Photos: Jorge Santiago

Mexicans have a way with expressions. They use Spanish the way a bullfighter uses a flag – to grab your attention, to add a little romance and drama and flair, to turn a dull conversation into artful swoops of language.

1. caerle gordo a alguien

Used to refer to someone who rubs you the wrong way. For example, that friend of ours who never returned the book I lent her, and who’s always gossiping about everyone else, ella me cae gorda. You can use “caerme …” to describe how you get along with someone in general – “me cae bien, me cae mal” – with the literal, direct translation being how well someone falls on you. In this particular version, my favorite, someone falls fat on you.

2. pintarse de colores

Get the hell out of there. As in, what my Mexican friends do when I try to convince them to go trail running, what kids do the second the last bell rings at the end of the school day.

3. echarle ganas

Throw some life into it. “Echale ganas!” you might say to someone who looks like they’d rather be doing anything other than what they’re doing at that moment.

4. tener ganas de

Crave, have a desire to, have the urge to. Applies to cravings big and small, culinary and otherwise. In my case, tengo ganas de viajar por Belice, tengo ganas de comer chilaquiles verdes, tengo ganas de arriesgarme.

5. creerse mucho

Brag, think too much of oneself. Se cree mucho is said with a derogative tone, as in, he thinks he knows Spanish fluently but really he’s all arrogance.

6. echar la hueva

The opposite of “echarle ganas.” Instead of giving it your all, you give it an egg, the ultimate Mexican symbol of laziness. What am I doing on any given Sunday afternoon? Echando la hueva.

7. comiendo moscas

Literally eating flies, figuratively dazing out. So when someone’s staring off into space while you’re explaining the basis of your thesis project you can call them out with, “Estás comiendo moscas!”

8. Irse el avion

Lose your train of thought. You’re talking about one thing, and suddenly you say, “se me fue el avion:” my plane just took off.

Y ahora, me pinto de colores, damas y caballeros.

Community Connection

If you’re studying Spanish, or just curious about what “que cabrón” means, take a look at our quick and dirty phrasebook of Mexican slang. If, for some reason, this post made you crave tacos, you might want to check out the foodie primer for Mexico.

Feature Photo: catsper Photos: author

When I graduated from college and decided to move to Vietnam rather than take an entry-level job in the US, I figured picking up the language would be a snap, immersion being the greatest of all teachers. One year in Ho Chi Minh City, I thought, would lead to proficiency at the very least.

I am, after all, a language person who finds verb conjugations and noun declinations fascinating. Besides, thanks to Portuguese missionaries Vietnamese is one of the few Asian languages written in Latin characters. No sweat.

The more I looked into it, the more I grew certain that this language would be a snap. It has no verb conjugation, no noun declinations, no adjectival agreement…

It was through this research, however, that I discovered the first half of the information that would be my linguistic downfall: Vietnamese has eleven different vowel sounds and six different tones.

I learned what would be the second part of my downfall the first week in the country, at a karaoke bar with some Vietnamese university students: I am tone deaf.

Even still, it took about three months of immersion before I finally got discouraged to the point of renouncing any non-English language as stupid and completely un-learnable. It was another month before I decided to give it another shot, this time with a different approach.

Get a Tutor

My biggest mistake was assuming that I would absorb the language through exposure. Immersion is a great method when learning a romance language because when you stumble on a word, mispronounce it or use the wrong pronoun, whoever you’re talking to can likely understand and correct you.

Unfortunately, in Vietnamese even the slightest error can make you incomprehensible. It’s a simple intonation that defines the difference between ‘apple’ and ‘turtle’, one that seems subtle to a Western ear but is very apparent to a native tonal speaker. And believe me, that is not a mistake you want to make in a grocery store.

I found this aspect of the language to be the most frustrating, and no matter how many books I read or flashcards I made, I wasn’t making any headway in actual communication because I still couldn’t pronounce the words.

It wasn’t until I found a Vietnamese tutor, who would correct even the slightest mispronunciation, that I really began making progress with the language. Other expats I know had similar success through Vietnamese girlfriends, boyfriends or plain old friends who were endlessly patient and willing to correct their pronunciation.

Forget Your Feelings

We use inflection in our voices to communicate much of what we’re trying to say. Try asking a question without raising your voice at the end, or try being sarcastic without speaking in italics. It’s not easy, but you need to make a conscious effort to keep your voice free of your feelings when speaking Vietnamese, otherwise you’ll be asking for noodles served with ‘father’ instead of ‘beef’.

The trick is simply to be wary of your voice, especially when you ask a question. It helps to run the sentence over in your head before you say it, paying special attention to how it should sound. Think before you speak, just like your mother always told you.

Sing It

Aside from having a tutor beat the tones into me, I also got a lot out of trying my hand at the Vietnamese songs at karaoke night. The tones are worked into the tune and they’re often exaggerated to the point that even an untrained ear can recognize the differences.

Not only did it help me recognize the different tones but it also acted as a pneumonic device when I was trying to use the words in regular speech. There is something about a song that will cement the rising and falling notes of a phrase far more effectively than a notated flashcard ever will.

Over-pronouncing your tones also helps your listener and besides, it’s endless amounts of fun to sing your order to the fruit vendor.

Don’t Give Up

It’s frustrating to work so hard at learning a language and still be incomprehensible to the people you’re speaking with, but don’t give up. It may be twice as hard as that Spanish or French class you took in high school, but it’s also twice as satisfying when you finally become conversant.

Community Connection

If you’re interested in tonal languages, take a look at Matador contributor Michelle Schusterman’s excellent blog post about music and language. Also, have a look at how to learn Chinese and ten extraordinarily useful Japanese phrases for travelers.

Feature Photo and Above Photo: geoftheref

Yes, New Zealanders do speak English. But they speak their very own English, commonly referred to as Kiwi English. It’s been the subject of lectures, investigations, documentaries and never-ending mockery, and, as with any other aspect of language, it’s a reflection of their culture.

No matter how good an English speaker you are, if you are going to New Zealand for the first time, there will be words you have never heard before. They might appear combined with a bunch of other words that you already know – in which case you’ll easily deduce their meaning – or they might come to you surrounded by other examples of the finest Kiwi speech – in which case, you’re likely to need an “excuse me?”

Photo: PhillipC

The following is an overview of the expressions that are going to pop up everyday in Kiwi life.

1. Sweet as, bro!

That’s great. You’re likely to hear this one many times because, as far as my experience can tell, everything is always “sweet as” for kiwis.

2. Good on ya, mate!

Congratulations, well done or good for you.

3. Bugger all

Very little. E.g. I bought this book for bugger all.

Photo: geoftheref

4. Heaps

A lot. E.g. They say “sweet as” heaps of times.

5. Jandals

– flip-flops. A ubiquitous Kiwi fashion choice.

6. Kia ora

Maori for hello.

7. She’ll be right

It will be ok. The “she” here refers to no female in particular – just things in general.

8. Bob’s your uncle!

There you go! E.g. Click this button and bob’s your uncle.

9. Knackered

Very tired.

10. Togs – swimsuit

Life in New Zild

Photo: geoftheref

Another characteristic of the way Kiwis speak is the shortening of words. Their usage of language is very economical (and, in that sense, efficient) and they will abbreviate pretty much any word they can. Kiwis watch telly (television), visit their rellies (relatives), eat brekkie (breakfast), and wear their sunnies (sunglasses) if it’s sunny in the arvo (afternoon).

You are also likely to come across people that will say “cheers” to you without a glass in their hands. They’re not making an imaginary toast – “cheers” is a kiwi way of saying “thanks” or a casual goodbye.

If you’re traveling around New Zealand and feel like a hot dog, make sure to call it an “American hot dog” – otherwise the bun will be left out and you’ll be served a Kiwi hot dog, which is just a battered sausage on a stick.

Last year, the adventures of a whale that woke up on a New Zealand beach went viral on You Tube and the words “I’m beached as, bro!”, said with a thick kiwi accent, were in everyone’s mouths (and on some people’s t-shirts).

The short /i/ vowel that causes kiwis to have “fush and chups” instead of “fish and chips” for dinner will also be new to your ears.

Another distinctive characteristic of the Kiwi accent is the high-rising intonation at the end of sentences, even though they’re meant as statements rather than questions. A kiwi friend describing a visit to a shop might say: “So I went there? And had a look around? And couldn’t find anything?”

Kiwis speak in a very relaxed way – if you pay attention, the lips of a person with a strong kiwi accent hardly move – which can work as a reflection of their own outlook on life: laid back, relaxed and with a genuine “she’ll be right” attitude.

And don’t get me started on Maori place names! Wanna meet up at Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu?

Community Connection

Interested in New Zealand? Read Matador member threespoons blogs from Auckland. Looking for work? Read up on working in New Zealand’s wineries. And check out why New Zealand is your safest travel bet.

