I (25F) have been working in the restaurant industry since 2022. In late 2024, I started at a restaurant where most of the staff spoke Spanish, though they were also fluent in English. Many of them encouraged me to start speaking and learning more Spanish. I took four years of Spanish in high school, but, as most of us know—the language education in U.S. schools doesn’t always prepare you for real-world conversations. Still, I picked up some useful phrases from my coworkers, and they were always supportive and encouraging.

Fast forward to this March, I landed my first management job at a new restaurant, where I oversee both front- and back-of-house operations. Most of my back-of-house team speaks only Spanish. I often find myself relying on English or using Google Translate to communicate.

Lately, I’ve been feeling embarrassed that I can’t speak to them more directly. I really want to start using my (admittedly broken) Spanish, but I’m worried it might come off as disrespectful or patronizing. My intention is to connect with and support my staff as best as I can. I truly want to make the effort and show them that I care.

I’ve also started looking into Spanish lessons to keep improving.

So... would I be the a-hole if I started trying to communicate in Spanish with my team?