My first foreign language was German which I studied for about 2 years. I'm currently in the south of France for a month, and whenever I try to speak or think of something in French, I always unconciously begin to speak or think in German instead. Does anyone else have this problem?
It is only because you don't know French as well as German. When they are both at the same level, you won't confuse the languages. This is also why I think students should study more foreign languages at the same time. If you keep them in pace, you won't be confused. I sometimes mix my poor French with my reasonable Spanish. But I never mix my good German with my good English. I do not mix my novice Korean with anything though. But that is really a strange language that has no connection with anything I learned before.
It's common situation, but it is very temporary. It will be over soon.
Yes! I learned spanish in school but never really practice it. Recently I've been learning Swedish and oracticing it a lot every day, and when I try to think of a phrase in Spanish I'll mix the two, and end up with something like "Quiero att äta la comida china," (I want (Spanish) to eat (Swedish) Chinese food (Spanish)). It's like there's only 2 settings in my mind: English, and "Foreign". But I think it will probably improve with practice :) Good luck!
Yeah happened to me too when I was in college. I was learning spanish and german at the same time and I had english and french courses too.. so when I had oral presentations I sometimes mixed all those languages together! :P
I had this problem especially when the spelling is identic. While learning english I tend to pronouce words as in french.
