[Home]Common phrases in different languages

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Difference (from prior major revision) (minor diff, author diff)

Changed: 73c73

hejdĺ /hey-doh/

hejdaa /hey-doh/

Changed: 201c201

 

na zdrowie /nah zdrovyie/

When you are in a country whose language you do not understand it is possible to get along with a surprisingly short list of phrases, combined with pointing, miming, and writing down numbers on paper. Here is such a list.

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)

Language Survival Guide
  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
/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/ /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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Last edited December 19, 2001 5:19 pm by Kpjas (diff)
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