Embarrassing, Awkward, Language and Work: Lost in translation

Lost in translation

By ohhhman - 10/04/2009 00:13 - United States

Today, one of the Haitians that works in the kitchen at my restaurant said something to me. Usually I can't understand them and I just smile and laugh, so that's what I did this time. Later, I found out he was trying to tell me his father had passed away. FML

I agree, your life sucks 19 702

You deserved it 58 232

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Same thing different taste

By derbyboy - 19/10/2011 05:38 - United Kingdom

Today, at work, I misheard a customer telling me a story. To be polite, I did a slight laugh and nodded my head. She actually told me her mum had died. FML

I agree, your life sucks 27 142

You deserved it 22 091

Good

By fistpumpin4life - 10/10/2010 00:51 - France

Today, at work, I asked a lady how she was doing. When she replied, I didn't understand her, and instead of asking her what she'd said, I just replied with, "Oh, that's good." What she'd said that I didn't understand was that her husband had just died. FML

I agree, your life sucks 10 591

You deserved it 33 399

By Anonymous - 17/02/2010 16:32 - Canada

Today, while serving a rather large party at the restaurant where I work, I mentioned that the soup of the day was "to die for". After the hosts gave me weird looks, it dawned on me that the reason they were wearing all black is because they've just come back from a funeral. FML

I agree, your life sucks 27 888

You deserved it 11 693

By ... - 12/03/2009 18:57 - France

Today, the really hot guy that works in the same building as me came to work after being away for the past two days. I said "Look who finally decided to come to work." His response: "I had a death in the family, thanks." FML

I agree, your life sucks 8 627

You deserved it 27 409

By Jim - 11/01/2012 01:32 - Belgium

Today, I told a co-worker to "lighten up, and stop wearing black all the time, it makes you look depressed." I didn't know his father had died the week before. FML

I agree, your life sucks 11 319

You deserved it 41 789

By perfectlybrokenx - 24/08/2010 04:21 - Canada

Today, while I was on a date, I noticed my ex-boyfriend in the restaurant, and he looked sad. So I walked over to see him and jokingly said, "You look like your mom died or something!" She had. FML

I agree, your life sucks 16 793

You deserved it 52 182

Interpreter blues

By Aleksandar - 25/11/2020 05:01

Today, at the hospital, I had to tell someone he was going to die because I was the only one to speak his language. FML

I agree, your life sucks 1 241

You deserved it 65

By KMKWEEN - 16/02/2009 14:37 - United States

Today, I was at work. I work at a grocery store and a woman pulls a cart to me filled with chips, breads, lunch meats, and sodas. I said to her "Looks like you are going to have a fun party" she then looks at me and says "My mother just died, this is for after the funeral. FML

I agree, your life sucks 43 909

You deserved it 10 679

Assumptions part 27674

By dads can’t cook? - 17/03/2021 21:30

Today, I was messaging a new friend when she mentioned her dad was cooking dinner that night. I jokingly texted, “Oh no! I’m sorry!” Turns out her dad is a professional chef. FML

I agree, your life sucks 274

You deserved it 1 178

By natalieeee - 18/03/2009 03:40 - United States

Today, I was talking to this really nice guy who likes me, and he tells me he's packing. I asked him where he was going, he said Puerto Rico. And I said "LUCKY!" He replied "it's for the funeral". I forgot his grandma had died. FML

I agree, your life sucks 15 884

You deserved it 62 040

AMelodyofJuly 0

Friday 10 April 2009 9:48

Bummer. Maybe you should try to understand them better or just be honest and say, "I'm sorry but I just can't understand you; I'm so bad with accents."

mf_fml 0

Friday 10 April 2009 9:55

i don't care how many times i gotta look stupid repeatedly going "pardon? pardon?" i still gotta know EXACTLY what someone is trying to tell me.

Comments

truslide 0

Friday 10 April 2009 10:16

wow you ******* asshole. i hope they **** your mother now. this will be moderated :)

Bella_x 0

Friday 10 April 2009 10:20

Haha I know how that is, I work with a kitchen full of Haitians and none of them speak clearly. It sucks when theres a language barrier cause then when shit like this happens, you feel like an asshole Lmfao

RB44_fml 0

Friday 10 April 2009 10:28

thats not a true story

Scoochie 0

Friday 10 April 2009 10:42

I do the same when people tell me something and I don't understand them... :o

AWESOM_E 0

Friday 10 April 2009 11:39

I don't understand why people go around and tell people they barely know their relatives passed out. Nobody. Cares.

LadieyMoonk 0

Monday 8 August 2011 22:35

Maybe the haitian always talks to him so the haitian thinks they have a strong relationahip (fRiENdsOfCOURSE] and the haitian probably tells him lots of thingS you assface

SpunkT 0

Friday 10 April 2009 12:22

You couldn't gather that maybe it was sad news by the expression on his face? I mean honestly, I sometimes have a hard time understanding heavy accents (who doesn't) but either be polite and say 'I'm sorry, I didn't get what you said" or something to that effect, or mimick THEIR expression if you're not going to try. Smile and laughter only works so much. and #13 I believe it. People are idiots.

starbaby 0

Friday 10 April 2009 12:24

Lol I do the same thing, I have a 2 time "what rule". If I still don't understand after the 2nd what I smile,nod and mutter something while walking away. Luckly I have not had this problem yet.

glockjaw 0

Friday 10 April 2009 12:51

Maybe you guys have never talked to someone with a thick Haitian accent. But it is damn near impossible to understand them.. FYL

cheflife 7

Wednesday 18 June 2014 10:50

Truth!

Chris968 0

Friday 10 April 2009 13:25

Not your fault. I live in an area with a lot of immigrants and I can't understand half the people that come into my store. If I ask them to repeat themselves a few times finally I just say "I don't know" because honestly, I don't lol.

Atropos_fml 0

Friday 10 April 2009 13:38

And you didn't notice he wasn't laughing or smiling? If someone is talking about how their relative passed away, they usually have a somber look. That should usually give others a clue that this is not a story to laugh at, language barrier or not. I hope you tell him in the future how you can't understand what he's saying.