The 50 words that open every door
Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, excuse me, sorry, yes, no, how much, where is, the bill please, water, beer, good, delicious, beautiful, help, I do not understand, do you speak English, and the numbers 1 to 10. Learn these in the local language before you arrive. They are not for getting by: they are signals of respect that completely change how locals treat you.
Duolingo is a start, not a finish
Duolingo is excellent for building a basic vocabulary in the first 2 to 3 weeks of learning. Its gamification keeps you coming back. But it produces slow, reading-heavy learners. Complement it with Pimsleur (audio-focused, great for pronunciation) or the Michel Thomas method (grammar through listening). Real language use, even bad language use, produces faster progress than any app.
Focus on speaking, not reading
Most language learning resources prioritise reading and writing because they are easier to teach. For travel, you need speaking and listening. Prioritise audio resources. Practice out loud, not in your head. Record yourself speaking and listen back. Find a conversation partner through iTalki or Tandem two weeks before you travel for even one 30-minute session: it will transform your confidence.
Learn the script for non-Latin languages
Thai, Greek, Arabic, Hindi, Korean, and Japanese all use non-Latin scripts. Learning just to read the script, even if you do not understand the meaning, is achievable in a few hours of study and transforms navigation: you can read street signs, menus, and transport boards. Korean Hangul is famously learnable in a single afternoon. Thai script takes a few days but is enormously useful.
The error tolerance mindset
Most language learners are stopped by fear of making mistakes. In travel contexts, this is the wrong mindset entirely. A local who hears you attempt their language, badly, with enthusiasm, will almost universally respond with warmth and encouragement. Nobody expects you to be fluent. The attempt itself is what matters. Commit to always trying the local language first, even knowing you will fail, and watch how differently people treat you.
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