Máxima's Voice, Accent and Languages

[Henri M.]

I've never heard her voice but actually, I like deep voices more than high ones. (can I use the word "high" in connection with "voice")

Does Maxima smoke?

I like low voices too. I have the idea the Prince and Princess of Orange have quit smoking years ago, let us say since the Princess' first pregnancy.

I have never seen a picture or whatever of the Prince or Princess smoking since their engagement.

 

[Verde Esmeralda]

I second that. Her voice is to deep and masculine, like a voice of any hevy smoker. There are so many women in Europe with voices like that. Such a turn off! I could only imagine how bad is her breath. Luckily her husband is a smoker too.

I don't really like her voice too much either...but I seriously doubt that she might have a breath problem. I don't know if she is still a smoker or not, and I honestly don't really care about the subject, but do you really think a princess would allow herself to have bad breath??

 

[GrandDuchessOlga]

Honestly it could just be her natural voice. She is very tall and somehow robust so I wouldn´t expect her voice to be anything like Mary´s. To my rememberance I recall that both Mathilde and Diana has/had pretty deep voices though not as much as Maxima. I think she sounds nice and it has a special charm to it... JMO

 

[prinsesbeagle]

voice

It COULD be her natural voice?? It IS her natural voice. I am glad she has a low voice. I cannot stand women with highpitch squeeckie voices. It makes them easily sound like whiners.

 

[Verde Esmeralda]

It COULD be her natural voice?? It IS her natural voice. I am glad she has a low voice. I cannot stand women with highpitch squeeckie voices. It makes them easily sound like whiners.

I agree, prinsesbeagle. Plus, I think Maxima's deep voice pairs up with WA's just perfectly.

 

[Verde Esmeralda]

i found it! here's the video of her speaking in spanish to the argentinian media. i believe it was the first or second day of her argentinian official visit.

while it's nice to hear her speaking in spanish, what's more important is what she says. she truly sounds like an intelligent, prepared person.

click on the link and then click on the right side, about the middle of the article where it says: Video | “Tenemos que dar microcréditos a las actividades que generan ingresos”, dijo la princesa.(TN)

La princesa Máxima se reunió con pequeños emprendedores en Jujuy

Well done, Carlota!! Thanks for posting this long-awaited piece (at least for us, spanish native speakers who actually haven't had much of a chance of listening to her speaking her own language)

As for the picture on the second link, if you have a close look, you will see Jeroen Snel, the tv-presenter from Blauw Bloed, standing there with a microphone.

 

[carlota]

Well done, Carlota!! Thanks for posting this long-awaited piece (at least for us, spanish native speakers who actually haven't had much of a chance of listening to her speaking her own language)

As for the picture on the second link, if you have a close look, you will see Jeroen Snel, the tv-presenter from Blauw Bloed, standing there with a microphone.

you are more than welcome, verde esmeralda. i really loved to hear the video the first time! it's so rare to hear maxima speaking in spanish. i think that's the longest i heard her speaking in spanish.

nice to see the blauw bloed staff followed her to argentina!

 

[ahtikavalentine]

i found it! here's the video of her speaking in spanish to the argentinian media. i believe it was the first or second day of her argentinian official visit.

while it's nice to hear her speaking in spanish, what's more important is what she says. she truly sounds like an intelligent, prepared person.

click on the link and then click on the right side, about the middle of the article where it says: Video | “Tenemos que dar microcréditos a las actividades que generan ingresos”, dijo la princesa.(TN)

La princesa Máxima se reunió con pequeños emprendedores en Jujuy

I can't watch the video, It's not there anymore

Does anybody have another link of Máxima speaking in spanish???

 

[Verde Esmeralda]

Me neither...
I just heard her speaking spanish on the dvd Máxima 5 jaar prinses. The dvd shows a part of her speak at the UCA.

While browsing to find this video footage somewhere else, I found something about this speech at the UCA (Universidad Cátolica Argentina / Catholic University of Argentina, from which Máxima got her degree in Economics).

