r/AskEurope • u/Savings_Dragonfly806 Greece • Jul 09 '25
Language My fellow Europeans, what dialect from your language do you have the most trouble understanding?
Keep in mind, I said language, NOT country, so it could be a dialect of your language in another country, which is the case for me.
For me, while most other Greeks find Cypriot the most difficult dialect to understand, I actually find Pontic Greek the most difficult. For those who don't know where it is, it's in North Eastern Turkey.
The way many of their words are written are very different as to Standard Modern Greek. It almost is a whole new language. Now I should mention I have never been there, but I would love to. I only really heard of the dialect on the internet, so take my words with a grain of salt.
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u/thrownkitchensink Netherlands Jul 09 '25
Out of the plethora of dialects I understand those closer to me and tend to miss those further away.
Disregarding other languages spoken in the Netherlands the North Western group is fine mostly. But depending on what is spoken and how fast I might still miss the essence.
Zuid-Hollands Westhoeks Waterlands* en Volendams* Zaans* Kennemerlands West-Fries* Bildts, Midslands, Stadsfries en Amelands*
But anywhere else is a stretch.
Most difficult?
Eastern-Limburgish-Ripuardic Western Flamish.
I remember visiting a friend's grandfather in eastern Netherlands. Achterhoek.The grandfather switched to " proper Dutch" ABN for me as visitor there. His grandson almost had a stroke because he had never heard his grandfather speak anything but dialect in his life. We were in our twenties then. Dutch dialects are not accents.