Language Barrier

Tween boy, interrupting conversation with German girl: Wait! Do you live near the autobahn?
German girl: What?
Tween boy: The autobahn. It's like the parkway!

–22nd St & Park Ave

Overheard by: Confabulation Nation

Guy: Sprechen Sie Deutsch?
Girl: Huh?
Guy: It means “do you speak Dutch”?
Girl: Ohhhhhh.

–Outside McSorley's Tavern, East Village

Overheard by: bildita

Girl #1: He keeps calling. What should I do?
Girl #2: I know! Pretend you only speak French. So when you answer your phone, be like (in awful French accent) “Allo?”

–52nd St & 9th Ave

Overheard by: Lindsay

Guy to friend: Yes, Braille… It's for the deaf people.

–The Met

Overheard by: david

MTA announcement, as train stops: We're being held momentarily by the train's dispatcher. Please be patient.
Tourist: What'd he say?! We're going to hell? Temporarily?

–W Train

Overheard by: Jason

Nurse to Asian woman at free blood pressure screening: Ma'am, you need to get your high blood pressure checked out by a doctor.
Asian woman: No English.
Elderly black woman: I speak Chinese.
Nurse: Really?
Elderly black woman: Yeah. Ching-ching-ching!

–Harlem

Overheard by: LisaG

Man, loudly: It's been a long time since I fucked a racehorse.
Man's friend, reassuringly, to surprised bystanders: He's Irish.

–36th St & Madison

Overheard by: Bystanding Citizen

Dude #1: I think Elizabeth and Adrienne are sleeping together.
Dude #2: Yeah?
Dude #1: Yeah. Their body language is like, “when can we get out of here and have sex?”

–4th Ave and 11th St

Overheard by: Ultimate Warrior

Guard to elderly tourists at elevator to roof: Please swing the line around the corner.
Elderly tourist: Ve don't sving.

–Metropolitan Museum

Girl #1: My dad used to call me that. He would say, “Bye bye, meshugana,” and I always thought he was saying, “Bye bye my sugar, now.” I was a confused kid.
Girl #2: Or just a shiksa.

–Union Square

Overheard by: Michelle