Feature Photo: philliecasablancaPhoto: **Maurice**

Most Brit and American teachers are all too aware of the differences between our deceivingly similar languages.

We share a sarcastic disdain for each other’s pronunciation of ‘tomato’ and have long argued about the difference between ‘biscuit’ and ‘cookie’ or ‘chip’ and ‘crisp’. There is always a right or wrong answer- it just depends on who’s being asked.

Pettiness aside, these inconsistencies pose a few questions when faced with a class full of ESL students, particularly when those students are schooled in British grammar and combine this with phrases learnt from American TV shows and movies.

So which ‘English’ should you teach?

Often teachers are hired based on their nationality. I found my niche in Buenos Aires teaching Business English to students dealing regularly with Europeans, whereas international companies with New York headquarters opted for my American friends.

Photo: walkadog

The best advice is to stick to what you know. As a British native, I teach British English but I allow students (especially beginners) to use American conjugations and pronunciation if they find it easier to do so.

Try to resist the urge to make generalizations about whether something is right or wrong.

I once had students bring in American advertisements to prove me wrong on a grammar point I had made and it’s not a good way to gain their trust!

Never underestimate your students’ ability to catch you out – many take great pleasure in doing this. Keep it simple and make it clear that you are teaching only one style of English.

As a starting point, here are six of the most common differences you may encounter whilst teaching:

1. Regular or Irregular?

The most notable difference between American and British grammar is their inability to agree on whether verbs follow regular or irregular conjugations.

The past tense and past participles of the verbs learn, burn, dream, smell, spill, leap, lit, spit and saw amongst others, are all irregular in Britain (learnt, burnt) but regular in America (learned, burned) and many others follow similar patterns.

Confusingly, despite having regular past participles, irregular adjectives may still be used in American English. ‘Burnt toast’ for example.

American English is generally easier to teach owing to its greater concentration of regular verbs, however it could be argued that if you teach the irregular patterns then students will understand both.

2. Realize or Realise?

Any Brit who has inadvertently subjected their writing to an American spell-check will already be familiar with their annoyingly similar yet different spellings.

After hours spent agonizing over whether to use a ‘z’ or an ‘s’ or whether travelling is correctly spelt with one ‘l’ or two, I lost all memory of what I was taught in school.

The main differences are that American English omits extra letters and favours phonetic spellings – ‘traveller’ becomes ‘traveler’, ‘colour’ becomes ‘color’, ‘centre’ becomes ‘center’ and ‘recognise’ becomes ‘recognize’.

I let my students use whichever spelling they are familiar with but I always check for consistency – whichever method they prefer, they have to stick to it!

3. Use of the Present Perfect

The present perfect is one of the most difficult tenses for foreign students to grasp, a problem unaided by its different uses overseas.

Whereas Europeans would say, “I’ve already eaten”, an American may simply use the past tense and say, “I already ate”, a phrase that is deemed grammatically incorrect in England.

When teaching, particularly with beginners, it’s best to give clear examples that clearly follow the grammatical ‘rules’.

For this reason I teach students to use the present perfect with prepositions such as ‘already’, ‘yet’, ‘never’ and ‘ever’ and would disallow the use of the past tense.

4. Use of Modal Verbs

In the UK we tend to use more modals than our American peers. On numerous occasions I’ve overheard American teachers dismissing expressions using ‘shall’, ‘shan’t’ or ‘ought to’ as out-of-date, unaware that they are still used in England.

Photo: Steph and Adam

Students benefit greatly from a few pointers on modern language usage (I would definitely discourage the use of ‘how do you do?’, for example) but make sure you are aware of international variations before you make these statements.

If unsure, simply state: ‘In America, we say it like this…’.

5. Numbers and dates

These basics are the bane of early language learning, as anyone trying to master their telephone number in a new country will agree.

Most significant is the order of dates – 25th January 2009 would be expressed 25/01/09 in the UK but 01/25/09 in America.

Numbers may be pronounced differently too – ‘twelve hundred’ is more common in America than in England, where ‘one thousand two hundred’ is preferred. Similarly the Americans often drop ‘and’ when reading numbers – ‘two thousand and three’ might become ‘two thousand three’.

Students often struggle to distinguish these differences in conversation and benefit from exposure to as many variations as possible.

Photo: ronocdh

6. Vocabulary

English speakers have plenty of disagreements over vocabulary, with each country, and often region, renaming common items.

A British duvet is an American comforter, a lift is an elevator, and the boot of a car is a trunk. The list is endless.
With vocabulary, I try to teach as much as possible without baffling the student. The more words they know the better.

When dealing with a special case then I refine my selections – a student moving to the UK will obviously benefit from English phrases and colloquialisms whereas a salesperson who deals with US representatives would need to familiarize themselves with American speech.

Teaching slang is always a popular lesson choice but be careful of words with double meanings. ‘Fanny’ springs to mind, as do ‘fag’, ‘rubber’ and ‘pants’. You have been warned!

Community Connection

Thinking of teaching overseas? Have a look at the insiders guide to teaching in Asia, the top ten places for teaching English abroad and how to get work teaching English as a second language. Still dubious about the impact of English abroad? Check out this article about whether English should be the world’s international language.

Feature Photo: db*photography Photo: jakeliefer

The other morning I went to the market with the dog to buy some avocados.

There was a foreign woman buying veggies from the same stall. She cast a few glances at the dog, a big female German Shepherd, and asked,

“Amable?”

“Yes, she’s very nice, you can say hello to her,” I replied in Spanish.

The woman bent over and greeted my Stella, who responded with kisses and happy grunts and a near belly-flop. When she stood back up, I said to her in English,

“Have you tried huitlacoche?”

Then I got the look.

It’s the “why are you speaking to me in English” glare of wounded pride and condescension. The woman responded with something along the lines of “what how is?”

Photo: dionhinchcliffe

I tried to explain in Spanish about the concept of mushroom corn fungus and how to cook it, but that wasn’t going so well, so I took a risky political line and jumped back to English. The explanation got through then, but the woman was obviously insulted and we parted ways without either of us sharing any goodbyes or further info.

This got me to thinking about the politics of English overseas. Why, I wonder, are foreigners so often insulted when other foreigners speak to them in English? I’ve never understood the purpose of having a tedious conversation that one or both parties only half-understand when they both speak English and could glide on by just fine in that language.

I took a controversial stance on this in France, when I was studying abroad and it was all the rage to speak nothing but French all the time, even with a fellow group of Americans whose French sounded, at best, like a heavily accented Wisconsinte reading sentences by rote out of a grammar book and, at worst, like garbled, frustrated baby talk.

What are you learning in that encounter? I argued. How to mimic each others’ painfully flat American accents?

We’re practicing our French, they’d reply, with the same haughty and irritated look the market woman shot me.

And I’d contest, Do you really think it’s helping your French to talk about how many brothers and sisters you have with other American French students?

But still, I’d often find myself in situations in which I overheard several Americans having a brutally basic and torturous conversation like the following:

“What’s your favorite color?”

“I like blue. And you?”

“I like yellow. Yes, yellow. Yellow is be nice.”

I thought this was just the bane of overly eager study abroad students. But I’ve discovered that it’s a widespread traveler phenomena. Especially in Mexico, American tourists will get irritated if I speak to them in English, even if it’s to clarify something they don’t understand.

Once, I went to go grab a beer with a traveler who spoke basic to intermediate Spanish. There were plenty of things I wanted to talk about–Mexican politics, her perceptions and experiences, who she’d met…but she insisted from the beginning on talking solely in Spanish, and half the conversation was spent on waiting until three word sentences about what she liked and didn’t like came together.

There’s nothing wrong with speaking in Spanish or French or the local language, and certainly nothing wrong with squeezing in as much practice as possible when studying a language. And with native speakers, for sure, give all your energy to muscling up those language skills.

But what I find bizarre is the insistence of certain travelers on speaking a second language with a fellow native English speaker when the said travelers obviously don’t speak that second language well enough to hold a decent conversation or to understand their partner.

If you speak fluently or well enough to move beyond describing when you brush your teeth and what you’re doing tomorrow, great. But if you don’t, then in my opinion it’s waste of time.

Photo: William A. Franklin

Particularly if you’re passing up the opportunity to learn something or to get a useful explanation — like, for example, the other day in the coffee shop when a woman became increasingly irritated that they didn’t have eggs, and I tried to explain in English that they did have eggs but they were on another menu, and she insisted on switching back to Spanish only to get more frustrated. Why?

So I’ll draw up my Rules for the Use of English Vs. the Local Language When Speaking with Native English Speakers (RUEVLLWSNES-catchy, right?)

1. If you do not speak at the same level as your conversational partner, be aware of this when insisting on speaking in the local language.

