Praying, but using one's native language?

When praying mentally, do some of you also pray in a different language, and not using your native language? This question might mostly apply to those who are non-English speaker, however, I would be extra curious in knowing if native-English speaker do pray mentally using a foreign language that they know very well...

My native language is Dutch, but in my head, when I pray, my English seems to flow better. I suppose it's a preference I have now, to pray in English. Although I must confess that occasionally I do pray in Dutch, but lately it's been English for say 90% of the time. And in the last couple or so days it's been English only, and I intent to keep it that way. As I also prefer to read the bible in English most of the time. Not that I am neglecting my Dutch, however...

I don't think it matters..........God knows what you are saying..........and He is always pleased when His children come to Him in prayer............

I only know English, so I only read, think, speak and pray in English. That said, a few months ago I began speaking/praying in tongues. Which is cool, but weird. God doesn't mind how we pray, as long as we only pray to Him and as long as we're open and honest with Him. Praying from the heart, that's what's important.

Hey, am I right in remembering you not believing in tongues? Or was it that you never spoke/prayed in tongues?

Not quite. I believed in tongues but I also believed that many faked them. Also, I'm Lutheran, so I've grown up with great emphasis on the Word, but not enough of an emphasis on the Spirit (there should be a good balance and pairing of the two). I was so skeptical, I'd swung to the extreme where my reasonable discernment (because of spiritual abuse) had became a barrier between God and I. I certainly didn't believe tongues were needed for salvation, I just didn't think the gift was for me. But then, at a prayer and prophetic prayer meeting a few months ago, I asked for the gift of tongues and only received it upon leaving the meeting and returning home. I'd never spoken/prayed in tongues up until that point, but on the way home, that night, I practiced.

That's awesome mate I too asked for it years ago and it just poured out. Praise God.

Thanks mate. Yes, praise God. Seeking His face leads to great things.

(...at a prayer and prophetic prayer meeting - should read ...at a prophetic prayer and worship meeting)

Yes, indeed... Hah. Hallowed by thy name, O Lord. I just love communicating the Him in that kind of way, which just also is making me so happy in praising him in English. And He knows it all too well.

I tend to switch between English and Norwegian both when praying and thinking.
I've read the bible or parts of it in Bokmål, Nynorsk (both Norwegian), English, Scots English and Dutch. + A few lines in Greek.
I haven't tried praying in Dutch yet though, I don't know it well enough for it to "flow".

They say it sounds like German, and it kind of does sound similar at times. And there's also lots of words in the Dutch vocabulary that sound almost identical to many English words. So it is a bit of both. hah

as said, it is similar to German, but it sounds .... softer.

Hoi. ik ben wwjd_kilden. Hoe maak je het?
Hi. I am wwjd_kilden. How are you doing?

The former part was understandable, but the latter was just some letters stringed together.

hehe If I am not mistaken one can also say "hoe ben je"
also, "u" is used as polite version of je

Lol, that certainly made it easier to understand...it is like "How you been?".

...I am having a face-palm moment just now... The title is supposed to be: "Praying, but not* using one's native language?"

Life can be embarrassing sometimes. Wish I could change the title.


I can say that you are indeed correct, wwjd_kilden.