During that encounter at the UCA, the former president of our Central Bank, Mr. Alfonso Prat-Gay, also gave a speech. According to many sources (Clarín newspaper among others), though he gave a truly interesting speak, the actual star of the event was Máxima, "former student of Mr. Prat-Gay at the UCA".

http://www.clarin.com/diario/2005/12/07/elpais/p-02015.htm
Para la ceremonia, Prat-Gay contó con la bendición de su ex alumna en la UCA Máxima de Holanda.(For the ceremony, Prat-Gay had the blessing of her former student at UCA Máxima of the Netherlands)

The general impresssion was...aww how nice, she's now a Princess and he got to be the president of the Central Bank...!! And they meet again in their country!

But...afterwards, Mr. Prat-Gay himself said this was not true:

http://www.fortuna.uolsinectis.com.ar/edicion_0132/nota_tapa/nota_tapa.htm
Alrededor del mediodía, la Universidad ubicada en Puerto Madero recibió a otra celebridad egresada de su licenciatura en Economía. La llegada de Máxima Zorreguieta, princesa de Orange, despertó hasta el rumor de que fue alumna de Prat-Gay. "Podría ser, porque le llevo cinco años en el ingreso a la carrera; pero ni ella ni yo lo recordamos", desestima el economista.

(Around noon, the University located in Puerto Madero received another celebrity graduated from Economics. The arrival of Máxima Zorreguieta, princess of Orange, brought the rumour that she had been a pupil of Prat-Gay. "It could be, because I am five years ahead in the career, but neither I, nor her remember it", said the economist.)

So the hole thing was apparently a myth... created by the Argentinian media.

 

[Philippe Egalite']

Here is a video of Maxima speaking english. Her voice and accent surprised me! Her voice is deep (nice) and she speaks english with a Germanic accent. Did she have an accent before learning dutch? I wonder if the fact that she has been speaking Dutch for so long (an probably predominantly in her daily life) is the reason her english sounds this way.

YouTube - Prince Willem-Alexander and family in Lech

Her voice was just unexpected.

I would totally disagree. She speaks English with the accent of highly sophisticated British people, which, in fact, is remarkable. Unless she had British nannies, she must be charismatic regarding her inclination toward foreign languages!
Good for her!!

 

[Pooky]

I would totally disagree. She speaks English with the accent of highly sophisticated British people, which, in fact, is remarkable. Unless she had British nannies, she must be charismatic regarding her inclination toward foreign languages!
Good for her!!

Regarding her accent when speaking English, even if it's not completely free of her Argentinean melody and also tinted by her Dutch, in general, it's the English that you're normally taught in British schools around the world. She attended Northlands School in Buenos Aires and that's where she was taught to speak with a British (BBC) accent.

 

[Verde Esmeralda]

I would totally disagree. She speaks English with the accent of highly sophisticated British people, which, in fact, is remarkable.

You make me think about Hugh Grant when you speak about a 'highly sophisticated British people' type of accent .

I believe that's not Máxima's type of English, but still her accent is clearly not the US-type.

 

[ashelen]

anybody has a link where to listen her speaking dutch

 

[Princess Maxima]

anybody has a link where to listen her speaking dutch

At the end of the video she speaks Dutch
YouTube - Megan & Prinses Maxima

 

[ashelen]

Thank you so much for the video, victoria
she sounds very good, fluent and relax, she probably had a very good tutor for her to sepack so good! liste her in english and in dutch I wonder how she sounds in her own language, spanish???? any video out there of her speaking spanish????

 

[ashelen]

I knew she speaks italian, but french?, i did not know that, where did she learn it? anyones knows???, si she fluentle or just she practice for this one????may be somebody wrote for her the speech????

 

[lilytornado]

I knew she speaks italian, but french?, i did not know that, where did she learn it? anyones knows???, si she fluentle or just she practice for this one????may be somebody wrote for her the speech????

