The first word uttered by a child is one of the most exciting moments for parents. It’s kind of like hearing your baby speak, except they are only using one word. To make it even more exciting, there are certain first words that you can expect from your little bundle of joy!
The most common baby first words include variations for parents such as “mama,” “mommy,” “dada,” “daddy,” and “papa.” After those, you can expect a wide variety of words to follow such as “no,” “uh-oh,” “please,” “ball,” and more!
This article will discuss 30 common baby first words and their meanings so you can be sure to know what to say when your darling finally starts talking.
The Most Common Baby First Words to Expect
Here is an extensive list of common baby first words and their meanings:
- Mama – This is usually the first word, or one of the very first uttered by a child. They are very likely to call their mother by this name.
- Mommy – The female version of “Daddy,” this is another favorite first word used by young children when talking about their mother or any similar-looking female.
- Dada – This is the male version of Mama, and it’s equally common for young children to use these words when referring to either parent.
- Daddy – This is one of the most common first words, and it usually comes after they’ve seen you for a while or have been given to their father.
- Papa – This is another common first word that babies will learn, and it usually means the same thing as “daddy.”
- Uh-Oh – This is one of the first words that young children learn, and it’s usually used when they’ve done something wrong.
- Ball – After parents, there are many first words that will be related to everyday objects. This is one of the most common, and it’s usually a ball of some kind (although sometimes children also use this word for other round things.).
- Yes – This is one of the most common first words, and it’s usually followed by another word or phrase.
- Stop – Another important first word used to express displeasure at something not wanted (such as a parent putting them down) or to emphasize something (such as “no” or “uh-oh”).
- No – This is an important word, but it’s also a slightly negative one that can be used in place of “No.” You should teach your child the appropriate times to use this word, so they don’t accidentally start saying something inappropriate!
- Up – The opposite of down, babies will learn these words at a very young age. They can be used to express that something is not where it should be or as an expression of excitement about being picked up from the ground!
- Down – The opposite of up, this word will also be learned early on by babies and toddlers. It’s usually paired with “up” but can also mean other things, like the opposite of “stop” or that something is not where it should be.
- Doggy – This word will usually follow the naming of a specific animal, and your child might repeat this many times when they see their pet in person after calling them by name at home.
- Dog – This can be one of the first words, and it usually means any dog in general. Children will sometimes use this word when talking about other animals too (like a cat or even lion!)
- Puppy – This is another word that will usually be used when naming a specific type of animal, and it’s often paired with the words “dog” or “cat.”
- Cat – This is another common first word, and it’s usually used to describe any feline friend.
- Kitty – This is another common first word and it will usually come after the naming of a specific type of feline.
- Bye – It’s not unusual for babies to start saying their version of “goodbye” well before they learn how to actually wave bye-bye.
- Bye-bye – Another common first word, this means that your little one wants you to pick them up or move them somewhere else. It can also be used as an all-purpose goodbye.
- More – This is a common request from babies and toddlers, who might not yet know how to ask for more by using words like “please.” It can also be used as an expression of satisfaction when they’re done eating or playing!
- Please – Another important word that will usually come after the first set of words, this is how your baby will ask for things from you. It’s important to teach them the difference between “Please” and “Thank You.”
- Thank you – This is another common first word that babies learn very early on! It shows their gratitude after they’ve been given something or allowed to do something.
- All done – They might not be able to say this word exactly, but your child will let you know when something is finished (like a meal, bath time, and playtime!)
- All gone – This is an important word for babies because it refers to something being out of their reach! They might be too young to verbalize this specifically but will show you what they mean when there’s nothing left for them to eat or play with.
- Boat – Another common first word based on an everyday object. This is usually paired with “Bye-bye” to mean the child wants you to give them their toy boat!
- Car – Another common first word based on everyday objects, this will usually refer to any type of vehicle and not just cars! You might want to teach your child about the difference between “Car” and “Train.”
- Plane – This is yet another common first word, but it can sometimes be used in place of “Car,” so you’ll want to teach your child the difference between these two vehicles. This is very common, especially in babies that are fed with the classic “here comes the plane!”
- Here – One of the very first words, this is used when they want you to come over and pick them up or give something to them. It’s also paired with “There” for a few more common word combinations like “Hide-and-Seek.”
- There – This will be another important word that your baby learns, and it’s usually paired with “Here” to mean that something is over there.
