Assorted 'useful' foreign phrases

These phrases come mainly from phrasebooks and language courses. Some of them are intended to illustrate particular grammatical points, others I just found amusing. Finding occasions to use them might be quite challenging, but you'll probably have fun trying. Maybe you could use them as ice breakers, chat-up lines, as part of a comedy routine, or for some surreal conversations.

Belarusian, Breton, Cebuano, Cherokee, Chinese, Cornish, Danish, Dutch, Esperanto, Finnish, French, Gaelic (Irish), Gaelic (Scottish), German, Greek (Ancient), Haida, Hawaiian, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Jèrriais, Kannada, Lakhota, Latin, Maltese, Manx, Norwegian, Old Norse, Polish, Portuguese, Quenya, Romanian, Russian, Sindarin, Slovenian, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Tibetan, Turkish, Uzbek, Welsh, Xhosa

Belarusian

Куды зьнiклi ўсе мае грошы? (Kudy z'nikli use maje hrošy?)
Where did all my money disappear to?

Калi ласка, пакладзiце мне паболей бульбы. (Kali laska, pakladzice mne pabolej bul'by.)
More potatoes, please.

Breton

Sot oc'h gant ar binîoù?
Are you fond of bagpipes?

Gouzout a ran ober krampouezh.
I know how to make pancakes.

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Cebuano

Gusto kung mosakay sa kabaw.
I want to ride on a water buffalo.

Cherokee

ᎯᎳᎢᏴ ᎬᏂᏍᎪ ᎫᏩᏯ (hilaiyv gvnisgo guwaya)
When do huckleberries get ripe?

ᏒᎩ ᎢᎾᎨᎡᎯ ᎩᏂᏯᎷᎦ (svgi inageehi giniyaluga)
Let's go hunt for some wild onions.

Chinese (Mandarin)

你对中国目前的（经济）政策满意吗?
(Nǐ duì zhōngguó mùqián de (jīngjì) zhèngcè mǎnyì ma?)
Are you satisfied with China's present (economic) policy?

反动派总以为自己了不起，其实不过是纸老虎。
(fǎndòngpài zǒng yǐwéi zìjǐ liǎobuqǐ, qíshí bùguò shì zhǐlǎohǔ)
The reactionaries always think they are terrific, but in fact they are just paper tigers.

Cornish

An teeack reeg derevall kea.
The farmer is building a hedge.

My a garsa bos dyghtyores gols.
I would like to be a hairdresser.

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Danish

Hvor er den nærmeste rutsjebane?
Where is the nearest roller-coaster?

Jeg er allergisk over for muskatnød
I am allergic to nutmeg.

Dutch

Het strijkijzer is aan, wees voorzichtig.
The iron is on, be careful.

Ik ben uitgegleden over een bananenschil.
I slipped on the banana peel.

Waar zijn de lepels en de vorken van de zoon?
Where are the spoons and the forks of the son?

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Esperanto

Kiom kostas tiu hundeto en la fenestro?
How much is that doggie in the window?

Mi volas brakumi tiun sciuron.
I want to hug that squirrel.

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Finnish

Mielestäni teillä on söpö presidentti.
I think you have a cute president.

Käyhän että tuon kannettavani saunaan?
Is it OK if I bring my laptop in the sauna?

Oho! Tota noin ... Eihän se vaa ollu' sun ajokoira?
I'm awfully sorry ... was that your ferret?

Source: http://www.kisa.ca/finnish-phrases.html

French

Il y a un singe qui vole dans l'arbre.
There's a flying monkey in the tree.

Où est le placard?
Where's the wardrobe?

Je vais demander à ces paysans qui viennent au-devant de nous, si le chemin par où ils ont passé est mauvais.
I shall ask these peasants who are coming towards us, if the road by which they have come is bad

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Gaelic (Scottish)

Cò an caora sin còmhla riut a chunnaic mi an-raoir?
Who was that sheep I saw you with last night?

Cha b'e sin caora, 'se sin mo chèile a bha innte!
That was no sheep, that was my spouse!

Dè th'ort fo d'fhèileadh?
What do you wear under your kilt?

An toir thu dhomh pòg?
Will you give me a kiss?

Gaelic (Manx)

Vel oo er chur sheese yn skeddan ayd foast mleeaney?
Have you salted your herring this year yet?

Ta'n aspick scughey dy tessanagh.
The bishop moves diagonally.

Gaelic (Irish)

Pionta Guinnes le do thoil.
A pint of Guinness, please.

Tá póit orm
I have a hangover.

Nár fhág sé a chlaíomh ar an mbord?
Didn't he leave his sword on the table?

