Worldwide, more than half of the population is multilingual, or speaks more than one language. With this in mind, chances are that you have friends, family members, and loved ones who speak a language other than your own.
Learning a new language for those closest to you is worthwhile for many different reasons. They’ll understand that it’s an investment, and this thoughtful gesture will go a long way. It’s also a great way to spark connection, show respect, and ultimately learn more about each other.
Whether you’re learning a new language to better communicate with your grandmother or your neighbor, this guide will help you get started.
First, we’ll walk through the basics of your new language, starting with useful words and phrases that you can begin using right away. These include:
- Greetings
- Conversation starters
- Requests
- Affectionate phrases
Greetings
The first thing you’ll want to start with is common greetings. Once you’ve learned these, you can use them to start and end any conversation with your loved ones.
| Language | Hello | Goodbye |
| Spanish | Hola | Adiós |
| French | Bonjour | Au revoir |
| Italian | Ciao | Arrivederci |
| German | Hallo | Auf Wiedersehen |
| Arabic | Marhaban | Mae alsalama |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | Nǐ hǎo | Zàijiàn |
| Dutch | Hallo | Tot ziens |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Kamusta | Paalam |
| Greek | Geia sas | Antio sas |
| Hebrew | Shalom | Shalom ve lehitra’ot |
| Hindi | Namaste | Alavida |
| Irish | Dia dhuit | Slán |
| Japanese | Kon’nichiwa | Sayōnara |
| Korean | Annyeonghaseyo | Annyeong |
| Polish | Witaj | Do widzenia |
| Portuguese | Olá | Adeus |
| Russian | Privet | Do svidaniya |
| Swedish | Hej | Adjö |
| Turkish | Merhaba | Güle güle |
| Vietnamese | Xin chào | Tạm biệt |
Conversation starters
Next, you can use these typical phrases to check in on your loved ones and get the conversation going.
| Language | How are you? | I’m good, how are you? |
| Spanish | ¿Cómo estás? | ¿Estoy bien, cómo estás? |
| French | Comment ca va? | Je vais bien, comment vas-tu? |
| Italian | Come stai? | Sto bene, come stai? |
| German | Wie geht es Ihnen? | Mir geht es gut, wie geht es dir? |
| Arabic | Kayf halika? | ‘Ana bikhayr w ‘anta? |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | Nǐ hǎo ma | Wǒ hěn hǎo nǐ zěnme yàng? |
| Dutch | Hoe is het met je? | Met mij gaat het goed, hoe gaat het met je? |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Kumusta ka? | Okay lang ako, kamusta ka na? |
| Greek | Pós eísai? | Eímai kalá, esý pós eísai? |
| Hebrew | Ma shlom-kha? | A-ni be-se-der. Ma shlom-kha? |
| Hindi | Aap kaise hain? | Main theek hoon aap kaise hain? |
| Irish | Conas tá tú? | Tá mé go maith, conas atá tú? |
| Japanese | Genkidesu ka? | Daijōbudesu. Anata wa genkidesu ka? |
| Korean | Jal jinaego issnayo? | Nan gwaenchanh-a, neon eottae? |
| Polish | Jak się masz? | U mnie w porządku, jak się masz? |
| Portuguese | Tudo bem? | Estou bem, como você está? |
| Russian | Kak dela? | YA v poryadke, kak ty? |
| Swedish | Hur mår du? | Jag mår bra, hur mår du? |
| Turkish | Nasılsın? | Iyiyim, sen nasılsın? |
| Vietnamese | Bạn khỏe không? | Tôi khỏe, bạn thế nào? |
Requests
It’s also helpful to know how to make a polite request or to express gratitude. Whether you’re on the phone or around the dinner table, these are sure to come in handy.
| Language | Please | Thank you |
| Spanish | Por favor | Gracias |
| French | S’il vous plaît | Je vous remercie |
| Italian | Per favore | Grazie |
| German | Bitte | Danke schön |
| Arabic | Law samaht | Shukran lak |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | Qǐng | Xièxiè |
| Dutch | Alsjeblieft | Dank u |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Pakiusap | Salamat |
| Greek | Sas parakaloúme | Sas efcharistó |
| Hebrew | Bevakashah | Toda |
| Hindi | Krpaya | Aapako dhanyavaad |
| Irish | Le do thoil | Go raibh maith agat |
| Japanese | Onegaishimasu | Arigatō |
| Korean | Jebal | Gamsahabnida |
| Polish | Proszę | Dziękuję Ci |
| Portuguese | Por favor | Obrigado |
| Russian | Pozhaluysta | Spasibo |
| Swedish | Snälla du | Tack |
| Turkish | Lütfen | Teşekkürler |
| Vietnamese | Xin vui lòng | Cảm ơn bạn |
Affection
Finally, you can learn a few phrases to show your loved ones that you care. Hearing these phrases in their first language will be especially meaningful, especially since you’ve gone the extra mile to learn them on your own.
| Language | I love you | I miss you |
| Spanish | Te quiero | Te echo de menos |
| French | Je t’aime | Tu me manques |
| Italian | Ti voglio bene | Mi manchi |
| German | Ich liebe dich | Ich vermisse dich |
| Arabic | ‘Ana ‘uhibuk | ‘Ana mushtaq lak |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | Wǒ ài nǐ | Wǒ xiǎng nǐ |
| Dutch | Ik hou van jou | Ik mis jou |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Mahal kita | Miss na kita |
| Greek | Se agapó | Mou leípeis |
| Hebrew | Ani ohevet otach | Aht khasserah lii |
| Hindi | Main aapase pyaar karatee hoon | Mujhe aap kee yaad aatee hai |
| Irish | Is breá liom tú | Airím uaim thú |
| Japanese | Watashi wa, anata o aishiteimasu | Kimi ga inakute sabishī |
| Korean | Salanghae | Nan dangsin-i geuliwoyo |
| Polish | Kocham Cię | Tęsknię za Tobą |
| Portuguese | Eu amo Você | Eu sinto sua falta |
| Russian | Ya tebya lyublyu | Ya skuchayu po tebe |
| Swedish | Jag älskar dig | Jag saknar dig |
| Turkish | Seni seviyorum | Seni özledim |
| Vietnamese | Tôi mến bạn | Tôi nhớ bạn |
Get the conversation going
Now that you’ve established the basics, you can use your language journey to start a dialogue and discover more about your loved one. By asking questions and demonstrating additional interest in their language, you’ll show them that you care, and open up new lines of communication.
Here are some great questions to ask:
- Are there other ways to say the phrases I’ve learned?
- What are the key phrases I should learn next?
- What popular holiday greetings should I know?
- What’s your favorite phrase? Your favorite slang?
- Are there any phrases without a direct translation?
If you’d like, you can also encourage your loved one to use their native language more often around you, so that you can pick it up! Pay attention to the phrases they use the most, and be sure to chime in and ask what they mean.
Long-term learning
If this language learning sampler leaves you hungry for more, you’re not alone! There’s a huge opportunity to build stronger relationships with your loved ones by learning how to converse in their native language.
If you’re ready to dive deeper into language learning, Rosetta Stone’s self-paced program will support you from your very first lesson. You’ll be fully immersed in your new language, which helps to fast-track your progress. And along the way, you’ll practice your pronunciation with real-time feedback, so you can be sure you’re saying each word correctly.
Ready to get started? Learn more about Rosetta Stone at www.rosettastone.com
