Condescending or nice?

Did she have any kind of accent? I know people of Mexican heritage who do not speak the language. I think he was being condescending when the worker continued to answer in English, clearly not wanting to converse in another language.

It does seem like he meant well, but was clueless. I have quite a few family members who speak Spanish (they are white) and I can see my BIL acting like this guy.

It would bother me, but that is because I am a perpetual foreigner. I've had people compliment me on my good English and I've had people who were surprised that my mom spoke English (she was born and raised in the U.S.). So yes, I am a little sensitive about these kinds of things.

This is what I've been taught - that doing something like that is très passé and ignorant. He's not doing it to put her at ease, or he'd stop when she didn't engage and kept replying in English.

It's so presumptuous - right up there with congratulating a stranger on her pregnancy. Egads. So embarrassing.

Maybe he's learning Spanish and sees this as an opportunity to try it out.

Funny, this was just on Dear Abby this morning.

www.uexpress.com/dearabby/2016/9/5/anglo-woman-using-spanish-fears-she

then he should ask her permission. Although it would be a great way to practice

Passive aggressive or condescending -- either way -- douche

It could be condescending/presumptuous/douchey, or it could be somebody trying to be nice but lacking the ability to read social cues. He should have stopped when his response was in English. 

I don't think there's one overarching answer to this question.

My school is about 40% ESOL and mostly Korean and Chinese. My library is more diverse as far as languages go but half of everybody speaks another language at home. I try to learn a few words in the languages our school families and my library patrons speak. So far I have learned a little Korean and a few words of Chinese. Usually if I ask people are happy to share how you say a word or two in their native languages. I use it to make relationships and show people I am interested in them and their culture. Usually it's the kids who really like telling me How to say beautiful or cat or friend or whatever - our ESOL students often feel stress about communicating at school and this is a good ice breaker.

But not everyone likes that - one Korean dad told me very firmly that he brings his kids to an American school to learn English and speaking Korean should not be part of what we do. Ok, I get that too. And many of our Korean heritage families are second or third generation Americans and speak all English and are culturally American as well, so you wouldn't walk up to a vaguely Korean looking person and be like, how do you say dog in your language? Because then you look like a jerk.

When the person responded in English in the OP's scenario, that was a sign that it was not appreciated.

Here it is a very safe assumption that people of many different appearances speak languages other than English. This does provide opportunities for racism but also opportunities for cross cultural understanding and appreciation of languages and cultures. You wouldnt lead with that - but when I have an existing relationship with a person I know speaks another language it is a way of sharing across a language barrier.

It's rude. Let's assume the best-he sees this as an opportunity to practice Spanish. Well. A-she's not getting paid to teach Spanish and B-many employers have a problem with their employees speaking Spanish.  

I know a judge who does this regularly. She looks like a complete asshole each time. The employees at Au Bon Pain won't ever tell her because then they will get reprimanded. But I can see the looks they give her. And me. Like saying- do something about this!!  

Condescending.

Rude, douchey.

Mildly racist.

The problem is with the assumption.

When you see someone who looks different you and you make assumptions based on that, that's racism.