Ar thit Bricriu ar an gcarn bruscair?
Did Bricriu fall on the rubbish heap?

German

Wo kann ich einen Tierarzt finden?
Where can I find a vet?

Wir wollen Ihre Kühe und Schafe sehen.
We want to see your cows and sheep.

Ich bin kein Mitglied dieser Konferenz, dennoch möchte ich einen Pinguin.
I am not a conference delegate, nevertheless I would like a penguin.

Kocht die Magd die Blätter?
Is the maid boiling the leaves?

Die kleine Tochter des dicken Bäckers gab dem klugen Neffen des alten Schneiders einen Brief. The fat baker's daughter gave the old tailor's clever nephew a letter.

Mäh'n Äbte Heu? Äbte mäh'n nie Heu. Äbte mäh'n Gras.
Do Abbots mow hay? Abbots never mow hay, they mow grass

Ich werde die Bauern, die da auf uns zukommen, fragen, ob die Straße, auf der sie gekommen sind, schlecht ist.
I shall ask these peasants who are coming towards us, if the road by which they have come is bad

Greek (Ancient)

Άβρως χορευσουσιν αἱ γυναικες περι το δενδρον.
Abrōs khoreusousin ai gunaikes peri to dendron.
The women will dance delicately round the tree.

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Haida

Sgíw uu hl xiláadaang.
I am drying some seaweed.

Haiwaiian

Ha'aheo no paha 'oe i kena papale kupalaka, pehea la.
You must be very proud of your large hat.

Hindi

यह आदमी चालक लगता हैं।
Yah ādmī cālak lagtā haĩ.
This man appears to be cunning.

आपके मेज़ के नीचे बिल्ली है।
Āpke mez ke nīce billī hai.
There is a cat under your table.

मैं सिर्फ़ बंगाली गीत गा सकता हुँ।
Maĩ sirf Bangālī gīt gā saktā hũ.
I can only sing Bengali songs.

आपको कित्ना आटा चाहिए?
Āpko kitnā āṭā cāhie?
How much flour do you want?

मेरा दुघवाला बेईमान है।
Merā dūdhvālā beīmān hai.
My milkman is dishonest.

Hungarian

Miért nevet - annyira rosszul beszélek magyarul?
Why are you laughing - is my Hungarian that bad?

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Indonesian

Maaf, Nona. Ada bebek di atas kepala anda.
Excuse me miss, there's a duck on your head.

Italian

Voglio chiedere a quei contadini che vengono alla volta nostra, se per dove sono passati, é cattiva la strada.
I shall ask these peasants who are coming towards us, if the road by which they have come is bad

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Jèrriais

Ch'est eune vaque Jèrriaise!
It's a Jersey cow!

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Kannada

ಪುತಕ ವುರಲ್ಲಿ ಇದೆಯಾ?
Putaka vuradalli ideyā?
Is the book in the tree?

ಅದು ಬಾಗಿಲಾ ಕಿಟಿಕಿಯಾ?
Adu bāgilā kiṭikiyā?
Is that a door or a window?

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Lakhota

Šúŋkawakĥáŋ kiŋ lé iwáču kte.
I will take this horse.

Ziškópela waŋží wačhíŋ.
I want a banana.

Wíŋyaŋ oĥ’áŋniwašte.
You are a woman of good manners.

Latin

Si hoc legere scis, nimium eruditionis habes.
If you can read this, you have too much education.

Estne volumen in toga, an solum tibi libet me videre?
Is that a scroll in your toga, or are you just happy to see me?

Re vera, cara mea, mea nil refert.
Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.

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Maltese

Liema karozza tal-linja rrid naqbad għall-baħar?
Which bus should I catch for the seaside?

Fi x'ħin jiftaħ il-mużew?
At what time does the museum open?

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Norwegian

Unnskyld, Frøken, kunne De fortelle meg hvor i nærheten jeg kan få kjøpt et forkle?
Excuse me, miss, could you please tell me where around here I might buy an apron? (Riksmål)

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Old Norse

Ek sé svangan mann taka ost.
I see a hungry man take some cheese.

Dvergarnir foera konunginum gylltan baug.
The dwarves bring the king a golden ring.

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Polish

Te dzieci siedzą pod tym drzewem i uczą się fizyki.
The children are sitting under the tree and learning physics.

Nikt nie interesuje się współczesną poezją na tej wyspie.
Nobody's interested in modern poetry on the island.

Portuguese

Entrou na casa e viu os chapéus no benguleiro.
He entered the house and saw the hats in the hat stand.

