10 Essential Phrases to Learn Before You Travel Abroad

Knowing where the bathroom is may be helpful once or twice, but it will be completely useless when you want to say hello, are looking for directions, or trying to order a meal. Here are 10 phrases you should memorize and practice before you set off on your next adventure. 

Hello and good morning.

There are times when you can simply repeat what someone says when they greet you. At other times, it will be more appropriate for you to give the first greeting. Make sure your first impression is a good impression.

Yes and no. 

You won’t be the only person asking questions. Make sure you know how to give consent and accept or deny offers and advances.  

Please and thank you.

This one is fairly obvious. Be polite. 

Excuse me. Pardon me.

There are two contexts for these phrases and you should know when to use both. If you do something slightly rude, such as bump into someone on the sidewalk or push someone in a line, say excuse me/pardon me to apologize. You’ll also need to know these phrases to get a person’s attention or approach someone for assistance. 

How do you say…?

You may be able to hold basic conversation in the local language, but there will be times you don’t know how to say something or can’t remember a word or phrase. Don’t switch back to your native language when you’re at a loss for words. Increase your vocabulary and keep the conversation going.

How much does this cost? 

You will have to spend money at some point on your trip. If the prices are visibly posted, be prepared to pay that much. You can haggle for a lower price depending on the circumstances. But if prices are nowhere to be found, ask how much something costs before you pull out your cash. You’re more likely to pay inflated prices when you show how much money you have upfront. 

Where can I find…?

Maybe you’re looking for an item in a store or trying to locate a unique souvenir. You may have read about a must-see place to visit but can’t find it on any maps or brochures. And then there’s the bathroom, of course. You don’t have to be lost or need directions for this phrase to be helpful. 

I’m sorry. I don’t understand.

No one wants to spend their time having a one-sided conversation. If you can’t understand the dialect, get lost mid-conversation, or can’t comprehend the language at all, respectfully stop the speaker and tell them you don’t understand. They may be able to speak your native language or help find someone who can. 

Do you have any…

…children? …toothpaste? …menus in English? …change? There are tons of questions you’ll want to ask, and you’ll need this phrase to get started. Don’t worry if you don’t know the words to finish the sentence. You can use pictures or gestures to get your point across. 

Help.

Hopefully you’ll never have to use this word when you’re traveling. But in the event of an emergency, you need to know how to ask for help. 

This isn’t a comprehensive list, but it should be enough to get you started. There are so many helpful words and phrases you’ll use on your adventures. Memorizing them is ideal, but that could be challenging when you already have so many things to remember. When all else fails, Google Translate or another translation app will suffice. But you should always make an attempt to speak to a person directly before shoving an electronic device in their face. 

xoxo – Be smart, stay safe, and have fun!