Dreaming in a New Language

[bobbieb]

My Mexican-born biology professor recollected to me when he knew he started to become fluent in English... He had had a dream completely in English. Is this true for anyone else? I have yet to dream in Spanish (being a native English speaker).  

[Wanda Kaishin]

I've dreamt in all my languages, but as with dreaming in general, there's no rhyme or reason to it, and it's not a clear indicator of one's level.

[111kg]

But wait a minute! It's said that you can only dream in your mother's tongue. Although I am fluent in English and there are days when I speak and write only in English, I've never had a dream in English.

 

[hungary93]

I dreamed in english numerous times, but in all my dreams I was a situation where I had to speak english. So, essentially I did not lived through my dream in english but was in situations where I had to speak it.

Before my language exam in my teenager years I would only dream about english speaking situation. I was so stressed that I even dreamed about it.

[lushlala]

Wow, that's interesting! How I'd love to dream in French or Italian, my chosen foreign languages! My native language is Setswana, but everyone generally speaks in English, our official language. When I dream, it's almost always in English. I can't explain that or even why I very, very seldom dream in my native language. The same applies to thinking. It's a lot easier in English. My language is very complex and goes around the houses, whereas English is very economic. - relative to my language, anyway.

[Tyrell]

I think I'm slightly more fluent in English than in my mother tongue, and I don't think I've ever dreamed in English. I'm not completely sure though, I barely remember my dreams and I try to focus on symbols and objects rather than the language spoken in the dream. But I'm pretty sure I rarely talk in dream unless I'm screaming or shouting.

[jamesbonner]

lol that happen to me once before, before I learn English, I had a dream once where I been in USA lol and I been speaking English without any problems, I know that's strange !

[Richard.H]

Hahaha, that's cool!

I dreamed in all my languages I believe. But it's really as random as it's fun.

So don't give up, one day (or night?) when you expect it the least....bam, you'll have your Spanish dream!

Keep dreaming!

R.

[Wanda Kaishin]

But wait a minute! It's said that you can only dream in your mother's tongue. Although I am fluent in English and there are days when I speak and write only in English, I've never had a dream in English.

 

sorry - it's restricted to people who are 110kg or less.

[lushlala]

sorry - it's restricted to people who are 110kg or less.

Hehe @Wanda, you're funny! So I guess we're safe then?

On a serious note, I wish i could ream in Italian or French. Now, that would be something LOL I bet it would be all jumbled and wouldn't make much sense hehe

[BonClay]

I've never even thought about having a dream in another language. However, it makes sense if your dream is about something that you spend a lot of time and effort on. It's kind of like riding your bike all day long and having a dream later about riding your bike. Almost as if your legs are still pedaling. Our brains have the incredible ability of being able to take in and process everything we see, hear, etc. They're constantly working, even when you're sleeping. So it seems totally possible to dream in a new language if you practiced it hard enough and actually understood it. 

What if the dream you had was in a completely foreign language? I think that could even be more hilarious. 

[lingualbabe]

Lol, this has happened to me. I guess since dreams are recollections of what had happened to you throughout the day, dreaming in the language you're learning is very likely. I dream mostly of what happened to me within the day, not exactly but within that context. And while you're learning a new language, you spend a lot of time in it, sometimes even the whole day. So it is really possible to dream in that language. And I guess, that is a good indication that you're learning and the language is in your brain already!

[lushlala]

I guess from comments here, it explains my situation. I mean, maybe it's not surprising that I always dream in English, and very rarely in my native language. We learn English  from very young and then go on to use it widely in official, school and social settings on a daily basis. We actually speak a lot more English in our day to day life, because it's a much easier language than our own. Sometimes it's quicker and easier to explain something in English. So maybe this isn't such a good example.

 

I should probably have said no, I don't ever dream in Italian or French LOL I don't ever remember it happening.

[Carlyarn23]

I have always heard that if you dream in a language you are learning that it means that you have finally mastered it! I have only ever dreamed in my native language, but my grandfather spoke three languages and he apparently always had dreams in other languages. He spoke English, French and German and he would always tell me about his dreams in French. He is one of the main reasons I want to learn French. 

[Rimzi]

My Mexican-born biology professor recollected to me when he knew he started to become fluent in English... He had had a dream completely in English. Is this true for anyone else? I have yet to dream in Spanish (being a native English speaker).  

That is very interesting! I'm bilingual and have dreamt in both languages, but 99% of the time I dream in English.

[xTinx]

There were cases when people suddenly started speaking in a different tongue after dreaming they spoke it. That's how some polygots realized they've got a linguistic gift. Perhaps a part of the brain is suddenly keen on learning a language. You should take advantage of this opportunity and try to learn the language you dreamed about.

[lushlala]

There were cases when people suddenly started speaking in a different tongue after dreaming they spoke it. That's how some polygots realized they've got a linguistic gift. Perhaps a part of the brain is suddenly keen on learning a language. You should take advantage of this opportunity and try to learn the language you dreamed about.