Onde é a embaixada timorense mais próxima?
Where is the nearest East Timorese embassy?

Eu queria um outro pedacinho de Apffelstruedel, por favor.
I would like another piece of Apffelstruedel, please.

Eu queria meu cafezinho só um pouquinho mais quentinho.
I would like my coffee a little hotter.

Luís argüia à Júlia que «brações, fé, chá, óxido, pôr, zângão» eram palavras do português. Luís argued to Júlia that "big arms, faith, tea, oxide, to put, bee" were Portuguese words. (includes all the letters of the Portuguese alphabet)

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Quenya

Yulmanye miruvóreva alantie talanna. Nyerinyes.
My cup of miruvor has fallen to the floor. I am sorry.

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Romanian

Îmi poţi împrumuta puţin spatula ta?
Can I borrow your spatula?

Cu cana poţi să bei lapte, dar cu pisica nu poţi să tai lemne
You can drink milk with a cup, but you can't cut wood with a cat.

Russian

Помогите! Мне нужен холодильник! (Pomogite! Mne nužen holodil'nik!)
Help! I need a refridgerator!

Борода вам очень идёт. (Boroda vam ochen' idjot)
That beard suits you very well.

В нашем лесу много медведей. (V našem lesu mnogo medvedej)
There are many bears in our forest.

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Sindarin

Man i ven na Imladris?
Which way is it to Rivendell?

Gîl síla erin lû e-govaded vín.
A star shines upon the hour of our meeting.

Slovenian

Imate knjigo "Orgle na Slovenskem" v angleščini?
Do you sell the book "Pipe Organs in Slovenia" in English?

Spanish

Hay niebla en Barcelona
There is fog in Barcelona

Busque un plomero en seguida.
Fetch a plumber immediately.

¿Ha visto usted al mozo número diez?
Have you seen porter number ten?

Es una cara dura.
He has the cheek of the devil.

¿Puedo verlo a la luz del día?
May I see this by daylight?

Quisiera comer como un rey
I want to eat like a king

No me importa mirar, pero prefiero no participar
I don't mind watching, but I'd rather not join in

Tu ego está fuera de control
Your ego is out of control

Swahili

Safisha viatu yangu mara moja!
Clean my boots at once!

Huyu mchawi, ona chura katika kifuko yake!
That man is a witch-doctor, see the frog in his pocket!

Mimi naogopa nyoka, funga milango
I am afraid of snakes, fasten the door

Swedish

Mitt huvud trillar av och det är fullt av godis.
My head falls off and it is full of candy.

Vart tog vägen vägen? Vi åker på en åker!
Where did the road go? We are traveling on a field!

De jättelika kräftorna försöker ta över Jorden!
The giant crayfishes are attempting to conquer The Earth!

Idag har jag cyklat ned i skorstenarna.
I've cycled down the chimneys today.

Kommunalskolsflaggstångsknoppuppsättaringenjörslärare
Person who teaches engineers who work at communal schools to put the top piece on flagpoles"

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Tibetan

Nga khenpo jel-dö yö.
I'd like to meet the abbot.

Nga saymong chig gö.
I need a squirrel.

Gongta di ngay chöloogdâng tüngee mindu.
I'm sorry, it's against my religion.

Turkish

Dansöz olan bir yer var mı?
Is there anywhere we can go to see belly-dancing?

Lütfen pantolonunuzu verin.
Please give me your trousers.

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Uzbek

Gorbachevning boshda katta xolli bor.
There is a large birthmark on Gorbachev's head.

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Welsh

Mae defad wedi bwyta fy mrechdanau!
A sheep has eaten my sandwiches!

Fydd Iago ddim yn prynu petrol yfory.
James will not be buying petrol tomorrow.

Mae'n brydgell ac mae'r brochgim stwd / Yn gimblo a gyrian yn y mhello.
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves / Did gyre and gimble in the wabe.

For the Jaberwocky text in English plus translations and parodies see: http://www76.pair.com/keithlim/jabberwocky/index.html

Xhosa

Izinke izivubu izikho zijabulisa na ziphila.
May all your hippos be happy and healthy.

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People who have contributed to this section

If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, please contact me. If you can provide audio recordings of any of these phrases, please send them to

You can send me audio files in any format. If you don't know how to make recordings on a computer, you can send me recordings on audio cassette. Let me know if you want to do this and I'll send you my snailmail address. Or you can call me on Skype (omniglot) and I'll do the recording.

Links

Other collections of 'useful' phrases
http://www.zompist.com/thought.html
http://www.zompist.com/phrases.html
http://www.outercon.com/stupidphrase.html

Other phrases