineteen years, and taught French and othet subjects as a substitute teacher. I figured that I could teach myself languages, especially for reading purposes.
I love the way languages develop and change and the patterns that appear in the different languages. Another reason was for travel purposes because I like to be able to read the signs.
Plus, I am a granny so I have had many years to acquire these languages - and it keeps the brain fit.
You are never too old to learn a new language, especially for reading purposes.

Sadly I'm just English.

For other languages I can occasionally work out the general gist of something if it uses that languages cliche and very common phrases that I have seen a few times. Most of the time though I have to get a full translation

I can read Portuguese ('cause I am one), Spanish and English.

I also learned French in school but sadly remember nothing of it, all I know, aside from the usual first grade greetings, is cake and cat!

I can read English and some NT Greek

English and Spanish (I minored in this in college). Have never read Don Quixote in the original Spanish yet, though, and am not sure I have the energy or time to do so!

Michael wrote: "English and Spanish (I minored in this in college). Have never read Don Quixote in the original Spanish yet, though, and am not sure I have the energy or time to do so!"

It's hard to get through in your mother tongue, so don't be down on your self for that!

English and Kiswahili... Both are national languages... And very soon, Chinese is going to be added to the list too...

That will be an amazing accomplishment, and very practical too,

I can only read English for now, I'm currently learning how to read polish and can't wait!

Sadly only English

You have a lot of wonderful books to choose from, Abbie.

I read in English, Dutch and French. These last few years I have been mostly reading in English, but one of my goals for this year is to be more balanced in my reading. I can read a bit in German too but only books that aren't too difficult and it does require the use of a dictionary from time to time, so most often I am too lazy to do that. If I could learn one additional language for reading purposes it would be Spanish.

I know what you mean about using a dictionary, Valerie. It really slows down the reading speed.
I find that I get tired more quickly if I read a language I am not too familiar with.
I am fluent in German but have to really concentrate if I read a Dutch book. But the effort is worth it.