- Shoe – This is another common first word, and your toddler will usually know how to use this because they see you putting them on their feet.
When Should You Expect Their First Words?
According to parents, most babies start speaking their first words around the age of 12 months. Typically, at this time they also begin walking and making other developments in motor skills as well. It is a pivotal point in their lives and marks the beginning of a whole new world.
It can be surprising to most parents when their baby says his or her first word, but there are also words that you should expect from your little one based on statistics.
However, you can begin to expect cooing as early as 2 months old. Cooing should sound distinct from babbling. At this point they are just beginning to learn how to use their vocal cords. Parents can encourage this behavior by acknowledging them when they coo.
How Can You Encourage Your Baby to Talk?
There are many ways you can encourage your baby to speak.
Talk Back
First, talk back! As soon as they begin cooing or babbling respond by smiling and saying words like “yes” or “oh?” This encourages them to keep communicating with you in this way.
You should also get down on the floor around their level when they want something. This is a great way for them to learn valuable communication skills and how they can get what they need from an adult when in the future, it’s not possible to always have their needs met by you or someone else who loves them so much.
Listen to Them
Parents should also take the time to listen. If you’re cooking dinner and your child is playing nearby, stop for a few moments every now and then to focus on what they are saying or asking for!
Even when they’re only making random sounds, they could already be attempting to vocalize actual words. Thus, it is important to listen to them.
Read Together
Reading to your baby is another great way for them to learn! Read books that are appropriate for their age and read slowly so they can hear each word. This will help them begin to understand language as well as expand upon what words sound like outside of just hearing you speak around the house or at bedtime every night.
Sing Songs Together
This can be a great way to bond and spend quality time with your child as well. They will enjoy the tunes and repetition of certain songs, so sing these often or even just hum them when you’re thinking about them!
Repeat Words
The more parents repeat common words, the more likely their baby will learn that word and use it themselves. Try to incorporate these words into your everyday speech as much as possible, even if they don’t understand what you’re saying just yet!
Should You Worry about Their First Words?
Your baby’s first words are an important milestone.
However, if your child isn’t saying any real words by the time they’re 15 months old you should talk to their doctor. This is a reasonable expectation and might not require too much concern on your part, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry! If there is some kind of issue, early intervention can help them gain their language skills and be on the same developmental track as most children.
Lori Herbert lives in a house of all males — a husband and three lively boys. She believes that parenting is messy, and that’s okay. Thanks to her experience in Psychology, she’s learned how that was the case for most people — and that the best way to help them open up was through kindness, compassion, and communication.
500 First Words
’s topics
This is the list of high frequency words in young children’s writing and reading development. You will need all of them for daily English conversations. It’s best for Beginners. Study it from pack 1 to the end as all the words are arranged in decreasing order of frequency.
Pack 1
Pack 2
Pack 3
Pack 4
Pack 5
Pack 6
Pack 7
Pack 8
Pack 9
Pack 10
Pack 11
Pack 12
Pack 13
Pack 14
Pack 15
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Pack 17
Pack 18
Pack 19
Pack 20
Pack 21
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Pack 25
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Научиться бегло читать на английском языке непросто. Это касается не только изучающих английский язык как иностранный, но и носителей языка. В связи с этим возник вопрос, есть ли определённый список наиболее употребительных слов, которые нужно выучить в первую очередь, чтобы облегчить процесс обучения чтению.
Да, есть. Существуют два списка слов, известные как список Дольча и список Фрая. Списки эти повсеместно используются в английских школах, разработано множество упражнений, в основу которых положены именно эти слова.
Оба этих списка составлены по принципу частотности употребления и направлены, как уже было сказано, на обучение детей беглому чтению.
Список Дольча составлен в 1936 году, он включает наиболее употребительные слова и слова-исключения, которые читаются не по правилам. Всего 220 слов. Это не так уж и много. Но эти 220 слов составляют до 75% слов, встречающихся в детских книгах. Просто фантастика!
