Patf Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 Hoping someone can help - ?Betty?We live in an area with a big Romanian community, where many of the young women are employed as cleaners. Several friends say that they're good at that job.We've got to the age now when we need help in the house and have taken on a young Romanian woman to do the cleaning. Starting tomorrow. Not that I'm fussy about cleaning but husband is. The main problem will be that she knows no english so I think I should try to teach her. But where to start? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 I think the title should be "teaching English to a Romanian".I have many Romanian friends and a Romanian family who lodge with me.The younger (under 35) generation have a pretty good understanding of English (From the TV...Romanian TV isn't dubbed so they hear lots of English and even more American) even though here we usually communicate in French.Romanian is a Latin language close to Italian, not as some might imagine a Slavic one, so your French can help in communicating.As for teaching English concentrate on simple concrete vocabulary that is immediately needed ..numbers colours household objects ..but I think you will be surprised how much is there already Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 As NH mentioned, and I was also wondering if she speaks french, lots of romanians do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted September 25, 2019 Author Share Posted September 25, 2019 Good point about french. I'll try that.Do you know if they're religious at all? I thought maybe catholic because she's called Maria.And I had thought of starting with objects such as water, bucket, mop etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 Many are Orthodox Christians (Russian orthodox)...this give a different date for Easter usually.Here (34) there are Orthodox monasteries where my friends go to have their children baptisedThere are some who are Catholic however.When I was there in 2003 I was intrigued to hear their idea of a 'mixed' marriage being one between an Orthodox and a Catholic...The fact that the language is like Italian can give a sweetness to the singing voice for 'classical' music:Here is a Romanian choir singing 'Colinde' their version of carols...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EHG9KA_Csk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 Very noce, Norman. Do you mean that the OP should teach her to sing, maybe in Latin, which we all understand!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 Raddled ex -Academic that you are you might just be able to decipher a bit of Romanian...Here is the Admissions page for the University of the Lower Danube in Galati..I reckon you could hazard a guess at well over 60% of the words...https://admitere.ugal.ro/site/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted September 25, 2019 Author Share Posted September 25, 2019 Thanks Norman - I might just show her that when I get to know her better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 Alas she is much more likely to know Nicolae Guta (pronounces Gootsa)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkzU-HOndAoThis is extremely popular in Romania ...the style is known as 'manele' (man ay lay,) and Guta himself is a bit like Johnny Hallyday was in France a national idol quite inexplicably to people from elsewhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 You could get in her good books from the start by mastering the Romanian for "Good morning", which we were taught by our lovely Romanian guide during a tour of Transylvania last year:Not correct spelling, but hopefully an aid to pronunciation:Boon-ah dimin-ah-taI tried it out back home, on the builders next door, and they were amazed!I think, as has been said, try out French as well, and - if all else fails - just point to the bits of equipment needed and mime the actions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YCCMB Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 I'm just going to suggest that if she's applied for and got a job as a cleaner,she probably knows the basic uses of cleaning materials and implements without needing to have them demonstrated to her, either through the medium of mime, interpretive dance or anything else. I'd also suggest that it's possible that someone else has described her level of English to you, and that this is likely to be a bit wide of the mark. I've often had family members tell me that a prospective student "speaks no English" and I've prepared accordingly, only to find that they actually manage quite well, albeit with a limited vocabulary. Pat, I'd suggest you wait and see a little bit. Once you've met, I'm sure you can take on board some of the excellent suggestions already made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted September 26, 2019 Author Share Posted September 26, 2019 Thanks to all, especially for Boonah deminata. Like bon demain (good tomorrow?) Or more like Bon Matin.Betty - I know she has hardly any english (though maybe she understands a bit) because when she came for an interview she had her Romanian friend on her mobile phone, translating for her.She's just starting out, this is her second job.Feeling more confident now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 Perhaps we might help by suggesting a list of basicl language she might need? Things like numbers, days, dates etc plus a few commands. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 buna zuia (boona zyou aa) is good day (as opposed to good morningCe Faci? (chay fatch) is like ça va in FrenchMultzumesc frumos (multzoumesk froomose) thanks very much...but Mersi is used too.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 I agree with Betty for once :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 Yes, mersi - pronounced exactly like the French word - is indeed another one for the armoury.I did have a go at learning the language a bit via the Duolingo app, but never seemed to get to anything more interesting than: “I am a woman; I am not a child”; "I have milk and a book; I do not have a newspaper.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 Ah for the days of ‘ My father’s boots are bigger than the lawn of my uncle’. Or the beloved Walter and Conny!https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XXQthGk10zg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted September 26, 2019 Author Share Posted September 26, 2019 Loiseau [:)]Well, she came and did a good job, except that she made me realise all my sloppy 'cleaning' in the past. Standards from rural France.I tried some of the phrases but she seemed to still rely on her english-speaking friend on her mobile phone for what to do.I found non-verbal communication more effective. Perhaps language will come later.ps I asked her about french and she more or less said "Aa divven't knaa what yer taalkin aboot!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritinBretagne Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 What age group is she in? If she is reasonably young you will probably be able to appreciate how quickly she gets a grasp of English. I have a youngish Lithuanian friend who speaks English with a fluency and understanding that puts many native speakers to shame. When I asked her about it she told me that most of her ‘learning’ came from speaking English with other immigrants from different nationalities more than from speaking to native speakers. She is now at the UEA having passed the required GCSEs and A levels required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted September 27, 2019 Author Share Posted September 27, 2019 She's late 20sYes she did say a few words in english which made me think that she's a fast learner.But I'm beginning to wonder now if she IS Romanian, I had assumed it from her way of dressing - long skirt, light jacket top, long hair tied back. Maybe she's from Bulgaria or some other Balkan country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard51 Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 Should you not know that if you are employing her? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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