Western European language basics

Last Updated: Jan. 01, 2009

Tags: austria, europe, france, germany, greece, italy, netherlands, spain, switzerland

There is no need to enroll in French, Italian, German and Spanish classes for your European Tour. Your Tour Manager will fill you in on how to say some of the basics (eg. hello, please, thank you) in the native tongue of each of the countries you visit. It is often not only useful, but also polite to know a few of the basics in the local language and it’s a good idea to try and remember and uses these basics.

English is a widely spoken and understood as a second or third language amongst many Western Europeans, particularly those of the younger generations.

Western European Language Basics

English French Spanish Italian German Greek Dutch
Good Morning Bonjour Buenos Dias Buongiorno Guten Morgen Kalimera Goedemorgen
Good Bye Au revoir Adios Arrivederci Auf Wiedersehen Yasou Tot ziens
Please S’il vous plait Por favor Perfavore Bitte Parakalo Alstublieft
Thank You Merci Gracias Grazie Danke Schon Effaristo Dank u
Yes Oui Si Si Ja Ne Ya
No Non No No Nein Oki Nee
Where is? Ou est? Donde ésta? Dové Wo ist? Poo eeneh? Waar is?
The toilet Les toilettes El lavabo Il gabinetto Die toilette To oahlehtes De toilet
The bank La banque Banco Banca Die bank Trapeze Bank
Post office La poste Correos Ufficio postale Die post Takedromeo Postkantoor
How much? Combine? Cunato? Quanto? Wieviel? Posso? hoeveel?
The bill L’addition La cuenta Il conto Die rechnung To loghariazmo rekening
Ladies Dames Enoras Donne Damen Yinekon Dames
Gents Messieurs Senores Uomini Herren Anthron Heren
Stamp Timbre Sello Francobollo Briefmarke Grammatesimo Stamp
One/two Un/deux Uno/due Uno/due Eins/zwei Ena/thio Een/twee
Three/four Trios/quatre Tres/cuarto Tre/Quattro Drei/vier Tria/tesera Drie/vier
Five/six Cinq/six Cinco/seis Cinque/sei Funf/sechs Pende/eksi Vijf/zes
Seven/eight Sept/huit Siete/ocho Sette/otto Sieben/acht Epta/okta Zeven/acht
Nine/ten Neuf/dix Nueve/diez Nove/dieci Neun/zehn Enea/theka Negen/tien
Open Overt Abierto Aperto Geoffnet Anikton Open
Closed Fermé Cerrado Chiuso Geschlossen Kilson Gesloten
Hot Chaud Caliente Caldo Heiss Zesto Hete
Cold Froid Frio Freddo Kalt Krio Koude
Water Eau Agua Acqua Wasser Nero Water
Tea Thé Té Té Tee Chai Thee
Coffee Café Café Caffé Kaffee Kafe Koffie
Beer Biére Cerveza Birra Bier Bira Bier
Wine Vin Vino Vino Wein Krasi Wijn
Excuse me (sorry) Excusez-moi Perdon Scusi Entschuldigung Sygnomi Sorry
Cheers Santé Salut Saluté Prost Yamus Proost

These Languages are of use in….

French – France, Southern Belgium (including Brussels) parts of Switzerland

Spanish – Spain (Spanish will be understood in most parts of Spain, however Catalan and Basque are spoken in Barcelona and the North of the country)

Italian – Italy, parts of Switzerland, Albania

German – Varying dialects throughout Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein

Greek – Greece

Dutch – Dialects throughout the Netherlands and Northern Belgium

Add a Comment Comments (3)

  1. Very helpful! Though I’m pretty sure I’m butchering most of the words =/

    JasJas posted on Aug. 28, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate

  2. ‘de nada’ is a great phrase to know in Spain as it means ‘no worries’ or ‘you’re welcome’ – after someone says ‘gracias/thanks’ – really helpful

    also – the word ‘dos’ actaully means two in spanish.. =)

    Default_avatarKris posted on May. 09, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate

  3. ‘Prego’ is also a great word to know in Italy (along with Ciao Bella…or Bello depending on your taste) – Prego though is simply a polite term that means ‘you’re welcome’ or ‘please’ (as in “please, can I help you) – you’ll hear it a lot and it’s a good, useful and polite word to know and use yourself.

    mattyvcontikimattyvcontiki posted on Dec. 12, 2007 Flag as Inappropriate

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