Phrasebook

A non-expansive collection of phrases I have learnt on my travels.

CHINESE

  • Greetings
    您好 (nín hǎo): hello (formal)
    再见 (zài jiàn): good bye
    早安 (zǎo ān): good morning
    下午好 (xià wǔ hǎo): good afternoon
    晚安 (wǎn ān): good night
  • Essentials
    谢谢 (xiè xiè): thank you
    别客气 (bié kè qì): you’re welcome
    请 (qǐng): please
    对不起 (duì bù qǐ): sorry/excuse me
    是的 (shì de): yes/correct
    没有 (méi yǒu): no/don’t have
    厕所 (cè suǒ): toilet/washroom
  • Food & Drink
    早餐 (zǎo cān): breakfast
    吃 (chī): eat
    喝 (hē): drink
    咖啡 (kā fēi): coffee
    啤酒 (pí jiǔ): beer
    葡萄酒 (pú táo jiǔ): wine
    水 (shuǐ): water
    果汁 (guǒ zhī): fruit juice
    水果 (shuǐ guǒ): fruit
    苹果 (píng guǒ): apple
    香蕉 (xiāng jiāo): banana
    西瓜 (xī guā): watermelon
    橙 (chéng): orange
    饭 (fàn): rice
    面 (miàn): noodles
    汤 (tāng): soup
    鸡肉 (jī ròu): chicken
    牛肉 (niú ròu): beef
    猪肉 (zhū ròu): pork
    鱼 (yú): fish
    虾 (xiā): prawn/shrimp
  • Numbers
    一 (yī): one
    二 (Èr): two
    三 (sān): three
    四 (sì): four
    五 (wǔ): five
    六 (liù): six
    七 (qī): seven
    八 (bā): eight
    九 (jiǔ): nine
    十 (shí): ten
  • Other
    汽车 (qì chē): car
    火车 (huǒ chē): train
    自行车 (zì xíng chē): bicycle
    路 (lù): road
    街 (jiē): street

CZECH

  • Essentials
    děkuji: thank you

GREEK

  • Greetings
    καλημέρα (kali̱méra): good morning
    καληνύχτα (kali̱nýchta): good night
  • Essentials
    ευχαριστώ (ef̱charistó̱): thank you
    ναί (naí): yes
    όχι (óchi): no
    καταλαβαίνω (katalavaíno̱): understand

KHMER

  • Essentials
    arkoun: thank you
    saumtos: excuse me/sorry

KOREAN

  • Greetings
    안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo): Hello!Good morning!Good afternoon!Good day!
  • Essentials
    화장실 (hwajangsil): toiletrestroom
    감사합니다 (gamsahabnida): thankyou
  • Other
    할아버지(hal-abeoji): grandfathergrandpagrandadgranddadgrandpapa

MALAY

  • Greetings
    selamat datang: welcome
  • Essentials
    terima kasih: thank you
    tandas: toilet
    teksi: taxi
    jalan: road
  • Food & Drink
    makan: eat
    pisang: banana
    goreng: fried
    milk: susu
    kopi: coffee
    teh: tea
    nasi: rice
    minuman: drink
    air: water
  • Numbers
    satu: one
    dua: two
    tiga: three
    empat: four
    lima: five
    enam: six
    tujuh: seven
    lapan: eight
    sembilan: nine
    sepuluh: ten
  • Other
    buku: book

SPANISH

  • Greetings
    Pura Vida: Pure Life (a saying in Costa Rica said as a greeting/goodbye meant to encapsulate the idea of goodwill, balance and happiness in your life)
    hola: hello
    ¡adiós: goodbye
    buenos días: good morning
    buenos noches: good night
  • Essentials
    si: yes
    no: no
    discúlpe: excuse me/sorry
    gracias: thank you
    de nada: it’s nothing/you are welcome
    por favor: please
    lo siento: i am sorry
    perdón: pardon
    hablar: speak
    Español: Spanish
    Inglés: English
    bueno: good
    poco: a little
    mucho: a lot
    yo no hablo español: i do not speak spanish
    tienda: shop
    Yo soy: I am
    banos: toilet
    niño: boy
    niña: girl
    chica: girl
    hombre: man
    mujer: woman
    mercado: market
  • Food & Drink
    comida: food
    soda: restaurant (only in Costa Rica)
    menú: menu
    cena: dinner
    desayuno: breakfast
    camarones: shrimp/prawns
    carne: meat
    pollo: chicken
    pescado: fish
    vegetariano: vegetarian
    ensalada: salad
    huevo: egg
    pan: bread
    queso: cheese
    salsa: sauce
    filete: fillet
    sopa: soup
    fruta: fruit
    manzana: apple
    naranja: orange
    piña: pineapple
    sandia: watermelon
    fresa: strawberry
    cebolla: onion
    ajillo: garlic
    tomate: tomato
    criolla: creole
    patacones: fried plantains – flattened
    arroz: rice
    arroz blanco: white rice
    arroz frito: fried rice
    gallo pinto: a rice and bean dish (it’s delicious)
    papa: potato
    papa puree: mashed potato
    papa fritas: french fries
    caliente: hot
    fria: cold
    hielo: ice
    para llevar: takeaway/to-go
    fresco/fresca: fresh
    naturales: natural
    abierto: open
    agua: water
    bebidas: drinks
    Cuba Libre: rum and coke (literally translated ‘free Cuba’)
    cerveza: beer
    vino: wine
    café: coffee
    leche: milk
    limonada: lemonade
    jugo: juice
    botella: bottle
    pequeño: small
    medio: medium
    grande: large
    una mas: another/one more
  • Numbers
    uno: one
    dos: two
    tres: three
    cuatro: four
    cinco: five
    seis: six
    siete: seven
    ocho: eight
    nueve: nine
    diez: ten
  • Animals
    caballeros: horses
    perro: dog
    gato: cat
    toro: cow
    elefante: elephant
    oso: bear
    león: lion
    tortuga: turtle
  • Other
    salida: exit
    entrada: entrance
    de: of
    bonita: beautiful/pretty
    guapa: pretty
    chinita: sweety
    bailando: dancing
    china (chee-na): Chinese/China
    Chinito: chinese male
    alto: slow
    ojo: eye
    carta: letter
    libro: book
    nuevo: new
    Tico/Tica: a colloquial term that specifically refers to a native Costa Rican person
    Quienes tu papi?who is your daddy?
  • Grammar
    Yo leo: I read
    nosotros: we
    Yo bebo: I drink
    Yo cocino: I cook
    Yo como: I eat
    Yo escribo: I write
    el/la/lo/los/las: the
    un/una: one/a
    el/ella: he/her
    es: is
    tu/usted: you
    con: with

THAI

  • Greetings
    สวัสดี (sawasdee): hello

VIETNAMESE

  • Essentials
    cảm ơn: thank you
    xin chào: hello
    vệ sinh: toilet
    không: no

One thought on “Phrasebook

  1. Pingback: BLOG: New ‘Phrasebook’ Section | travelling with yeomomma

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