English for Traveling

Learn two words before your next trip: hello and thank you.

You don’t need to speak the local language fluently to connect with people when you travel.

You don’t even need to learn 20 languages.

But learning how to say “hello” and “thank you” in the language of the country you’re visiting is a small gesture that can make a big difference.

It shows that you’re making an effort.

English is an incredibly useful international language, and in many popular destinations you’ll find people who speak it. But that doesn’t mean English has to be the first thing you say.

Instead of immediately asking, “Do you speak English?”, try saying hello in the local language first.

You might be surprised by the response.

Here are 20 languages worth knowing — and the two words to learn first.

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Why learn “hello” and “thank you” when travelling?

Learning a few words of the local language isn’t just about communication.

It’s about showing curiosity and respect for the place you’re visiting.

You don’t have to pronounce the words perfectly. You don’t need to understand the grammar. And you certainly don’t need to become fluent.

Just making the attempt can create a warmer interaction.

And once you’ve learned two words, you can always learn a few more:

– Please
– Sorry
– Excuse me
– Goodbye
– Do you speak English?
– How much is it?
– Where is the bathroom?

But start with hello and thank you.

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1. Spanish 🇪🇸🇲🇽🇨🇴🇦🇷

Spanish is one of the world’s most widely spoken languages and is useful across Spain, Latin America and many communities around the world.

Hello: Hola
Pronunciation: OH-lah

Thank you: Gracias
Pronunciation: GRAH-see-as

If you’re travelling through a Spanish-speaking country, these two words are an excellent place to start.

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2. Mandarin Chinese 🇨🇳🇹🇼

Mandarin has more native speakers than any other language and is particularly useful when travelling in China and Chinese-speaking communities.

Hello: 你好 — Nǐ hǎo
Pronunciation: nee how

Thank you: 谢谢 — Xièxie
Pronunciation: shyeh-shyeh

Mandarin is a tonal language, so the pronunciation may take some practice. Don’t worry about getting it perfect — making the effort is what matters.

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3. Hindi 🇮🇳

Hindi is one of the major languages of India and is particularly useful across northern and central parts of the country.

Hello: नमस्ते — Namaste
Pronunciation: nuh-muh-STAY

Thank you: शुक्रिया — Shukriya
Pronunciation: shook-REE-yah

You may also hear dhanyavaad, which is a more formal way of saying thank you.

India is linguistically diverse, so Hindi won’t work everywhere. In some regions, other languages are much more widely spoken.

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4. French 🇫🇷🇨🇦🇧🇪🇨🇭

French is spoken across Europe, Canada, parts of Africa and many other parts of the world.

Hello: Bonjour
Pronunciation: bon-ZHOOR

Thank you: Merci
Pronunciation: mehr-SEE

If you’re visiting France, starting an interaction with bonjour before asking a question is particularly useful.

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5. Arabic 🌍

Arabic is spoken across a large area of North Africa and the Middle East.

There are many varieties of Arabic, so greetings can vary considerably between countries.

Hello: مرحباً — Marhaban
Pronunciation: MAR-ha-ban

Thank you: شكراً — Shukran
Pronunciation: SHOOK-ran

Shukran is one of the most useful Arabic words for travellers and is widely understood.

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6. Portuguese 🇵🇹🇧🇷

Portuguese is the main language of Portugal and Brazil and is also spoken in several other countries.

Hello: Olá
Pronunciation: oh-LAH

Thank you: Obrigado / Obrigada
Pronunciation: oh-bree-GAH-doo / oh-bree-GAH-dah

Portuguese uses obrigado when the speaker is male and obrigada when the speaker is female.

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7. Russian 🇷🇺

Russian is widely spoken in Russia and by communities across Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Hello: Здравствуйте — Zdravstvuyte
Pronunciation: ZDRAST-vuy-tyeh

Thank you: Спасибо — Spasibo
Pronunciation: spah-SEE-bah

The Russian greeting looks much more complicated than it sounds. Don’t let the spelling put you off trying it.

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8. Indonesian 🇮🇩

Indonesia is one of the world’s great travel destinations, from Bali and Java to Lombok and beyond.

