The simple phrases: Hello, welcome, sorry, thank you, goodbye, I love you. These are very basic manners that everyone wants to learn in different languages. If you're on a whirlwind tour of the world, or you just want to know how to be very polite in a multi-cultured society, tuck this mini-guide into your bag and learn a little every day.
Thank You
- Bengali: ??????? (Dhon-no-baad)
- Dutch: Dank u (formal)or Dank je
- French: Merci.
- German: Formal. Vielen Dank. Informal: Danke.
- Portuguese: Obrigado (male)/obrigada(female).
- Spanish: Gracias.
- Tagalog/Filipino: Maraming salamat.
- Korean:????? (Koh-mahp-soom-ni-da)
- Mandarin Chinese: ?? (Shyieh, Shyieh)
- Swedish: Tack
- Norwegian: Takk/Tusen takk/Takk skal du ha
- Russian: ??????? (spa-SI-ba)
- Japanese: Formal: Domo arigato gozaimasu. Informal: Arigato.
- Persian:??????(moteshakkeram)
- Telugu: ?????????? (dhan-ya-vaadhalu))
- Serbian: Hvala
- Urdu: Shukriya (Thankyou is also very common)
- Finnish: Kiitos.
- Malayalam: ?????
- Romanian: Multumesc
You're Welcome
- Bengali: ??? ??? (thik aase)
- Dutch: Graag gedaan.
- French: De rien
- French: Je vous en prie. (formal)
- German: Gerngeschehen.
- Norwegian: Vær så god/Skulle bare mangle
- Portuguese: De nada
- Spanish: De nada
- Russian: ?????????? (Pazhalusta)
- Tagalog/Filipino: Walang anuman.
- Korean: ???? (Jeon-man-eyo)
- Mandarin Chinese: ? (Bu Kuh Chee)
- Swedish: Var så god
- Persian:????? ?????(xaahesh mikonam)
- Urdu: Khush Amadeed
- Finnish: Ole hyvä.
- Romanian: Cu placere
- Japanese: Dozo.
Where is it?
- Bengali: ??? ??????? (eeta ko thay?)
- Dutch: Waar is het?
- French: Où est-il ?
- German: Wo ist es?
- Norwegian: Hvor er det?
- Tagalog/Filipino: 'Asan na 'yon? or Nasaan na iyon?
- Spanish: ¿Donde está?
- Russian: ??? ???? (Gdye eta?)
- Mandarin Chinese: ?? (Nar Yowe)
- Swedish: Var är det?
- Telugu: ????? (yekkada)
- Urdu: Kahan Hai Wo
- Finnish: Missä se on?
- Romanian: Unde este?
- Japanese: Doko desu ka?
What did you say?
- Bengali: ???? ?? ?????? (aap ni ki bol len?) or simply (ki bol len?)
- Dutch: "Wat zegt u?" or "Kunt u dat herhalen?"
- French: Qu'est-ce que vous avez dit? Or simply Pardon?
- German: Was haben Sie gesagt?
- Portuguese: O que você disse?
- Spanish: Repite, por favor.
- Tagalog/Filipino: Ano'ng sinabi mo? or Ano yung sinabi mo?
- Mandarin Chinese: ????? (Ni Shuo Le Shen Me?)
- Norwegian: Hva sa du?
- Swedish: Vad sa du?
- Russian: ??? ?? ??????? (Chto ti skazal?)
- Serbian: ?? ??? ??????
- Persian:?? ????????(chi farmudid?)
- Telugu: ???? (yenti)
- Urdu: App nay kia kaha
- Finnish: Mitä sanoitte?
- Romanian: Ce ati/ai spus?
- Japanese: Nan to ii mashita ka?
You can sit down
- Bengali: ???? ???? ????? ? (aap ni bosh-tey pa ren)
- Dutch: U kunt gaan zitten.
- French: Vous pouvez vous asseoir.
- German: Sie können sich hinsetzen.
- Norwegian: (Polite: Vær så snill å...)Sett deg ned
- Spanish: Puedes sentarte. (or, formally: puede sentarse)
- Tagalog/Filipino: Maari kang maupo or Maupo ka.
- Portuguese: Você pode se sentar.
- Swedish: Slå dig ner.
- Persian:???????? ???????(mitavaanid beneshinid)
- Urdu:App Baith saktaiy hain
- Russian: ?? ?????? ?????. (Vi mazhyetye sest)
- Finnish: Voit istuutua.
- Romanian: Puteti/poti sa luati/iei loc
- Telugu: koorchondi
- Japanese: Dozo o kake kudasai.
I love you
- Bengali: ??? ?????? ???????? (aami to-ma-key valou bashi) Informal
- Dutch: Ik houd van je(formal) or Ik hou van je
- French: Je t'aime. Je t'adore.
- German: Ich liebe dich.
- Chinese(Mandarin): Wo ai ni.
- Portuguese: Eu te amo.
- Norwegian: Jeg elsker deg.
- Spanish: Te quiero. (to family/spouse) Te amo (to friend/boyfriend/girlfriend)
- Tagalog/Filipino: Mahal kita or Iniibig kita.
- Mandarin Chinese: ?? (Wo I nee)
- Swedish: Jag älskar dig.
- Japanese: Aishiteru.
