Difference between revisions 38221 and 38224 on enwiki

When you are in a country whose language you do not understand it is possible to get along with a surprisingly short list of phrases, combined with pointing, miming, and writing down numbers on paper.  Here is such a list.

(contracted; show full)*that one: ''þetta'' /thetta/
*how much?: ''hversu'' /KVAIR-suh/
*English: ''enska''
*yes: ''ja''' /yow/
*no: ''nei'' /nay/
*generic toast:  

=== [[Ido language|Ido]] ([[constructed language
s|planned]], reformed version of Esperanto) ===
*Ido: ''Ido''
*hello: ''bona jorno''
*good-bye: ''adio''
*please: ''bonvole''
*thank you: ''danko''
*that one: ''co''
*how much: ''quanta''
*English: ''angla''
*yes: ''yes''
*no: ''no''
*generic toast:  

=== [[Bahasa Indonesia|Indonesian]] ([[Malayo-Polynesian]]) ===
*Indonesian: ''bahasa Indonesia''
*hello: ''selamat pagi'' <sup>8</sup>(morning); ''selamat siang'' (around midday and in the early afternoon); ''selamat sore'' (late afternoon); ''selamat malam'' (after dark)
*good-bye: ''selamat tinggal'' (said by person leaving) /; ''selamat jalan'' (staying)<sup>9</sup>aid by person staying)
*please: ''tolong''
*thank you: ''terima kasih''
*that one: ''itu'' 
*how much? ''berapa'' 
*English: ''bahasa Inggris'' 
*yes: ''ya'' 
*no: ''tidak''
(contracted; show full)*how much? ''quanto'' /KWAN-tow/
*English: ''inglese'' /in-GLAY-say/
*yes: ''s&igrave;'' /see/
*no: ''no'' /no/
*generic toast: ''salute'' /sall-OO-teh/

=== [[Japanese language|Japanese]] ===
*Japanese: &#26085;&#26412;&#35486; (
''nihongo)<br>'') /neei-hon-go/''
*hello: ''konnichiwa'' /kohn-nee-chee-wa/ (hello on telephone: ''moshi-moshi'')
*good-bye: ''sayonara'' /sigh oh na ra/
*please: ''kudasai'' /ku-da-sigh/
*thank you: ''arigat&#333;'' /ah-ri-ga-to-oh/
*that one: ''sore'' /so ray/
*how much? ''ikura'' /i-ku-ra/
*English: ''eigo'' /ay-go/
(contracted; show full)
=== [[Polish language|Polish]] ([[Slavic languages|Slavic]]) ===
*Polish: ''Polski'' /pol-skih/
*hello: ''dzie&#324; dobry'' /jien dohb-rih/
*good-bye: ''do widzenia'' /doh vidzenya/
*please: ''prosz&#281;'' /proh-sheh/
*thank you: ''dzi&#281;kuje'' /jien-koo-ye/ (almost a [[false cognate]])
*that one: ''ten'' /ten/
<sup>2</sup>, ''ta'' /tuh/, ''to'' /toh/ (depends on word gender. ''Which is which?'')
*how much?: ''ile'' /ih-leh/
*English: ''angielski'' /un-ghiel-skih/
*yes: ''tak'' /tuhk/
*no: ''nie'' /nye/
*generic toast: ''na zdrowie'' /nah zdrovyie/

=== [[Russian language|Russian]] ([[Slavic languages|Slavic]]) ===
(contracted; show full)
=== [[Spanish language|Spanish]] ([[Romance languages|Romance]]) ===
*Spanish: ''espa&ntilde;ol'' /ess-pahn-YOHL/
*hello: ''hola'' /OH-la/
*good-bye: ''adio's'' /ah-THYOHS/
*please: ''por favor'' /pour fah-VOAR/
*thank you: ''gracias'' /GRAHSS-yahss/
*that one: ''
e'se'' /ESS-say/<sup>3</sup>&eacute;se'' /EH-seh/ (masculine); ''&eacute;sa'' /EH-sah/ (feminine)
*how much?: ''cu&aacute;nto'' /KWAHN-toe/
*English: ''ingl&eacute;s'' /ing-GLESS/
*yes: ''s&iacute;'' /see/
*no: ''no'' /no/
*generic toast: ''salud'' /sah-LOOTHE/

=== [[Swahili language|Swahili]] ([[Bantu]]) ===
(contracted; show full)
=== [[Welsh language|Welsh]] ([[Celtic languages|Celtic]]) ===
*Welsh: ''Cymraeg'' /kum-REYEG/
*hello: ''s'mae?'' /smy/
*good-bye: ''hwyl'' /HOO-il/
*please: ''os gwelwch yn dda'' /oss GOOEL-ook 'n tha/
*thank you: ''diolch'' /DEE-olk/
*that one: ''honno'' /HON-no/
<sup>6</sup> (feminine); ''hwnnw'' /HOO-noo/ (masculine).
*how much?: ''faint?'' /vie-nt/
*English: ''Saesneg'' /SAUS-neg/
*yes: <sup>4</sup>''ie'' /ee-yay/
*no: <sup>5</sup>''na'' /na/
*generic toast: ''iechyd da'' /YEKid dar/

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<sup>1</sup>No word directly corresponds to the word please.  T

Danish and Finnish express the concept of politeness in a request is express in various ways.

<sup>2</sup>''ten'' /ten/, ''ta'' /tuh/, ''to'' /toh/ [depends on word gender]

<sup>3</sup>or ''&eacute;sa'' /ay-sah/ [for a feminine object]



<sup>4</sup>This actually means "it is" and can only be used in an answer to a question with the verb "to be".    



Languages like Irish, Welsh, and ChineseChinese, Irish, Toki Pona, and Welsh do not have words for "yes" or "no".    



Instead you repeat the main verb of the question in your answer.

<sup>5</sup>This actually means "it is not".  See note 4 above.

<sup>6</sup> this is the feminine form. The Masculine form is 'hwnnw' HOO-noo.



<sup>7</sup> Greetings in Swahili are an incredibly complex affair and are a crucial aspect of Swahili culture; it is not uncommon for a conversation to last five minutes before it actually moves beyond saying "Hello". There is no generic word for "Hello" in the language, rather there are numerous options depending on the relative ages and/or race of the people involved, as well as singular and plural forms. A non-comprehensive list would include "hujambo" (reply "sijambo") for two people of similar age and race, "jambo" (reply "jambo") for between white and black people, "Shikamoo" (reply "Marahaba") for a young person to an elderly person, "Hodi" (reply "Karibu") when in the doorway of a house. There are additionally numerous informal greetings such as "Mambo", "Safi", and many more. Curiously, farewells are abrupt or even non-existent.

<sup>8</sup> This is ''good morning''; ''selamat siang'' is used around midday and in the early afternoon, ''selamat sore'' in the late afternoon, ''selamat malam'' after dark.

<sup>9</sup> The person leaving uses the first phrase; the person staying uses the second.



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[[talk:Common_phrases_in_different_languages|Talk]] | [[talk:Common_phrases_in_different_languages/table|Format Talk]]