How To: Conversation about Money in a Foreign Language

Money is a tricky subject to talk about in your own language, let alone in a language alien to you that you have just started learning. There’s so much to talk about, for instance:

How are Markets doing?

What businesses are making the most money?

How much money is enough to sustain a lifestyle?

Money required to buy certain items.

How to earn money in the area etc…

All these questions are essential if you are learning a language for the purpose of settling in a country. Therefore, when having money conversations, pick up your sharpest tools, turn on your brain’s highest frequency and make notes.

• Research about the culture and understand its relationship with money

Cultures around the world respond differently to money and allied subjects. In some areas it is okay to discuss the amount of money you are making. In other countries it is considered rude and even offensive if you ask a person about their living standards or their income. Some cultures believe that people have to put a pretence of affluence while struggling beneath while other cultures do not care about the money you make. For instance, in India, people dislike having conversations around money. Even the companies do not disclose the salary packages of their employees to avoid negotiations with new employees. However, in some countries in Europe where people enjoy similar benefits like health care or education, regardless of the money they make, money is a casual conversation.

• Learn the basic words by heart

As the conversation is going to be tricky you should not fumble with your words. Therefore, learn and practice your vocabulary around money. For instance, you can learn the names of various commodities and the conversion rate between the currencies, so that if you are required to understand the value you can quickly calculate. Apart from conversion rates, you must also be familiar with the types of currency in operation in the country, such as cheques, coins or cash. Familiarising yourself with words like buy, sell, cash, receipt etc. will come in very handy during the conversation. Research their popular banks in case you plan to immigrate so that if the name pops up you have a clue about the conversation. Often foreign sounding names can throw off the conversation in another direction. This way you can avoid that. In case you are looking to learn Haitian Creole Origin, you can Learn Haitian Creole on CreoleTutors.com.

• Understand the borrow/lending words and how to use them correctly

Borrowing/Lending are important concepts if you are planning to immigrate or even travel for a little while in a foreign country. It is best to learn the synonyms and antonyms of all related words such as lend, pay back, borrow or owe money to someone. These concepts are quite intuitive; however, they get tricky if you are having a conversation in a foreign language about the same. Since these are everyday concepts and you are bound to use them during your time abroad it is best to not leave this unattended. Combining this with your research on the culture, try and learn how they respond to borrowing or lending as a concept. People in some areas borrow without expecting an interest on the borrowed amount, however, cultures, habits and economies dictate how people respond to borrowing or lending in public.

• Learn how to discuss personal income

Extending on the research about the country and in particular on how people discuss personal incomes will come in handy. For instance, whether people have inherited their income, whether they have earned it or whether they have won all of it in a lottery. Having these conversations is tricky however the thumb rule is to open up about your personal income first if you understand the need for this discussion. Asking people to determine the lifestyle that will suit your personal income is suggestive of whether or not the money you will make in the country will be enough. Therefore, have this conversation at the earliest.

• Learn common money nouns, money adjectives and even verbs

Sometimes money is informally expressed and even in the casual expression you are able to understand the value you will be serving from it. For instance, in English, Dollars are referred to as bucks. If you do not understand both these terms you might get fooled by the commercials that say ‘Sale starting at 20 bucks. Grab a copy Now’. Therefore, it becomes important to recognize money slangs and even adjectives. Adjectives such as cheap, privy etc. offer value in comparison which will be very beneficial to you in order to understand the true value of commodities.