These pandemic phrases could help on holiday abroad this summer

As a third of Britons are keen to jet off on holiday, with travel between the UK and several countries now opened up, a new language learning tool with coronavirus-related phrases might be just what’s needed.

This latest holiday accessory enables you to learn useful phrases in local lingos to use in foreign lands.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

So travellers could ask for items such as face masks and hand sanitiser in the tongue of their chosen destination, or be able to request people to keep a comfortable social distance when on the beach. 

The series of free online language learning ‘tapes’ each contains bitesize coronavirus-related foreign phrases for British travellers to listen to and learn. 

Inspired by language learning cassette tapes of old, holidaymakers can head to SoundCloud and choose to listen to several phrases translated from English into the languages of popular foreign holiday destinations.

Currently there are online phrase tapes for Spain, France, Greece, Italy and the Netherlands but more may be added as further international destinations open up to British travellers. 

A spokesperson from Love Home Swap, who have compiled the tapes, said: “In the past travellers were encouraged to learn a few words and phrases in a foreign language. It would give them a better understanding of a place, help them get around more easily and enable them to buy and order things more confidently.

“Locals would also appreciate tourists that made the effort.

“All of that still remains the case but because of coronavirus, other countries, just like the UK, now have a raft of new rules and social etiquette to follow.

"Visitors will need to know these when out and about, on public transport, in restaurants, shops and at the beach.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“So, whether they’re reading signs or talking to locals, we think it’s now in holidaymakers’ interests to try and add a few more foreign words and phrases to their holiday vocabulary to help them feel confident, reassured and have the safest and best possible time abroad.”

The home swapping site says its staff are strongly encouraging members that are setting up international swaps this summer to exchange relevant language phrases with one another, and make each other aware of the guidelines and new social norms in their respective countries.

Here are a few examples of the kind of phrases, and their interpretations, that could prove a real help to holidaymakers this summer;

‘Do you sell face masks?’ in Spanish is ‘Venden mascarillas?’ while ‘please, don’t stand so close to me’ could be voiced as ‘Por favour, no te quedes tan cerca de mí’.

To ask ‘Do you have hand sanitiser’ in French is ‘Avez-vous un désinfectant pour les mains?’ while ‘Has this been washed’ would be asked as ‘Cela a-t-il été lavé?’

Should you wish to know ‘what are the social distancing rules’ in Italian you would hear ‘Quali sono le regole di allontanamento sociale?’ while ‘Do I need an app to order’ would be ‘Ho bisogno di un’app per ordinare?’

For ‘how many people can enter’ in Greek, the question would be ‘Pósa átoma boroún na eisélthoun?’And ‘Is there a long queue at the supermarket’ could be voiced as ‘Ypárchei megáli ourá sto soúper márket?’

The Dutch for ‘can I pay with contactless’ is ‘Kan ik contactloos betalen?’ while ‘Do you do takeaways’ is translated as ‘Doet u afhaalrestaurants?’

Find online learning tapes at https://soundcloud.com/user-76956157/sets site.The translations can also be found at https://tinyurl.com/ycrhpsx3 site.

Related topics: