6 essential travel phrases you should master before any trip

You really don't want to mime, "where is the bathroom?"

Don't travel without these important phrases
(Image credit: KEVIN COOMBS/Reuters/Corbis)

Six months into a nine-month trip around the globe, I found myself on a train crossing the French-German border and discovered, to my horror, that the train announcements had just switched from French to German. As I listened, awaiting the surely inevitable French version to follow, the realization slowly dawned on me that the only German phrase in my arsenal was, "Auf Wiedersehen." And, as six months of travel in countries from Cambodia to India had taught me, knowing how to say "good-bye" would get me exactly nowhere.

While I've never been a fan of the tourist phrasebook — seriously, how effective do you think your painful attempt at sounding out "How is the duck cooked?" will be? — I have compiled a collection of key words and phrases that I try to learn in the local language of every place I'm going. While basic English phrases, hand gestures, and a good sense of humor will get you further than you might expect, things will be a lot easier with a few local words in your back pocket. I try to find someone who speaks the language to teach me how to say them before I go (pronunciation is key), but, in a pinch, ask your hotel concierge, Airbnb host, or even your neighbor on the plane. And then: practice!

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Kate Thorman

Kate Thorman is a freelance writer and editor based in Brooklyn. Her work has appeared in such publications as AFAR, Bon Appétit, and Fodor's. Her other projects include screenwriting and Part Time Vegan.