Languages guide: Useful phrases to know when travelling

Did you know that 26th September marks the European Day of Languages? It’s a day to celebrate the different languages spoken and shared across local communities, as well as protect lesser-known languages across the continent and beyond.

The EU has 24 official languages: Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish. However, there are over 200 languages spoken across the continent — even if you’re travelling in the United Kingdom, you may hear people speaking in Scottish Gaelic, Irish Gaelic or Manx in the Isle of Man.

Be inspired to learn new languages with our helpful language phrases guide and social videos. Once you’ve learned the word, why not visit the country to get practising?

Albanian

Albanian is spoken in Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia.

Hello: Përshëndetje

Goodbye: Mirupafshim

Thank You: Faleminderit

Excuse me, please: Më falni, ju lutem

I don’t understand: Nuk të kuptoj.

Do you speak English?: Flisni anglisht?

How much does this cost?: Sa kushton kjo?

I would like this, please: Do të doja këtë, ju lutem

Arabic

Arabic is spoken in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia.

Hello: Mrhban مرحبًا

Goodbye: Mae alsalama مع السلامة

Thank You: Shkran lak: شكرًا لك

Excuse me, please: ‘iismah lay, min fadlik: إسمح لي، من فضلك

I don’t understand: la ‘afham لا أفهم

Do you speak English?: hal tatakalam bial'iinjiliziati? هل تتكلم بالإنجليزية؟

How much does this cost?: kam taklifat hadha? كم تكلفة هذا؟

I would like this, please: 'urid hadha min fadlik أريد هذا من فضلك

Bosnian

Bosnian is spoken in Bosnia.

Hello: Zdravo

Goodbye: Doviđenja

Thank You: Hvala ti

Excuse me, please:Oprostite, molim vas

I don’t understand: Ne razumijem

Do you speak English?: Govorite li engleski?

How much does this cost?: Koliko ovo košta?

I would like this, please:Volio bih ovo, molim

Bulgarian

Bulgarian is spoken in Bulgaria.

Hello: zdraveĭ, здравей

Goodbye: dovizhdane, довиждане

Thank You: blagodarya vi, благодаря ви

Excuse me, please: Izvinete, molya, Извинете, моля

I don’t understand: Ne razbiram, Не разбирам

Do you speak English?: Govorite li angliĭski?, Говорите ли английски?

How much does this cost?: Kolko struva tova?, Колко струва това?

I would like this, please: Bikh iskal/a tova, molya, Бих искал/а това, моля

Croatian

Croatian is spoken in Croatia.

Hello: Zdravo

Goodbye: Zbogom

Thank You: Hvala

Excuse me, please: Oprostite, molim vas

I don’t understand: Ne razumijem

Do you speak English?: Govorite li engleski?

How much does this cost?: Koliko ovo košta?

I would like this, please: Volio bih ovo, molim

Czech

Czech is spoken in the Czech Republic.

Hello: Ahoj

Goodbye: Sbohem

Thank You: Děkuju

Excuse me, please: Promiňte, prosím

I don’t understand: Nerozumím

Do you speak English?: Mluvíte anglicky?

How much does this cost?: Kolik to stojí?

I would like this, please: Tohle bych chtěl/a, prosím

Dutch

Dutch is spoken in the The Netherlands.

Hello: Hallo

Goodbye: Tot ziens

Thank You: Dank u wel!

Excuse me, please: Pardon, alstublieft

I don’t understand:Ik begrijp het niet

Do you speak English?: Spreek je Engels?

How much does this cost?: Hoeveel kost dit?

I would like this, please: Ik zou dit graag willen, alstublieft

Estonian

Estonian is spoken in Estonia.

Hello: Tere

Goodbye: Hüvasti

Thank You: Aitäh

Excuse me, please: Vabandust, palun

I don’t understand: Ma ei saa aru

Do you speak English?: Kas sa räägid inglise keelt?

How much does this cost?: Kui palju see maksab?

I would like this, please: Ma tahaksin seda, palun

Finnish

Finnish is spoken in Finland.