Слова из списка Дольча (220 слов):
- Pre-primer (40 слов): a, and, away, big, blue, can, come, down, find, for, funny, go, help, here, I, in, is, it, jump, little, look, make, me, my, not, one, play, red, run, said, see, the, three, to, two, up, we, where, yellow, you
- Primer (52 слова): all, am, are, at, ate, be, black, brown, but, came, did, do, eat, four, get, good, have, he, into, like, must, new, no, now, on, our, out, please, pretty, ran, ride, saw, say, she, so, soon, that, there, they, this, too, under, want, was, well, went, what, white, who, will, with, yes
- 1st Grade (41 слово): after, again, an, any, as, ask, by, could, every, fly, from, give, giving, had, has, her, him, his, how, just, know, let, live, may, of, old, once, open, over, put, round, some, stop, take, thank, them, then, think, walk, were, when
- 2nd Grade (46 слов): always, around, because, been, before, best, both, buy, call, cold, does, don’t, fast, first, five, found, gave, goes, green, its, made, many, off, or, pull, read, right, sing, sit, sleep, tell, their, these, those, upon, us, use, very, wash, which, why, wish, work, would, write, your
- 3rd Grade (41 слово): about, better, bring, carry, clean, cut, done, draw, drink, eight, fall, far, full, got, grow, hold, hot, hurt, if, keep, kind, laugh, light, long, much, myself, never, only, own, pick, seven, shall, show, six, small, start, ten, today, together, try, warm
Список существительных (95 слов) , дополнение к основному списку:
- apple, baby, back, ball, bear, bed, bell, bird, birthday, boat, box, boy, bread, brother, cake, car, cat, chair, chicken, children, Christmas, coat, corn, cow, day, dog, doll, door, duck, egg, eye, farm, farmer, father, feet, fire, fish, floor, flower, game, garden, girl, good-bye, grass, ground, hand, head, hill, home, horse, house, kitty, leg, letter, man, men, milk, money, morning, mother, name, nest, night, paper, party, picture, pig, rabbit, rain, ring, robin, Santa Claus, school, seed, sheep, shoe, sister, snow, song, squirrel, stick, street, sun, table, thing, time, top, toy, tree, watch, water, way, wind, window, wood
Следует отметить, что существует несколько методик обучения детей младшего возраста чтению. Одна из них — чтение целых слов с использованием флэш-карточек. Длина слова в основном 5 букв. Это та методика, которая положена в основу нынешних белорусских учебников для начальной школы. Второй способ — чтение по правилам. Исследования показали, что до 5 лет лучше обучать чтению целыми словами, а после 5 можно обратиться и к правилам.
Когда дети учатся читать, им часто приходится сталкиваться со словами «the,» «of,» «and,» «a» or «to» визуально, зрительно, by sight. Эти слова узнаются глазом, но образов, картинок в памяти не вызывают. Это ведь служебные слова. Возможно, этот факт и дал название второму списку слов, автором которого является Эдвард Фрай — «1000 Fry Sight Words» (1996) . Известен этот список также под названием «Fry 1000 Instant Words.» Фактически Фрай продолжил список слов, составленный Дольчем.
Интересно, что первые 100 слов из списка Фрая составляют 50% всех наиболее употребительных слов ( частотность употребления убывает к концу списка). Узнавание этих слов позволяет ускорить темп чтения и помогает детям приобрести уверенность при чтении.
Небольшое отступление. На сайте одного современного английского писателя прочла следующее: «Late last century, Dr. Edward B. Fry developed an extensive list of the most common words used when teaching reading, writing and spelling. His list—called The Fry Instant Words—has been a boon to understanding fluency and reading comprehension. While helpful for educators, Fry’s findings can be a little depressing for anyone who yearns for verbal variety.»
Получается, что списки хороши для обучения чтению, но не угодили писателю, стремящемуся к разнообразию вокабуляра.
Рекомендую своим читателям обратить внимание вот на этот сайт: 1000 слов Фрая. Здесь Вы найдёте не только списки, но и карточки по всей тысяче слов.
Слова разбиты на группы по 100 слов. В списках слова расположены по популярности. Первый список из ста слов иногда называется «Word Wall Words». Все эти списки, повторюсь, помогают ребёнку быстро научиться бегло читать.
Второй сайт, который привлёк моё внимание, посвящён непосредственно тренировке слов в упражнениях. Советую для начала разобраться с первой ссылкой, затем, войдя в курс дела, ознакомиться со второй, Sight Words, Vocabulary. Этот сайт вообще просто находка. Полный курс по 1000 слов с потрясающим разнообразием упражнений. Правда, навигация там не очень.
После того, как Ваш ребёнок усвоит слова из этих списков, соотношение незнакомых слов в тексте будет 3:1, что считается оптимальным при изучении языка.
