The 5 Best Words to Know in a New Language Before You Travel

Deputy Executive Editor Sarah Schlichter's idea of a perfect trip includes spotting exotic animals, hiking through pristine landscapes, exploring new neighborhoods on foot, and soaking up as much art as she can. She often attempts to recreate recipes from her international travels after she gets home (which has twice resulted in accidental kitchen fires—no humans or animals were harmed).

Sarah joined the SmarterTravel team in 2017 after more than a decade at the helm of IndependentTraveler.com. Sarah's practical travel advice has been featured in dozens of news outlets including the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Budget Travel, and Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio. Follow her on Twitter @TravelEditor.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "A journal. Even years later, reading my notes from a trip can bring back incredibly vivid memories."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Road tripping and hiking through the rugged mountains of Patagonia."

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Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle. I get restless on long flights and like to be able to move around without disturbing anyone else."

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Thanks to improved translation apps and the growing prevalence of English speakers around the globe, it’s easier than ever for English-speaking travelers to get by without cramming a new language into their heads before every trip. But it’s still a good idea to memorize a few basic words and phrases in the local language to help smooth the way for yourself and to show courtesy to the people you meet.

Below are translations of the five best words to know in a new language, translated into 15 widely spoken languages. When available, I’ve included links to YouTube videos or audio files so you can hear how each term is pronounced.

Hello

If you can say nothing else, you’ll at least want to be able to greet locals in their native language. While there are multiple ways to say “hello” in most languages, I’ve chosen simple, formal options that are appropriate to use in common travel situations such as meeting strangers or entering a shop.

Arabic: marhaban or assalamu alaikum
Bengali: assalamu alaikum or nomoshkar
French: bonjour
German: hallo
Greek: gia sou
Hindi: namaste
Italian: buongiorno (daytime) or buona sera (evening)
Japanese: konnichiwa
Malay: selamat pagi (morning), selamat petang (afternoon), or selamat malam (evening)
Mandarin: ni hao
Portuguese: ola
Russian: zdravstvuyte
Spanish: hola
Thai: sawatdee
Turkish: merhaba

Thank You

Whether someone brings you a meal or helps you with directions, they’ll always appreciate it if you thank them in their language.

Arabic: shukran
Bengali: dhonnobad
French: merci
German: danke schoen
Greek: efcharisto
Hindi: dhanyavaad
Italian: grazie
Japanese: arigato
Malay: terima kasih
Mandarin: xie xie
Portuguese: obrigado
Russian: spasiba
Spanish: gracias
Thai: khob khun
Turkish: tesekkur ederim

Yes

Would you like to try that delicious new food your host is offering? But of course! Here’s how to say “yes.”

Arabic: na’am
Bengali: han
French: oui
German: ja
Greek: ne
Hindi: haan
Italian: si
Japanese: hai
Malay: ya
Mandarin: shi or hao
Portuguese: sim
Russian: da
Spanish: si
Thai: chai (note that this technically means “correct” and is not interchangeable with “yes”)
Turkish: evet

No

Don’t want to buy that rug or hire that pushy guide? Here’s how to say “no.”

Arabic: laa
Bengali: naa
French: non
German: nein
Greek: ochi
Hindi: nahin
Italian: no
Japanese: iie
Malay: tak nak lah
Mandarin: bu shi de
Portuguese: nao
Russian: nyet
Spanish: no
Thai: mai chai
Turkish: hayir

Do You Speak English?

Once you’ve exhausted your vocabulary in the local language and need to find someone who can understand you, this is your go-to phrase.

Arabic: Hal tatakallamu al-‘inkliziyyah? (to a man) or Hal tatakallamina al’inkliziyyah? (to a woman)
Bengali: Apni ingreji bolte paren?
French: Parlez-vous anglais?
German: Sprechen Sie englisch?
Greek: Melate angleeka?
Hindi: Kyaa aap angrezii bolte hain? (to a man) or Kyaa app angrezii boltii hain? (to a woman)
Italian: Parli inglese?
Japanese: Eigo o hanase masuka?
Malay: Boleh cakap bahasa Inggeris tak?
Mandarin: Ni hui shuo ying yu ma?
Portuguese: Voce fala ingles?
Russian: Ti govorish po-angliyski?
Spanish: Habla ingles?
Thai: Kun puut paa-saa ang-grit daai mai?
Turkish: Ingilizce konusabiliyor musunuz?

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