Languages, Brussels

Brussels has like other cities her own dialect. The specificity of that dialect is the fact that it mixes two languages Flemish and French.
At the origin it is Flemish (a couple of centuries ago most people in Brussels were speaking Flemish) with a typical pronunciation as found in and around Brussels.
For example - my Flemish and Dutch VT friends will best understand - the sound 00 is sometimes pronounced UU ("schoon>schuun") and EE becomes sometimes IE ("geen>gien") other times EI ("peer>peir").
Furthermore the fun really starts when French words or expressions are used and mixed with the Flemish.

This was my first language, that of my grand-parents, which was later corrected by my parents and school to "normal" Flemish called "Algemeen Beschaafd Nederlands". That means "General Civilized Netherlands". More recently some intellectuals found that "beschaafd = civilized" rather odd and reduced to Algemeen Nederlands or Standaard Nederlands".

The Brussels's dialect is dying because the genuine "Brusseleirs" have left the city to live outside in the country. They have been replaced by immigrants who speak their own languages. Brussels is now like the "Tower of Babel".

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The City of Brussels is officially biligual with both Flemish and French spoken widely although the majority of its citizens speak French. Street signs are also dualled in the two languages as are major buildings. Strangely, for me any way, I notice that advertisment were quite often in English. Don't worry if your French is not up to scratch English is widely used here too.

Surprising the previous comment about people from Brussels ignoring other languages than French. It always seemed to me that Brussels was a multilingual city.

It's a fact that nearly 90% from the population of Brussels speaks French but often not as sole language.
The social composition of Brussels is a complex one.
Next to that large majority of "Bruxellois" having French has principal language, there is minority (less than 15%) having Flemish/Dutch has principal language (The difference between spoken Dutch and Flemish is striking; for me it's difficult to understand an Amsterdammer and he won't understand my Brussels dialect).

Furthermore you have also a large number of immigrants from European countries who are often bilingual combining their country of origin language with French. More and more important is that part of the population in Brussels coming from North-Africa and Turkey (22% of the population of Brussels are Muslims). They assemble in parts of Brussels and keep their languages and traditions. Their second language is also often French, what explains that globally this international language dominates in Brussels in the same way as English dominates in London.
As what concerns the pretended lack of knowledge of English this is not the opinion of the large or small companies, EU organizations, or Nato HQ established in Brussels.
Americans, British can live here for years only speaking English.

My Dutch friends know how different are the Dutch and Flemish languages.
Even if scholars and intellectuals use the term "Algemeen Nederlands" or "Standaard Nederlands" and try to impose this official language to the 16 Mio Netherlanders and the 6 Mio Flemish Belgians, the only place where you might hear Algemeen Nederlands is at the news bulletin by the speakers of the official televisions or radios.
In the street dialects are predominant. Furthermore the intonation between Dutch and Flemish is very different even when people speak a correct Algemeen Nederlands.
Best is to compare with English from the UK and English from the USA.

I went to Brussels for the first time in October 2005 and was totally shocked and annoyed to find out that local people hardly spoke English at all. It was almost impossible to get by, since I have never learned to speak French properly - despite of trying several times. And although I speak fluent Dutch (which is similar to Flemish) it wasn't much of a use there.

Although Brussels is officially bilingual (as the local inhabitants consist of French and Flemish speaking people), majority of locals of Brussels are French speaking. I was amazed how poor quality the services were in banks, certain bars, restaurants etc. if you were not able to speak French. The locals seemed extremely rude: pumping into you on the streets and not apologising, trying to get ahead of everyone in the queues and refusing to speak any other language than French.

It is not like there aren't any foreigners in Brussels, so there would be demand for language skills, but I suppose they do not see it necessary to provide services in English - unless it is tourist industry related. There are masses and masses of civil servants, trainees and lobbyists who are not native French speakers, but huge numbers actually do speak it, so it is very useful to know at least the basics.

Brussels hears more and more French, and even English for that matter, but there is one place where you can still experience the old Brussels peculiar dialect and that is at the famous Toone puppet theatre where the puppets are used in plays about Belgium's vivid history. You won't understand much but it is a fascinating experience. Head for Impasse Schuddeveld amongst all the tourist trap restaurants near Grand Place and look for the old inn where you can have a drink before the play. On the second site below, you can read the amazing story of this beloved Brussels institution.

Brussels is a bilingual city in theory, in practice it is French-speaking, so dust off your French, since actually very few people speak English, and if for whatever reason they have to do it they will be annoyed to do so. Most of the English-speaking Belgians are Flemish, from the north, and will be glad to help you out if your French is less than perfect. It´s really surprising and disappointing than in the so-called "capital of Europe", a hub of diplomatic activity, people don´t learn the international language (this means English) to communicate.

Just back from Brussels!!
I didn't know what to expect cause i had heard a lot of different stories about the French/Dutch bilinguism in Brussels. However, despite the fact that all street signs are in both languages, more than 80 per cent of the population in the region of Brussels is french-speaking. so, if you are planning to stay in Brussels for a while, I would recommend using French there. If you are going there as a tourist, English will be enough.