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Phrases to learn

Chinese

Basics

EnglishChinese (Pinyin)Pronunciation
yesshi
nobu
pleaseqing
you're welcomebu ke qi
thank youxie xie
Americanmei gue ren
doctoryi sheng
Mamama ma
Papaba ba
trainhuo che
airplanefei ji
busqi che
taxichu zu che
hoteljiu dian
toiletwei sheng jian
telephonedian hua
storeshang dian

Food

EnglishChinese (Pinyin)Pronunciation
breakfastzao fan
lunchwu fan
dinnerwan fan
restaurantfan dian

Greetings

EnglishChinese (Pinyin)Pronunciation
Helloni hao
Good morningzao shang hao
Good afternoonxia wu hao
Good eveningwan shang hao
Good nightwan an
Good-byezai jian

Apologies

EnglishChinese (Pinyin)Pronunciation
sorrydui bu qi
excuse meme lao jia

Time

EnglishChinese (Pinyin)Pronunciation
daybai tian
weekxing qi
monthyue
todayJin Tian
tomorrowming tian
What time is it now?Ji dian le?

Basic Phrases

EnglishChinese (Pinyin)Pronunciation
My name is ...wo jiao ...
Do you speak English?ni jiang ying wen ma?
I don't speak Chinesewo bu shuo zhong wen
Could you speak more slowly?qing shuo man dian hao ma?
I don't understandwo bu ming bai
I understandwo ming bai
Pleased to meet youhen gao xing ren shi ni

Questions

EnglishChinese (Pinyin)Pronunciation
Where?zai nar?
When?shen me shi hou?
How?zen yang?
Why?wei shen me?
Who?shei?

Amharic (Ethiopia)

Basics

EnglishAmharic
yesow OR awo
noidellem OR ai de lum OR aye
please (girl)ibahkish OR ibahkeesh
please (boy)i-bah-kah-huh
you're welcomeminim chigir yelem, minem ayedelem
thank youameseginalehu
I am American.Ene americawi negn (male)
Ene americawit negn (female)
doctorhakeem
hospitalhakeem be't
mamaem-aye-yay OR enat
papaabbabba OR abaye OR uh-buh-buh OR uh-bye-yeh
trainbabur
airplaneayroplan
busawtobus
car/truckmeckina
hotelhotel
bathroombagnobet
telephonesilk
store, shopsuk, kiosk
toiletshinta bet
toilet paper or tissuesoft
momenat
dadah but
childrenlej

Food

EnglishAmharic
breakfastkurs
lunchmesa
dinnere raht OR ah-raht
restaurantmegeb be't
waterwah ha
food/mealmegibba

Greetings

EnglishAmharic
Helloselam, hello
Good morningindemin adderk (m),
indemin addersh (f),
indemin adderachihu (pl),
indemin adderu (respect)
Good afternoonindemin walk (m),
indemin walsh (f),
indemin walachihu (pl),
indemin walu (respect)
Good eveningindemin amesheh (m),
indemin ameshesh (f),
indemin ameshachihu (pl),
indemin ameshu (respect)
Good nightdehna ider (m),
dehna ideree (f),
dehna ideru (pl)
Good-bye (casual)ciao OR chow

Apologies

EnglishAmharic
sorryazinalehu
excuse meyikuhrta

Time

EnglishAmharic
dayken
weeksament
monthwer
todayza re
tomorrownege
What time is it now?Sint saat nouw?

Basic phrases

EnglishAmharic
My name is...Sime .... new
Do you speak English?Englizigna tinageraleh (male)
Englizigna tinageralesh (female)
I don't speak Amharic.Amarigna alinagerem
Please speak more slowly.Kes bileh tenegari (male)
Kes bilesh tenegari (female)
I don't understand.Algebagnim
I understand.Gebagn
Nice to meet you.Siletewawekin Des Beelognal.
Where's the bathroom?Shent Be'tu yet new? (informal)
Metatebia Be'tu yet new? (formal)
I feel sick.Amognal

Questions

EnglishAmharic
Where (direction)yet?
When?metche?
How?endet?
Why?lemen?
Who?man?
What?min?

Spanish

Greetings

EnglishSpanishPronunciation
HelloHolaOh-la
GoodbyeAdiósAhd-yos
Good morningBuenos díasBweh-nos dee-ahs
Good afternoonBuenas tardesBweh-nahs tar-dehs
Good evening/nightBuenas nochesBweh-nahs no-cheys
How are you?¿Cómo está usted?Coh-moh es-tah oo-sted
Very good/well, thanksMuy bien, graciasMooey byen, grah-see-yahs
That's all rightEstá bienes-tah byen
Don't worryNo se preocupeno sey prey-oh-coo-peh

Useful Statements

EnglishSpanishPronunciation
I don't knowNo séno say
I'm hungry (thirsty)Tengo hambre (sed)tayn-go ahm-bray (sed)
I'm tiredEstoy cansadoes-toy cahn-sah-doh
I'm readyEstoy listoes-toy lee-stoh
One moment pleaseUn momento por favor.oon moh-men-toh pour fah-vohr
Thank you for your helpGracias por tu ayuda.grah-see-yahs pour too ah-yoo-dah
Taxi pleaseTaxi por favortah-ksee pour fah-vohr

Common Phrases

EnglishSpanishPronunciation
Yessee
NoNono
PleasePor favorpour fah-vohr
Thank youGraciasgrah-see-yahs
You're welcomeDe nadadeh nah-dah
No thank youNo graciasno grah-see-yahs
SorryPerdonepehr-doh-ney
What is your name?¿Cómo se llama?coh-moh say yah-mah
My name is ...Me llamo ...may yah-moh ...