Hello: Hei

Goodbye: Hyvästi

Thank You: Kiitos

Excuse me, please: Anteeksi, olkaa hyvä

I don’t understand: En ymmärrä

Do you speak English?: Puhutko englantia?

How much does this cost?: Paljonko tämä maksaa?

I would like this, please: Haluaisin tämän, kiitos

French

French is spoken in France and Switzerland.

Hello: Bonjour

Goodbye: Au revoir

Thank You: Merci

Excuse me, please: Excusez-moi, s'il vous plait

I don’t understand: Je ne comprends pas

Do you speak English?: Parles-tu anglais?

How much does this cost?: Combien cela coûte-t-il?

I would like this, please: J'aimerais ça, s'il vous plaît

Georgian

Georgian is spoken in Georgia.

Hello: Gamarjoba, გამარჯობა

Goodbye: es minda, gtkhovt, ეს მინდა, გთხოვთ

Thank You: gmadlobt, გმადლობთ

Excuse me, please: bodishi, gtkhovt, ბოდიში, გთხოვთ

I don’t understand: ver vkhvdebi, ვერ ვხვდები

Do you speak English?: inglisurad saubrob?, ინგლისურად საუბრობ?

How much does this cost?: ra ghirs es?, რა ღირს ეს?

I would like this, please: es minda, gtkhovt, ეს მინდა, გთხოვთ

German

German is spoken in Austria and Germany.

Hello: Hallo

Goodbye: Auf Wiedersehen

Thank You: Danke

Excuse me, please: Entschuldigen Sie mich, bitte

I don’t understand: Ich verstehe nicht

Do you speak English?: Sprechen Sie Englisch?

How much does this cost?: Wie viel kostet das?

I would like this, please: Das hätte ich gerne, bitte

Greek

Greek is spoken in Cyprus and Greece.

Hello: Geiá sou, Γειά σου

Goodbye: Antío, Αντίο

Thank You: Sas efcharistó, Σας ευχαριστώ

Excuse me, please: Syngnómi, parakaló, Συγγνώμη, παρακαλώ

I don’t understand: Den katalavaíno, Δεν καταλαβαίνω

Do you speak English? Miláte angliká?, Μιλάτε αγγλικά?

How much does this cost?: Póso kostízei aftó?, Πόσο κοστίζει αυτό?

I would like this, please: Tha íthela aftó, parakaló, Θα ήθελα αυτό, παρακαλώ

Hungarian

Hungarian is spoken in Hungary.

Hello: Helló

Goodbye: Búcsú

Thank You: Köszönöm

Excuse me, please: Elnézést, kérem

I don’t understand: Nem értem

Do you speak English?: Beszél angolul?

How much does this cost?: Mennyibe kerül ez?

I would like this, please: Ezt szeretném, kérem szépen

Icelandic

Icelandic is spoken in Iceland.

Hello: Halló

Goodbye: Bless

Thank You: Þakka þér fyrir

Excuse me, please: Fyrirgefðu, vinsamlegast

I don’t understand: Ég skil ekki

Do you speak English?: Talar þú ensku?

How much does this cost?: Hvað kostar þetta?

I would like this, please: Ég vil þetta, takk

Irish

Irish is spoken in Ireland.

Hello: Dia duit

Goodbye: Slán

Thank You: Go raibh maith agat

Excuse me, please: Gabh mo leithscéal, le do thoil

I don’t understand: Ní thuigim

Do you speak English?: An labhraíonn tú Béarla?

How much does this cost?: Cé mhéad a chosnaíonn sé seo?

I would like this, please: Ba mhaith liom é seo, le do thoil

Italian

Italian is spoken in Italy and Switzerland.

Hello: Ciao

Goodbye: Arrivederci

Thank You: Grazie

Excuse me, please: Mi scusi, per favore

I don’t understand: Non capisco

Do you speak English?: Lei parla inglese?

How much does this cost?: Quanto costa?

I would like this, please: Vorrei questo, per favore

Lithuanian

Lithuanian is spoken in Lithuania.

