# Mi inglés es más de andar por casa



## Ágape1

Muy buenas a todos:

Quería saber cómo expresar esa idea en inglés. El contexto es A animando a B a estudiar un doctorado en Reino Unido, subrayando su buen nivel de inglés, a lo que B matiza: "Bueno, no tanto; mi inglés es más de andar por casa". Entiendo que la idea es que habla un inglés más "de diario" que técnico o formal. En este hilo se propone "rough", pero no sé si "I speak a rough English" funciona aquí.

¡Gracias de antemano!


----------



## Ferrol

My English is limited
Personalmente no usaría “rough” aquí


----------



## SuperScuffer

You could say "My English is too rough and ready."

I think I would say something like "I can get by in English, but it isn't good enough for university."


----------



## elroy

My English is more everyday.


----------



## gengo

Ferrol said:


> Personalmente no usaría “rough” aquí



I agree.  "Rough" in the context of language could be misinterpreted as referring to vulgarity.



SuperScuffer said:


> I think I would say something like "I can get by in English, but it isn't good enough for university."



That sounds very good to me, although there are many ways this could be expressed.


----------



## lauranazario

Ágape1 said:


> El contexto es A animando a B a estudiar un doctorado en Reino Unido, subrayando su buen nivel de inglés, a lo que B matiza: "Bueno, no tanto; mi inglés es más de andar por casa". Entiendo que la idea es que habla un inglés más "de diario" que técnico o formal.


Otra alternativa: 
my English isn't that great, it's more like *everyday* English

"everyday" para diferenciarlo de "scholarly", que sería el nivel de inglés que él piensa que es necesario para estudiar un doctorado en Reino Unido. 

Espero que te ayude.

saludos,
LN


----------



## Penyafort

I know languages are not clothes but how well would 'for around the house' work here, even if in a figurated way?


----------



## gengo

Penyafort said:


> I know languages are not clothes but how well would 'for around the house' work here, even if in a figur*ative* way?



I suppose it would be understandable, but it's probably not something a native would say.

If you did use it, you could say "My English is good enough for around the house, but..."


----------



## Un Adorador

Penyafort said:


> I know languages are not clothes but how well would 'for around the house' work here, even if in a figurated way?


Yes, I think that would work in a figurative way.
Just one minor correction. 


Ágape1 said:


> "Bueno, no tanto; mi inglés es más de andar por casa".


"Well, not really; My English is *just* for *use* around the house."


----------



## Galván

My English is day-to-day...
I speak survival English at home


----------



## Un Adorador

Another suggestion;
My English is better suited for use around the house.


----------



## aommoa

Para mi significaría que es un inglés malo, con una pronunciación muy a la española....

Pero parece que no es el significado en este caso


----------



## Masood

I've never heard this "around the house" expression before. What level of English is this?


----------



## Galván

Masood said:


> I've never heard this "around the house" expression before. What level of English is this?


Yo me imagino que es un inglés muy básico, del que aprendes leyendo subtítulos en películas de Netflix


----------



## Un Adorador

Masood said:


> What level of English is this?


It's at the same level as the Spanish wording;
 ...es más de andar por casa.


----------



## Masood

Un Adorador said:


> It's at the same level as the Spanish wording;
> ...es más de andar por casa.


Thanks, but my point was that I am unfamiliar with the English expression and was asking for an explanation (in English) of what it means. i.e. what level of English it describes.


----------



## gengo

Masood said:


> Thanks, but my point was that I am unfamiliar with the English expression and was asking for an explanation (in English) of what it means. i.e. what level of English it describes.



Oh, I thought you were asking about the Spanish expression.  As said above, "around the house" probably wouldn't be used to express this idea in English, but I think it is understandable.  The language we use with our family members is generally fairly colloquial, not academic.  You know, pass the peas, what's on TV?, where are my shoes?, and so forth.

If you heard "My English is good enough for around the house," would you not understand it?


----------



## OtroLencho

Masood said:


> Thanks, but my point was that I am unfamiliar with the English expression and was asking for an explanation (in English) of what it means. i.e. what level of English it describes.



Considering the inverse: Around here (NW U.S.) where the dominant culture is English-speaking, there are heritage Spanish speakers who have grown up speaking it mostly at home, have excellent pronunciation but limited vocabulary and grammar which makes them incompetent in any kind of academic setting; i.e. "household Spanish".


----------



## Galván

OtroLencho said:


> Considering the inverse: Around here (NW U.S.) where the dominant culture is English-speaking, there are heritage Spanish speakers who have grown up speaking it mostly at home, have excellent pronunciation but limited vocabulary and grammar which makes them incompetent in any kind of academic setting; i.e. "household Spanish".


I'd be careful calling them incompetent, I know a few people with "around the house" English proficiency that went to school, graduated, and now have very decent careers in the US.


----------



## Masood

gengo said:


> If you heard "My English is good enough for around the house," would you not understand it?


Yes, I probably would. When I saw this expression, I thought maybe it was an AmE thing, hence was interested to know what level of English it conveyed. So, is it a common expression in the US or not?


----------



## gengo

Masood said:


> So, is it a common expression in the US or not?



Not at all.  I only replied to Penyafort's question about whether the literal translation of the Spanish could be used.


