16 Must-Know Words and Phrases For Any Language

What are the basic phrases you need to know when travelling? Often, native English speakers believe that everyone speaks English. So when they travel, they don’t bother learning the language of the place they’re visiting. After all, it’s fine to get by in English, right? Well, maybe. But there’s a much better way of doing things. I’m not saying you should become fluent in the language of every place you visit (unless that’s your dream). I am saying that learning just a few words and phrases can hugely enrich your travel experience. When you travel, you will benefit from doing a little research on your destination. Learning just a few basic phrases can be invaluable. I’ve been travelling around the world since 2003 and during that time, have lived in 23 different countries. My goal at first was to spend as much time as possible learning the native language of each country, before moving on. Some languages I was quick to forget. Others I’ve maintained fluency in to this day. Along the way, there were a handful of countries I visited that I never intended to spend more than a few days in, so I didn’t try to become conversant in the native language before arrival. Yet, I’d still invest whatever time I had available in learning as much of the language as I could in advance - even if it was only enough to get by. This is because my personal travel style is to avoid using English as much as possible. Why? It’s really not that hard to get by in another language, and it opens you up to cultural experiences that you’d otherwise miss. Researching a place on the Internet can only get you so far. The locals know the best places to eat and shop, the stand-out sights to see, the most beautiful beaches and the most unforgettable cultural experiences. Fail to learn any of the local language, and you’ll miss all this. You lose out on more than you probably realise. That’s why I always learn a little bit of the local language in whatever amount of time I have available, even if it’s only hours or minutes. For instance, I made the most of a single hour, learning the basics in Polish. Of course, you won’t want to waste your time memorising words and phrases you’ll soon forget or will never use. In my years of experience in travel and language hacking, I’ve found the following words and phrases to be the most important to learn. So the next time you’re heading out to a foreign country where English isn’t the first language, spend a few minutes researching the following phrases in the language of the country you’re visiting. These are the most important phrases to learn, though for some reason they’re often sprinkled throughout phrasebooks rather than being featured on the first page. I’ve included translations for German, French, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish and Italian. Let's get started!

1. “Thanks”

The number one word you should learn to say before visiting any country is “thanks”. It’s polite and people will appreciate the effort you’ve made to acknowledge them in their own language.

• German: Danke
• French: Merci
• Mandarin Chinese: Xiè xie
• Spanish: Gracias
• Italian: Grazie

2. “I’m sorry”

For the sake of good manners, it’s good to know how to say sorry. You can say it when moving through a crowd, or when a general apology is required.

• German: Es tut mir leid - “I am sorry” or Entschuldigung - “excuse me”
• French: Je suis désolé or pardon
• Mandarin Chinese: Hěn bàoqiàn or duì buqĭ
• Spanish: Lo siento or perdón
• Italian: Mi dispiace or perdono

3. “Hello”

What’s the first thing do when initiating conversation? You greet them, like so:

• German: Hallo
• French: Bonjour
• Mandarin Chinese: Nǐ hǎo
• Spanish: Hola
• Italian: Ciao

4. “Can I have…”

When you travel, chances are you’ll be eating out, spending time in bars, and buying souvenirs. This is a handy phrase to know for ordering in a restaurant, bakery, coffee shop or bar.

• German: Kann ich einen Kaffee haben...? - Can I have a coffee?”
• French: Je voudrais un croissant. - “I would like a croissant.”
• Mandarin Chinese: Wŏ yào zhè gè “I want this.”
• Spanish: ¿Me trae dos cafés, por favor? - “Please give me two coffees.”
• Italian: Posso avere… “I can have…”

5. “How much does it cost?”

It helps to be savvy while travelling, as well as being mindful of whether you’re staying within your budget

• German: Wieviel kostet das? - “How much is that?”
• French: Combien ça coûte ?
• Mandarin Chinese: Zhè shì duōshǎo qián?
• Spanish: ¿Cuánto cuesta?
• Italian: Quanto costa/costano? (single/plural)

6. “Yes”

“Yes” is one of the simplest words to learn and it helps that it tends to remain constant across many Romance languages.

• German: Ja
• French: Oui
• Mandarin Chinese: Shì (Technically there is no word for “yes” in Mandarin, but in many cases ‘it is’ works - otherwise, you’d repeat the verb of the question)
• Spanish: Sí
• Italian: Sì

7. “No”

Why would you learn how to say “yes” without learning the translation for “no”?

