It might be a little weird at first. And you will have to translate a lot. But you can still build a good relationship. My husband and his generation (brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, etc.) are spread all over Europe. And everyone there married a local. We meet twice a year. In addition to my husband’s home language, English, German, Dutch, French and Spanish are spoken and a lot of translation is done in between. The grandchildren are now also starting to learn English, but before that they also played together and just used body language.

You are placing a lot of importance on two weeks out of the whole year. My brother in law doesn’t speak English and when he visits we all manage to smile and make jokes and include him while my sister translates a bit. It may be a bit awkward but it’s a short period of time and they will get used to it. It’s only two weeks and the rest of the year you will be together. Don’t rearrange your whole life around a family vacation.

My husband doesn’t speak my language and my mother doesn’t speak my husband’s language.

Each of them can say/ understand few words like “hello” /“good morning” “thank you” . But not much more.

I translate few phrases between them. But mostly when my mom visits I either have conversation with my mom that my husband doesn’t participate or i have conversation with my husband that my mom doesn’t participate. (My husband usually occupies himself with whatever while I can catch up with my mom)

It works reasonably OK for the duration of visits that can last up to few months every few years.

This is an opportunity for your parents here. You’re the adult building your life just as they did when they were younger. They’re coming into your space. It’s up to them to be the supportive parents and put forth the effort to get to know your partner, even if hey have to use google translate to communicate at first. It’s crazy to me they aren’t ecstatic that you’ve found a person you want to be with. I know the guilt can get in the way, but try setting some boundaries and remind them that it’s your space they’re coming into and they’ll need to assimilate a little bit.

It’s never going to not be awkward until they all get over the awkward hump of getting to know each other. I think you are over thinking this. Surely your parents want to see you happy with a partner. Any good partner will learn to accept the others parents. They could all end up loving each other if you give them the chance. Maybe you can do activities that overcome the language barriers (movies with subtitles for your partner), games that dont need much talking to understand, walks, cooking meals together.

I can’t speak spanish but i have a good friendship with my stepmothers spanish brother, and same with her parents. You can understand a lot without saying very much sometimes. It is a bit boring and tedious but you do these things for family!

I guess it’s one of those things where you need to think about what would happen in the future if you were to marry your partner (or formalize the partnership in some manner). Would you expect to kick out your partner for two weeks ever year your parents visit?

Generally, therapists recommend for the couple to form their own “household” and anyone else - parents, cousins, siblings, etc. - who visits are guests. In this case, your parents are the guests, with or without the expat guilt associated with it.

And it’s not awkward. I don’t speak the native language of my in-laws fluently, but I picked up Duolingo for a few months and I’m able to have a conversation with them. That’s pretty much bare minimum that anyone can hold themselves to, so maybe suggest that to your partner and parents?

“Just chill” won’t work with people that have never met and can’t communicate

You will need to

1. Get your partner to commit to learning your language (“failing” only happens when you stop trying)

2. Get your parents to commit to learning english

3. Plan the shit out of the next visits so there’s plenty of activities to share and not just awkwardly being around each other

4. Think about moving in together somewhere with an extra room that can be prepared for your parents for 2 weeks out of the year and other visitors or activities during the rest of the year (ie home office media room home gym guest room, whatever)

5. Just get them an airbnb nearby for 2 weeks. Spend the days doing activities in 3. and then everyone goes to bed in their own place

I’m a Brit in LATAM. I have some Spanish but am by no means fluent. I have a good time with the MIL,SIL and BIL through broken Spanish, hand signals, and google. You can do this.

I know only a few phrases in Greek and when I string anything together my in laws laugh their asses off and that’s enough for us to get along

Easier said than done, but your challenge is to lower the pressure and get everyone to relax including yourself. Don’t set any goals, except to just chill. Your parents don’t need to have a big convo with him and vice versa. Try and get your partner on board first

I don’t speak the native language of my girlfriend’s parents, and her mother speaks very little English. That didn’t stop us from having a great time when we visited her country.

• it’s my girlfriend’s family time, not mine. I was there just minding my own business while she chatted with her mother. As an introvert, I was totally fine with that.

• Whenever I would be involved in the conversation, my girlfriend would just be the translator.

• Me and her mother could communicate via the universal language of affection: food. She would cook, I would eat (a lot), everyone is happy.

• A few times my girlfriend visited alone, while I explored the city by myself. I even did a solo weekend trip ti a nearby city so that they could spend some time doing mother-daughter activities without having to entertain me as well.

All that to say: everything is possible. If you guys have space to host your parents, then talk with your partner and try to suggest some of the things you read here.