Language Basics Rules in Every Country

English is limited outside major tourist areas — download Google Translate with Japanese offline before you arrive.

Arabic is the official language, but English is so widely spoken in tourism and business that there is effectively no language barrier for visitors.

English is widely spoken in tourist areas but very limited outside them — learning a few basic Thai phrases earns enormous goodwill from locals.

German is the official language, but English is widely spoken in cities and tourist areas — learning a few German phrases is warmly appreciated.

English is spoken everywhere, but British vocabulary differs from American English and strong regional accents can be genuinely challenging for visitors.

French is the official language, but many Parisians speak English — attempting even a few French words first, especially 'Bonjour' and 'S'il vous plaît', will dramatically improve how you are received.

English is spoken everywhere in Australia, but local slang can be confusing — 'thongs' are flip-flops and 'arvo' means afternoon.

English is Singapore's main working language, so there is no language barrier — though locals also speak Singlish, Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil.

Italian is the national language; English is spoken in tourist areas and hotels but limited outside them, especially in southern Italy.

English is widely spoken in Istanbul and tourist areas — outside these zones it drops off sharply, but Turks warmly appreciate any attempt at Turkish.

Spanish is the dominant language; English is spoken in major tourist zones only, so Google Translate works well for everything else.

Castilian Spanish is the official national language, but Catalan, Basque, and Galician are co-official in their regions — English is widely spoken in tourist areas.

Brazilians speak PORTUGUESE — not Spanish — and they are distinct enough that Spanish speakers cannot reliably communicate without effort; translation apps are essential outside tourist hubs.

English is widely spoken in tourism, business, and educated circles across India, making it one of the more accessible countries for English-speaking visitors.

Mandarin is the official language; English is very limited outside international hotels — download Google Translate offline before you arrive.

Korean (Hangul) is the dominant language, but English signage is widespread in tourist areas and the Papago app is better than Google Translate for Korean.

Vietnamese is tonal and very difficult to learn quickly, but basic phrases are appreciated and English is available in most tourist areas.

English is widely spoken in tourist areas, but learning a few Greek words is warmly received and makes a strong positive impression.

Portuguese is the official language, and English is widely spoken in Lisbon, Porto, and the Algarve.

English is spoken fluently by virtually the entire Dutch population — the Netherlands ranks among the highest English proficiency countries in the world.

English is spoken everywhere; French is the primary language in Quebec and parts of New Brunswick — knowing a few French phrases goes a long way in Montreal.

Bahasa Indonesia is the national language and one of the easier Asian languages to pick up basics in; English is widely spoken in Bali and tourist areas but limited elsewhere.

English is very widely spoken throughout Malaysia and tourists rarely face language barriers — Bahasa Malaysia is the official language but English proficiency is high.

English is widely spoken in tourist areas — but learning 'shukran' (thank you) and 'la shukran' (no thank you) will serve you well every day.

French is more useful than English in most of Morocco — learn a few words of Darija (Moroccan Arabic) and you will receive a genuinely warm reception.

Arabic is the official language; English is widely spoken in hotels, tourist areas, and business settings, though less prevalent in Riyadh than in Jeddah.

Arabic is the official language but English is very widely spoken throughout Doha due to the large expat population — most tourist interactions require no Arabic at all.

English is the lingua franca for tourism and business; most tourist interactions are in English; Zulu, Xhosa, and Afrikaans are widely spoken first languages.

English is the primary spoken language — there is no language barrier for English speakers, though learning a few Maori words is warmly appreciated.

English is an official language and spoken fluently by most Filipinos — there is virtually no language barrier for English-speaking tourists.

Argentine Spanish (Rioplatense) uses 'vos' instead of 'tú' and has a distinctive Italian-influenced accent unlike other Spanish-speaking countries.

Colombian Spanish is considered among the clearest in Latin America; English is available in tourist areas of Bogotá, Medellín, and Cartagena, but very limited outside these zones.

Spanish is the official language and English is widely spoken in tourist areas, hotels, and national parks, though rural areas have limited English coverage.

Spanish is the primary language, Quechua is co-official and widely spoken in the highlands, and English is available in tourist zones in Lima, Cusco, and Machu Picchu.

Switzerland has four official languages — German (63%), French (23%), Italian (8%), and Romansh — with English widely spoken in tourism and business across all regions.

Austrian German is the official language, but English is very widely spoken in Vienna and tourist areas; a few German phrases are warmly appreciated.

Czech is a complex Western Slavic language, but English is widely spoken in Prague's hospitality sector — a few Czech phrases go a long way.

Polish is a complex Slavic language, but English is widely spoken by younger people in Kraków and Warsaw tourist areas — learning 'Dziękuję' (thank you) and 'Przepraszam' (excuse me) will be warmly appreciated.

English is spoken fluently by virtually the entire Swedish population — Sweden ranks among the world's highest English proficiency countries and there is no meaningful language barrier for English-speaking visitors.

English is spoken fluently by virtually the entire Norwegian population — there is essentially no language barrier for English speakers anywhere in Norway.

English is widely spoken throughout tourist Croatia; Italian is useful in Istria, and a few Croatian phrases will earn genuine appreciation.

Hungarian (Magyar) is a completely unique language unrelated to any neighbouring language, but English is widely spoken in Budapest's tourist areas.

English is widely spoken in Amman, Petra, and at tourist sites — but a few words of Arabic will be warmly received everywhere.

English is widely spoken in tourism, hotels, and cities; Sinhala is the majority language with Tamil in the north and east.

Nepali is the national language, but English is widely spoken in tourist areas, trekking businesses, and Kathmandu — a few Nepali words go a long way.

English is an official language in Hong Kong and is very widely spoken — language is rarely a barrier for English-speaking tourists.

Dhivehi is the national language, but English is spoken fluently throughout the tourism industry and in Malé — there is virtually no language barrier for tourists.

English and Swahili are both official languages; English is widely spoken in tourism; learning basic Swahili phrases is warmly appreciated across the country.

Swahili is the national language spoken by everyone; English is widely used in tourism and business, making Tanzania very accessible to English-speaking visitors.

English is the sole working language of the US, and proficiency in English is assumed for all services — though Spanish is widely spoken in Florida, the Southwest, and parts of major cities.