2. If you do not understand what your partner is saying, it might be time to throw in the towel.

3. At parties or meetings or other social events where native speakers of the local language are present, by all means speak only the local language, even with other English speakers. But if it’s just you and someone who shares your native tongue, and your level is not high enough to have a worthwhile conversation, then scrap language practice time.

4. Keep in mind that for expats, speaking the local language isn’t exactly the most stimulating experience ever.

And that’s all for today, folks, from the land of rant. I’d be interested to hear your experiences on this front–are you one of these English-leery people? Why? Are you a practice-my-French-with-American-friends kind of gal/guy or does this make your skin crawl? Why? Does it drive you nuts when you try and explain something in Chinese or Italian to a tourist who obviously does not understand?

Fly on the wings of rant, travelers. Sound off below.

Photo: author

Nine months ago my partner Natalie and I quit our jobs and left Seattle to follow our dream of learning Spanish and living for a year in Latin America. We never imagined that our trip would lead us to start our own company.

First, a quick and shameless plug so that you’ll know what we’re about.

Lenguajero is a homegrown startup that connects Spanish and English speakers for online language and culture exchange. In addition, we provide useful resources to learners of those two languages so that they can improve their ability to speak their new language.

Now, onto the fun stuff.

The following are the five steps we took to build a startup while traveling around Latin America.

1. Do what you love

That sounds pretty cliche, but we quit our jobs last year because we realized that we had come to one of those now or never moments. We had talked for years about living in Latin America and learning Spanish. We also talked about grad school, careers, and a family: all things that would make it infinitely more difficult to travel. Now was our chance and we were going to take it.

Photo: Sarah Menkedick

From our previous solo experiences we knew that following the backpackers circuit through Central and South America was not a good way to learn Spanish. (Last time I had tried that I’d ended up in a Nicaraguan jail facing a drug charge, and didn’t even know enough Spanish to bribe my way out of it.)

Instead, we decided that we would pick three or four Spanish speaking countries to live in, and would spend the year living out of apartments as opposed to hostels. This would allow us to make real friends and form real bonds within the communities we were visiting.

2. Spend a couple of months without internet

I’m starting to sound like a heretic I know, but seriously it’s possible. The trick to doing this is going somewhere where they don’t have internet.

Doesn’t exist, you say? Actually, there is a Spanish speaking country here in the western hemisphere – whose name I, as an American, am not going to mention here – that comes pretty close to being devoid of internet.

Photo: author

Yes, you will go through withdrawals. Yes it will hurt, but after a couple of weeks you will begin to forget how important it used to seem to update your Facebook status every 10 minutes, and you might just experience a different state of reality.

You’ll make friends, speak Spanish, get drunk, make an ass of yourself dancing salsa, and get laid. None of which will be broadcast on YouTube and then spread across the world via Twitter.

Of course going two months without internet means that when you do return to the land of high speed you will sit in your hotel room for 48 straight hours drinking coffee and binging on free wifi. For us this binging took place in a country which is better known for producing a different binge-able substance, Colombia.

3. Get bored and have an idea

It wasn’t so much that we were bored with Latin America, but after three months of studying Spanish for a few hours a day, drinking rum, and lying around the beach we were ready for a bit of a challenge.

We settled in Medellin, a city we instantly fell in love with. In our first month of being there we noticed a transformation was definitely taking place. While we were certainly still far from fluency we were really starting to speak Spanish well, and more importantly, comfortably.

It was around this time that the idea for a startup just sort of materialized in front of us. Natalie pointed out that despite the thousands of language learning websites out there, none of them were focusing specifically on connecting Spanish and English learners with one another for conversation exchanges.

Given how much making Spanish speaking friends, and spending time everyday speaking with native speakers, had helped in our own learning process we thought that there was real potential for this type of site.

We had our laptops with us so we decided we’d continue studying Spanish in the mornings, start building the site in the afternoons, and just see what happened.

4. Bring a code monkey (they prefer to be called developers) with you

Fortunately, Natalie, or mi mono de codigo as I call her, just so happens to fit the bill. With a degree in Computer Science and almost five years of experience working at Amazon.com she is about as skilled as they come. And, while I am about as useful as a second asshole when it comes to coding, I had spent the last 8 months before our trip working as a project manager for a software development firm, and had learned a lot from that experience.

While Natalie got to work tackling the technical challenges we faced I did what all good project managers do. I sat around drinking beer and transforming myself into a complete jackass.

5. Take advantage of living in the future

Photo: Jorge Santiago

In the age of the all encompassing “Cloud” you no longer need things like your own servers, or an office full of people to get shit done. Instead we looked to the web for solutions to all of the challenges we faced.

One word – outsourcing. Websites like eLance and 99designs connected us with designers and programmers from around the world, and allowed us to outsource the work that we couldn’t do ourselves. At one point in time I was coordinating profile page design with a guy in Taiwan while Natalie was messaging with a team in Romania that was doing the HTML & CSS for our homepage. All this was done while sipping coffee in the comforts of our apartment in Colombia.

Whether our startup will be successful remains to be seen. What is certain is that living in Latin America while working on this site has provided us a freedom not afforded most startups. Instead of holing ourselves up for 16 hours a day 7 days a week trying to get something done quickly before our funding runs out, we have been able to take a more relaxed approach.

The lower cost of living, the tranquil atmosphere, and the abundance of good beer, better food, great beaches and great people have made “working” in Colombia and Mexico about as fun a job as we could have asked for.

Community Connection

Thinking of studying Spanish? Check out 10 Spanish schools for waves, wilderness and buena onda. Addicted to language learning? Read the true confessions of a language-aholic.

Feature photo: clinkerPhoto: Felixe

Mexico has its own language untaught by Spanish schools and phrase books. It’s a language whose meanings shift in a heartbeat from insults to compliments, a language Mexican people manipulate deftly and instinctively in all sorts of contexts.

It’s, in a word, cabrón.

Here’s a primer of your essential Mexican slang:

Cabrón.

Photo: Jorge Santiago

This sounds like a cliché. Sure, a cabrón is a guy who’s a sort of badass, right?

Sure, that’s one interpretation. But this guy can be a real jerk, someone you talk about with disgust or fear, or this guy could be, say, an internationally renowned artist who’s just completed a photo exhibition about indigenous cultures.

Either one is a cabrón. And don’t forget about the feminine version, cabróna. Same standards apply: there are the bitchy, detested cabrónas and the revered, awe-inducing ones.

Then there’s que cabrón, which is used to describe a thing or situation as opposed to a person. This, too, can be positive or negative, but it’s gotta have a particular edge to it. Real life examples:

a) Narcos entered a popular restaurant and collected the cell phones of all the customers, warning them not to make any phone calls or act out of the ordinary. The narcos ate peacefully, returned the cell phones, paid everyone’s bills, and continued on their way. Que cabron.

b) You ran out of water, and the government isn’t sending more water to the Centro Historico for three days. You just had a party and now have a sink full of beer glasses, skillets full of chipotle sausage residue, and greasy plates. Que cabrón.

Insider tip: For added flair, add an “ay” before cabrón when used for people, and mix it up with an “esta cabrón” instead of “que cabrón” in the case of situations.

Destinations

Community Connection to Mexico

Madre

In the quintessential Mexican read, The Labyrinth of Solitude, Octavio Paz has a great passage about the significance of la madre (the mother) in Mexican slang and culture.

The madre is identified with all things negative, the padre with all things positive. This, argues Paz, is a reflection of two historical and cultural factors in Mexico.

The first is the idea of the “long-suffering mother,” the passive recipient of pain and burden who is, to use another classic Mexican slang term, chingada (screwed, for a polite interpretation).

Photo: descamarado

The second is the historical resentment and resignation towards the woman whom Paz claims is the mother of modern Mexico—La Malinche. La Malinche was a Nahuatl woman who aided Cortéz in the colonization of Mexico, translating for him, offering insider information, and…giving him a son, one of Mexico’s first mestizos.

So la madre is not treated kindly by Mexican slang. Whether you feel squeamish about it or not, be prepared to hear at least one of these expressions on a daily basis:

Que madres: what the hell? As in, the sudden explosion of firecrackers on any random street corner, the drunken antics of your friend after so much mezcal, the thing floating in your soup.

Que poca madre: literally, how little mother, as if mother was a quantity added with an eye dropper to a particular experience. The less mother, the better. So if Mexico kills in soccer with a 5-0 victory, it’s definitely poca madre.

Or, on the flip side, it’s padre—meaning cool, awesome, interesting.

Hasta la madre: utterly sick of something. Your boyfriend’s behavior could drive you to feeling hasta la madre, and so could consistent rain every afternoon or the incessant barking of the dog next door. You’re at the end of your rope, the breaking point—you’re literally, to translate the phrase directly, almost to the point of motherhood.

Huevos.

