Develop Efficient Communication

According to Gabriela, this is the key element of your relationship, and the one that will save you from many tricky situations.

“Speaking in a very basic and rudimentary way is the easiest method to prevent starting a fight at every sentence:

• Ask a few times what the other understands

• Choose the words really consciously

• Use a dictionary to check meanings

You need to make sure you deliver the message as clearly as possible. It’s not romantic but it’s the most efficient way to avoid misunderstandings.“

intercultural relationships, intercultural toolbox / april 21 2021 HOW TO SURVIVE A MULTILINGUAL RELATIONSHIP: 6 TIPS FROM A PSYCHOLOGIST FOR EXPATS Are you in love with someone speaking a foreign language? It might seem romantic at first but it slowly becomes a daily challenge. Misunderstandings, language barrier with friends and family, constant mix of vocabulary: a multilingual relationship is, first and foremost, a LOT of work! From dealing with embarrassing mistakes to surviving arguments, licensed psychologist specialized in life abroad, Gabriela Encina, shares valuable tips to navigate your multilingual life. Gabriela grew up in Chile and that’s where she met the love of her life, an Austrian passing through her country on his journey in Southern America. She ended up moving to Vienna with him and went through the ups and downs of expat life and intercultural relationships. Her experience as a psychologist combined with her personal intercultural story allow her to provide the best support for your international life. Are you ready for an avalanche of useful tips to save your multilingual relationship? Let’s get started! 1) DEVELOP EFFICIENT COMMUNICATION According to Gabriela, this is the key element of your relationship, and the one that will save you from many tricky situations. “Speaking in a very basic and rudimentary way is the easiest method to prevent starting a fight at every sentence:

• Ask a few times what the other understands

• Choose the words really consciously

• Use a dictionary to check meanings

You need to make sure you deliver the message as clearly as possible. It’s not romantic but it’s the most efficient way to avoid misunderstandings.“ To illustrate potential misunderstandings, Gabriela shared a fun anecdote of a situation that occurred with her husband. During one of their conversations, her husband told her: “Oh, you’re so pathetic sometimes”. He didn’t even seem angry but Gabriela did not appreciate this comment, stood up and went away. And this is what happened next… “After some minutes, he approached with a dictionary in his hands, like a white flag. That’s how we realized that “pathetic” has different meanings in German and in Spanish/English:

• In German, the word means “theatrical, dramatic”

• In Spanish and English, it means “pitiful, absurd”

He was only referring to my emotional and passionate attitude, he didn’t mean to hurt me. We ended up laughing about it, but only because he made the effort to look for the problem and he was wise enough to realize that there was probably a misunderstanding.”

https://myforeignhalf.com/en/how-to-survive-a-multilingual-relationship-6-tips-from-a-psychologist/