• German: Nein
• French: Non
• Mandarin Chinese: Bú shì (Similarly to yes, as explained above, this actually means ‘it isn’t’, as there’s no single word for ‘no’ in Mandarin. If you put bù (‘not`) before the verb in question that tends to be what you need)
• Spanish: No
• Italian: No

8. “I am…”

“I am” is a much better phrase to learn than “My name is…”. Why? You can apply it to a range of topics – not only your name but your job, nationality and many other things. It’s the perfect phrase to use with Tarzan speak.

• German: Ich bin...
• French: Je suis...
• Mandarin Chinese: Wǒ shì…
• Spanish: Soy…
• Italian: Io sono…

9. “What’s your name?”

After you’ve introduced yourself, you’ll want to know how to ask for an introduction in return.

• German: Wie heißt du?
• French: Comment vous appelez-vous ? (formal) or Comment tu t'appelles ? (informal)
• Mandarin Chinese: Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi
• Spanish: ¿Cómo se llama usted? (formal) or ¿Cómo te llamas? (informal)
• Italian: Lei come si chiama? (formal) or Tu come ti chiami? (informal)

10. “How are you?”

If you find yourself in conversation with a local, it’s a mark of common decency to ask how they are. I find that people across many different cultures who work in service roles really appreciate it when you take the time to ask how they’re doing.

• German: Wie geht es dir?
• French: Comment allez-vous ? or the informal Ça va ?
• Mandarin Chinese: Nǐ hǎo ma?
• Spanish: ¿Cómo estás?
• Italian: Come stai?

11. “Great!”

A quick, go-to response if someone asks how you’re doing.

• German: Ich bin großartig! - “I am great!”
• French: Ça va bien ! - “I am good!”
• Mandarin Chinese: Wǒ hěn hǎo!
• Spanish: Bien
• Italian: Buona!

12. “Again, please”

A beginner in any language will have trouble understanding what a native speaker is saying, as they will talk at a fast pace. Don’t panic – just ask them to repeat what they said. If you’re new to the language, you don’t have to memorise how to say “Sorry, can you repeat that” - a quick “again, please” will usually do the trick.

• German: Bitte wiederholen Sie - “Please repeat”.
• French: Répetez s'il vous plaît - “Repeat, please”.
• Mandarin Chinese: Máfán nǐ zài shuō yībiān - “Please say that again”
• Spanish: ¿Disculpa? - ¿Perdón? or ¿Cómo? - “How?”
• Italian: Vuole ripetere, per favore? - “Could you repeat that please?”

13. “More slowly, please”

This is another phrase you can use when natives speak really fast. It reduces the risk of them repeating themselves at the same pace.

• German: Langsamer, bitte
• French: Plus lentement s'il vous plaît
• Mandarin Chinese: Gèng màn, qǐng
• Spanish: Más despacio por favor
• Italian: Più lentamente per favore

14. “Sorry, I Don’t Understand”

If you’re having issues communicating with a native speaker - tell them!

• German: Entschuldigung, das verstehe ich nicht.
• French: Je suis désolé, je ne comprends pas.
• Mandarin Chinese: Wǒ tīng bù dǒng.
• Spanish: Lo siento, no entiendo.
• Italian: Mi dispiace, non capisco.

15. “Where is (the)...?”

You’re navigating a new country. Chances are, you’ll get lost now and again. Don’t be afraid to ask a local for directions. Even if you can’t follow their directions, you can get them to show you your destination on a map.

• German: Wo ist (der/die/das)...?
• French: Où est (le/la)...
• Mandarin Chinese: Zài nǎlǐ...?
• Spanish: Dónde está (el/la)...
• Italian: Dov'è (il/la)...

16. Goodbye

Another phrase that’s really good to know.

• German: Auf wiedersehen (formal) or Tschüß (informal)
• French: Au revoir
• Mandarin Chinese: Zàijiàn
• Spanish: Adiós
• Italian: Arrivederla/ci

With these words and phrases in your pocket, you’ll endear yourself to the locals, and you’ll have a more authentic experience. Speaking even a tiny bit of a foreign language makes you feel more thoughtful, widens your world view, gives you buckets of self confidence… and it’s addictive. Once you’ve had a taste of talking with someone in a language that isn’t your own, it can be really hard to stop! Are there any words or phrases that you try to learn before travelling? Is there one particular go-to phrase that you think should be on this list? Let me know in the comments.

The post 16 Must-Know Words and Phrases For Any Language appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

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