- Russian: ? ???? ?????. (Ya tebya lyublyu)
- Persian:????? ????(dustat daaram)
- Telugu: ???? ?????? ???????????????? (nenu ninnu premistunnanu)
- Urdu: Main Ap say mohabut Karta hoon (Infact "I love You" is more common than this)
- Finnish: Rakastan sinua.
- Romanian: Te iubesc!
I'd Like That
- Bengali: ??? ??? ??? (aami ota chai)
- Dutch: Dat lijkt me leuk/lekker ('lekker' is used for food, 'leuk' means 'nice' or 'fun'.
- French: Je voudrais ceci.
- German: Das gefaellt mir.
- Norwegian: Det hadde vært hyggelig.
- Spanish: Me gustaria eso
- Tagalog/Filipino: Gusto ko iyan.
- Mandarin Chinese: ?? (Wo Shee Hwan Ta)
- Swedish: Jag gillar det
- Urdu: Mujhay woh pasand aiay ga
- Romanian: Mi-ar placea asta
- Japanese: Suki desu.
Nice seeing you
- Bengali: ?????? ???? ???? ???? (toma-key dey-khey khu-shi holam)
- Dutch: Het was leuk om je/u te zien.
- French: Je suis content(e) de vous voir.
- German: Es war nett, Sie zu sehen.
- Norwegian: Hyggelig å møte deg/Hyggelig å se deg
- Spanish: Encantado(/a if you are female) a conocerte(/se if you want to be formal)
- Tagalog/Filipino: Masaya ako na nakita ka.
- Swedish: Trevligt att träffas.
- Persian:?? ?????? ??? ?????? ???(az molaaghate shomaa xosh haal shodam)
- Urdu: App say mil kar acha laga
- Finnish: Oli kiva tavata.
- Romanian: Incantat/a sa va vad
- Japanese: Yokoso.
How are you?
- Bengali: ???? ????? (kemon aasen? formal) or ???? ???? (kemon aaso? informal)
- Dutch: Hoe gaat met jou/u ( 'u' is the formal way) ?
- French: Comment allez-vous ? Or: Ça va?
- German: Wie geht es dir? (formal)
- German: Wie geht's? (informal)
- Norwegian: Hvordan går det/Hvordan har du det?
- Portuguese: Como vai você?
- Spanish: ¿Como estás? (informal) ¿Como está Usted? (formal) ¿Que tal? (informal)
- Tagalog/Filipino: Kumusta ka? (not Kamusta ka)
- Korean: ?????? (anneyong hasimnikka)
- Mandarin Chinese: ??? (Nee How Ma)
- Swedish: Hur mår du? / Hur är det?
- Russian: ??? ????? (Kak dyela? Informal)
- Persian:??? ??? ???? ????(haale shomaa chetor ast?)
- Urdu: Ap ka kia haal hai
- Finnish: Mitä kuuluu? / Kuinka voit?
- Romanian: Cine esti?
- Telugu: Meeru yela vunnaru?
- Japanese: Genki desu ka?
Sorry
- Spanish: Lo siento
- French: Je suis désolé(e)
- German: Es tut mir Leid
- Tagalog/Filipino: Patawad,Paumanhin
- Korean: ????? (Mianhamnida)
- Norwegian: Unnskyld
- Portuguese: Desculpe
- Polish: Przepraszam
- Chinese: ?? (dwee boo chee)
- Swedish: Förlåt
- Russian: ???????? (Eezveehitye)
- Persian:??????(mote?assefam)
- Telugu: ?????????? (ksha-minchandi)
- Urdu: Sorry (same)
- Finnish: Anteeksi.
- Romanian: Imi pare rau
- Japanese: Gomen nasai OR sumimasen
I am (response to how are you)
- Chinese: ??/? (Wo Hen Hao/
Bu) *bu= bad, hao= good*
- German: Es geht mir gut/schlecht
- French: Je suis ----. *bien=good *mal=bad *comme ci, comme ça=so, so
*très bien=really well *très mal=really bad
- Norwegian: Det går ----- *bra=good *greit=ok *ikke så bra=dårlig
- Spanish: Estoy (bien/mal) *bien=good, mal=bad*
- Urdu: Theek
- Romanian: Sint...
- Swedish: Iam fine: Jag mar bra *bra=good
- Telugu : Iam fine : Nenu baagunnaanu *baagunnanu=fine
- Japanese: I am fine: Hai, genki desu. / I am very fine: Genki ippai desu. / I am not fine: Genki ja nai.
Tips
- It is important to learn how to speak the language you are speaking, because if somebody replies to you in that language, you will look really unintelligent saying that you really cannot understand that language.
- Make sure that your pronunciation is correct. For example, in French, ca va is said "sa vah" with a short a sound, but it could be incorrectly said as "say vay". You would not want to speak a language wrong, or people may get the wrong impression.
- Once you learn it, try it out. Preferably with a native speaker, then you can learn other phrases.
- Read a few books on the language of other countries.
Warnings
- Don't get the pronunciation wrong though. One wrong syllable and the words can mean different things. Sometimes, a simple goodbye can mean a very racist comment or a swear word coming from someone who doesn't curse. For example, the informal French for 'hello' (Salut) and 'b*stard' (salaud) are very similar.
