Do other non-native english speakers have trouble solving certain kinds of problems? There are certain problems, I am noting that I am unable to solve because I cannot comprehend what exactly is being asked. The problems themselves might be non wordy, but I try to formulate it in english sentences while solving and I get all lost and I dont know where I am going. It is impossible to write down everything abstractly, and I am not accustomed to thinking in my native language using english words interspersed. For example, I wouldnt know the words in my language that stands for permutations and combinations distinctly. 
I find it much easier to do symbolic manipulations than comprehending worded definitions, theorems and problems. Do I belong to the category of people who are yet to develop a reasonable facility in stating and understanding abstractions or might it be possible that language is a factor. 
To give some background, I was schooled in a country where we spoke "X". This was the language I used at my house, with friends, while buying grocery, etc. But in the math classroom, the language was english. I was good at school mathematics, for example , I once did the manipulations to show that $\zeta(n) =\sum_{k=1}^\infty k^{-n} = \Pi \frac{1}{1-p^{-n}} $ in class. My teacher was impressed and recommended some advanced textbooks, I would read definitions and theorems again and again yet would fail to develop any connections whatsoever. I got so discouraged that only now have I picked up maths again to re-learn it
Now I am facing the same problem. Has anyone, or does anyone know of someone, who comes from a non-english background also has trouble with these kinds of problems or am I just one of those people who havent been promoted from formula manipulation to abstract thinking. 
 A: Were the advanced textbooks in English or in X? I understand that translating all the mathematical names between languages is difficult and often not at all intuitive.
"Reading definitions and theorems" is fruitless labour by itself; when a teacher brings them to life in your imagination, and you do a lot of exercises using them, only then you can understand. That's the way to comprehend "worded definitions, theorems and problems".
Try sitting into a math course at a close-by university, and make sure you also attend the exercises. You could also try books of the other language, but make sure you do the exercises. 
If you already have a problem you try to solve, applying the theorems and comparing with exercises might also help (tackling the problem plus understanding theorems + problems). This applied learning might also be more motivating than dry reading.
Some things are also plain hard, so make sure you don't set your slope to steep. No harm done going back in the book to studying simpler things once in a while.
All the best!