Photo: procsilas

There’s a whole linguistic universe surrounding huevos here, so I’ll just stick to my personal favorites.

Que huevon/huevona: What a lazy egg. This expression is one of the principal reasons for my deep affection for Mexico. The mental image rocks, and the insult rocks. It is soft and prodding and so accurate in so many situations (particularly for describing the morning after 10 peso beers and a night of salsa).

Similarly, there’s the expression que hueva, which translates literally as “what egginess.” Eggs here have the same association with laziness with an additional component of boredom. For example, you could toss out a que hueva at the suggestion of starting up a soccer game, and you could toss out a que hueva at the suggestion of watching one on T.V.

Que huevos! A brilliant expression that translates most accurately as “what balls” but really, contextually, means so much more. In the most literal “what balls” sense que huevos can be used to express admiration for some great courageous act; for example, throwing your half-eaten mango at that guy who whistled at you in the street.

It can also be used, however, to express repulsion for rude behavior, such as tearing around a corner in your SUV and nearly killing a couple of pedestrians.

And finally, it can be used without the “que” to lament a minor tragedy—spilling beer all over yourself, tripping over the sidewalk, forgetting to buy the one thing you went to the supermarket to buy.

You can’t really go wrong with these three overarching expressions—cabron, madre, huevos—used in one variation or another. (Obviously, when you’re having a chat with the polite grandmotherly señora on the corner you don’t want to bust out with “ay, cabrón!”….common slang sense applies in Mexico as in most places).

So the next time you find yourself grappling with the differences between ser and estar, why not sprinkle some huevos into the conversation and save yourself the effort?

Community Connection

Planning a trip to Mexico? Check out the three part series on Mexican cantinas: Wrestling, Pig Skin, and Beer, Life is Worth Nothing, and Tequila and a Song. Also, take Matador editor and Mex-pat Teresa Ponikvar’s advice about spending summer in Baja California Sur. And if urban life is your thing, read up on the top 10 nightlife spots in Mexico City.

Photo by castielli

Traveling to the Middle East can be a daunting experience, but you’re about as likely to get struck by lightning as you are to meet an Al Qaeda member.

Instead, you’ll come face to face with people who are as curious about you as you are about them. Arabs aren’t shy about bringing up sensitive subjects like politics and religion. These useful Arabic phrases will help you get by!

Photo by castielli

Politics

Ana saeed Bush halas means ‘I’m glad Bush is gone’ while Ana aheb Obama is ‘I like/love Obama’ (there’s no distinction between like and love in the Arab world).

Both phrases will help you win the hearts and minds of Arab friends, but be warned – they still high five in the Middle East so get ready for some hand jiving.

Religion

If you’re atheist, don’t tell ’em that. Just say Ana Christian/Buddhist/Hindu or whatever religion you feel somewhat inclined towards.

Saying you don’t believe in God (let alone Allah) will make the walls go up faster than a West Bank settlement.

If you’re interested in Islam (and I’m assuming you probably are if you’re traveling to the Middle East) saying Ana mohtam bil Islam (I’m interested in Islam) will get you invites into Muslim homes faster than you can say apostasy.

Manners

When pressing the flesh with the locals, it’s best to be polite. One little forces-sa-eeda (nice to meet you) with your hand on your heart goes a long way.

Photo by castielli

The usual follow up is inta min wayn? (where are you from?). Tell ‘em Ana min (plus the name of your country). They’ll actually be genuinely delighted to make your acquaintance, bil takeed (for sure!).

Getting to Know You…

Family is huge. In the Sultanate of Oman, for example, six kids is average, eight is the norm and ten to fourteen would be considered kabir (big).

After you’ve said where you’re from (ana min….) and what your name is (ismee + your name) they gotta know if you’re married and if not, lesh?! (why?!). What’s wrong with you?

The best excuse is ma fee falose, ‘no money’ (it costs a bundle to tie the knot in Arabia). They’ll nod gravely and say in the future, insh’allah (God willing).

Just in case you are married – Ana moo-ta-za-wee-zha will do the trick. Just throw a ma between the ana and the mootazaweezha and boom, you’re single again.

Destinations

Community Connection to Egypt

At the Sheesha/Hooka Café

A hookah / sheesha pipe is a giant water pipe a.k.a bong used for smoking improbably flavored tobacco (a Middle Eastern ritual of sorts best accompanied by lots of tiny glasses of sweet tea).

Wahead sheesha nana/eyeneb/tufeh/zaloo min fadlak means ‘One mint, grape, apple, jasmine hooka please.’

Mutter this sentence in its entirety and your head will be soon be swimming in a mint, grape, apple and jasmine cloud of tobacco.

Safe Travels and Good Luck!

When traveling in the Middle East, give the language a go and you’ll be soon surprised at just how friendly and welcoming the locals can be. Until then, salem maeelaykum (peace be with you).

Chaukati schoolgirls. All photos by Sarah Vazquez

If you are headed to Nepal, take note of these quintessential keywords. Remember, you are not aiming for fluency; you are aiming for safe water, a settled stomach and happy hosts.

1) Namaste vs Tik Chha

Let’s start with your first word, namaste.

This is used as both a greeting and a goodbye and is accompanied by holding your palms together in a prayer position. When you meet people, say “namaste,” and hold your hands together in front of you.

A family poses for a photo after hosting me for chiyaa.

Strangers, shopkeepers, fruit venders, farmers, bus drivers, and policemen will all appreciate your courtesy.

Be careful not to be overzealous with your namastes; you do not need to say namaste to people more than once in the day.

Do not say namaste to your hostel owner every time you walk to your room. Using namaste properly will make you a language connoisseur, not a language kook.

Instead of namaste, you can casually say, Tik chha?

When you say Tik chha? as a question, it is an inquiry, “Are you okay? How are you? How are things? How is the day?”

When you say it in response to a question or in the context of a conversation, it means general satisfaction, “I am well. This tea is good. This shawl is good for me. Today is a good day.”

2) Diddi, Dai, Bai and Bahini

A typical Saturday morning activity.

Family is very important in Nepal. It is not uncommon for the first question from a street vender to be, “Do you want fruit?” and the second question to be, “How is your mother?”

In Nepali, people often address each other by an affectionate, familial nickname, such as: Diddi (older sister), dai (older brother), bai (younger brother), or bahini (younger sister).

Often times one of these nicknames will be used after a name to add respect and formality. If I were talking to my teacher, Sweta Gurung, instead of saying, “Namaste Ms. Gurung,” I would say, “Namaste Sweta Diddi.”

These nicknames are also an endearing sign of friendliness. Next time you go get a cup of chiyaa try saying, “Namaste, Diddi,” when you order.

If you yourself are called any of these nicknames, rest easy knowing that it is a compliment and shows that you are liked.

3) Kanna, Chiyaa, Piro, Umaleko

“Ramro kanaa!”

Along with family, food is also sacred; good food is a sign of a good host.

Kanna: “food.”

If a friend, or even a stranger, is talking to you, then any sentence with kanna in it is a good thing and usually means you are being invited to eat.

If you have not eaten when you arrive at someone’s house, it is usually an unacceptable way to continue with the day. You will be fed.

Piro: “spicy,” or, “hot.”

Simply ask, “Piro?”

No matter what you think of your spice tolerance level, Nepal has spice like you’ve never tasted before. Do not underestimate the chilies or the cooking.

If your host says it’s piro, then it’s Nepali hot. Proceed with caution.

Chiyaa: “tea.”

Like kanna, chiyaa is always a good thing. It is very safe to say that if you arrive in any store, home or office at the right time of day (any time of day) then you will be offered a cup of chiyaa.

It would be incredibly rude to not offer a guest chiyaa, and doubly rude to not offer a foreign guest chiyaa.

The Nepali guru herself, Manju Diddi.

Likewise, it is rude for you to not accept. It doesn’t matter if you don’t want a cup and it doesn’t matter if you have somewhere to be.

Try your hardest to accept a chiyaa invitation; accepting hospitality is the best way to repay hospitality. Usually, chiyaa implies, dude chiyaa (milk tea). You can ask for calo chiyaa if you don’t like milk and this will get you plain black tea. There is always a hefty amount of sugar included.

Umaleko paani/filter-ko paani: “boiled water/filter water.”

Tap water is not safe to drink in Nepal. Simply ask “Umaleko paani?” or “Filter-ko paani?”

It’s worth asking at least twice, because you need clean water to be a steadfast rule of your eating habits.

Ramro: “Great. Good. Beautiful. Enjoyable. Pretty. Excellent. Tasty.”

Ramro can mean any and all positive adjectives. Use it to describe, review or request any food, clothing, housing, tea, adventure, or person. For example:

“How is your mother?”
“Ramro!”

“How was the chiyaa?”
“Ekdahm (very) ramro!”

