What word or phrases from your target language that you have tried to use in a conversation but ended up hilariously?

Posts0Likes0Joined23/3/2021LocationDavao / PH
Native
Tagalog
Learning Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish

I was once teaching Tagalog to a Tongan friend ( from Tonga, one of the Polynesian Islands). I have tried to use Tongan words to them but they corrected me and said that I was referring to their genital part. It was awkward. 

- By small and simple things are great things brought to pass! 

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#1
Posts1630Likes1092Joined18/3/2018LocationBellingham / US
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English
Learning German
Other Chinese - Mandarin, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Tagalog, Thai

july.lullalove wrote:
I was once teaching Tagalog to a Tongan friend ( from Tonga, one of the Polynesian Islands). I have tried to use Tongan words to them but they corrected me and said that I was referring to their genital part. It was awkward.

That's how I feel when I hear "conyo".

In Thailand now. Next up Tanzania and Philippines.

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#2
Posts0Likes0Joined23/3/2021LocationDavao / PH
Native
Tagalog
Learning Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish


[/quote]
That's how I feel when I hear "conyo".
[/quote]


I understand it gets awkward big time. lol. 

- By small and simple things are great things brought to pass! 

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#3
Posts1630Likes1092Joined18/3/2018LocationBellingham / US
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English
Learning German
Other Chinese - Mandarin, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Tagalog, Thai

july.lullalove wrote:

wrote:
That's how I feel when I hear "conyo".

I understand it gets awkward big time. lol.

Do you understand why quotes aren't working for you?

In Thailand now. Next up Tanzania and Philippines.

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#4
Posts0Likes0Joined19/9/2019LocationSão Paulo / BR
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Portuguese
Learning English, French, Italian, Spanish

It happened with my ex husband's family, when they arrived in Brazil from Peru. He offered a dinner to celebrate their arrival, and there was great expectation. Victor went to the supermarket and bought "little duck" ("patinho"), which is a beef kind of cut in here, and not duck meat. His nephew said "ducks taste like beef in Brazil".

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#5
Posts0Likes0Joined23/3/2021LocationDavao / PH
Native
Tagalog
Learning Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish


[/quote]
Do you understand why quotes aren't working for you?
[/quote]

I think it is when I tried to reply to a comment and I just wanted to get a few portions of a text and I deleted some parts.  


- By small and simple things are great things brought to pass! 

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#6
Posts1630Likes1092Joined18/3/2018LocationBellingham / US
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English
Learning German
Other Chinese - Mandarin, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Tagalog, Thai

july.lullalove wrote:
I think it is when I tried to reply to a comment and I just wanted to get a few portions of a text and I deleted some parts. :confused: :confused:

Yes - you have to leave the thing in brackets there, but you can delete what's in between them.

In Thailand now. Next up Tanzania and Philippines.

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#7
Posts0Likes0Joined19/9/2019LocationSão Paulo / BR
Native
Portuguese
Learning English, French, Italian, Spanish

Once I said "estoy embarazada" meaning "I'm pregnant" in Spanish, although I wanted to say I was embarrassed. "Embarrassed" is a true cognat in Portuguese ("embaraçada"), but not in Spanish. It's a classical mistake Brazilians make, together with: apellido, largo, aula, bolsa, bolso, borracha, cachorro, cena, cola, pastel, latir, oficina, pegar, pelado, película, polvo, presunto, pronto, propina, rato, saco, sitio, vaso, and many others that create funny situations.

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#8
Posts4Likes2Joined18/1/2022Location

It was my early stages of Spanish learning, and I happened to be in Chile then. I confused the waiter at the cafe with my usage of "Mucho Gusto". I pointed toward the cake served and said mucho gusto multiple times. The waiter was puzzled and I was as puzzled as he was. Later a friend explained the phrase to me. The literal translation of the phrase “Mucho gusto” would be “I like it very much”. However, it is commonly used as a greeting that means “Nice to meet you”, or “It is a pleasure to meet you”.  

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#9
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