Years ago I was on a mission to improve my English, like actively improving it. One of the measures was doing language exchange. The concept is easy, you meet with someone who natively speaks the language you want to learn. You both get experience with each other’s native tongue.
On one occasion I met this dude. He had a North American accent and came to Barcelona from the US 🇺🇸 I remember we went to an Irish pub 🍻 (a very Catalan suggestion 🤭).
As we talked the guy was explain how he lived in Hong Kong 🇭🇰 I haven’t been there but I do know a Spaniard who lives there, I’d love to visit one day ✈️
By how he explained it to me I guessed he usually gets a joke or comment every time he says where he used live: Do you speak Chinese?.
Only that he didn’t get that from me. Instead, I said:
Ah, so you speak Cantonese.
The dude looked at me puzzled, eyes open 😲 After realizing he had underestimated me he casually said: yeah.
He was happily surprised, and so was I.
Ricard