Hello: Sveiki

Goodbye: Viso gero

Thank You: Ačiū

Excuse me, please: Atsiprašau, prašau

I don’t understand: Aš nesuprantu

Do you speak English?: Ar kalbate angliškai?

How much does this cost?: Kiek tai kainuoja?

I would like this, please: Norėčiau šito, prašau

Macedonia

Macedonian is spoken in Macedonia.

Hello: zdravo, здраво

Goodbye: Zbogum, Збогум

Thank You: Vi blagodarime, Ви благодариме

Excuse me, please: Izvinete, ve molam, Извинете, ве молам

I don’t understand: Ne razbiram, Не разбирам

Do you speak English?: Dali zboruvate angliski?, Дали зборувате англиски?

How much does this cost?: Kolku čini ova?, Колку чини ова?

I would like this, please; Bi sakal ova, te molam, Би сакал ова, те молам

Norwegian

Norwegian is spoken in Norway.

Hello: Hallo

Goodbye: Adjø

Thank You: Takk

Excuse me, please: Unnskyld meg, vær så snill

I don’t understand: Jeg forstår ikke

Do you speak English?: Snakker du engelsk?

How much does this cost?: Hvor mye koster dette?

I would like this, please: Jeg vil gjerne ha dette, vær så snill

Polish

Polish is spoken in Poland.

Hello: Cześć

Goodbye: Do widzenia

Thank You: Dziękuję

Excuse me, please: Przepraszam, proszę

I don’t understand: Nie rozumiem

Do you speak English?: Czy mówi Pan po angielsku?

How much does this cost?: Ile to kosztuje?

I would like this, please: Chciałbym to, proszę

Portuguese

Portuguese is spoken in Portugal.

Hello: Olá

Goodbye: Adeus

Thank You: Obrigado

Excuse me, please: Desculpe-me, por favor

I don’t understand: Eu não entendo

Do you speak English?: Você fala inglês?

How much does this cost?: Quanto isso custa?

I would like this, please: Eu gostaria disso, por favor

Romanian

Romanian is spoken in Moldova and Romania.

Hello: Bună ziua

Goodbye: La revedere

Thank You: Multumesc

Excuse me, please: Scuză-mă, te rog

I don’t understand: Nu înțeleg

Do you speak English?: Vorbiți engleză?

How much does this cost?: Cât costă asta?

I would like this, please: Aș dori asta, vă rog

Serbian

Serbian is spoken in Serbia.

Hello: Zdravo, Здраво

Goodbye: Doviđenja, Довиђења

Thank You: Hvala Vam, Хвала Вам

Excuse me, please: Izvinite, molim vas, Извините, молим вас

I don’t understand: Ne razumem, Не разумем

Do you speak English?: Da li govorite engleski?, Да ли говорите енглески?

How much does this cost?: Koliko ovo košta?, Колико ово кошта?

I would like this, please: Voleo bih ovo, molim vas, Волео бих ово, молим вас

Slovak

Slovak is spoken in Slovakia.

Hello: Dobrý deň

Goodbye: Dovidenia

Thank You: Ďakujem

Excuse me, please: Prepáčte, prosím

I don’t understand: Nerozumiem

Do you speak English?: Hovoríte po anglicky?

How much does this cost?: Koľko to stojí?

I would like this, please: Chcel by som to, prosím

Spanish

Spanish is spoken in Spain.

Hello: Hola

Goodbye: Adiós

Thank You: Gracias

Excuse me, please: Discúlpame, por favor

I don’t understand: No entiendo

Do you speak English?: ¿Hablas inglés?

How much does this cost?: ¿Cuanto cuesta esto?

I would like this, please: Me gustaría esto por favor

Turkish

Turkish is spoken in Turkey.

Hello: Merhaba

Goodbye: Güle güle

Thank You: Teşekkür ederim

Excuse me, please: Affedersiniz

I don’t understand: Anlamıyorum

Do you speak English?: İngilizce biliyor musunuz?

How much does this cost?: Bunun maliyeti ne kadar?

I would like this, please: Bunu rica ediyorum lütfen