Expat Tries To Speak Local Language, Doesn't Go To Plan: 'Bizarre'

A video capturing a comical moment where a woman’s attempt to practice the local language of where she lives goes wrong has gone viral on TikTok.

The video was posted by @feti_adexx, who lives in Barcelona, according to other videos shared on her TikTok account. Her first language appears to be English but now speaks fluent Spanish, per other uploads. The clip has amassed 1.1 million views since it was posted on March 4.

The footage begins with a caption overlaid on the clip saying: “I think I’m done with speaking Spanish after this interaction.”

The clip shows the woman sitting at a venue in front of a laptop and asking a worker in Spanish “What is the password for the Wi-Fi?”

The worker begins to reply in English, saying “the password is…” before the woman interrupts, asking the worker to speak in Spanish instead. But the worker just replies: “No, in English is fine.”

So, the woman proceeds to speak in English, asking: “So many different options here…what’s the exact name of the Wi-Fi?” The worker then suddenly switches back to Spanish, asking: “Can you say that a little bit slower?”

The woman sighs, placing her head on the table, as a caption shared with the post just says: “You literally can’t win.”

In a survey of more than 1,000 people in the United States conducted by language learning app Ling, Spanish was reported to be the most popular language that travelers wanted to learn, named by 32.8 percent, followed by English at 17 percent.

The survey also found that just 16.7% of Americans have specifically traveled abroad to learn a language.

Women were twice as likely as men to say that learning a local language was very important to them, while the majority of people who have traveled to learn a language were between the ages of 30 and 44, according to the survey.

‘Bizarre’

Viewers on TikTok could relate to the sitcom-like exchange in the viral video and were understanding of the poster’s frustration.

Rupert Ferder wrote “What a bizarre interaction” and @eliseharperg said, “It’s so discouraging when this happens.”

Lovergirl said: “This is discouraging, how are you supposed to practice with people like this? You got force to speak English just for her to barely understand you?”

User @rubledooble commented: “I am so frustrated on your behalf.”

LenguaStu agreed, saying: “this would annoy me so much, I felt your pain through my screen.”

User contentdistance asked: “Is this because she wants to practice her English or she’s just being rude? I don’t get it.”

Ryan noted: “THIS. Every time I speak Spanish they respond in English, I can never practice. But I guess they also want to practice their English, it’s fair.”

Murphy wrote: “It’s so annoying when I order in Spanish completely fluently, they start speaking to me in English? Like helloo I just spoke to you in Spanish? I know I’m a giri and my blue eyes show that but why?”