First phrases
Can we be serious a minute?Aye that'll be right
But no, seriously. If you are going somewhere they speak a different language, what are the most useful phrases to try to learn beforehand? (like - "where is the (whatever) and please point as I don't speak your language")
Weirdest phrase I ever saw in a phrase book was "please open the window". It was weird because it was in the airplane section of the book.
I would have thought "stop trying to open the window or I will call the stewardess 
" would have been more useful.
Comments (28)
A useful phrase might be, “where can I find a group of women who howl at the full moon?” Be a joiner, Biff!!
And yeah I never got very far with German, my ex husband's home language, the family kept teasing me for being so formal and effectively talking as though to visiting dignitaries
But this phrase has proved handy
You can use hand movements too, just be carefull how you synchronize opening the mouth.
Could be a completely different meaning.
I wish I could think back to some of the phrases that were in our language books in school. I remember them being totally ridiculous.
Like ' Your aunt gave a head of cabbage to the builder"
What has worked for me is something somewhat similar.
"Hello very lovely lady. I am new to this area and do not speak your language well.
What lovely eyes you have. I bet they would enjoy the wonderful view
from my hotel balcony. Come take a look. If we hurry, room service will still deliver champagne."
"Bonjour très charmante femme. Je suis nouvelle dans ce domaine et ne parle pas bien votre langue.
Quels beaux yeux tu as. Je parie qu'ils aimeraient la vue magnifique
depuis le balcon de mon hôtel. Venez jeter un coup d'oeil. Si nous nous dépêchons, le service de chambre livrera quand même du champagne. "
Aanii means Hello or hold your hand up and say How.LOL
Aaniish Eshikaazyin means What is your name?
Migwech means Thank You.
Figure out which side of the plane will be the shady side & get a seat there.
It is surprisingly more comfortable than the sunny side - even with the window closed.
And you can look out the window - no need to ask how to close it.
My mother said the phrase they started French with, in her day, was 'the pen of my aunt is in the garden of my uncle'
I found the most useful of my starter phrases here to be necesita, (I need), followed by mime and the medium of dance.
And I'm not only looking at Spanish, the ideal first phrases translate into any language and work in all.
One thing I learned quite quickly, if you say you don't speak a word (Yo no hablo español) anyone you are asking for ayuda switches off. Say poco español, and they think ok, she's at least trying. So I'd certainly add that to my First Phrases in any language. Along with hello, help, coffee?
Ocee, they are international if available at all
My favourite greeting is the Zulu sawu bona (I see you) but it isn't known very far around the world