Parchha/pardina: “I need/I don’t need.”

Many Nepalis have their own chickens so that they can eat fresh eggs everyday.

This is a very useful phrase. Put a noun in front of parchha and you almost have a full sentence! For example:

“Ma umaleko paani parchha (I need boiled water).”

You can use pardina with the same structure. However, if you are being pestered to buy, eat or accept something, you can simply say, “Pardina, Dai,” and this should tell your annoyer that you “don’t need it.”

This technique is handy in shops and on the street.

Homework garchuu:

Garchhu comes from the verb garnu (to do).

In Nepal education is taken very seriously and children are always doing homework. If you are a young traveler and find that you need to take a break from your hosts, you can simply say “Ma homework garchhu.”

Although you may think this is a nerdy excuse, it is the closest excuse that can get you out of a three hour long dinner conversation (which you can’t understand) and having to eat third helpings of daal bhat.

Pugyo: “Full.”

This is possibly the most useful phrase you will need to know. It is very rude for a Nepali host to leave their guest with an empty stomach.

When you are in a home and sit down for a meal, your plate will be overloaded with filling carbohydrates and there will certainly be seconds for you to eat. Before touching your food, separate the plate in two portions and say, with your extensive vocabulary,

“Pardina, Diddi.”

Make sure to smile. As long as you haven’t touched the food, your host can take it back and hopefully you have not offended her.

When she comes around to give you a second helping and you are already full (you will be full), hold your plate back and say with a big smile:

“Pugyo, Diddi.”

Namaste!

To be safe, hold a hand over your plate so she doesn’t dump food on it anyway.

A few belly rubs and “mmm” noises, along with a “ramro” review, will tell her you loved her cooking but you just can’t eat any more.

When navigating Nepal and its language, do not get discouraged by the lack of familiarity. You will probably not be able to say these phrases in a grammatically correct way all the time, but that is irrelevant.

A willingness to try, a lack of self-consciousness, some good body language and these key words will get you far!

Most Nepalis in and around Kathmandu, especially the children, will speak at least a little bit of English. They will be incredibly curious about you and eager to practice their English.

They may ask you things about your mother and how expensive your shoes were. Sometimes Americans can be offended by these personal questions, but to a Nepali this is their way of showing interest and concern.

Do not be offended and try to be as open and responsive as possible; soon these conversations will become an endearing and heartwarming part of your visit.

***I owe much credit to my fabulous language teacher in Kathmandu, Manju Diddi.***

Feature photos by kalandrakas

Learning such expressions is key not only to picking up the local language, but also to grasping different belief systems and ways of seeing the world.

Think of these expressions as ways to get inside of a particular worldview, and to show the locals that you’ve got an awareness of their cultural values.

Japan photo by tiseb

1. Shoganai (しょうがない), Japan

“It can’t be helped.” Japan is for the most part a very non-confrontational culture. Shoganai epitomizes this tendency because by encouraging people not to complain or try to “fight the power”.

Circumstances can’t be changed, so why get angry or try to avoid the unavoidable?

It’s too hot and you have walk 10 km to the nearest train station? Your boss asks you to work an extra four hours that evening?

Just accept it and move on: shoganai.

2. Mai pen rai (ไม่เป็นไร), Thailand

Thailand photo by mckaysavage

“Thailand is where no matter what happens, you say ‘mai pen rai.’ Never mind. Que sera, sera. Water off my back. And get on with your life.”

- Jerry Hopkins, Thailand Confidential

Whereas in Japan this “never mind” idea encourages one to endure hardships, in Thailand, it implies that life should be lived at a relaxed pace.

This could not be more evident in the idea of “Thai time”: several days late for a gathering of friends? Mai pen rai; it’s no big deal, we can always put things off for another day, a week, a month.

3. Sempre tem jeito, Brazil

“…there’s always a way. Don’t drive yourself crazy over stuff now, there’s always a way to work it out in the end.”

- Thomas Kohstamm, Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?

4. Pura vida, Costa Rica

Costa Rica photo by lulumon athletica

If you’ve been reading up on the exploits of one frozen banana stand owner, you should understand the idea of enjoying life in leisurely manner in Costa Rica, pura vida!

Literally meaning “pure life”, the saying is often used as a handy catch phrase and a way of offering greetings and farewells.

5. C’est la vie, France

Apparently the French and Japanese think very much alike in this respect. C’est la vie is often used to describe situations beyond someone’s control in a way of saying “that’s life” or “what can you do?”

6. Insha’allah, Arab nations

“In Egypt, it is an expression that is relied on so utterly, repeated so continually and universally – invoked on the quiet, dusty paths of rural villages and on the crowded streets of Cairo alike – that it is a part of our national character.

For Egyptian Muslims (and many Christians, too), insha’allah is the constant reminder that human beings are not in control. It is funny, but also somewhat telling, that most foreigners and visitors to Egypt believe it means ‘never.’”

- Jehan Sadat, My Hope for Peace

7. No worries, Australia and New Zealand

Although the phrase “sweet as” might be just as strong a contender in Kiwi territory, no worries is probably the most culturally relevant phrase in Australia and New Zealand.

The saying expresses a laid-back approach to life. No worries, mate.

8. Huevos, Mexico

Our own Sarah Menkedick offers her experience in Mexico with the variations on huevos (eggs):

“Que hueva.”

Imagine you are Jorge, it is Sunday morning, and you are snug in bed with the sun pouring down on you. Then your peppy girlfriend and her German Shepherd come racing into the room, jump on the bed, and shout/bark “Come running with me!!”

Your response would be: “Que hueva.”

Huevo photo by bpheonix

In case the context didn’t help, “hueva” here means something like boring/tedious/dull/dreadful. You could also translate it more or less directly as “how laziness-inducing.”

“Que huevon/huevona.” This is that guy with his arm elbow-deep in the Ruffles and his gut pouring over the edge of his jeans who shouts “yeah, I’ll get around to it later honey, I’m watching the Simpsons!” The Lazy Egg.

Huevona is the feminine form.

This is what you try to pull on your friends when they refuse to walk the dog with you or trek it across town to catch a bus to see a movie.

“Que huevon!” you say with mock indignation. It rarely works, but it’s fun to call someone a lazy egg anyway.

- Huevos a la Mexicana

9. Maningue Nice, Mozambique

Mozambique photo by JenvanW

A cross between a purely national term and a flair of English, maningue nice means “very nice” and is the closest thing to a slogan in Mozambique. Scream it from the tallest buildings whenever fortune favors you.

10. Bahala Na, Philippines

Come What May.

“This is the term that is very often used when all else fails, when you have done all you could, it doesn’t matter
because fate will take over. Sort of a comfort in a sense, that wills the Filipino, that gives them a sort of perseverance.”

Source: tingog.com

A Cross Cultural Theme

When I started researching these expressions, I was expecting to find similarities based on geography: patterns in Asia, South America, Western Europe, etc.

I was surprised, however, to find a cross-cultural theme; many of these phrases are used in response to circumstances beyond people’s control.

How each culture is epitomized in these terms is indicative of how they react to unfortunate or unavoidable events.

The Japanese and French suck it up; the Thais, Kiwis, Aussies, and others shrug it off; Arabs put the responsibility to a higher power.

Join the Conversation!

Do you know a phrase that seems to epitomize a culture? Please share it by leaving a comment below!

Feature photo by SantaRosa OLD SKOOL / Photo above by Rodrigo Solon

1. Tudo bem?

Photo by Rodrigo Solon

“How’s it going?” (lit. “Everything good?”)

A super-common informal greeting. The correct response is also “tudo bem”.

2. Oí, árbitro! Cadê o penalty?

“Hey, ref! Where’s the penalty?”

A useful phrase to know when traveling to any football-loving country. Shout as needed at the television, radio, or, when possible, the referee himself.

3. Não, não posso faze-lo.

“No, I can’t do it”

Photo by SFMission.com

As my Portuguese professor once explained to me, Brazilians tend to avoid saying no. When they do say no, however, they say it as emphatically as possible. If you really want to be clear, tack on another não to the end of the sentence.

4. Legal

“Cool.”

One of the most useful slang words in the Portuguese language, you can use legal to describe a whole host of things. People can be legal, as can clothes, places, and, ironically, gangster rap.

5. Como? Não falo português europeu.

“Come again? I don’t speak European Portuguese.”

Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese are two very, very different dialects. So different, in fact, that Brazilian TV shows are frequently translated and broadcast with subtitles in Portugal.

Even if you already speak Brazilian Portuguese, you’ll probably need some practice before you can understand speakers from Europe or Africa.

Photo by Peter Fuchs

6. Dirige mais rápido, estamos num bairro perigoso.

“Drive faster, we’re in a dangerous neighborhood.”