Wow, that's amazing! Why can't this happen to me in relation to Italian and French LOL?! I'd seriously be made up. But I doubt very much I'm THAT gifted, I've got a very long way to go, sadly

[CarpeDiem]

I can assure you if you have started dreaming in a language that you only recently learned, it means you have mastered that language.

[Wanda Kaishin]

I can assure you if you have started dreaming in a language that you only recently learned, it means you have mastered that language.

What are you basing that on? What skills does dreaming prove you've mastered? 

[xTinx]

I can assure you if you have started dreaming in a language that you only recently learned, it means you have mastered that language.

I doubt that's the case. There are rare instances where people in a coma suddenly woke up able to speak a particular foreign language fluently. No one exactly knows how such a phenomenon happens but that's one of the mysteries of the brain. This story may interest you: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/croatia/7583971/Croatian-teenager-wakes-from-coma-speaking-fluent-German.html.

[Tyrell]

I think I'm slightly more fluent in English than in my mother tongue, and I don't think I've ever dreamed in English. I'm not completely sure though, I barely remember my dreams and I try to focus on symbols and objects rather than the language spoken in the dream. But I'm pretty sure I rarely talk in dream unless I'm screaming or shouting.

Alright, follow up. I take this back. Last night, I dreamed in Spanish - and it wasn't even the first time. The only thing that I remember saying was "Qué pasa!". I also saw a bunch of Spanish words that I don't even think I've ever seen before. In fact, I don't even know if they're actual Spanish words or something that my brain made up - but I'm pretty certain that they are Spanish, or at the very least, it sounds like it. I can't really remember the words anymore, but I was up for like three minutes and I remembered all the words and I remember feeling certain that they were Spanish words. Then I fell back asleep.. I wanted to write them down on my phone (I have a dream journal where I keep everything I dream about), but I just felt too weak and I looked at the clock, it was still really early, so I couldn't get myself to do it and fell back asleep.

It's really interesting and creepy at the same time, because I've never had a dream like this before. I feel like ever since I read this thread I just keep dreaming in Spanish. You might notice that I mentioned that it wasn't the first time that I dreamed in Spanish. I've dreamt in Spanish at least three times in the past five days. And it's getting a bit creepy because I have no idea what most of the words meant. I wasn't even talking to other people in the dream, I was just talking to myself in Spanish or saying my thought out loud.. in Spanish. 

[jesolis]

Dreaming in a new language can mark an important landmark in your developmental stages. This is because your brain is now thinking in said language unconsciously. This means that your brain is not actively thinking or switching between your maternal language and the language you are now trying to learn. I remember that when I was starting to speak English, I had a dream in English and this is when I new that I had learned a new language. Any thoughts?

[aira]

If I remember my dreams, I am usually speaking in my native tongue when I dream. The only time, I think, when I spoke a different language in my dream was when I dreamed of CN Blue. Because Lee Jonghyun is my bias, I dreamed talking with him more than all the other three members. I spoke some Korean in my dream, but most of it were just laughter. I also remembered shipping Jonghyun and 2NE1's Bom in my dream when they met in the beach resort. I remembered talking to them a bit in Korean, but I could not recall talking to them in English.

[Litnax]

I've dreamed in Na'vi language (you know, James Cameron's The Avatar?) but it was pure gibberish. 

[lushlala]

Alright, follow up. I take this back. Last night, I dreamed in Spanish - and it wasn't even the first time. The only thing that I remember saying was "Qué pasa!". I also saw a bunch of Spanish words that I don't even think I've ever seen before. In fact, I don't even know if they're actual Spanish words or something that my brain made up - but I'm pretty certain that they are Spanish, or at the very least, it sounds like it. I can't really remember the words anymore, but I was up for like three minutes and I remembered all the words and I remember feeling certain that they were Spanish words. Then I fell back asleep.. I wanted to write them down on my phone (I have a dream journal where I keep everything I dream about), but I just felt too weak and I looked at the clock, it was still really early, so I couldn't get myself to do it and fell back asleep.

It's really interesting and creepy at the same time, because I've never had a dream like this before. I feel like ever since I read this thread I just keep dreaming in Spanish. You might notice that I mentioned that it wasn't the first time that I dreamed in Spanish. I've dreamt in Spanish at least three times in the past five days. And it's getting a bit creepy because I have no idea what most of the words meant. I wasn't even talking to other people in the dream, I was just talking to myself in Spanish or saying my thought out loud.. in Spanish. 

Hehe it could just be your conscience playing tricks on you? Maybe you've been thinking about this thread and it's been on your mind IDK. That's the problem with dreams, you aren't always able to recall in clear detail what you actually dreamt. I imagine it's even worse if you dream in a foreign language that you aren't fluent in.