One of the hardest parts of traveling is finding yourself in a place where you don’t speak the language, can’t read the signs, and don’t know how to communicate with the people. It can be a scary situation but you can easily prevent it by learning some keywords and phrases in the local language of the places you visit. This will help you navigate common scenarios like asking for directions, ordering food, searching for the nearest bathroom, and flirting with cute locals.
Here are the words and phrases that it’s recommended you learn in each new language.
- Excuse me
- Do you speak English?
- Please
- Thank you
- Yes
- No
- Where is…?
- Can I have…?
- How much does it cost?
- Airport
- Train
- Bus
- Bathroom
- Hotel
- Market
- Menu
- Check
- I don’t understand
- Help
- Water
- Hello
- Good-bye
- I am
- Good/great
This may seem like quite a bit but it’ll probably be much easier than you realize to learn this list of words and phrases. And once you do, you’ll feel much safer and more comfortable wherever it is you travel to. Plus, you’ll expand your horizons and knowledge, which is part of the point of traveling anyway, after all.