Lost in Translation: Essential Travel Phrases for Every Language

For new travellers or those who are familiar with the idea of travel, it’s very common not to dedicate some time to learning the native tongue of the country you are entering. But this year is also about bettering ourselves and challenging our ability to communicate to make our lives not only easier in those awkward social situations but also to pay locals the respect of learning basic phrases in their language. 

 

With tools like Duolingo, endless amounts of YouTube videos and free classes, there is no excuse, really, that you should be able to learn and practice some essential travel phrases. In a sense, you are preparing your future self to better enjoy and interact with your time with new people and the best part is you might already know a few words, such as the basic yes and no, so it’s already an encouraging step in the right direction.

 

So you might be wondering what essential phrases I have for you, and all I can promise is these words aren’t unrealistic to learn in a matter of days and are a great survival kit to hold onto and use in your time of need.

 

First, we will begin with the basics and polite words that are the most essential to learn and know.

 

Essential Phrases

 

Hello / Hi: Bounjour (French), Hola (Spanish), Cai (Italian), Hallo (German), Konnichiwa (Japanese), Ahlan / Marhaban (Arabic)

 

Goodbye / Bye: Au Revoir (French), Adiós (Spanish), Arrivederci / Ciao (Italian), Auf Wiedersehen / Tschüss (German), Sayōnara (Japanese), ‘ila al-liqa’ (Arabic)

 

Please: S’il vous plait (French), por favour (Spanish), Per favoure (Italian), Bitte (German), Onegaishimasu (Japanese), Min fadilk / min fadlak (Arabic)

 

Thank You + Very Much: Merci + beaucoup (French), Gracias + muchas (Spanish), Grazie + mille (Italian), Danke + schön / sehr (German), Arigatō + gozaimasu (Japanese), šukran ǧazīlan (Arabic)

 

Excuse Me: Excusez-moi (French), Disculpe / Perdón (Spanish), Scusi (Italian), Entschuldigung (German), Sumimasen (Japanese), ʿafwan (Arabic) – can also mean “you’re welcome”

 

Sorry: Désolé(e) / Pardon (French), Lo siento / Perdón (Spanish), Mi scusi / Scusa (Italian), Entschuldigung (German), Gomen nasai (Japanese), ʾāsif / ʾāsifah (Arabic – masculine/feminine)

 

Yes: Oui (French), Sí (Spanish), Sì (Italian), Ja (German), Hai (Japanese), naʿam (Arabic)

 

No: Non (French), No (Spanish), No (Italian), Nein (German), Iie (Japanese), lā (Arabic)

 

Travel Phrases

 

For direction, navigation and travel safety, it’s great if you could learn these phrases. But also could give you a real confidence boost.

 

Where is…?: Où est…? (French), ¿Dónde está…? (Spanish), Dov’è…? (Italian), Wo ist…? (German), …wa doko desu ka? (Japanese), ʾayna…? (Arabic)

 

How do I get to…?: Comment aller à…? (French), ¿Cómo llego a…? (Spanish), Come arrivo a…? (Italian), Wie komme ich nach…? (German), …e ikimasu ka? (Japanese), kayfa ʾaḏhabu ʾilā…? (Arabic)

 

Is it far? / Is it near?: C’est loin ? / C’est près ? (French), ¿Está lejos? / ¿Está cerca? (Spanish), È lontano? / È vicino? (Italian), Ist es weit? / Ist es nah? (German), Tooi desu ka? / Chikai desu ka? (Japanese), hal huwa baʿīd? / hal huwa qarīb? (Arabic – masculine)

 

Left / Right / Straight: À gauche / À droite / Tout droit (French), Izquierda / Derecha / Recto (Spanish), Sinistra / Destra / Dritto (Italian), Links / Rechts / Geradeaus (German), Hidari / Migi / Massugu (Japanese), yasār / yamīn / ʿalā ṭ-ṭūl (Arabic)

 

Stop here, please: Arrêtez-vous ici, s’il vous plaît (French), Pare aquí, por favor (Spanish), Si fermi qui, per favore (Italian), Bitte hier anhalten (German), Koko de tomete kudasai (Japanese), tawaqqaf hunā, min faḍlik / min faḍlak (Arabic – feminine/masculine)

 

I would recommend putting these phrases into YouTube; as written, they can be confusing, but once you’ve heard them once, seeing them written will not only help when you are reading signs but can also refer to your notes to encourage practising your pronunciation.

