image  
HOME PAGE PORTFOLIO GALLERIES ARTICLES ABOUT JUZA E-MAIL LINKS JUZA FORUM
 
       www.juzaphoto.com > Articles > Useful travel phrases in English, French, Spanish and Italian
 

Useful travel phrases in English, French, Spanish and Italian


 

When you travel around the world, it is very important to be able to communicate with other persons, at least for the basic things. In this page, I have listed some of the most useful phrases for the traveler in three of the most widespread languages of the world: English, French and Spanish. I have added Italian, too, just because it is my native language ;-) If you learn these basic phrases in the three main languages, you will be able to go almost everywhere!

If I am going to visit a country where none of these languages is spoken, I try to prepare a translation in the local language, too (the Lonely Planet guides usually have a list of useful phrases; otherwise you can try with Google Translate, even though it is not very accurate). Once I have the list, I make a print that I carry with me during the trip.

This is my personal list, but of course you may add or remove phrases depending by your exigencies.



 

Hostels and Co 

I am looking for an hotel / hostel / camping
French: Je cherche un hotel / auberge de jeunesse / camping
Spanish: Estoy buscando un hotel / albergue / camping
Italian: Sto cercando un hotel / ostello / campeggio

Do you have rooms?
French: Est-ce que vous avez des chambres libres?
Spanish: ¿Tenéis habitaciones libres?
Italian: Avete una stanza libera?

 

Money & Restaurant 

How much does it cost?
French: combien ça coûte?
Spanish: ¿cuánto cuesta?
Italian: quanto costa?

Can I have the bill?
French: l'addition, s'il vous plaît.
Spanish: la cuenta, por favor.
Italian: posso avere il conto?

Bread / Drink / Water?
French: du pain / du boisson / de l'eau
Spanish: pan / bebida / agua
Italian: pane / bibita / acqua

Lunch / dinner
French: le déjeuner / le diner
Spanish: la comida / la cena
Italian: pranzo / cena

 

Language 

Do you speak English?
French: Parlez-vous anglais?
Spanish: Habla usted inglés?
Italian: Parli inglese?

What does it mean?
French: Qu’est-ce que ça veut dire?
Spanish: ¿Qué significa?
Italian: Cosa significa?

I don't understand.
French: Je ne comprends pas.
Spanish: No entiendo
Italian: Non capisco.

 

Traveling 

Can you show me ... on the map?
French: Pouvez-vous m'indiquer ... sur la carte?
Spanish: ¿Me puede decir ... en el mapa?
Italian: Mi puoi indicare ... sulla mappa?

Is this the road to ...?
French: C'est la route pour ...?
Spanish: Es este el camino para ...?
Italian: Questa è la strada per ...?

Where is the tourist office?
French: Où est l'office de tourisme?
Spanish: ¿Dónde está el oficina de turismo?
Italian: Dov'è l'ufficio turistico?

The island / the lake / the sea / the mountain
French: l'ile / le lac / la mer / la montagne
Spanish: la isla / el lago / el mar / la montaña
Italian: l'isola / il lago / il mare / la montagna

A bank / an hospital / a toilet
French: une banque / un hopital / les toilettes
Spanish: un banco / un hospital / un bano
Italian: una banca / un ospedale / la toilette

I want to go to ...
French: Je voudrais aller à ...
Spanish: Me gustaría ir a ...
Italian: Vorrei andare a...

I want a ticket for ...
French: Je voudrais un billet ...
Spanish: Quisiera un billete para ...
Italian: Vorrei un biglietto per...

One way / back and forth
French: Un aller / Un aller (et) retour
Spanish: solo ida / ida y regreso
Italian: sola andata / andata e ritorno

What time is the first / the last ... ?
French: A quelle heure part le premier / le dernier ... ?
Spanish: ¿A qué hora es el primero / el último ... ?
Italian: A che ora parte il primo / l'ultimo ... ?

Plane / bus / ferry boat
French: l'avion / le bus / le bateau
Spanish: avión / bus / ferry
Italian: aereo / autobus / traghetto

Can I camp here?
French: Puis-je camper ici?
Spanish: ¿Puedo acampar aquí?
Italian: Posso campeggiare qui?

 

Car 

I'd like to rent a car / a 4x4
French: Je voudrais louer une voiture / un quatre-quatre
Spanish: Me gustaría alquilar un vehículo / un 4x4
Italian: Vorrei noleggiare un'auto / un quattro per quattro

Where is a gas station?
French: Où est-ce qu'il y a une station-service?
Spanish: ¿Dónde está una estación de gasolina?
Italian: Dove posso trovare un benzinaio?

Unleaded gas / diesel
French: essence sans plomb / diesel
Spanish: gasolina sin plomo / diesel
Italian: benzina senza piombo / diesel

The car has broken
French: la voiture est tombèe en panne
Spanish: el coche se ha roto
Italian: l'auto si è rotta

I have a flat tire
French: mon pneu est à plat
Spanish: tengo una llanta ponchada
Italian: ho bucato una gomma

I have run out of fuel
French: je suis en panne d'essence
Spanish: se me acabó la gasolina
Italian: ho finito la benzina

I have had an accident
French: J'ai eu un accident
Spanish: He tenido un accidente
Italian: Ho fatto un incidente

Motor oil / headlight / clutch / brakes
French: Huile à moteur / phares / embrayage / freins
Spanish: El aceite de motor / faro / embrague / frenos
Italian: olio / faro / frizione / freni

Emergencies and health 

Help!
French: au secours!
Spanish: socorro!
Italian: aiuto!