----------



## lagartija68

La frase parece similar a: "Mi inglés es muy de entrecasa"
Sobre esta expresión pueden echar un vistazo a este hilo: Entrecasa


----------



## Mister Draken

_My English is fair enough but on the other hand nothing to write home about._

¿O suena muy forzado?


----------



## gengo

Mister Draken said:


> _My English is fair enough*,* but on the other hand nothing to write home about._
> 
> ¿O suena muy forzado?



It sounds very natural.


----------



## elroy

I wouldn’t use “fair enough.”  Were you going for the expression “fair enough” or for “fair” as in “decent”?  The former doesn’t work for me at all, and the latter doesn’t sound idiomatic to me.  I also think it’s too general a description; the speaker wants to specifically say that their English is functional for everyday purposes.


----------



## Galván

lagartija68 said:


> La frase parece similar a: "Mi inglés es muy de entrecasa"
> Sobre esta expresión pueden echar un vistazo a este hilo: Entrecasa


Al parecer, entrecasa es un dicho que sólo se usa en Uruguay a lo cual en España diríamos "estar con ropas de andar".
Por ejemplo estar vestido entrecasa sería en inglés to be dressed in everyday clothes.

Pero ya habría que abrir otro hilo para esto.


----------



## Masood

gengo said:


> Not at all.  I only replied to Penyafort's question about whether the literal translation of the Spanish could be used.


Ah, understood, cheers.


----------



## gengo

elroy said:


> I wouldn’t use “fair enough.”  Were you going for the expression “fair enough” or for “fair” as in “decent”?



I don't understand what you mean.  Draken used "fair enough," so why ask if that is what he was going for?

dictionary:
fair
*9. *Moderately good; acceptable or satisfactory: _gave only a fair performance of the play; in fair health._



elroy said:


> The former doesn’t work for me at all, and the latter doesn’t sound idiomatic to me.



"Fair enough" is perfectly correct and sounds natural.  I'm not sure what you mean by "the latter."

If someone says "my English is fair enough," it just means that his English is not bad, pretty good, etc.  That seems to fit very well in the context of this thread, which is someone who apparently speaks English well enough, but lacks confidence that his level is up to attending university in English.


----------



## elroy

"fair enough" is a fixed expression that has nothing to do with the meaning of "fair" as in "decent."  My question was whether he was going for the fixed expression "fair enough" or a straightforward combination of "fair" and "enough."

The first would be used in a situation like:

- Why didn't you call me to tell me about the party?
- I was going to, but got distracted by an urgent matter.
- Okay, fair enough.

This doesn't work here at all, in my opinion.

The second doesn't sound idiomatic to me with "enough."  I also don't really encounter "fair" used in this particular meaning except in grading and assessment.  Grading scales will often say things like "excellent - good - fair - poor." I don't think I've ever heard anyone actually say "My [language] is fair" in a description of their skills (and I've heard people describe their language skills many, many times). 

Finally, as I said, the description is too general.  That's not what the OP is looking for, to my understanding. To me, "de andar por casa" is more specific than "fair," "decent," "respectable," etc.


----------



## Bevj

'My English is fair enough' suggests to me the opposite of what the OP wants to express.  It is a positive statement while Ágape1 is saying his level of English is _not_ really that good.


----------



## Mister Draken

It seems I have opened a can of worms. My apologies.


----------



## gengo

Bevj said:


> 'My English is fair enough' suggests to me the opposite of what the OP wants to express.  It is a positive statement while Ágape1 is saying his level of English is _not_ really that good.



The person is just saying that his English isn't (or may not be) good enough to take college courses in English.  I think my own Spanish is fair enough, but I would definitely hesitate to attend university classes taught in Spanish.  

The OP said:  _El contexto es A animando a B a estudiar un doctorado en Reino Unido, subrayando su buen nivel de inglés, a lo que B matiza: "Bueno, no tanto; mi inglés es más de andar por casa". Entiendo que la idea es que habla un inglés más "de diario" que técnico o formal._ 

Anyway, Mr. Draken, I think your attempt was very good, but as you see, opinions often vary here.


----------



## elroy

Mister Draken said:


> It seems I have opened a can of worms. My apologies.


No need to apologize!  That’s what WR is all about.  It’s okay for people to not always agree: you can consider the various perspectives presented and then make up your own mind and ask further questions if necessary.


----------



## Ágape1

¡Muchas gracias a todos! ¡Me llevo un montón de sugerencias!
Por aclarar: efectivamente, la idea iba por donde apuntaban @lauranazario o @gengo, entre otros: se trata de un inglés bueno en fluidez y pronunciación, pero aún le faltan vocabulario o construcciones lingüísticas que no se usan tanto en el día a día, sino más bien en ensayos académicos o contextos técnicos.
Interesante la comparación de @OtroLencho con el español de quienes sólo lo usan en el ámbito doméstico (y el matiz de @Galván), nunca se me habría ocurrido, pero sí, es algo muy similar a eso.
De nuevo, gracias por todos los aportes.


----------



## elroy

Ágape1 said:


> se trata de un inglés bueno en fluidez y pronunciación, pero aún le faltan vocabulario o construcciones lingüísticas que no se usan tanto en el día a día, sino más bien en ensayos académicos o contextos técnicos.


_I'm not good at academic English.  My English is more everyday. _


----------

