Want to receive a warm welcome no matter where you travel? Knowing a little of the language instantly puts the locals on your side and it certainly makes communicating easier! Your tour director can take care of most of your translation needs but it’s nice to know a few things for when you’re exploring on your own. AESU has compiled some common phrases and how to say them in some various languages. Give them a browse and maybe google some other vocabulary. You never know what you might need to say!
Hello/Please/ Thank you
Being polite gets you a long way when you’re speaking a language that isn’t yours. The French in particular usually start conversations with “bonjour.” However, a cheerful “hello” or “thank you” is a nice thing to say in any language.
| French | Bonjour/ S’il vous plait/Je vous remercie |
| German | Hallo/Bitte/Danke |
| Italian | Ciao/Per favore/Grazie |
| Greek | Geia/Parakaló/Efcharistó |
Yes/No
These most basic of words can be incredibly useful and they’re probably the easiest to remember!
| French | Oui/Non |
| German | Ja/Nein |
| Italian | Sì/No |
| Greek | Nai/Óchi |
How much does it cost?
This phrase is a necessity if you are planning on doing any shopping. It might not be enough to allow you to negotiate on the price, but it can get you started!
| French | Combien ça coûte? |
| German | Wie viel kostet es? |
| Italian | Quanto costa? |
| Greek | Póso kostízei? |
Where is… (the train station)?
Even those of us with phenomenal senses of directions get turned around from time to time. This phrase along with some basic locational vocabulary is almost compulsory when traveling.
| French | Où se trouve… (le gare)? |
| German | Wo ist… (der Bahnhof)? |
| Italian | Dov’ è… (la stazione ferroviaria)? |
| Greek | Pou eínai… (o stathmós ton trénon)? |
Do you speak English?/I need help.
Here are two other phrases that you need to know when you’re traveling. Asking if someone speaks English can open a lot of doors when you are trying to get something across, as many Europeans speak at least a little English. And even though we hope you won’t have to use it, being able to ask for help might be the most important translation on this list!
| French | Parlez-vous anglais?/J’ai besoin d’aide. |
| German | Sprichst du Englisch?/Ich brauche Hilfe. |
| Italian | Parli inglese?/Ho bisogno di aiuto. |
| Greek | Milás angliká?/ Chreiázomai voítheia. |
Travel with AESU and start your adventure!
AESU offers unique, thrilling travel programs for college students and young professionals at affordable rates. Each trip is action-packed and informal—designed just for people your own age. We are also able to design custom tours just for your group.
AESU offers several trips to Europe, as well as various other global destinations. Check out our exciting trips!
And, for a limited time, our Great Escape trip is $300 off for new bookings between May 1 and May 15. Click HERE for more details!
If you have any questions or want help booking your Europe adventure, please contact AESU by calling 800-638-7640, or fill out the contact form found on our website.