The really VITAL phrases to learn for Foreign Travel
 

I just saw that loooong thread about where you did/didn't need to know the language when travelling outside one's own country. In all 246 entries it didn't cover my major concern about expressing oneself in another country.

The phrase books & language courses all too seldom teach how to say the words of praise, gratitude,admiration and true courtesy.

Today English is widespread, but phrase lists continue as if we're lost in a strange and threatening land where we can't get the simplest needs met, a place full of danger, exploitation, ill will:

"Where is the toilet?" "I want a room with bath", "Help, Police!" "I need a doctor!" "This costs too much!""The wine is corked!" "The food is cold!"

I think back to long ago when my husband crammed Italian in preparation for our first visit there. I learned only 3 basic phrases: "What a lovely country!" "The food is delicious," and "What a beautiful baby!" I made friends wherever I went, and got everything I wanted, pronto.

Now, going to Greece each May, my English suffices in most places (all the children learn English; i have helped 5-year-olds with their English workbooks). My own meager store of Greek words grows, I can reel off please, thankyou, good morning, how much?? etc.

But that doesn't meet the need I feel to express my appreciation for beauty of Greece, the kindness of Greeks, and my joy at being there.

So I made up a list and got a Greek-American friend to help me with the pronunciation (it is NOT like Latin Languages-- the acCENT is alWAYS on the wrong sylLABBel!).

However I now can say "The food is delicious" "The view is magical" "I shall never forget this place" "You are so very kind," and "I am so grateful for your help." Many times the people have to smile at my mistakes, but they are so pleased that I have made an effort.

TOday, with English everywhere, the true need to use the other's language, I feel, is to express this appreciation.

You are a wise citizen of the world.

Learning key phrases is one thing; understanding the response is another.

I think knowing some French, however, is almost essential.

It is also important to learn how to say: "I do not speak (insert the name of the language). I speak only English. Do you speak English?"

Learning these few phrases usually ferrets out the English-speaking staff in most establishments.

Of course I know how to say "I don't speak Greek (or Italian etc)", or alternatively, "English Please."

Due to my very limited income, I do not visit remote and totally untouristed countries where an unusual tongue (Bulgarian?) is the only language.
In most of the countries that are covered in this forum, English is widely understood, at least for basic needs.

Interesting viewpoint about visiting "remote" countries as I have actually known people who visit such places and keep telling me one reason they do so is because they are cheaper.

I once worked in a major department store in Paris. I'm American, but lived there at the time. It was amazing to me how many Americans ASSUMED I spoke English and immediately started asking questions and directions from me in English. I think an important phrase to learn before anything is "Do you speak English?" Even if you say it in English..but at least don't presume that EVERYONE speaks your language.

Traveling is all about the people and the cultures that you meet.

Not knowing certain languages hasn't been a problem for me. I learn to say at least hello, thank you, please and good-bye. However, these are just words unless you say them with a genuine smile.

People can sense your attitude. As a guest in a country, it is my obligation to act as a polite guest who is enjoying the labors of the host.

Take joy in your visit, don't spend your time ticking off places you've been to and need to go to. This is a time to stop and smell the roses. Relax. Enjoy and be a good guest.

The night before we were to leave Vienna for a trip to Krakow, I had the good fortune to catch a cab driver who was from Krakow. He was very pleased to know we were heading off to his city and after we got back to my Vienna hotel, he parked the cab and spent 20 minutes teaching me basic Polish phrases (hello, please, thank you, how much, good-bye, etc.). Taught me how to pronounce the names of some Polish beer as well. A really nice guy (great cab too, brand new Volvo S80) and he got a sizable tip for his efforts.
The girls who work at our local Costa Coffee in Maidenhead are from Poland, so I still practice those phrases.

I'm trying to figure out why "This costs too much" is an important phrase to learn in a foreign language. I don't use that phrase in English. If something costs too much I don't buy it. Why do I need to announce to the owner or clerk that it is too expensive for me -- or to complain about their pricing?

It's used in some countries to begin the bargaining process. In many cultures, a buyer is <u>expected</u> to say the item costs too much.

Well... first off I disagree with the statement &quot;today with English everywhere&quot;... because I have not found that to be true. Even traveling a well-trod tourist path in Western Europe.

I do agree about learning phrases to be more polite and grateful and express appreciation. Great idea. Problem being unless you have a basic degree of fluency, you say your one sentence you're practiced... but can't understand what is said to you in reply!!

