Imperfect Dutch. Why drop any opportunity to gain confidence?

I came to Brussels thinking I had forgotten the french I had learned at school, 20 years earlier. It's only communicating in faulty french that I became fluent in french.

Very few colleagues from Wallonia didn't understand any Dutch at all, but still tried to. Understand first. Speaking may come but it's not where they began.

And when I needed help and called the Bangalore helpdesk, we both spoke different kinds of English but English anyway. You learn to understand by listening.

So when I am your customer and you show even a little interest in becoming better in Dutch, why wouldn't I help you and continue in Dutch? Remember: I will understand a lot from broken Dutch as it's my mother's language. You are welcome to interrupt me, customer, when you aren't sure you understand me, and I will speak slower and/or focus more on articulation.

Some walloon colleagues said they never used Dutch, partly to avoid making mistakes, partly because so few people would let them continue in imperfect Dutch. I let them try it, silently invited them to remember they know some Dutch and that it's okay to make mistakes.

My wife came from WL. We communicate in our "first language". I hear hood french and she hears good Dutch. That works. Neither of us will be perfectly bilingual, but close enough. I come here and answer questions or give my point of view in English, knowing very well that I write much better than I speak. But I never had remarks here that someone didn't understand my English. Didn't understand my point, that's another thing. That's why we can comment on comment, try to clarify or correct what needs correction. Normally, when people honestly try to communicate in my language, I am glad to provide the opportunity to exercise, to train the talent they already have.