It’s unfortunate, but Brazil is one of the most unequal countries in the world in terms of income distribution, and most major Brazilian cities have several favelas, or shantytowns.

While the favelas and their residents have made many important contributions to Brazilian society and popular culture, they can also be very dangerous places, especially for visitors.

7. Como vai, gatinha?

“How’s it going, baby?” (lit. “kitten”)

A pretty simple pickup line. I take no responsibility for what happens if you actually try to use it.

8. Que diabo…quem projetou esta cidade? Não faz sentido!

“What the hell…who designed this city? It makes no sense!” (for trips to Brasilia)

Photo by malias

In 1954, Brazil’s government decided that the country needed a new capital. So, they did the logical thing and built a giant, airplane-shaped city called Brasilia in the middle of nowhere.

Oscar Niemeyer was hired to fill Brasilia with unusually-shaped buildings.

9. O Brasil é lindo maravilhoso!

“Brazil is magnificent!”

Lindo maravilhoso is a Brazilian idiom which literally translates to “beautiful marvelous”. You can use this phrase to smooth things over with any Brazilian friends who may have just heard you publicly mocking their capital.

10. É o jeitinho brasileiro.

“It’s the Brazilian way.”

How can Brazil be the world’s largest Catholic country, the world’s party capital, and an industrial giant to boot?

Why did Brazil lay out its capital in the shape of an airplane and stick it in the middle of nowhere?

The answer is simple: É o jeitinho brasileiro.

Destinations

Community Connection to Brazil

Attention, Brazilians!

What do you think of the phrases above? How’s the grammar? The author is not a native speaker, so if you notice any mistakes or have other suggestions, please leave a comment below!

Going to Brazil?

Be sure to check out Ernesto Machado’s excellent article 10 Tips to Improve Any Trip to Brazil.

Finally, for the tragic story of the Brazilian boy whose smiling face illustrates our Community Connection to Brazil graphic, click over to Beija Flor’s Brazilian street kid gallery on Matador.

Our good friend Benny, aka Benny the Irish Polyglot, is traveling the world to learn new languages to fluency. And making awesome video along the way.

His latest vid, published on his awesome new site, gives travelers some pointers on starting off learning Italian.

Have travel footage of your own? Dust it off and upload your own clips to our YouTube group today.

Feature photo Tim van Kempen

Community Connection:

Also be sure to check out Benny’s guide to efficient luggage packing

All photos by Ryukyu Mike

Japanese is the official language in all of Japan and is understood by everyone in Okinawa. There is also a native tongue, however, preserved by the elders.

This Okinawa language goes back centuries, to the days when the islands of Okinawa were the independent Ryukyu Kingdom. Scholars call it Okinawa-Hogen, or the Okinawan Dialect; it’s U-CHI-NA-GU-CHI, to a native.

This post won’t get you speaking like a native Okinawan, but if you print it out and stuff it in your wallet before visiting Okinawa two things will happen:

1. Your thick wallet will make you look richer than most Americans who visit here.

2. If you actually use a few of these words and phrases, you’ll be treated like royalty and maybe get some free drinks!

Here are the phrases, spelled phonetically.

Photo by Ryukyu Mike

1. HAI-SAI, U-CHI-NA MEN-SO-RE !

“Hai Sai” is a universal Okinawan greeting that means good morning, good afternoon and good evening.

It’s a whole lot easier to remember than all that stuff Japanese people have to say.

“Uchina” is: Okinawa and “Mensorei” means “Welcome”, only it’s used much the same as “aloha” is used in Hawaii. When you depart Okinawa, or a bar, for that matter, you may hear “ MATA MENSOREI” meaning, “come back again, sometime!”

2a. II-CHA-RI-BA-CHO-BE

When an Okinawan says “Ii cha ri ba cho be” after meeting you, be flattered, bow and shake their hand and try to ii-cha-ri-ba-cho-be back to them. It means “We have met and now you are family”.

If you can’t remember that tongue twister, you need a back-up plan. These phrases will make them love you:

2b. MA-JUN-NU-MA-YA, MATA-MA-JUN-NU-MA-YA and SAKI-NU-MI-DU-SHI-GUA

Ma-jun-nu-ma-ya means “Let’s go drinking together”. Mata ma jun nu ma ya, means “Let’s go drinking again, sometime” and Saki nu mi du shi gua, means “We’re drinking buddies”.

Photo by Ryukyu Mike

3. JIN-GUA

“Jingua” means Money! Now, if you touch your index finger to your thumb (making the internationally recognized OK symbol) and lower your hand to waist level and twist your wrist outboard, so the palm of your hand is facing up, you just learned how to say Jingua without moving your lips!

When you’re out of money, or you stumble across the occasional beggar asking for some, just say “Jingua mo nai” meaning “I don’t have any more money”.

Note: Some of the phrases used above include words like, ”mata” and “mo nai”. These are actually Japanese words mixed with uchinaguchi.

OK, we got the money thing down; let’s go spend some!

4a. HI-MO-JI

Photo by Ryukyu Mike

Himoji means “I’m hungry,” plain and simple.

How hungry you are and how much jingua you have will determine where you’re going to eat. A lot of the restaurants in Okinawa display plastic, realistic-looking foods in their window, with the prices clearly marked in yen.

Others don’t, so you have to ask. Maybe if you ask in the local dialect, they won’t charge you tourist prices!

4b. CHA-SA-YAI-BI-GA ?

How much does this cost? You may have to say it twice in a high-class restaurant; they’re expecting a foreigner to speak anything but uchinaguchi and some of the staff in these establishments are not Okinawans, anyhow.

But, if they are Okinawan, you may get a heap of extra helpings for your efforts!

Photo by Ryukyu Mike

5a. KU-WA-CHI-SA-BI-RA

This is what you say when food or a drink is presented to you. It’s “Thanks for the food or drink”.

5B. U-SA-GA-MI-SO-RE !

The typical response to your thanks for the food or drink, meaning “Dig-in or drink-up, enjoy”!

5c. MA-SAI-BI-NA ?

When you hear this, you’re being asked “How is it, good?”

5d. MA-SAI-BIN-DO / MA-SAN / IPPEI MASAN

It’s good. / It was good or delicious. / It was totally delicious!

Photo by Ryukyu Mike

6a. NU-CHI-GU-SUI-YA-SA

Take a sip of cold tea, beer, juice, anything that makes you feel good inside and exclaim “Nuchigusui or nuchigusui yasa!”

This phrase is difficult to translate, but it means “gives you a healthy feeling inside”.

I’ve been to Nuchigusui Festivals where health foods were sold, nurse stations were set-up to check blood pressure and sugar levels and all kinds of physical activities were practiced, but the only time I’ve ever heard anyone exclaim “Nuchigusui” is when they sip a drink.

6b. MA-KAI-I-CHA-BI-GA ?

Where are you going?

6c. A-SHI-BI-GA

I’m going to play – standard answer for all children in the world, isn’t it? Well, adults use the phrase, too. It could mean going to play golf, going drinking with your friends, going for a walk, or just going somewhere out of the house to relax.

7. WA-NE-UTA-UTAI-BU-SAN

Photo by Ryukyu Mike

Say this and you’re going to Karaoke until the sun comes up!

Translation: “I want to sing a song.” Twenty-four hours a day, in Okinawa, there’s a karaoke bar open somewhere.

People will drink and sing until they pass-out. If their friends are still drinking and singing when they wake up, they’ll join-in and drink and sing until they pass-out again!

Modern karaoke systems have the music piped-in over the telephone lines, so any language you want is available, English, Korean, Spanish, Chinese, German, Chinese, Japanese, even Uchinaguchi !

8a. CHU-RA-KA-GI

This word means “Beautiful”, usually only said when referring to a female. You wouldn’t call someone’s house, dog or car churakagi.

Photo by Ryukyu Mike

8b. YA-NA-KA-GI

The opposite of 8a, If you happen to offend a husband by calling his wife beautiful, point to yourself quickly and say “yanakagi”. I only use this word to describe my wife’s dog; it’s too crude to use on humans, unless you’re looking for a fight.

8c. I-NA-GU-N-GUA

Meaning: Daughter. Nice to know before you get drunk and start hitting on some Sumo Wrestler’s 20 something year old offspring, sitting at the bar with him.

8d. I-KI-GAN-GUA

Definition: Son. Sumo wrestlers don’t mind drunken women hitting on their sons, go figure!

Photo by Ryukyu Mike

9. KU-SU-KWEE, or KU-SU-KAY!

Okinawans don’t cuss, they just don’t do it. But, there’s a special time when they use this expression.

Have you ever been walking down a dark alley or street and feel the hair stand-up on the back of your neck? There’s a presence, something creeping up behind you, a ghost, a bad vibe or an evil spirit.

