One of the things which I like about travelling is learning to communicate in different languages, even if it’s only a few words. I’ve studied various languages over the years and I’ve spent time working as an English teacher in both Italy and Spain. I look very English and it often surprises people in Italy and Spain when I speak to them in their language. I like being able to talk to locals in their own language when we travel and I think that we sometimes get better treatment in places where we speak the language. I enjoy trying to work out the meaning of foreign words and I try to learn a few words of the local language when I’m visiting a new place too because I think that people really appreciate it.
I think that it’s great for kids to learn a few words of a new language when they’re on holiday. I always try to persuade mine to at least say please, thanks, hello and goodbye in the local language of wherever we are. It’s good for their confidence and it’s polite. It also helps them in their formal language learning at school: one of the biggest barriers to learning a language is the fear of making a mistake. In order to learn a language you have to be prepared to make mistakes, mispronounce things and be misunderstood. You have to be prepared to sound funny and maybe a bit stupid and not to mind. The most important thing is just to try to communicate, to say something and not to worry about getting it wrong. So if kids can learn to say a few words on holiday in the local language without feeling self-conscious when they’re getting an ice cream or a drink or looking for the toilets then that’s going to help them in their language lessons in general.
Printables
I’m creating a series of printable sheets of key words in different languages. Each printable will contain our top 10 useful things to say when you’re travelling. Next to the English will be the translation and the pronunciation. I’ve limited it to 10 things to say because when I was teaching English to children I remember that 10 was the number of new words that most of them could learn in a lesson. My kids have chosen the words to include and they agreed on most of them easily, except for one. My son, always a worrier, was adamant that we should include help!, in case of emergencies. My daughter disagreed but I decided to include it.
Top 10 useful things to say in Spanish
Our first Top 10 useful things to say in…. printable is for Spanish. I’m adding printables for other languages too – see links below.
Spanish printable
If you’d like to use the Spanish printable you can download it for free by clicking the link below.
10 useful things to say in Spanish
This is what it looks like:
And here are my other language printables:
10 useful things to say in Portuguese
10 useful things to say in Dutch
10 useful things to say in French
10 useful things to say in German
10 useful things to say in Italian
Spain
If you’d like to read about our travels in Spain, here are some posts which you might enjoy:
What’s it like to stay at La Manga Club?
Things to do on the Costa Brava with kids
Cartagena, Spain. Copyright Gretta Schifano
Over to you
Do you like learning different languages? I’d love to know what you think so do let me know.
What a great idea! I’m massively into language-learning, having studied French and Spanish at university and having taught English and French as foreign languages. I always get our eldest (youngest still doesn’t speak really) to practise saying things in the language of the country we’re visiting, it just makes things more interesting and fun for them too I find.
Franglaise Mummy recently posted…Why France is on the brink of civil war
Great idea Gretta. I try to speak a little of the lingo when abroad but always become unstuck when they reply! Was caught out in Paris when I practised a few sentences in my best accent and the hotel receptionist immediately replied in rapid French.
Good to get the children involved early on, though my son was terribly shy.
Trish – Mum’s Gone To recently posted…Review of The Exhibitionist Hotel – South Kensington
Mine are very shy too but I’ve always got them to say a few things when we’re away. Well done for trying out your French. I did A’ Level French at school but it’s very rusty now!
What a great idea. I totally agree – I’ve always loved languages, and my parents encouraged me to try my French from an early age despite terminal shyness. I’ve started with my two-year-old as well, getting her to say hola and adios when we were in the Canary Islands, which went down very well, even if she’s only parroting the sounds.
I always try to learn a few words whenever I visit a new country along the lines of your list, perhaps with ‘I’m sorry I don’t understand’, ‘more slowly please’, ‘do you speak English?’ and ‘a glass/two glasses/a bottle of white wine’ 🙂
Cathy (MummyTravels) recently posted…2015 Travel resolutions
Good suggestions, thank you, especially ‘I don’t understand’. We decided against including ‘do you speak English’ because my daughter pointed out that it’s better to say that in English!
I love this idea, it’s so helpful and allows even the little ones to learn as they can take a printable with them
Mari recently posted…2015 the year of the Smash Book and Acceptance
Glad you like it, thanks Mari.
My dad said you should always be able to say yes, no and my friend will pay!
What a very shrewd man!