Если Вас заинтересовал список Дольча, то списки слов можно скачать бесплатно с сайта www.uniqueteachingresources.com. Карточки разного уровня отличаются цветом.
Note: Данная статья не является рекомендательной, это компиляция изученного мной материала по обучению чтению детей младшего возраста носителями языка.
Sight Word List
Words That Give Reading Power
Children in their first years at school, who learn the sight word list below, will have an excellent start to reading and writing.
Initially this process takes time, often months. That’s why teachers introduce lists like this to children, gradually, when they first start school. But it doesn’t hurt them to recognise a few words before then, if they are ready to learn them.
Sight Word List
The list of sight words below is broken into groups. Each group consists of 10 words.
There are several lists available for teachers to use. But they are virtually identical as they are composed of words children most frequently use.
The list below covers 80 of the first sight words your child will need to know.
The trick is to ensure your child recognises the words in one group before starting another. But as I mentioned before, this doesn’t happen immediately. So don’t feel you need to put pressure on your child or you’ll switch off their desire to learn. If you’re helping them at home, keep it light.
At the end of this article I will explain how you can gently introduce some of these words to your child so they learn them without pressure.
Don’t be concerned if your child finds
the list below too difficult at this stage. They may only manage the first group of words. Or they may not be
ready for them at all. If that’s the case, wait for their teacher to guide
you.
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More About Sight Words
Your child needs to learn these word by sight rather than decode them. That means they may need to see them many, many times in order to memorise them.
You may be asking yourself about now
- what exactly is a sight word?
- why are they so important in reading?
- how do you know what is a sight word and when do you sound out a word?
If you want to know more, click on my article What Are Sight Words? There you’ll get answers you need. At the same time you’ll see how it’s affected an adult student of mine who hasn’t ever known them!
Introducing Them To Your Child
Here’s a
great way to introduce sight words.
- Print off two copies of the sight word
list. - Cut two copies of the group One words starting the word
‘I’. - Cut each of the words individually.
- Place one set of the words in
front of your child. You keep the other. - Hold up one of the
words - Read it to your child and ask them to find the matching word. (They will study the shape of the letters and hear the word associated
with them.) - When they find the matching word, repeat the word. Say: «Yes, that word says …… Can you tell me what the word says?» (This
reinforces and matches in their brain the visual appearance of the word with how the word sounds.)
Play this
game often and you’ll find your child will become increasingly comfortable
with these words. Gradually they will memorise them. They will then build up an invaluable bank
of everyday words for reading and writing.
If you are struggling to engage your child, click on my phonics games page. There you’ll find out how important it is to make learning fun. Plus great activities you can do at home to breathe life into learning literacy skills.
Go From Sight Word List To Literacy Lessons
Go To Phonics Literacy Homepage
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By
Last updated:
September 13, 2022
When learning a new language, it can be difficult to figure out how to prioritize vocabulary.
What words should you learn first?
There are plenty of vocabulary lists for the most common languages, but where do you even start?
These 65 common words and phrases can provide you with the vocabulary you need to hold basic conversations and communicate important information.
Whatever your target language, you will want to start studying these words and phrases today!
Contents
- Why Is It Important to Learn These Phrases First When Learning a New Language?
- The 65 First Words and Phrases to Learn in a New Language
-
- Polite Vocabulary
- Greetings & Getting to Know You
- Getting Information
- Numbers
- Transportation
- Places
- Communicating Basic Information
- Making Requests
- Expressing Confusion
- Emergencies
- More Places to Learn Your First 65 Words and Phrases
Download:
This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you
can take anywhere.
Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Why Is It Important to Learn These Phrases First When Learning a New Language?
What makes these 65 words and phrases to special? This vocabulary provides a jumping point for communication. Learning this vocabulary will…
- Ensure you are able to communicate when traveling. You don’t need to be fluent in a new language for travel, but learning key phrases can provide you with the skills you need to ask important questions and share basic information on your travels.
In addition, if you happen to travel to a country that speaks a similar language, you might still be able to use this information to communicate—that is because there are mutually-intelligible languages, which are languages that are similar enough to each other that speakers of one language can understand the other language.
- Allow you to communicate in common situations even if you aren’t that far along in your studies. Learning key words and phrases early enables you to use the language sooner, thereby helping you communicate more clearly and motivating you to keep studying.