Well, Okinawans worship their ancestors and believe there are spirits watching over them at all times. Anyone who died an unnatural death or was lost at sea and never given a proper burial has a spirit floating around, just waiting to snatch the healthy spirit from your body.

When someone sneezes, their spirit temporarily leaves their body and this is the ideal time for one of the floating spirits to snatch it away.

So, you should look slightly above the person who just sneezed, shoe the spirit away with both hands and say “Kusu Kwee!” just as someone walking down a dark alley would when they feel an evil presence.

Translation: Eat pig shit!

10a. NI-HE-DE-BI-RU

If you made it this far, I’d like to thank you for being such a good reader: Nihedebiru!

10b. MA-YA-GUA

Mayagua is a cat.

10c. IN-GUA

Photo by Ryukyu Mike

A dog is ingua. For some unknown reason cats and dogs get along just fine on the islands of Okinawa. It must be the peaceful atmosphere. You’ll see stray dogs and cats hanging-out together on street corners, just minding their own business.

Now, if you were really trying to learn Uchinaguchi, you should be able to pretend you’re the cat in the photo to the right and say:

We have met and now we are family. Let’s go drinking together, play and sing karaoke. By the way, I’m starving; you got any money?

Community Connection

If you’re going to Okinawa, be sure to get in touch with Ryukyu Mike. Other Matador members who have traveled in the far south of Japan include Turner Wright and Tim Patterson.

Feature photos by aiace

If you venture to the Arab world and you’re not armed to the teeth (linguistically speaking), you’ll be taken as an easy mark by shopkeepers, touts and taxi drivers alike.

Stockpile these ten high-caliber phrases in your language arsenal, however, and you’ll be the one taking the shots. First – some pleasantries.

Photo by seier+seier+seier

Salem maelekum

Salem maelekum is an Arabic mantra. Figuratively it means ‘hello’ but literally it means ‘Peace be upon thee.’ Learn it. Love it. Live it.

Malekum salam

Malekum salam is the expected reply and translates to ‘Peace be upon thee also.’ Ironic that in the war torn Middle East, the word most often heard is peace, innit?

Nevertheless, any attempt at engaging in cultural routines will be rewarded with warm invitations for tea, dates and special ‘friend’ prices, insh’allah (God willing).

Kaffek?

Kaffek is the simplest and most widely understood way to ask ‘how’s it going?’ Inevitably, the response is ilhumdelah meaning thanks be to Allah (the ‘fine’ and the ‘thank you’ is all implied in the ilhumdelah).

Sweet tea and pleasantries aside, the bottom line is even if they like you, they’re still gonna try to fleece ya (nothing personal, it’s just business) so here’s the nitty-gritty:

Photo by aiace

Hatha ghaliah ghidan

‘That is too expensive.’

Hatha laisa al mablagh al motad

This one means ‘that’s not the normal price’ (very handy when they see your western face coming and the price gets jacked up 200%). On your first shopping expedition, get the down low on how much the locals pay by hitting the souq with a resident.

Ati khasam min fadlak

‘Give me a discount, please.’ (But don’t bust this one out until the local price has been established.)

Hal tazon anani ghabi?

‘Do you think I’m stupid?’ Guaranteed to get a laugh and maybe the best price of the day before you act like you’re gonna walk away.

Destinations

Community Connection to Egypt

Meshy, halas

Meshy, halas means ‘OK finished.’ Once the cost has been set, fix it with this Arabic catchphrase.

Meshy, halas is also used to end phone conversations before a long series of ma’salema, ma’salema, ma’salema (Arabs have this thing about always wanting to be the last person to say goodbye).

So, good luck on your travels in the Middle East and ma’salema, ma’salema, ma’salema…

Photo: timlings

Speaking like a local is not all about the accent; or even the vocabulary. Gestures, clothing, mannerisms and attitude also hint at where you’re from.

All of these things can be learned and mimicked so you sound like you grew up around the block. Below is a list of hints for how to “go native.”

1. Cross Generations

Does “Dude, how was your weekend?” sound normal? Now what if it was your grandmother asking you the same phrase? What about your brother mentioning that he was “necking” with his girlfriend? Most likely both sound a little “off”.

These are examples of the generational differences that exist in language. Words are continuously dropped, added or take on new meanings. While you learn, spend time with people from different generations. Kids are always non-judgmental and forgiving when it comes to mistakes. Other than the occasional “You talk funny!” comment, their pace and knowledge will match yours (I know it’s a huge ego blow to have a 4-year old correct you, but hey, suck it up!).

At the same time, someone 20 years or more older than you will also enrich your language experience. Spending time with people of your generation is the easiest, but you will have a wider vocabulary and much more fun if you vary this.

2. Narrow It Down

So you’re learning Spanish? Chinese? Portuguese? That really doesn’t narrow it down much. You need to be aware of much more than the language.

For example, where is your teacher from? Where did she grow up? Which city? Is he a native speaker? From which socio-economic level?

Answers to these types of questions will help you better master the language you learn. As a comparison, think of how many different accents there are in the United States. Texans, Minnesotans and New Yorkers all have unique accents.

As for vocabulary, the western part of the US uses the word “pop” while easterners say “soda.” Figuring these things out will help you learn and understand the vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and accents you hear. As you become more comfortable with your language you should be able to adjust your vocabulary and accent to your local surroundings, making it easier to fit in.

3. Learn the Local Gestures

Every place has unique gestures that people in the area understand, but outsiders are clueless about. Often, these gestures are so ingrained in the native speakers’ communication that they forget they use them…meaning even if you asked, people probably won’t be able to answer you.

To get around this, spend some time sitting in a park, restaurant or café and watch the conversations around you. You will begin to see gestures repeated after several sessions. Later, ask someone what these gestures mean.

Photo: Paul Lamere

As an added bonus, you’ll hone your non-verbal skills while you observe, since at some point you will understand at least parts of the conversations without hearing a word anyone says.

4. Vary Your Instructors

This is perhaps the most important point in this article. It is easy to fall into the habit of using the same teacher and following the same schedule at the same place. The problem with this is that you will only be exposed to one accent at a time, which severely restricts your exposure to different dialects.

The best language learning programs offer a mix of teachers from different regions and countries. This allows you to begin to mimic the subtleties of the language and avoids you becoming accustomed to how one person speaks.

Even if you do not have the option of varying teachers, the internet now provides enough material for you to watch videos, listen to podcasts, hear radio announcements and read online newspapers. With a little effort you can begin to appreciate the variances in peoples’ verbal communication.

As a plus, being exposed to a variety of pronunciations and vocabulary will make your first foray into a foreign country less shocking. If your language exposure has been with only one person, the first time you visit you will not have an easy time communicating with people.

5. Focus your vocabulary development

Any time you begin to learn a language, you start with the common words. You are more likely to learn words such as car, telephone, run and ice cream, before you learn analysis, nuclear, political or border crossing.

So what are the most common words in any language? The naughty words! Not only is asking for slang words a great ice-breaker to meet people (Excuse me, my name’s Jared and I just started learning Swahili. If I get really mad at a taxi cab driver, what could I say to him?) but it’ll also help you quickly learn the most common words that most people use.

To better grasp the scale of the word, I always use the Grandma Test. Is this something you can say in front of your grandmother? mother? girlfriend? only with the guys? Ladies, why use this test? Because, believe it or not, there are some words that guys only use with other guys, so it’s best to clarify that at the beginning.

Another good vocabulary segment to develop early is the fillers that are used. In English, words like “uh”, “like”, “um,” and “well” buy time while you think about what to say next. Other languages have these fillers as well. Once you learn them (shouldn’t take more than a day or two with a little help from someone), use the local fillers instead of your own; your conversations will come across as more fluid.

6. Know your gossip

When was the first time your English teacher went over the correct usage of “ain’t” with you? Most likely never. At the start of learning a language, most of what we are taught is the formal structure of a language. This is the same with foreign languages. While the formal learning is important, to fit in like a local, you must also learn the street language.

Photo: Dave Fayram

One of the best ways to do this is to keep abreast of the gossip in the society pages of the country whose language you are learning. Most countries have news rags available that report on the newest romantic gossip surrounding actors and actresses. Often, there are also whole television programs dedicated to gossip of the rich and famous.

Most of them sprinkle in slang words, double meanings and sexual innuendo. Besides helping to fit in more like a local, this has another added benefit. Learning about current news, gossip and celebrities will allow you to participate more in conversations, better understand local jokes, and enjoy everyday life in your adopted country.

Copyright, Jared Romey, 2009. All rights reserved.
Press or reprint inquiries may be directed to Info@RomeyInc.Com.

Community Connection

Discover new ways to think about language learning with these metaphors, and don’t forget the importance of getting motivated.

For more practical advice, check out these ten tips to become fluent in a language in 6 months and the five ways we learn languages.