Soooo, I believe the single most valuable phrase to learn and be able to speak quickly and clearly in the local language is... &quot;I'm sorry I don't speak French (Spanish, Italian, etc.)&quot;
:-)

I keep being misunderstood... and by fellow Fodorites who all speak/write English!

What I really mean is:

(1)Phrasebooks are full of phrases that express distrust, fear, and demands for service -- when What I want to express is appreciation.

(2) Of COURSE I know all the basic phrases (hello, goodbye, please, thank you, do you speak English, I do not speak ____ plus about 10 more) .. in French, Spanish, Italian and Greek. If I should be lucky enough to go to places with other tongues, I shall master that list in the new language.

(3) I am NOT trying out my phrases of appreciation on Greeks who don't know English --- but on Greeks who are already quite fluent in English. I'm trying my hand (tongue) at praise in THEIR language to show them I care enough to try!

Is that clear? It's clear to the Greeks.

It's Greek to me. ;)

- And my father was born in Tenedos (Bozcaada).

When I was in Greece, German was the common language that got us by just fine. I learned the Cyrillic alphabet and a few phrases, but yes, the problem is understanding the responses. I love that smiley moment when the foreign person thinks &quot; Oh, she speaks my language!&quot; and revs up and launches a few sentences and I'm left thinking &quot;crap...now what?&quot;

It's always better not to say too much.

A smile, a nod, a &quot;thanks&quot; will do.

Anything more and you risk: &quot;Another sappy American who doesn't understand that we're only in it for the money.&quot;

Please show some consideration for your fellow travelers!!!

Count me among those that go to &quot;remote&quot; countries. Only in part because they can be cheaper - it doesn't need to cost more to get to Romania than to Greece, for instance. Costs on the ground are quite inexpensive.

Neither Romania or Bulgaria are untouristed and both have plenty to occupy a few weeks. Less touristed though, absolutely and maybe for good reasons, depending on how you choose to look at it. Not only is English not a given in some of these countries, it's also not necessarily a given in touristed countries, once you strike up or attempt to strike up a conversation with someone who doesn't make a living dealing with visitors. We do this quite a bit though and I'm not sure if everyone does. But as countries go, on our recent Spain/Morocco trip, we found fewer English speakers in Spain (Andalusia) than Morocco. Neither had nearly as many as Cambodia.

I guess I'm just saying, I'd prefer to know how to ask where the toilet is, rather than tailoring my holidays around not having to ask. After all, if you're going to depend on English, why would you know what's in a phrasebook, much less mind? But the complimentary phrases you mention I've found useful too. Maybe there's room for both?

Knowing the numbers enable you to bargain, tell time, etc.

Then there is the eternal question: Ou sont les toilettes?

I can do that one in many languages and the numbers in quite a few as well. The only language that I speak fairly well other than Ingles is French.

StCirq - Cyrillic is used in a number of Slavic countries. The orthography used in Greece is the Greek alphabet.

Also, one thing comes to mind. This probably won't apply to Italian or Greek, but with languages such a French or Spanish, the phrasebook may not be solely for use by those heading to France or Spain. Going to West or North Africa? (I hear snorts and &quot;NO&quot; coming from Europhiles everywhere, but surely *someone* is going) There, French AND bargaining skills would probably come in handy.

Like BTilke, we got the chance to learn some Arabic from a local who we started hanging out with in Essaouira, Morocco (our first stop). Unfortunely French is widely used there, but is far beyond me. Not a language I will likely ever learn or pursue. My limited Spanish wasn't getting us very far, but we sure did use a lot of those Arabic phrases he taught us along the way as well as the Arabic alphabet he taught us. I figure anything is at least a little bit useful and people are generally understanding about the rest.

We once got an impromptu 2 hour tour of an abandoned Transylvanian castle in a small village, by the castle caretaker/handyman. We'd seen a little marker on a map and drove to the middle of nowhere on a whim. He saw us outside and called us in. Didn't speak barely a common word between us, (except latin numbers to explain years various sections were built) but it was a great tour. Sure, we'd have gotten more out of it if I spoke more than phrasebook Romanian, but I honestly think we had more fun miming back and forth things like &quot;trapdoor&quot; and &quot;gallows&quot;.

Those things are fun in a way that I've never found a super-informative tour in my language to be. Sure, so I don't end up as smart as the goal oriented English language tour takers. And I pale in comparison who can take the tour in the local langauge! But let's face it, I probably wasn't that sharp anyway.

I'm just saying, I encourage people to learn what they can. However, there ARE more options than learning the language inside and out, or sticking with places where you're sure English is spoken. It really is ok to dive in anyway with just a few basics.