- Help you build on your new vocabulary. Many of these words and phrases are very common, so they an act as a foundation for the rest of your learning. As you get more and more proficient, you can add to it with more phrases like slang in different languages.
- Assist in learning verb conjugations and grammar rules. Whenever you encounter a similar sentence, you can use the phrases you’ve learned to help you construct it.
See how important it is to learn key phrases and words like the ones on our list?
The 65 First Words and Phrases to Learn in a New Language
Polite Vocabulary
It is impossible to understate the value of being polite. Especially if you don’t speak a language very well, knowing a few polite words and phrases can help clarify that you have good intentions.
- Please
Not only is “please” a valuable word to tack on to any request, you can also use it alone to indicate that you want something. For instance, if you see something in a store or at a restaurant that you want, pointing at it and saying “please” will generally communicate your intentions.
- Thank you
Expressing gratitude is appropriate whenever someone helps you out. It shows show them that you know they did you a favor and you appreciate it.
- You’re welcome
While you might not need to use it as often as other polite words, if someone thanks you, it is always nice to respond in kind.
- I’m sorry/Excuse me
“I’m sorry” is usually appropriate if you’ve messed up or want to express remorse. In some languages, it can also be used to express that you didn’t hear/understand. “Excuse me” can be used if you want to get someone’s attention, or get through a crowd. In many languages, the two phrases can be used interchangeably. Since the usage of “I’m sorry” and “excuse me” varies between languages, you will want to investigate which one is more useful in your target language.
- Yes/No
These might seem obvious but you will use them often, so they are important to be familiar with.
Greetings & Getting to Know You
Knowing basic greetings and getting-to-know-you conversations in your target language is a setup for a friendly interaction.
- Hello
You can never go wrong with “hello.” Depending on the level of formality of the interaction, you could also consider using “hi.”
- What is your name?
When the person introduces himself/herself, try to repeat the name. Not only will this give them an opportunity to correct your pronunciation, it will also help you remember the name.
- I am…/My name is…
In some languages you introduce yourself with “I am…” while in others you say “my name is…” or even “I call myself…” instead. Because there is so much variation, it is helpful to pay careful attention to what is most common in your target language. Although learning “I am…” could never hurt. After all, depending on the language, you might also use it to indicate characteristics or feelings, like “I am an American” or “I am happy.”
- Nice to meet you
When someone introduces himself/herself, it is polite to express joy at meeting them. “Nice to meet you” or “it’s a pleasure” are common, but this may vary across languages.
- How are you?
In some places, “how are you?” is a generic greeting. In other places, it is a polite way to show interest in someone’s well being. Regardless, it is a polite question to ask.
- I’m well
If “how are you?” is a generic greeting in many languages, the best way to respond is by saying “I’m well” or “I’m fine,” even if you are not. This also avoids awkward followup questions if you do not speak much of the language.
- Where are you from?
If you want to learn more about a person, this is a good option to start out with. Additionally, if you are traveling abroad, you might hear this question a lot.
- I am from…
At some point you might want to clarify where you are from. Just remember that place names are also likely to be different in your target language, so you will want to also learn the right name to for your home country.
- What is your profession?
If your conversation is going well, you might consider asking “what is your profession?” or “what do you do for a living?” If you are going to ask this, though, be sure you also know the words for common professions, or you might end up a little lost.
- Goodbye
Simply walking away from a conversation might seem rude. Knowing the word for “Goodbye” will help. Most languages also have less formal words for goodbye, like “bye” or “bye bye” that you can use with friends.
Getting Information
You can’t plan for everything ahead of time, so sometimes you need to ask questions to get information. Here are some common questions you are likely to use.
- Where is…?
If you are traveling abroad, at some point you are likely to need directions. “Where is…” is a good question to solicit this information. Just pair it with common place names (which we will discuss later).
- How do I get to…?
“Where is…” could lead to a description of the location rather than directions. Use the more direct “how do I get to…?” to yield more specific directions.
- How far is…?
This is an easy question to forget, but knowing the distance from one place to another is an important way to determine what mode of transportation you will use. After all, chances are you don’t want to spend a full day walking to a tourist site when a bus could take you there in an hour.
- Can you show me on a map?
If you do not know enough of the language to follow directions, “can you show me on a map?” is an easy way to avoid using much language. Plus, this will allow you to better visualize your route.
- Could you write that down?
