Before traveling to a given country, I try to learn ten basic words or phrases in the local language. It shows respect and makes it easier to get around.
These are the ten I start with:
- Hello
- Goodbye
- Thank you
- You're welcome
- How are you?
- OK
- Yes
- No
- Sorry
- Please
Those few phrases can take you surprisingly far.
I created a public spreadsheet with translations for different countries.
The same language can vary by place. Spanish in Spain, for example, is not identical to Spanish in Colombia. Small differences can matter.
I am crowdsourcing the list. If you know a language well, please add a translation for your country or correct one that is there. To keep it simple, use the most common expression and provide one version rather than several alternatives.
Once a native speaker confirms an entry, I add it to the table below. I hope it helps.