Portuguese, Spaniards and Italians: which language do you use when visiting each others' nations?

[Tooting Carmen]

This italian, who never studied or had a close contact with spanish, tries it, and he's amazed!! (in English)

As for you, which language(s) have you used in Portugal and Italy?

[B01AB20]

As for you, which language(s) have you used in Portugal and Italy?

I was in Italy once years ago, I used spanish with a few words of italian learned in situ. They answered me in italian of course, except some sudamericans I met by chance.
The level of mutual understanding was more than enough, By the time I was using more and more italian it was time to leave.

In Portugal the same, but I've been more often there and my level of potuguese is acceptable.

[Tooting Carmen]

I was in Italy once years ago, I used spanish with a few words of italian learned in situ. They answered me in italian of course, except some sudamericans I met by chance.
The level of mutual understanding was more than enough, By the time I was using more and more italian it was time to leave.

In Portugal the same, but I've been more often there and my level of potuguese is acceptable.

In Italy's case, you could have tried Catalan, since it is actually closer to Italian than is Castilian.

[B01AB20]

In Italy's case, you could have tried Catalan, since it is actually closer to Italian than is Castilian.

True. But curiously a couple of native catalan speakers in the group used the same modus operandi, to speak clear and slowly in castillian to italians. It seems that never crossed their minds to use catalan instead.
In fact is what catalans do in Catalonia with foreigners, they speak castillian to them, no matter if they are italians or chinese.

[Tooting Carmen]

True. But curiously a couple of native catalan speakers in the group used the same modus operandi, to speak clear and slowly in castillian to italians. It seems that never crossed their minds to use catalan instead.
In fact is what catalans do in Catalonia with foreigners, they speak castillian to them, no matter if they are italians or chinese.

But use Catalan with people from other parts of Spain out of spite. And what about the usage of English or even French?

[B01AB20]

But use Catalan with people from other parts of Spain out of spite. And what about the usage of English or even French?

With tourists some people try, young people only.
Seniors simply answer in castllian but loudly , as if the volume helped.

[Tooting Carmen]

With tourists some people try, young people only.
Seniors simply answer in castllian but loudly , as if the volume helped.

And what language(s) do the Chinese, Pakistanis and Moroccans in Barcelona usually use, when communicating with people from outside their ethnic groups/nationalities?

[B01AB20]

And what language(s) do the Chinese, Pakistanis and Moroccans in Barcelona usually use, when communicating with people from outside their ethnic groups/nationalities?

Castillian in urban areas. In most rural areas where catalan is widely spoken they use catalan more often

[Tooting Carmen]

Castillian in urban areas. In most rural areas where catalan is widely spoken they use catalan more often

I will say that, whatever one thinks of Catalan politics, Catalans have been infinitely more successful at getting even foreigners to learn their native language (never mind locals) than e.g. Basques and Welsh have.

[B01AB20]

I will say that, whatever one thinks of Catalan politics, Catalans have been infinitely more successful at getting even foreigners to learn their native language (never mind locals) than e.g. Basques and Welsh have.

Catalan is mandatory in schools, and besides catalan and castillian are quite similar. That helps a lot.