 

Restaurant Essentials

 

Here are some phrases for when you are wining and dining and want to communicate with the staff, but it’s extremely easy to wait on them and pay them a compliment. 

 

Do you speak English?: Parlez-vous anglais ? (French), ¿Habla inglés? (Spanish), Parla inglese? (Italian), Sprechen Sie Englisch? (German), Eigo o hanasemasu ka? (Japanese), hal tataḥaddaṯ al-ʾinglīziyya? (Arabic – masculine)

 

I don’t understand: Je ne comprends pas (French), No entiendo (Spanish), Non capisco (Italian), Ich verstehe nicht (German), Wakarimasen (Japanese), lā ʾafham (Arabic)

 

Please speak slowly: Parlez plus lentement, s’il vous plaît (French), Por favor, hable más despacio (Spanish), Per favore, parli più lentamente (Italian), Bitte sprechen Sie langsamer (German), Motto yukkuri hanashite kudasai (Japanese), takaṯṯar bi-buṭʾ, min faḍlik / min faḍlak (Arabic – feminine/masculine)

 

How much does this cost?: Combien coûte ceci ? (French), ¿Cuánto cuesta esto? (Spanish), Quanto costa questo? (Italian), Was kostet das? (German), Kore wa ikura desu ka? 

(Japanese), kam huwa ṯamanu hāḏā? (Arabic – masculine)

 

I would like… (to eat/to drink): Je voudrais… (manger/boire) (French), Quisiera… (para comer/para beber) (Spanish), Vorrei… (da mangiare/da bere) (Italian), Ich möchte… (essen/trinken) (German), …o kudasai (…をください) (Japanese), ʾurīdu… + ʾan ʾākula / ʾan ʾašraba) (Arabic)

 

Water, please: De l’eau, s’il vous plaît (French), Agua, por favor (Spanish), Acqua, per favore (Italian), Wasser, bitte (German), Mizu o kudasai (Japanese), māʾ, min faḍlik / min faḍlak (Arabic – feminine/masculine)

 

The bill, please: L’addition, s’il vous plaît (French), La cuenta, por favor (Spanish), Il conto, per favore (Italian), Die Rechnung, bitte (German), Okanjō o onegaishimasu (Japanese), al-ḥisāb, min faḍlik / min faḍlak (Arabic – feminine/masculine)

 

Delicious! / It was good: Délicieux ! / C’était bon (French), ¡Delicioso! / Estaba bueno (Spanish), Delizioso! / Era buono (Italian), Lecker! / Es war gut (German), Oishii! / Oishikatta desu (Japanese), laḏīḏ! / kāna ṭayyiban (Arabic – masculine)

 

It’s nice to be able to pay a compliment, be clear, and communicate properly with people. When you are on holiday, you will be eating out pretty much every night, so it is essential.

 

Emergency Phrases

 

Here are some more emergency essential phrases that I think it’s important for everyone to learn, while the films will make them aware of the English Help, but it’s still better to learn the appropriate term in their native language.

 

Help!: Au secours ! (French), ¡Ayuda! (Spanish), Aiuto! (Italian), Hilfe! (German), Tasukete! (Japanese), ʾal-nasaʿda! (Arabic)

 

I need a doctor: J’ai besoin d’un médecin (French), Necesito un médico (Spanish), Ho bisogno di un dottore (Italian), Ich brauche einen Arzt (German), Isha o onegaishimasu (Japanese), ʾaḥtāǧu ʾilā ṭabīb (Arabic)

 

Police: Police (French), Policía (Spanish), Polizia (Italian), Polizei (German), Keisatsu (Japanese), šurṭa (Arabic)

 

Emergency: Urgence (French), Emergencia (Spanish), Emergenza (Italian), Notfall (German), Kinkyū (Japanese), ʾiṭārīʾ (Arabic)

 

Final Thoughts

Beyond communication, there are so many other factors you need to know before travelling to a country, such as celebrations, tipping (key for places like Japan), and the clothing you wear, so when you are going to places such as Dubai and so forth, you are dressed respectfully, especially in places that are of religious importance; it might be worth investing in an abaya or some alternative body coverings. This is just one example of one location where being respectful with your outfits, but also just general etiquette.