I have got lost
French: Je me suis égaré
Spanish: Me he perdido
Italian: Mi sono perso

Call the police / a doctor!
French: Appelez la police / un médecin!
Spanish: Llame a la policía / un médico!
Italian: Chiamate la polizia / un medico!

I am ill
French: Je suis malade
Spanish: Estoy enfermo
Italian: Sono ammalato

I have pain here
French: Je ai une douleur ici
Spanish: Tengo un dolor aquí
Italian: Mi fa male qui

Antiseptic / aspirin / suncream / medicine
French: l'antiseptique / l'aspirine / la créme solaire / le médicament
Spanish: antiséptico / aspirina / crema solar / medicina
Italian: antisettico / aspirina / crema solare / medicinale

Sickness / vomit / diarrea
French: nausée / vomir / diarrhéè
Spanish: nausea / vómito / diarrea
Italian: nausea / vomito / diarrea

Do you have ... ?
French: Avez-vous ... ?
Spanish: ¿Tiene usted ... ?
Italian: Avresti ... ?

Is it dangerous?
French: Est-il dangereux?
Spanish: ¿Es peligroso?
Italian: E' pericoloso?

 

Numbers and days 

Zero, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten
French: zero, un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf, dix
Spanish: cero, uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco,seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez
Italian: zero, uno, due, tre, quattro, cinque, sei, sette, otto, nove, dieci

Twenty, fifty, one hundred, one thousand
French: vingt, cinquante, cent, mille
Spanish: veinte, cincuenta, cien, mil
Italian: venti, cinquanta, cento, mille

Today / tomorrow / yesterday
French: aujourd'hui / demain / hier
Spanish: hoy / mañana / ayer
Italian: oggi / domani / ieri

More / less / bigger / smaller / a little
French: plus / moins / plus grand / plus petit / un peu
Spanish: más / menos / más grande / más pequeño / un poco
Italian: più / meno / più grande / più piccolo / un pò

 

Conversation 

Hello / goodbye / yes / no
French: bonjour / au revoir / oui / non
Spanish: buenos dìas / hasta la vista / si / no
Italian: ciao / arrivederci / si / no

Please / thanks / sorry
French: S'il vous plait / merci / pardon
Spanish: por favor / gracias / disculpa
Italian: Per favore / grazie / scusa

What's your name? / I am
French: Comment tu t'appelles? / Je suis
Spanish: Cómo te llamas? / Yo soy
Italian: Come ti chiami? / Io sono

Where are your from? / I'm from ...
French: De quel pays es-tu? / Je viens de ...
Spanish: ¿De dónde eres? / Yo soy de ...
Italian: Di dove sei? / Io sono ...

Nice to meet you!
French: heureux de vous connaître!
Spanish: encantado de conocerte!
Italian: piacere di conoscerti!

I like / I don't like
French: J'aime / Je n'aime pas
Spanish: Me gusta / No me gusta
Italian: Mi piace / Non mi piace

Who / What / When
French: qui / quoi / quand
Spanish: ¿quién / ¿qué / cúando
Italian: chi / che cosa / quando

What is this? / where? / why?
French: qu'est-ce que c'est? / où? / pourquoi?
Spanish: ¿qué es esto? / ¿dónde? / ¿por qué?
Italian: che cos'è? / dove? / perchè?

Fine / not well / so and so
French: bien / mal / ainsi ansi
Spanish: bien / mal / asì asì
Italian: bene/ male / così così

 

Photographers corner 

Can I take a photo of you?
French: Puis-je prendre votre photo, s'il vous plait?
Spanish: ¿Puedo tomarte una foto?
Italian: Ti posso fare una foto?

Is it allowed / forbidden?
French: C'est autorisé / interdit?
Spanish: ¿Está permitido / prohibido?
Italian: E' permesso / proibito?

I am a (professional) nature photographer
French: Je suis un photographe (professionnel) de la nature
Spanish: soy un fotógrafo (profesional) de la naturaleza
Italian: sono un fotografo naturalista (professionista)

Tomorrow, I want to go there at sunrise / sunset
French: demain, je veux y aller au lever du soleil / coucher du soleil
Spanish: mañana, quiero ir allá para el amanecer / puesta de sol
Italian: domani, voglio andare lì all'alba / al tramonto

I want to take photos of birds / flowers / landscapes
French: je veux prendre des photos d'oiseaux / fleurs / paysages
Spanish: quiero tomar fotos de aves / flores / paisajes
Italian: vorrei fotografare uccelli / fiori / paesaggi

Is this a good place for photos?
French: est-ce un bon endroit pour les photos?
Spanish: es un buen lugar para tomar fotos?
Italian: questo è un buon posto per le foto? 

 

  


 
 

  

Do you have comments or questions?

If you have comments or questions about this article, feel free to ask in the Juza Nature Photography Discussion Forum!