Lately I find myself having a rough time communicating effectively with non-desis. Reason being i am so used to throwing in urdu or switching to Urdu when speaking English. Btw my Urdu/punjabi grammar/vocabulary is horrible, my accent isn’t so lovely, but i am so used to switching that wheN i’m talknig to a non-desi i actually have to THNK of how to say what I awnt to say. Reverse is also true, to not break into english when speaking with elders 
Re: Going back and forth between English and Urdu
That should be fine as long as they understand what you are trying to say 
Have you never heard our mexican and chinese brothers talk?
Re: Going back and forth between English and Urdu
It's ok if you are a "fob" but should be alarming if you'r ABCD. :)
Re: Going back and forth between English and Urdu
It depends for me...Ive got some non-desi friends that have actually picked up on some Urdu because of me. They understand words like "chalo"..."maro"..."nahin"..."Chicken Makhni"...and...erm...a few not so nice things...lol.
Im an ABCD and I switch back and forth all the time...the fun of being bilingual. :)
I’m born/raised in US.so i guess im an ABCD 
Yeah, Sara this happens when we have family reunions (so lots of talking in one language) or when I visit Pakistan. I think majority of multi-linguals feel this way one time or another.
Re: Going back and forth between English and Urdu
its funner speaking to a child.
I speak to heba in urdu but hubz and i communicate in english.. so when switching back to talk to heba, I have to think twice about what I wanna say to her..
poor child..
once i had taken a desi girl out to the city.. and i was ordering something for her.. didnt realise, but i made the order in urdu and was speaking to her in english. Needless to say, they both looked very confused
Re: Going back and forth between English and Urdu
Once I accidently called my second grade teacher daadi jaan.....she looked at me clueless, and then i was like I mean mrs. genson...... good think she doesn't know urdu...she was only in her 40s...
Yeah i have issues sticking to one language !
everyone at work now understands the meaning of aik minute .. acha … chalo theek hai … kiyaaa … !!
coz they keep hearing me when i am on the phone with friends … and occasionally even with a client ..things like “acha” come out of my mouth just like that !! and words like “nahin”
its cute how gora’s at work now try to talk in urdu with me ! everytime one of us gets up to do the drinks , we dont say tea anyone .. we go with "chai anyone " 
Re: Going back and forth between English and Urdu
yeah i also feel really really really really awkward speaking urdu wiht anyone other than my parents, hubby, and 2 friends.
Re: Going back and forth between English and Urdu
I can’t stick with urdu, whenever i speak urdu i always end up mixing english with urdu
English is fine, no probs!
yeah i also feel really really really really awkward speaking urdu wiht anyone other than my parents, hubby, and 2 friends.
I SOOOOO KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN!! anyone other then my parents my urdu feels super weird!!!! Although when my brothers and I argue, for someone reason we do that in urdu...not sure why.....it's so funny though!!!! My brother says, angry emotions are just better expressed in urdu...lol!! Otherwise we talk in english...
when I went to Pak, my cousins LOVED making fun of my urdu accent!!! it was hilarious the way they would mimik me (in good fun)....and now, havign expreienced being on teh recieving end, i never make fun of FOB English...lol!
It was exactly the same for me when I was working…LOL
I SOOOOO KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN!! anyone other then my parents my urdu feels super weird!!!! Although when my brothers and I argue, for someone reason we do that in urdu...not sure why.....it's so funny though!!!! My brother says, angry emotions are just better expressed in urdu...lol!! Otherwise we talk in english...
when I went to Pak, my cousins LOVED making fun of my urdu accent!!! it was hilarious the way they would mimik me (in good fun)....and now, havign expreienced being on teh recieving end, i never make fun of FOB English...lol!
I personally think we should never make fun of anyone's accent .. coz if someone is born in england they will speak as the british do , if someone is born in Pakistan , they will speak as pakistani's do ....
british and americans cant speak a word of any other language and thats pathetic ... that includes ABCD's and BBCD's ... if an american attempts to speak urdu he is called cute , but if a desi attempts to speak english that is classed as FOB accent !!!
I have mixed accent and i am not at all proud of it ... Infact I keep on going to tutors to learn to speak better ... urdu as it should be spoken and punjabi as it should be spoken ...
Re: Going back and forth between English and Urdu
its just low manners and stupdity to make fun of an accent period.
Re: Going back and forth between English and Urdu
OMG....this is happening wih me too.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that there are 2 or three guys at work that speak Urdu fluently and we often revert to it.
But now I've noticed that some non-desi folks will address me and I will answer with "Ji" or "acha".
It's pretty cool. I've told them that I am attempting to broaden their horizons on the communication front and that they will get my invoice in the mail.