When traveling to a different country or area, whether it be a long vacation, weekend getaway, business trip, or even to see a friend, you’ll immerse yourself in a completely new experience. The first time I travelled abroad on my own was in college when I was lucky enough to study for one semester in Thessaloniki, Greece at Perrotis College (if you’re interested to hear more about my experience you can see some of my vlog attempts here). With no linguistic tools, all of a sudden I wasn’t able to read any signs, communicate with taxi drivers, or even ask for directions to the bathroom. I felt completely helpless, heavily relying on the kindness of strangers and friends. I felt like a baby because I wasn’t able to communicate with other people.
English is the most widely used language on the internet. As an American with English as my native tongue, it’s pretty easy to forget that there are tons of different languages out there, each with its own unique cultural touches that paint the lives of individuals around the globe. Every nation has a historical vocabulary that both shapes and is shaped by how its people experience life (this is actually pretty interesting). One of the things I enjoyed about my study abroad program is that we were able to take a Greek Language class. This not only helped us get around, but also helped us understand the culture a bit more. It also impressed locals when we were out traveling. Oftentimes they really appreciate when you try to learn more about their language and culture, and will definitely appreciate you trying to use their language, despite your limited vocabulary.
Here are 18 helpful phrases to know before your next trip abroad:
Directions and Travel
Why even ask for directions these days when you have Google maps? Well, one– you might not have internet, and two– you might still be confused even with the help of Google (like my sister when she mistakenly took the wrong train in the wrong direction)…
English
Some people may say you need to know the whole phrase “do you speak English” or “do you know English,” but practically you really don’t. In my experience, when saying the word “English” with a question intonation people understand that you are an English speaker, even those who don’t speak the language. So yay! Congrats on knowing the first word on the list! Hopefully this will give you the motivation to keep going. One caveat to this, however, is that in certain languages their word for “English” doesn’t really sound like English. So just double check to be safe, especially if you’re going somewhere remote that doesn’t get a lot of tourists.
I need to get to here / I need to get to…
This will come in handy if your phone tends to run out of battery easily, you aren’t planning on bringing a map with you, or if you are traveling to a destination that does not have a good internet connection. Specifically, I find that “I need to get to here” to be the most useful phrase. Why? Because you don’t need to worry about mispronouncing or forgetting the name of the place (especially if the name is long). You can just point to the place on a map, or the name someone sent you and you will get directions. Even better, if you use this in a taxi, they may be less likely to up-charge you because you’re a tourist.
Where is x?
This phrase is even more useful for travel if you supplement it with words like bathroom, grocery store, or other places that you commonly use in your day-to-day life.
Food-Related
As some of you may know, due to my kosher-observance, I don’t eat meat when I’m abroad. My sister is vegan. One of my cousins is deathly allergic to peanuts. Another one of my friends is gluten free. Lots of people have dietary restrictions, and knowing the essential words to communicate these with others will help you tremendously.
When traveling, you oftentimes find yourself relying on other people for food (like restaurants and hotel kitchens). You might not even be able to go to the supermarket and read the ingredients list, let alone the name of the item on the packaging. My boyfriend is originally from Argentina. When his mother came to visit him after he moved abroad, she mistakenly got him salt instead of sugar and put it in the coffee cabinet. She couldn’t tell the difference because she couldn’t read the labels, and a couple weeks later I ended up making myself tea with salt. Trust me, even if you don’t want or have the time or energy to learn these phrases, it’s useful to have them on hand like in the notes of your phone, a photograph, or even on a little slip of paper that you can take around with you.
I am allergic to…
I cannot stress enough how important this phrase is when traveling for people with allergies. Even if you’re not allergic to things and just don’t want to eat them, this will make it clear wherever you are going what you cannot eat. When my cousin travels she keeps a list of all the foods she can’t eat with her on a little index card so she can tell or show whoever is helping her what she cannot eat. I highly recommend anyone who has allergies have a list of the foods they cannot eat with them, both phonetically and in the target language. Just remember that sometimes people may not be familiar with allergies or how severe they could be, which brings me to the next phrase.
I do not (or cannot) eat…
If you have allergies or other dietary restrictions, this one is tremendously helpful. Although back home in the states there is lots of awareness around allergies and different dietary restrictions, this isn’t necessarily true when you will be abroad. To avoid confusion, learn or write down this phrase along with a list of all the things you cannot eat (both in the foreign language as well as phonetically so you can read it) to use when you want to eat a midnight snack.
Other Helpful Supplemental Words
Bathroom
You never know when it’s gonna hit you and you for sure don’t want anyone catching you doing it in an alley. Unless you’re in nature, then go enjoy the view.
Parking (if you’re planning on renting a car)
Because a hefty parking ticket can really spoil your trip 🙁
Bus / Train / Bus Stop / Train Station
If you’re relying on public transportation, you may think that the stations would be obvious but sometimes you get lost. And other times they don’t have any marking at all! I went to visit a friend of mine in Nikiti, Greece and when I bussed back to the airport the stop was literally just a corner on a dirt road. If my friend didn’t walk me there I would’ve never guessed that it was a bus stop.
Greetings
These aren’t so essential, but they’re nice to have. You’ll be able to use these when talking to store owners, or getting advice from locals. Plus, you never know where you may use these words again to brighten an immigrant’s day back home. I know from experience that it always excites me, my family, and my friends who moved abroad when they hear the familiarity of their native language.
Hello / Goodbye
These words are not necessarily helpful per se, but they definitely are nice mental souvenirs to have from a trip abroad (especially hello).
Thank You
It’s always nice to be polite, and local strangers (for the most part) will be even more appreciative of you if you attempt to say thank you in their language. When I travelled to Istanbul with a couple friends, we learned the word for thank you in both Turkish and Kurdish, and to my surprise, I’ve used the latter more often than I thought, and people always respond positively.
Please
Please is another polite phrase that will just brighten up the day of whoever you are talking to. It’s especially helpful when ordering food.
Safety
Hopefully you won’t have to use these, but it’s always better to be on the safe side when going to an unfamiliar place, especially if you are planning to travel alone.
Help
Even just knowing the word for help is helpful (pun intended)! Of course, you can also use the whole phrase “I need help” or “can you help me?”, but people around you will understand that you need help just from the word alone.
Go away / Leave me alone
Ladies, this is particularly helpful if you’re getting unwanted attention from men. If you plan on experiencing the nightlife that the world has to offer, I suggest not only knowing this phrase, but also taking other safety precautions. Making sure that you don’t go alone, your phone is charged and has wifi, you know the way home, have cash on you, and (if legal) you have pepper spray could go a long way. Stay safe out there.
Police / Ambulance
It’s good to know these words in case you need someone to call either of them for you. You should also make sure you know the relevant emergency numbers to call before your trip so that in case of emergency you could get yourself help too.
Pharmacy
In Europe, pharmacies are really easy to spot with a bright green plus hanging outside their door. In other parts of the world its not so easy.
Hospital
I didn’t want to end on a sour note, but this one is self explanatory and I wish for all of us to be in good health and that we won’t need to use it.
Share in the comments what phrases have helped you when traveling!
Which of these phrases are you sure to learn as you prepare for your next trip abroad?
Until next time,
Take A Shans
