I am currently learning German, and came across this post from one of my earlier visits to Vienna…
What language do they speak in Vienna? One would think the obvious answer is “German”, ja?
German may be the official language, however during my stay I have been making myself understood with a variety of English, German, French and Italian (and given that the only language in which I am moderately fluent is English, it has been quite a comedy)…
Not only that, but the servers at cafes, shops and restaurants seem to talk in a fluid mix of several languages.
Just yesterday I went back to the yummy gelato shop and this was the conversation with me noted as B and the man serving me noted as G (for gelato):
G: Bitte, yes? [German/English]
B: Stracciatella, bitte. [Italian/German]
The man scoops up my yummy stracciatella into a cone and rather than put it into the cone-stand-up-gizmo, hands it to me –
G: Pour vous. [French]
B: Danke! [German] (and I licked the side of the cone as it was about to drip)
G: Deliziosa, si? [Italian]
B: Si! Questo delicioso. [Italian] (I gave him the money and as he gave me the change…)
G: Danke. Au revoir. Caio. [German/French/Italian]
Talk about united nations! LOL!
~ Bella