Asking people to write information down allows you to see the printed words, which can be easier to understand than spoken language. If you do not recognize the words, you can later look them up in a dictionary without an awkward pause in conversation.
- How much does it cost?
Whether you are shopping, booking a room or eating out, this will ensure you do not overspend. You might also pair this with “could you write that down?” to make your expenses even clearer.
- What is this?
You can use “what is this?” to learn more about things like food or clothing that you are unfamiliar with, or you could use it to learn new words in your target language.
- What time is it?
If your phone battery dies or the timezone change has you reeling, being able to ask the time can help you avoid missing flights, trains and buses.
- Do you have…?
If you are shopping or want a particular dish at a restaurant, this will help you ask for it by name.
- Do you have anything cheaper?
Not only is this a good way to find out if there is anything more affordable, you might also use this question to try to negotiate a better price.
- Do you like…?
“Do you like…?” can be used for getting-to-know-you activities, but it is also an easy way to find out if something is worth doing. For instance, if you ask a local if they like a particular restaurant and they give you an adamant “no,” you might want to dine elsewhere.
- What is the best…?
Locals always know best, so asking locals what is best is a helpful way to find out the best restaurants, shops and tourist sites.
- How do you say…?
To build your vocabulary, you might try using this phrase. Friendly English-speaking locals might be able to help you if you list a word or phrase in English, or you can point to indicate what you want to learn to say.
- What is fun to do around here?
If you have a gap in your schedule, this is a good way to solicit awesome local tips that other tourists haven’t figured out yet.
- What do you recommend?
Whether you are inquiring about food, hotels or even style choices, being able to ask what someone recommends not only shows them that you respect his/her opinion, it also provides you with valuable insight.
- Where can I…?
You might need help finding the right place for something. For instance, “Where can I buy a matryoshka?” “Where can I get the best sushi?” “Where can I get another unicorn tattoo?”
Numbers
No, you won’t need to show off your counting skills to locals, but you will undoubtedly need to know numbers for buying things, telling the time and even understanding your hotel room number.
- 1-10, 100, 1,000
The numbers 1 to 10 are essential. In many languages, numbers 11 through 99 are based on the earlier numbers, so you can usually deduce higher numbers if you know the basics (for instance, twenty-two and forty-two use the same rule). One hundred often breaks the conventions, so you will need to learn it. Depending on the local currency, learning higher numbers, like 1,000, could also come in handy.
Transportation
- Airplane
When traveling internationally, most travelers will at some point travel via air, so learning the word for airplane is important.
- Train
Train travel is common in many countries, so this word could come in handy.
- Taxi
If you are looking to hire a car, learning the word for taxi is essential. Luckily, in many languages, it’s just “taxi.”
- Car
Whether you plan to rent a car or not, this is still a useful word to know.
- Bus
Buses offer a convenient and affordable mode of transportation, so you might want to learn the word.
Places
- Place
It is vague and generic but it can also be useful. If you do not know the name of a place, the word “place” might help you. For instance, if you can’t remember the word for “restaurant,” you might ask “Where is the place…?” and then make an eating gesture . Sure, it’s not elegant, but it gets the job done.
- Restaurant
Everyone likes food, so it is best to just learn the word for restaurant. Your stomach will thank you.
- Hotel
If you are staying in a hotel, this word is important. If you are renting an apartment or condo, you might learn these words instead.
- Airport
When you are running late for a flight, you will be glad you learned the word for airport.
- Train/bus station
If you plan on doing any train travel, knowing the word for train station can help you get the directions you need. Similarly, learning the word for bus station can help you find the desired station rather than standing around on the street frantically trying to wave down 10-ton vehicles.
- Market
If you have a shopping bug (and who doesn’t?) knowing the word for market will help you find your next great souvenir. It is important to note, however, that in different languages, there may be different words for food markets, clothing markets, etc.
Communicating Basic Information
- I like…
It can be a friendly way to share interests or give compliments, but you can also use “I like…” to try to get what you want. For instance, saying “I like pasta” in a restaurant would let the waiter know to direct you towards pasta dishes, especially if you pair it with “what do you recommend?”
- I don’t like…
“I don’t like…” might not be as useful for friendly conversation as “I like…” since it could seem a little negative, but it is just as useful for trying to get what you want. For instance, “I don’t like onions. What do you recommend?” will let the waiter know you want help finding onion-free or low-onion dishes.
