Top 5 Questions to Know in a Foreign Language

If you travel a lot, you can’t learn every foreign language and, even if you have a translator app on your phone for the big stuff, it is still a good idea to have a few stock phrases in your back pocket. Once you have some salutations down, consider learning some language formulas instead of trying to memorize more phrases.

The idea behind these equations is pretty simple: Once you have the right puzzle pieces memorized, you can fit things together and communicate almost any basic need with anyone you meet. Begin by learning the verbs “to be” and “to have” in your target language as these verbs are the most commonly used and will serve you well. Additionally, learn the basic question words: when, what, how, why and where. These will allow you to approach any question or topic about which you will need to inquire.

With these tools, you can piece together essential questions on the road using your translator, proper nouns or just pointing at something. Remember inverting the verb and subject, for example, can create yes and no questions. For instance, “Is this the bus stop for the museum?” With this basic linguistic framework you will be much more agile and confident on the road than you might otherwise be.