I don't think she speaks Italian? Where did you read that?

 

[ashelen]

I don't think she speaks Italian? Where did you read that?

I read somewhere, but I can not remeber exactly where , but I am sure she is able to speak italian, her mother tounge is spanish, italian is similar, and she spend every summer in Italy so she has there plently oportunity of practicing. I think.... I read about that when she was going to get married, becasue somewhere I read that she would spaek italian with Valentino for her wedding dress, or something like that.
I lived 2 years in Italy and I speak spanish too, it was not difficult for me to pick up the language, I have some freinds that I still in touch and I alwys speak Italian with them not to loose it, so I can guess that she might defend quiet well in Italian.
May be we should to check the Royal site and hr CV , may be there we can find that????

 

[rominet09]

Yes she speaks (and very well) French
I heard her joking in French (on tv) which supposes a good knowledge of the language

 

[ashelen]

Yes she speaks (and very well) French
I heard her joking in French (on tv) which supposes a good knowledge of the language

Do you think is any on you tube, so we can listen???

 

[marmi]

You can hear her speaking in at least 2 languages in this clip, but to tell you the truth - my ears are a bit 'off' (I've just had a cold, I normally count on an ear infection straight after...) and I cant tell which ones, although I do know that English is one of them...

here.

 

[ashelen]

english and dutch? she has a really deep voice!

 

[lilytornado]

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f48/maxima-s-voice-accent-languages-11453-2.html
#38 you can hear her speaking a little french in that video posted there

 

[lilytornado]

I read somewhere, but I can not remeber exactly where , but I am sure she is able to speak italian, her mother tounge is spanish, italian is similar, and she spend every summer in Italy so she has there plently oportunity of practicing. I think.... I read about that when she was going to get married, becasue somewhere I read that she would spaek italian with Valentino for her wedding dress, or something like that.
I lived 2 years in Italy and I speak spanish too, it was not difficult for me to pick up the language, I have some freinds that I still in touch and I alwys speak Italian with them not to loose it, so I can guess that she might defend quiet well in Italian.
May be we should to check the Royal site and hr CV , may be there we can find that????

Wow! I think that would be amazing if she also spoke Italian. It would be interesting to find out for sure. I envy you that you speak it, I only understand and speak Spanish and Italian both a little bit, but I plan on learning it. You are right, it is quite similar.

 

[ashelen]

Wow! I think that would be amazing if she also spoke Italian. It would be interesting to find out for sure. I envy you that you speak it, I only understand and speak Spanish and Italian both a little bit, but I plan on learning it. You are right, it is quite similar.

I grow up in Argentina, so I was speaking spanish and danish, my father was danish, he spoke 4 languages, he died when I was 2 and a half so I always thought that to speak several languages like him I wiuld be closer to him, a silly thought! so for this I always was interestied in learning languages, my husband spaeks 7 languages, he learns so quick that make me jelous! he is british and learned to speak italian before me while we were living in Italy, now my 6 year old daughter, speaks english and spanish, fluently and my husband try some french with her , her godmother is french, we have a lot of firends from europe coming and visitng us, the only condition that i impose to them, they have to speak to my daughter their own language!
Maxima went to a biligual school, so she was expose to another language since she was very young, she must have the hability to learn easy, my husband said, dutch probably is one of the most difficult languages to learn fro western europe, and obviulsy she does very well, on top of that she has private tuttors with her, and with that help somebody with the desire to learn would learn easy. I understand very well french and if I think I can talk a little bit but I must say I would love to have a tuttor comming home twice or 3 times a week to learn it properly!
going back to topic, Maxima is very clever and knows what she wants!

 

[DUCHESSSA]

Hi Ashlen,

<I lived 2 years in Italy and I speak spanish too, it was not difficult for me to pick up the language, I have some freinds that I still in touch and I alwys speak Italian with them not to loose it, so I can guess that she might defend quiet well in Italian.>

To learn Italian, for Spanish speaking people, is extremely easy...since both languages are very similar...In fact, Spanish derives from Italian. Now, people that speak Spanish and Italian run with great adventange when it comes to learn French.

