5 Must Know Words Before You Travel Overseas

Travel Editor & ContributorSam Mount Updated on

To enjoy a country to the fullest, many say you must know the native language to get a real taste of culture. But for those of us including myself who travel to dozens of countries, it’s just not possible because we either don’t have the time to learn another language and its simply impossible to learn the world’s 300+ languages. Luckily based on my experience of frequent traveling, I found out there are five easy words you should know in any language that will make your trip much more pleasant and survivable. Here are five easy words in any language you must know that will help you tremendously abroad.

List of Five Essentials Words

1. Yes

Yes is simply showing your approval for an action.

Example of Yes in various languages:

  • Japanese: はい (Hai)
  • Indonesian: Ya
  • French: Oui
  • Portuguese: Sim

2. No

No is simply showing disapproval of another person’s action.

Examples of No in various languages:

  • Japanese: いいえ (Īe)
  • Indonesian: Tidak
  • French: Non
  • Portuguese: Não

3. Thank You

Saying Thank You shows politeness and gives you a sense of charm and respect.

Examples of Thank You in various languages:

  • Japanese: ありがとう(Arigatō)
  • Indonesian: Terima kashih
  • French: Merci
  • Portuguese: Obrigado

4. This

Knowing how to say This is extremely important for survivability when you can simply point at a food or menu option and say This is what you want. Afterwards you can say Yes or nod your head for approval.

Examples of This in various languages:

  • Japanese: これ(Kore)
  • Indonesian: Ini
  • French: Toilettes
  • Portuguese: Esse

5. Toilet

When you really got to go, the worst thing that can happen is not being able to find a toilet because you can’t tell the person you are looking for one. Before going abroad, you must know how to say toilet in the country’s native language.

Examples of Toilet in various languages:

  • Japanese: トイレ (Toire)
  • Indonesian: Toilet
  • French: Toilettes
  • Portuguese: Banheiro
Its critical you know these five words or else you will be in unpleasant situations.

Conclusion…

With these five words in your mental travel toolbox, you can more or less get what you want, reject what you don’t want, avoid panicking when you need to point out you need to relive yourself and show kind appreciation. I made this article because many people told me they weren’t comfortable traveling abroad due to the language barrier but, just knowing these five must know words will get you around 90% of the time. Also, most of the world, especially the younger generations speak some degree of English so that helps too. To find them, you can go to the nearest mall or find the nearest Mcdonald’s or other fast food joint.

Summary of the 5 Easy Words You Should Know Before You Travel Overseas (TLDR Version)

  • Yes
  • No
  • Thank You
  • This
  • Toilet

Use Google Translate as your translator. It’s free, easy to use and has over 100 languages to translate to and from.

Similar Posts