Studying English and foreign languages growing up, I have always been fascinated by how people from around the globe say the same things in very different ways. I especially love how some languages manage to have a perfect single word to describe an entire sentence. As travel is slowly restarting, I thought it would be fun to put together a little list of words and phrases from around the world to learn before your next journey.
Hello
Bok – Croatian
I ay – Huaorani, Ecuador
Samba – Lega, Congo
Getting around
Fara a puttanu – hitchhike – Icelandic
Mengoonceng – to have a free ride usually on a friend’s bike – Indonesian
Arrear – to drive on – Spanish
Bon Appetit
Pakupaku – to eat in big mouthfuls or take quick bites – Japanese
Parmaklamak – to eat with one’s fingers – Turkish
Giomlaireachd – the habit of dropping in at meal times – Scottish Gaelic
Bless you
Gesundheit – health to you – German
Velona – alive – Malagasy, Madagascar
Biseh – thank you – Mende, Sierre Leone
Braving the Weather
Serein – Fine rain falling from a cloudless sky – French
Efterarsfarver – Autumn Colours – Danish
‘inapoiri – moonless night – Cook Island Maori
Wandering
Jimbulwila – to walk in an unknown place, where there is no clear path – Luvale Zambia
Kodhola – to leave marks in the sand when walking – Oshindonga, Namibia
Sakgasakgile – to wander about like a homeless orphan – Setswana, Botswana
Wanderlust
Echarse el pollo – to get out of town – Chilean
Amenonéhne – to sing while walking about – Cheyenne, USA
Nochshlepper – a fellow traveller – Yiddish
Waste time
To beat about the bush – To waste time, avoid doing a certain thing – English
Menare il can per l’aia – To lead the dog around the yard – Italian
Å gå som kitten rundt den Varma grøten – to walk like a cat around hot porridge – Norwegian
In the end, I find languages are very similar to traveling. Learning a new one or just a few simple words can help change the way we see the world. So if you know of any fun, cool lost in translation words or phrases from around the world, leave us a comment so we can learn from each other!
If you are interested in learning more phrases, check out Google Translate. You may just be amazed how other cultures say the same thing!
You may also like these articles from the Bébé Voyage blog:
Ha Cheong Kai, Prawn Paste Chicken From Singapore: Delicious Recipes From Around The World!
Children’s Books That Inspire Exploration and Spark Imagination
Traveling To Places With High Levels Of Poverty: How To Teach Our Kids About Economic Privilege