Since Máxima studied at the Nothlands HS...it wouldn't surprise me that she learned English and French during her teen years.

About her Italian....You know quite well that any Argentinean can learn said language by talking to people on the streets of Buenos Aires...and if said person goes every summer to Italy... he / she becomes fluent in the language in no time.

Duchesssa

P. S> I am travelling to Buenos Aires in June.

 

[ashelen]

Hi Ashlen,

<I lived 2 years in Italy and I speak spanish too, it was not difficult for me to pick up the language, I have some freinds that I still in touch and I alwys speak Italian with them not to loose it, so I can guess that she might defend quiet well in Italian.>

To learn Italian, for Spanish speaking people, is extremely easy...since both languages are very similar...In fact, Spanish derives from Italian. Now, people that speak Spanish and Italian run with great adventange when it comes to learn French.

Since Máxima studied at the Nothlands HS...it wouldn't surprise me that she learned English and French during her teen years.

About her Italian....You know quite well that any Argentinean can learn said language by talking to people on the streets of Buenos Aires...and if said person goes every summer to Italy... he / she becomes fluent in the language in no time.

Duchesssa

P. S> I am travelling to Buenos Aires in June.

That's true, althought you can find their are some areas of italy that they have a dialect and this is not very easy.
I tink Maxima is the one princess who is able to speak several languages! I admire her for that. Eventhough she has the money to pay for private tuttors, I do not see any other princess doing the same as her and they have the power of the money to pay tuttors too.
Have fun in Buenos Aires.

 

[Vanesa]

Yes...In general high society women and men from Argentina are taught how to speak English and French at the colleges they attends. As for the Italian, some learns this language too, and besides we, Argentines have lots of Italian immigrants. We are somewhat used to hear Italian here and there...even some characters in movies speaks Italian , when playing an Italian granny or grandpa...

However, my Italian is awful. I can read and understand it perfectly...but I'm really, really stupid speaking it. I'm very frustrated not being able to speak it. But when I visited Italy, people would tell me to speak Spanish all the same, that they'll understand me! And It was true...They would speak me in Italian and I answered to them in Spanish, and all of us would understand each other!!!

Vanesa.

 

[Princess Maxima]

They would speak me in Italian and I answered to them in Spanish, and all of us would understand each other!!!

.

Yes and the same happens with Portuguese

 

[lilytornado]

I grow up in Argentina, so I was speaking spanish and danish, my father was danish, he spoke 4 languages, he died when I was 2 and a half so I always thought that to speak several languages like him I wiuld be closer to him, a silly thought! so for this I always was interestied in learning languages, my husband spaeks 7 languages, he learns so quick that make me jelous! he is british and learned to speak italian before me while we were living in Italy, now my 6 year old daughter, speaks english and spanish, fluently and my husband try some french with her , her godmother is french, we have a lot of firends from europe coming and visitng us, the only condition that i impose to them, they have to speak to my daughter their own language!
Maxima went to a biligual school, so she was expose to another language since she was very young, she must have the hability to learn easy, my husband said, dutch probably is one of the most difficult languages to learn fro western europe, and obviulsy she does very well, on top of that she has private tuttors with her, and with that help somebody with the desire to learn would learn easy. I understand very well french and if I think I can talk a little bit but I must say I would love to have a tuttor comming home twice or 3 times a week to learn it properly!
going back to topic, Maxima is very clever and knows what she wants!

Very interesting, thank you. I want to learn as many languages as possible, too, I love it, and I think it is great that you teach your daughter.
I admire Máxima, too for all of that. Of course, she has the money, teachers, etc., but not everybody would do it. She seems to be very smart and interested.
BTW, I don't think Dutch is really that difficult, I can understand quite a lot, but maybe that is because I speak German.