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In my European travels, I’ve always found that using even a few foreign words makes my encounters with natives more welcoming and pleasant. Who wants to sound like an ugly American stereotype, barging in and giving orders in English? You’ll get friendlier treatment and service in shops and restaurants just by saying “Bonjour, monsieur” or “Buenos días, señorita.”
Savvy travelers know to avoid the rude, insulting, out-of-date “garçon” to call a French waiter. In Italy, it’s easy to pronounce buongiorno (bwon-JUR-no) for good morning and transition to buonasera (bwo-na-SEH-ra) in the evening.
Learning foreign words and phrases before a trip also has cognitive benefits. It’s different from brain-boosting crosswords because of the inherently social component: language exchanges are used with other people.
“Language is like a puzzle: searching for patterns, looking for missing information,” says Dr. Cindy Blanco, Senior Learning Scientist at the language app Duolingo.
You don’t have to become fluent to reap the rewards. Our brain’s control center, the executive functioning system, manages our attention. When studying a language, “you tune in and pay more attention to certain elements,” says Dr. Blanco. “This transfers to broader improvement in our ability to direct and change attention in the control center of the brain.”
Speaking a foreign language enhances your travel experience and brain health. When you return, you just might gravitate toward foreign films and continued language learning for brain health benefits — and pure enjoyment.
Begin with the Powder Room
In England, it’s easy: loo, water closet, restroom. The first phrase my husband always wants to learn in a non-native language is, “Where’s the bathroom?” The older I get, the more I need to know this essential fact, too. In high school language classes, for some reason, we had to memorize, “Where is the library?” Although libraries are my favorite places, I don’t have much use for them in my travels.
Essential Phrases for a Trip Abroad
The language app Duolingo posts this guide to the most important phrases to know in a foreign language:
· Hello and goodbye. In some languages, like Italian, there are differences. Ciao (hi) is an intimate greeting used only for a close friend or family member. Salve (hello) is the more appropriate choice.
· Do you speak English?
· I don’t speak (name of language).
· Pleased to meet you.
· I am from (name of country or city).
· Where is (not the library!) the toilette, train station, name of historical site, etc.
· The check, please and thank you.
· Excuse me.
While you’re at it, brush up on metric measures. I’ll always regret not buying a bag of delicious butter cookies in a legendary Paris bakery, as the marked metric weight sounded like beaucoup de cookies. Sadly, it turned out to be much less than I’d predicted, and they were gone before the day’s end.
Language Apps
They are colorful, fun and move as slowly or as fast as you need. CNET reviews the top apps with recommendations:
· Duolingo for multiple languages and the use of game-like exercises.
· Babbel for a school-type experience.
· Drops for visual learners.
· Mondly for helping you remember specific phrases.
· Memrise for speaking casually in a new language.
· Lirica to learn musically through songs.
· Rosetta Stone, for auditory learners. If you prefer in-person learning, check out your local colleges for continuing education classes. Some offer specific classes for travelers. You can also find private tutors and conversation groups.
Translation Apps
On a recent trip to Italy, I downloaded Google Translator, which is free and easy to use. Just pop in an English phrase, and foreign words immediately appear. There’s a camera function that takes a photo of words to translate, which came in handy in a Rome supermarket when I couldn’t figure out if something was shower gel or vinegar — the label had the word “balsamico.” I wanted to wash my body, not a salad. I also used this feature in a parking lot to decipher instructions on how to feed the meter.
Language apps are not always perfect, but they are quite useful. Other recommendations are Translate (iOS), SayHi and Microsoft Translator.
By the end of my trip, I could easily spit out, “Vorrei acqua minerale non frizzante, per favore” (“I’d like mineral water without gas, please”). After I arrived home, I chuckled to myself after instinctively greeting neighbors with buongiorno instead of good morning. My brain still hadn’t said arrivederci to Italy.
Do any of you speak another language? Which one? Let us know in the comments below.
Holly Szczypka
Follow Article Topics: Lifestyle