Hello: Halo
Pronunciation: HAH-loh

Thank you: Terima kasih
Pronunciation: tuh-REE-mah KAH-see

Terima kasih is one of the most useful phrases to remember when travelling around Indonesia.

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9. German 🇩🇪🇦🇹🇨🇭

German is spoken primarily in Germany, Austria and parts of Switzerland and is useful throughout Central Europe.

Hello: Hallo
Pronunciation: HAH-loh

Thank you: Danke
Pronunciation: DAHN-keh

A simple Danke is an easy way to show appreciation.

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10. Japanese 🇯🇵

Japan has its own distinctive language and culture, and learning a couple of Japanese expressions can make everyday interactions more comfortable.

Hello: こんにちは — Konnichiwa
Pronunciation: koh-nee-chee-wah

Thank you: ありがとうございます — Arigatō gozaimasu
Pronunciation: ah-ree-gah-toh goh-zah-ee-mahs

You may also hear the shorter arigatō, but arigatō gozaimasu is the more polite expression and is particularly useful in shops, restaurants and other everyday situations.

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11. Turkish 🇹🇷

Turkish is the main language of Türkiye and is also spoken by communities across Europe.

Hello: Merhaba
Pronunciation: MEHR-ha-bah

Thank you: Teşekkür ederim
Pronunciation: teh-shek-KOOR eh-deh-REEM

If the longer expression is difficult, teşekkürler is a shorter alternative.

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12. Korean 🇰🇷

Korean is particularly useful when travelling in South Korea.

Hello: 안녕하세요 — Annyeonghaseyo
Pronunciation: an-nyeong-ha-SEH-yo

Thank you: 감사합니다 — Gamsahamnida
Pronunciation: gam-sa-ham-NEE-da

These are polite forms that are appropriate for many everyday situations.

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13. Vietnamese 🇻🇳

Vietnamese is spoken throughout Vietnam and is particularly useful for anyone travelling around Southeast Asia.

Hello: Xin chào
Pronunciation: sin CHOW

Thank you: Cảm ơn
Pronunciation: gahm UHN

Vietnamese is tonal, and pronunciation varies between regions, so don’t worry if your first attempt isn’t perfect.

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14. Italian 🇮🇹

Italian is essential for anyone travelling around Italy and is one of the most recognisable European languages.

Hello: Ciao / Buongiorno
Pronunciation: chow / bwon-JOR-noh

Thank you: Grazie
Pronunciation: GRAHT-see-eh

Ciao is informal, while buongiorno is more appropriate in formal or polite situations.

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15. Thai 🇹🇭

Thailand is one of Southeast Asia’s most popular travel destinations, and learning a couple of Thai expressions can go a long way.

Hello: สวัสดี — Sawasdee
Pronunciation: sah-wat-DEE

Thank you: ขอบคุณ — Khop khun
Pronunciation: kop-KHOON

Thai speakers commonly add a polite particle:

– ครับ (khráp) — used by men
– ค่ะ (khâ) — used by women

So you may hear these added to greetings and expressions of thanks.

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16. Dutch 🇳🇱🇧🇪

Dutch is primarily spoken in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Hello: Hallo
Pronunciation: HAH-loh

Thank you: Dank je wel
Pronunciation: dank-yuh vel

You may also hear bedankt or the shorter dank je.

The Netherlands has a very high level of English proficiency, but that doesn’t mean you can’t surprise someone with a little Dutch.

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17. Greek 🇬🇷

Greek is the main language of Greece and is useful for travellers exploring the country’s cities, islands and mainland.

Hello: Γεια σου — Yia sou
Pronunciation: yah soo

Thank you: Ευχαριστώ — Efcharistó
Pronunciation: ef-hah-ree-STOH

If you’re travelling around Greece, these two words are a great starting point.

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18. Malay 🇲🇾

Malay is particularly useful in Malaysia and is also closely related to Indonesian.

Hello: Helo / Hai
Pronunciation: HEH-loh / high

Thank you: Terima kasih
Pronunciation: tuh-REE-mah KAH-see

If you’ve already learned Indonesian, you’ll recognise terima kasih immediately.

