Language Phrasebooks

Planning international travel? There’s nothing that will get you places quite like knowing some basic phrases of the local language.

Not only will locals be much more excited to help someone who has made an effort to learn a few phrases, you’ll also be better prepared to find your way around and discover treasures when you can understand more of the signage.

You don’t need to learn an entire language for a trip, but language phrasebooks can make a world of difference to your travel experience.

Best-selling language phrasebooks
There are some countries in the world where you can muddle away in another language thanks to similarities with English. Japanese is not one of those languages. A Japanese phrasebook such as Fast Talk Japanese is a must when visiting the Land of the Rising Sun, whether you’re sticking to the international hub of Tokyo or exploring further afield. It includes essential phrases, pronunciation guides, and expert tips to help improve your confidence.

Heading to Italy? Italian Conversation is your handy guide to basic conversation and phrases. It includes 12 units, all with clear, colour-coded layouts to help you find what you’re looking for as quickly as possible. It also comes with a downloadable audio file so you can listen on the plane on your way over.

If you prefer to learn visually, there are options that might help those phrases sink in more naturally. The Collins Italian Visual Dictionary offers a photo guide to everyday words and phrases in Italian.

Audiobook language phrasebooks
One of the hardest parts of learning any language is figuring out the pronunciation. Audiobooks can be a huge help in getting used to hearing another language, and in getting used to mimicking the words out loud.

Learn Korean is an excellent example of a handy audiobook for your travels. This Korean phrasebook includes 3,000 essential words and phrases, as well as a free booklet to have on hand as a useful resource during your travels.

These audiobooks aren’t just for beginners, either. If you’ve got some basic French already, a resource such as Conversational French Dialogues is a fantastic mid-level tool with more than 100 conversations and short stories to help you expand your vocabulary and turn your words and phrases into sentences and stories.