- I speak…
Clarifying what language or languages you speak will let people know how you communicate best. If they happent to speak the same language you can switch to it for easier communication.
- I’d like to go to…
This is a particularly useful phrase to use in taxis to let the driver know your destination.
- I’m allergic to…
If you have allergies, this is an essential phrase to share in restaurants. Be sure to also learn the words for any of your allergens.
Making Requests
- I would like…
Whether you are ordering food, requesting a specific hotel room or looking to purchase a souvenir, this phrase is incredibly useful.
- Can I have…?
This phrase is similar to “I would like…” although which one to use can vary between languages.
- Do you speak English?
If you are struggling to understand or be understood, this is good information to have. Even if the person you are speaking with does not speak English, they may help you find someone who does.
- Menu, please
Getting a restaurant menu is important. It gives you time to leisurely peruse the food items (and frantically look up any words you don’t know).
- Check, please
If your waiter doesn’t bring you the check, you will be glad to know this phrase. No one wants to sit around waiting for a check for three hours. No one.
Expressing Confusion
No matter how hard you study, there are some things you might still miss. Here are a few ways to express your confusion.
- Repeat, please
Understanding a foreign language can be hard. Asking someone to repeat what they said will give you another chance to understand what you may have missed the first time.
- More slowly, please
Some native speakers speak really quickly. Even if you are proficient at a language, you might need them to slow it down a little.
- I don’t understand
Saying this phrase comes across so much better than just staring blankly. It also provides the speaker an opportunity to repeat or rephrase.
- I’m sorry, I don’t speak…
This is a polite way to let people know that you don’t understand the language.
- What does…mean?
When you don’t understand a particular word, this is a helpful way to get more explanation or solicit an impromptu charades session.
Emergencies
Hopefully you will never need to use the following words, but it is always better to be prepared!
- Help
You never know when you might need help, and you certainly do not want to be left scrambling for a dictionary or translator, so this is a good word to learn ahead of time.
- Caution
You might not need it often, but you will certainly want to learn this word in case you see it on a sign or hear someone warning you.
- Danger
Like “caution,” you might see this word on signs. Understanding it will help ensure you don’t fall into a hole or touch a live electrical wire—avoiding little things like that make a trip much nicer.
- Emergency
If you are experiencing a crisis, being able to use this word will help communicate what is happening.
- Fire
You will not need it that often, but if someone is running down your hotel hallway screaming it you will be glad you studied ahead of time.
- I need a doctor
In a medical emergency, this phrase can help you get the assistance you need.
- Please call the police
You never want it to happen, but if you encounter ne’er-do-wells this phrase will let bystanders know you need police intervention.
More Places to Learn Your First 65 Words and Phrases
There are many different ways to learn your first words and phrases. You will need to find which way works best for you, but there are some particularly useful ways.
- Make your own vocabulary lists or foreign language notebooks to keep track of your favorite words and phrases. Only include the phrases you think you will want to use. This way, you have your very own, customized guide to help you learn.
- Watch Native Media. Watching YouTube videos or movies on Netflix in your target language can be a great way to pick up new words and phrases, especially with the help of subtitles.
You can also watch authentic clips on FluentU, a program that uses videos like movie trailers, news clips and music videos to teach you a language as it’s used by native speakers. The videos have interactive captions that let you click words and phrases to get a definition, example sentences and pronunciation.
You can save words to your flashcards from here, to review later. Or, you can search for any of the words in this post in your target language and find their flashcards and videos where they show up. This means that you can hear important words used by speakers of your target language, in context.
FluentU currently has programs for 10 languages and you can access them all with one account in a browser, on iOS or on Android.
- Group your vocabulary into small chunks. Staring down a long vocabulary lists is daunting, but if you break it into small chunks, learning vocabulary is much less intimidating. Plus, grouping vocabulary sets thematically will also help you link related words in your mind.
- Check pronunciations online. Listening to words and phrases can help you pronounce them better, so use Forvo and Google Translate to hear what each word/phrase sounds like. Forvo offers free, user-submitted pronunciations of common words and phrases while Google Translate offers translations and pronunciations. It also allows you to hear the word more slowly when you click a second time.
With these learning methods, along with the phrases in the list above, you will soon be on your way to communicating in your target language.
So now all that remains is for you to find out: what are these words and phrases in your target language, and how will you use them?
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