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19. Filipino / Tagalog 🇵🇭

Filipino, based largely on Tagalog, is one of the Philippines’ official languages and is widely used alongside English.

Hello: Kumusta
Pronunciation: koo-MOOS-tah

Thank you: Salamat
Pronunciation: sah-LAH-maht

The Philippines is also one of the world’s major English-speaking countries, but using a little Filipino can still make an interaction more personal.

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20. Swahili 🌍

Swahili is widely spoken in East Africa, particularly in countries including Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Hello: Jambo
Pronunciation: JAM-boh

Thank you: Asante
Pronunciation: ah-SAHN-teh

You’ll hear Swahili in many parts of East Africa, making it a particularly useful language for travellers exploring the region.

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You don’t need to learn 20 languages

Of course, you’re not expected to learn all 20.

The point of this list isn’t to suggest that every traveller should study 20 languages.

It’s to show just how little you need to learn to make a positive start.

Before you travel, learn two words in the local language:

Hello.

A simple greeting can show that you’re interested in the country you’re visiting.

Thank you.

A simple expression of gratitude shows appreciation when someone helps you.

That’s it.

Then, if you want to go further, learn a few more useful travel phrases.

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Don’t start with English

English is the world’s most widely used international language, and it’s incredibly useful when travelling.

But there’s a difference between using English because it’s necessary and assuming everyone should speak it.

Imagine arriving at a restaurant in another country and immediately saying:

“Do you speak English?”

Now imagine greeting the person in their own language first and then asking the same question.

The conversation starts differently.

You don’t need to speak the language.

You just need to make the first effort.

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What should you learn next?

Once you’ve mastered hello and thank you, add these six phrases to your travel vocabulary:

Please
Excuse me
Sorry
Goodbye
Do you speak English?
Where is the bathroom?

Those seven expressions, together with a friendly greeting and a thank you, can take you surprisingly far.

And if you have time before your trip, learn how to order a coffee, ask for directions and say the numbers you are likely to need.

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A little language goes a long way

You don’t have to be fluent to communicate.

You don’t have to have perfect pronunciation.

And you don’t have to spend years studying grammar.

Sometimes, learning just two words before travelling is enough to change the way an interaction begins.

So before your next trip, look up how to say:

Hello.

Thank you.

Practise them a few times.

Then use them.

You might make a mistake.

That’s fine.

You’re travelling to experience another place, meet new people and see something different.

Making the effort is part of the experience.

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Quick reference: 20 languages

Language| Hello| Thank you
🇪🇸 Spanish| Hola| Gracias
🇨🇳 Mandarin Chinese| Nǐ hǎo| Xièxie
🇮🇳 Hindi| Namaste| Shukriya
🇫🇷 French| Bonjour| Merci
🌍 Arabic| Marhaban| Shukran
🇵🇹 Portuguese| Olá| Obrigado / Obrigada
🇷🇺 Russian| Zdravstvuyte| Spasibo
🇮🇩 Indonesian| Halo| Terima kasih
🇩🇪 German| Hallo| Danke
🇯🇵 Japanese| Konnichiwa| Arigatō gozaimasu
🇹🇷 Turkish| Merhaba| Teşekkür ederim
🇰🇷 Korean| Annyeonghaseyo| Gamsahamnida
🇻🇳 Vietnamese| Xin chào| Cảm ơn
🇮🇹 Italian| Ciao / Buongiorno| Grazie
🇹🇭 Thai| Sawasdee| Khop khun
🇳🇱 Dutch| Hallo| Dank je wel
🇬🇷 Greek| Yia sou| Efcharistó
🇲🇾 Malay| Helo / Hai| Terima kasih
🇵🇭 Filipino / Tagalog| Kumusta| Salamat
🌍 Swahili| Jambo| Asante

Pronunciations in this article are simplified guides for English speakers. They are intended to help travellers make a friendly first attempt rather than provide exact phonetic transcription. Pronunciation, vocabulary and appropriate levels of formality can vary between regions and situations.

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Final thought

You don’t need to speak the language to show that you’re trying.

Learn two words.

Hello. Thank you.

Then see where the conversation takes you.