Language Problems

EnglishSpanishPronunciation
Do you speak English?¿Habla inglés?ah-blah een-glays?
Do you understand me?¿Me entiende?may ehn-tyen-day?
I don't speak SpanishNo hablo españolno ah-bloh es-pah-nyol
Please speak slowlyHable despacio, por favorah-blay des-pah-siyo pour fah-vohr
I don't understandNo entiendono ehn-tyen-doh

Questions

EnglishSpanishPronunciation
Where is (are)?¿Dónde está (están)dohn-day es-tah (es-tahn)
When?¿Cuándo?kwahn-doh?
Who?¿Quién?kee-yen?
Why?¿Por qué?pour-kay?
What?¿Qué?kay?
How much is (are)?¿Cuánto es (son)?kwahn-toh ehs (sohn)?
How far?¿Qué distancia?kay dee-stahn-si-ya eye?
I want (would like ...)Quierokee-yer-oh
Can you help me?¿Puede usted ayudarme?pway-day oo-sted ah-yoo-dahr-may
Can you show me?¿Puede enseñarme?pway-day oo-sted en-sen-yar-may
Can you tell me?¿Puede decirme?pway-day oo-sted deh-seer-may

Russian

Basics

EnglishRussian
(Transliterated)
Pronunciation
yesdadah
nonetnyet
please / you're welcomepozhaluistapah-zhal-stah
thank you (very much)spasibo (bol'shoe)spah-see-bah (bahl-shoye)
AmericanAmerikanskyAh-myer-ee-kahn-skeey
doctorvrachvrahch
medical clinicpolikinikapah-lee-klee-nee-kah
MamaMamaMah-mah
PapaPapaPah-pah
trainpoezdpoy-ezd
airplanesamolëtsah-mah-loot
busavtobusahv-toh-boos
taxitaksitahk-see
hotelgostinitsagah-stee-nee-tsah
toilettualettoo-ah-lyet
telephonetelefontee-lee-fohn
storemagazinmah-gah-zeen

Food

EnglishRussian
(Transliterated)
Pronunciation
breakfastzavtrakzahv-trahnk
lunchobedah-byed
dinneruzinoo-zheen
restaurantrestoranres-tah-rahn

Greetings

EnglishRussian
(Transliterated)
Pronunciation
hellozdravstvuitezdrast-vooy-tye
good morningdobroe utrodoh-braye oo-trah
good afternoondobr'y den'doh-bree dyen
good eveningdobr'y vechrdoh-bree vye-cher
good nightspokoinoy nochyspah-koy-nay noh-chyee
good-byedo svidaniyadah svee-dah-nee-ya

Apologies

EnglishRussian
(Transliterated)
Pronunciation
sorryizviniteeez-vee-nee-te
excuse meprostiteprah-stee-tye

Time

EnglishRussian
(Transliterated)
Pronunciation
dayden'dyen
weeknedelyanye-dyel-ya
monthmesyatsmye-syats
todaysegodnyasye-vohd-nyah
tomorrowsavtrazahf-trah
What time is it now?Skol'ko seichas vremeny?Skohl-kah syey-chahs vrye-myen-ee?

Phrases

EnglishRussian
(Transliterated)
Pronunciation
My name is ...Menya zovut ...Myen-yah zah-voot...
Do you speak English?V'i govorite po-angliyskiVi ga-var-eet-ye pa an-glee-skee?
I don't speak RussianYa ne govoryu po-russkiYah nye gah-vahr-yoo pah-roo-skee
Could you speak more slowly?Govorite, pozhaluista, medlenneeGah-vah-ree-tye pa-zha-looy-sta myed-lee-ney
I don't understandYa ne ponimayuYa nee pa-nee-ma-yoo
I understandYa ponimayuYa pa-nee-ma-yoo
Pleased to meet you!Ochen' priyatnoOh-chyen pree-yaht-nah!

Questions

EnglishRussian
(Transliterated)
Pronunciation
Where?gde?gdye?
When?kogda?kog-dah?
How?kak?kak?
Why?pochemu?pach-yee-moo?
Who?kto?kto?

Nepali

Basics

EnglishNepali
yesho
nohoina
please (give me)dinuhos
please (you have)khanuhos
thank youdhanyabaad
I am American.Ma American hun.
medical clinicclinic
medicineausadhi
aspirincetamol
motheraama
fatherbuba
airplanehavai jahaj
busbus
taxitaxi
hotelhotel
toiletcharpi
telephonetelephone
shoppasal
luggagesaman
bagjhola

Food

EnglishNepali
breakfast(bihana ko) nasta
lunchkhana
dinner(raati ko) khana
restaurantrestaurant
waterpani
food khanekura

Greetings

EnglishNepali
Hellonamaste
Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, good nightnamaste
Good-byenamaste

Apologies

EnglishNepali
sorrymaaph garnuhos
excuse mehajur

Time

EnglishNepali
daydeen or bar
weekhaptaa
monthmahina
todayajha
tomorrowvolee
What time is it? Kati bhajyo?

Basic Phrases

EnglishNepali
My name is ...Mero nm (your name) ho.
Do you speak English?Tapai angreji bolna saknu hunchha?
I speak very little Nepali.Ma ali ali nepali bolchu.
Please speak more slowly.Tapai bistarai bolnuhos.
I don't understand.Maile bujena.
I understand.Ma bujhchu.
Pleased to meet you.Bhetera khushi lagyo.
Where's the bathroom?Chabee gana du then?
I'm sickMa birami chu.
I have a headache.Tauko dukhyo.
I have a stomachache.Pet dukhyo.
How much (money)Kati paisa.
It's expensive.Mahango bhayo.
It's beautiful.Dherai ramro.

Questions

EnglishNepali
Where?kahaa?
When?ka-hee-lay?
How?kasare?
Why?kina?
Who?ko?
What?kay?