Please add to this list, either by adding a row for a language you know or by adding a column for a word or phrase that you think is one of the essentials for survival. Please use the minimum number of words that would be understandable and put the pronunciation in slashes as shown (separate syllables with dashes and use English words that sound like the syllables if possible).
The order of the languages is as in Language families and languages (so that similar languages are close together)
| the language itself | hello | good bye | please | thank you | that one | how much | English | yes | no | generic toast | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| German | Deutsch /doych/ |
hallo /hul-low/ | auf Wiedersehen /owf VEE-der-zay-en/ | bitte /bit-eh/ | danke /dunk-eh/ | das /duss/ | wieviel /vee-feel/ | Englisch /ANG-lish/ | ja /yah/ | nein /nine/ | prosit /prosit/ |
| Dutch | Nederlands /nay-dar-laendhs/ |
hallo /ha-loh/ | tot ziens /toth-zeens/ | alstublieft /aelst-ue-bleeft/ | dankjewel /daenck-jae-well/ | die /dee/ | hoeveel /hoe-veel/ | engels /engh-els/ | ja /ya/ | nee /neh/ | |
| Danish | dansk /dansk/ | hej /hi/ | farvel /fah-vel/ | 1 | tak /tack/ | denne /DEN-nuh/ | hvor meget /vo MY-it/ | engelsk /ENG-uhlsk/ | ja /ya/ | nej /nigh/ | |
| Swedish | svenska | hej /hey/ | hejdaa /hey-doh/ | tack /tahck/ | tack /tahck/ | den där /den dehr/ | kostar /koh-star/ | engelska /engh-el-skah/ | ja /ya/ | nej /neigh/ | skål /skal/ |
| Icelandic | íslenska /EES-len-ska/ |
góðan dag /GOH-than dahg/ |
bless | gjörðu svo vel /GYUHR-thuh so vel/ |
takk fyrir /tahk FEER-eer/ |
þetta /thetta/ |
hversu /KVAIR-suh/ |
enska | já /yow/ |
nei /nay/ |
|
| French | français /frawn-say/ |
bonjour /bohn-jure/ | au revoir /o-reh-vwa/ | s'il vous plaît /seal vuh play/ | merci /mair-see/ | cela /seh-lah/ | combien /kom-bee-en/ | Anglais /ahng-glay/ | oui /wee/ | non /nuh/ | santé /sahn-TAY/ |
| Spanish | español /ess-pan-yol/ |
hola /OH-la/ | adiós /ah-DYOHS/ | por favor /pour fav-OAR/ | gracias /GRASS-yuss/ | ése /AY-say/3 | cuánto /KWAN-toe/ | Inglés /in-GLAZE/ | sí /see/ | no /no/ | salud /sall-OOD/ |
| Italian | italiano /ee-tah-lee-AN-oh/ |
ciao /chow/ | arrivederci /a-ree-veh-DARE-chi/ | per favore /per fa-VOAR-ay/ | grazie /GRAT-zee-eh/ | quello /KWEL-low/ | quanto /KWAN-tow/ | Inglese /in-GLAY-say/ | si /see/ | no /no/ | salute /sall-OO-teh/ |
| Hebrew | ivrit | shalom | lehitraot | bevakasha | toda | et ze | kama | anglit | ken | lo | l'chaim |
| Irish | Gaeilge /GAY-lih-geh/ |
fáilte /FALL-cha/ | slán /slawn/ | le do thoil /leh duh hill/ | go raibh maith agat /guh rev MAH a-gut/ | sin /shin/ | cé mhead /kay-vade/ | Béarla /BARE-lah/ | 'sea /shah/4 | ní ha /knee-ha/5 | slainte / / |
| Welsh | Cymraeg /kum-REYEG/ | s'mae? /smy/ | hwyl /HOO-il/ | os gwelwch yn dda /oss GOOEL-ook 'n tha/ | diolch /DEE-olk/ | honno /HON-no/6 | faint? /vie-nt/ | Saesneg /SAUS-neg/ | ie/ee-yay/<sup>4 | na/na/5 | |
| Polish | Polski /pol-skih/ |
dzień dobry /jien dohb-rih/ | do widzenia /doh vidzenya/ | proszę /proh-sheh/ | dziękuje /jien-koo-ye/ | ten /ten/2 | ile /ih-leh/ | angielski /un-ghiel-skih/ | tak /tuhk/ | nie /nye/ | na zdrowie /nah zdrovyie/ |
| Russian | /russkiy/ | /zdrastvuyte/ | /do svidanja/ | /pazhalsta/ | /spahseebah/ | /ehto/ | /skolko/ | /ahngleeyskee/ | /da/ | /nyet/ | na zdorovia |
| Swahili | Kiswahili /kee-swa-HEE-lee/ | 7 | kwa heri /kwa HAY-ree/ | tafadhali /tah-fah-DAH-lee/ | asante /ah-SAHN-tay/ | yule /YOO-lay/ | ngapi /ng-GAH-pee/ | Kingereza /king-ger-RAY-zah/ | ndiyo /nnn-DEE-yoh/ | siyo /SEE-yoh/ | |
| Basque | Euskara | kaixo | agur | mesedez | Eskerrik asko | hori | zenbat | ingelesa | bai | ez | |
| Japanese | 日本語 (nihongo) /ni-hon-go/ |
konnichiwa /ko-ni-chi-wa/ | sayonara /sigh oh na ra/ | kudasai /ku-da-sigh/ | arigatou /ah-ri-ga-to-oh/ | sore /so ray/ | ikura /i-ku-ra/ | eigo /ay-go/ | hai /high/ | iie /ee-ay/ | kanpai /kam-pie/ |
| Esperanto | Esperanto /ess-pair-AHN-toh/ |
saluton /sah-LOO-tohn/ | ĝis /jees/ | bonvolu /bohn-VOH-loo/ | dankon /DAHNK-ohn/ | tiu /TEE-oo/ | kiom /KEE-ohm/ | la angla /lah AHN-glah/ | jes /yes/ | ne /neh/ | je zai sano / / |
| Ido | Ido | bona jorno | adio | bonvole | danko | co | quanta | angla | yes | no | |
| Lojban | la lojban | coi | co'o | pe'u do | ki'e do | le glibau | .i go'i | .i na go'i |
1No word directly corresponds to the word please. The concept of politeness in a request is express in various ways.
2ten /ten/, ta /tuh/, to /toh/ [depends on word gender]
3or ésa /ay-sah/ [for a feminine object]
4In general, to say "yes" you repeat the main verb of the question. It is often easiest to avoid saying "yes" with the help of body language and circumlocutions.
5As with "yes", the word for "no" in Welsh and Irish depends on the verb used in the question (amongst other things). You can usually get away with just saying na (Welsh) or ní ha (Irish), or just shake your head vigorously.
6 this is the feminine form. The Masculine form is 'hwnnw' HOO-noo.
7 Greetings in Swahili are an incredibly complex affair and are a crucial aspect of Swahili culture; it is not uncommon for a conversation to last five minutes before it actually moves beyond saying "Hello". There is no generic word for "Hello" in the language, rather there are numerous options depending on the relative ages and/or race of the people involved, as well as singular and plural forms. A non-comprehensive list would include "hujambo" (reply "sijambo") for two people of similar age and race, "jambo" (reply "jambo") for between white and black people, "Shikamoo" (reply "Marahaba") for a young person to an elderly person, "Hodi" (reply "Karibu") when in the doorway of a house. There are additionally numerous informal greetings such as "Mambo", "Safi", and many more. Curiously, farewells are abrupt or even non-existent.
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