Feature photo: striatic Photo by Neil’s Photography

When you’re in that maddening spot where you can’t seem to put a comprehensible sentence together, look to these metaphors for inspiration.

1. A Desk Covered in Scraps

Language learning is like a desk covered in bits of fabric, old ceramics, shiny plastic buttons, rough pieces of recycled paper. You sit down before the desk and sigh. But then, inspiration strikes, and you start sorting through the bits and pieces and putting together a mosaic. And before you know it, all the disparate scraps come together, and you have….a conversation.

Photo: Sarah Menkedick

The point: let go of your obsession with logic and order, and get scrappy. Figure out how to piece together what you know and make it work.

2. A Game-Playing Date

Language learning is like dating a coy, flirtatious dude (or gal) who strings you along a bit, making you feel so smart, so sexy, so cool, and then suddenly stands you up.

You find yourself completely lost in some restaurant, unable to put together a sentence, realizing how little you know. You go through a bitter phase in which you swear off men/women.

Then, you meet some cute, sweet thing on the street one day, and your faith is instantly restored.

The point: there will always be moments, no matter how confident you feel or how much progress you’ve made, in which you feel like the rug has been pulled out from you.

It’ll always be harder and more intimidating to speak with certain people, and there will inevitably be times when all the language you’ve been practicing goes flying from your head at the crucial moment.

3. A Department Store

Language learning is like shopping in a massive department store with countless floors and boutiques.

You try on suits, miniskirts, overalls, knee socks, baggy sweaters, heels, boots.

Some make you feel uncomfortable and constricted. Some feel so good it’s almost like an addition to, or slight alteration of, your identity.

The point: Not every language will fit perfectly.

Photo: erredoppia

I feel much more natural, much more like myself, speaking in Spanish than in French.

I’m still happy that I speak French and I love speaking it, but I can recognize that sometimes it just doesn’t fit with my personality.

Understanding that some languages fit you better than others can help you get beyond some of your frustration with language learning.

4. An Archeological Dig

Language learning is a process of cultural excavation. At first, you’re simply pondering over shards and fragments, holding them up to the light, trying to put them in context.

Little by little, the culture behind the medley of artifacts starts to come through.

The ways people think and behave – and have thought and behaved over time – reveal themselves through the bits and pieces you’ve uncovered.

The point: Language is culture. Culture is language.

This basic lesson takes some time to figure out.

The longer you speak a language and the more time you spend in areas where it’s the native tongue, the better chance you stand of getting access to a new way of thinking and a new way of seeing the world.

Little by little, you come to realize that phrases and expressions you use for the sheer practical purpose of communication are deeply cultural, and reveal cultural values and beliefs.

5. Driving through a fog

Language learning is like driving up a long winding road through a thick fog. You arc around curve after curve, hypnotized by the monotony and the concentration of driving, by the feeling of being totally lost and insulated in your little car world.

Photo: blyzz

Then you break through the fog. You’re at the flat peak of the mountain and a whole valley of undulating green, edged by a distant bay, spreads before you.

“Holy shit!” you think. This is what I’ve been approaching!?”

The point: Immersion is a fog.

If you’re really, truly immersed in a language and unable to escape it, you’re probably going to spend quite a bit of time feeling completely isolated and unsure of yourself.

You’re going to muddle through things and feel a bit lost in every conversation, just trying to inch up the road.

And then suddenly, there will be a moment, or moments, when you can sense how far you’ve come.

Community Connection

Getting started on that maddening, thrilling journey that is learning a language?

Get motivated, and learn to follow your intuition..

And if you’re not sure where to begin, why not learn the importance of eating a new language?

Tokyo photo by oimax———-Feature photo by skyseeker

This post is dedicated to Sarah Menkedick, who is currently learning Japanese in Nagoya, Japan.

Some of these Japanese phrases are practical. Some of them are funny. All 10 will greatly enhance your trip to Japan.

All of the phrases are pretty informal, especially the one about crapping your pants.

Note that I spell the phrases phonetically in the bold text, but spell them with the most common romanization of the Japanese characters when explaining a point.

Confused already? Don’t worry about it.

Keitai girl by scion02

1. “Yo-ro-sh-ku o-neh-gai-shi-mus.”

This phrase is absolute magic. Say “yoroshiku” to any Japanese person in any situation and they will help you with anything and everything you need. It’s impossible to translate literally, but means something to the effect of “please do your best and treat me well”.

If you memorize nothing else before going to Japan, remember “yoroshiku” and you’re totally set. “Onegaishimasu” is a common word that means something similar to “please”.

2. “Yosh. Gahn-bah-di-mus.”

This phrase means something like, “OK, I’m going for it,” or “I’ll do my best”. A Japanese would say “Ganbarimasu” before taking a test, or leaving the house for a job interview.

Japanese people will crack up if you say it before walking outside, eating noodles or using a vending machine. Try saying it before using useful phrase # 8.

3. “Ara! Onara suru tsu-mori datta keh-do, un-chi ga de-chatta.”

The literal translation of this useful phrase is “Oops! I meant to fart but poop came out”.

Saying this useful phrase never gets old, especially in public places, especially on a first date and most especially if it’s clearly one of only 10 Japanese phrases that you’ve memorized.

When in Southeast Asia, I especially enjoy muttering in Japanese about crapping my pants while walking past Japanese tourists. The reactions are priceless.

4. “Mo da-meh. Yoh-para-chatta. Go-men.”

At some point during your stay, Japanese people will probably try to make you drink past your limit. That’s when this phrase comes in handy. It means something like, “No more, I’m already drunk, sorry.”

Photo by Jenny Webber

5. “Ko-ko wa do-ko? Wa-ta-shi wa da-reh?” Na-ni mo wah-kah-nai.”

Where is this? Who am I? I don’t understand anything.

This is what you say after failing to use useful phrase # 4 in time.

6. “Ee-show ni kah-rah-o-keh ni ee-koh ka?”

Shall we go to karaoke together? This is a good line to use if trying to pick someone up from the bar. Think of karaoke as a transition point between the bar and the love hotel.

Note – please don’t pronounce karaoke with lots of EEE sounds. It should sound like “kah-rah-o-keh” not “carry-oh-key”.

7. “Hon-toe ni oh-ee-shee des yo!”

Use this one when eating. It means something like, “For real, it’s delicious!”

Hontou ni means “for real” or “really” or “I’m not kidding.” Japanese people are always telling sweet little white lies, so dropping a “hontou ni” from time to time is very much appreciated.

8. “Ah-nah-tah wa ha-ruh no ee-chee ban no sah-ku-rah yo-ree u-tsu-ku-shee.”

This classic Japanese pick-up line means “You’re more beautiful than the first cherry blossom of spring.”

Destinations

Community Connection to Japan

9. “Ni-hon dai-skee”.

Japan is the best. I love Japan. When in doubt, just smile, nod and repeat.

10. “Koh-nah ni kee-ray na to-ko-ro wa hah-jee-meh-teh mee-tah!”

Japanese people love it when you gush about their country. This phrase means, “I’ve never seen a place so beautiful before”.

Bust it out at famous attractions and you’ll meet with instant approval.

Want To Live In Japan?

Check out: How To Get A Job Teaching In Japan

Do You Speak Any Japanese?

Help us all out by sharing a useful phrase in the comments section below.

Student by foundphotoslj. Feature photo by Okko Pokko

There’s the guy who’s really interested in grammar and can’t stop asking you why the present perfect form of run is irregular.

He pores over his book every night and could present a thesis on the use of adverbs of frequency, but if he actually needs to bust out a comprehensible sentence in casual conversation, he’s floored.

There are the two or three middle-aged workers who’ve randomly decided they should learn English, gotten really pumped about it during the first week, and then promptly grown bored.

Now they recite new vocabulary words as if they were heavy rocks dropping with a thud.

There are the keen university students who want it, need it, soak it up with the desperation of a man trying every trick he knows to get the woman he wants.

They grapple with the language, play with it, try to please it and alter it a bit to suit their needs. They could use more practice, but they’ve got skillz in place for the moment when they actually meet a foreigner.

And then there are the rare students who soak up language like the proverbial sponge, who will always have a four-year old’s capacity for absorbing new vocabulary and grammatical structures.

There are, of course, many more types of language learners.

Which one are you?

Photo: Bredgar. Feature photo: foundphotoslj

“And so you need to put your three daily activities in order, and then tell your partner about them, and then cover them up, and have your partner remember what you said. OK?”

Three or four students — the ones who’ll fight their way through conversations in English until they get to the point of fluency — will nod.

Some students will tentatively look at their friends for encouragement.

A handful of others will stare up at me with traumatized expressions as if I’ve just sung an obscure Italian opera.

Florence by Deva.

This is when I can identify the natural language learners in my class.

They’re the ones who aren’t obsessed with hearing every word I say, with breaking down the grammar and analyzing it, or with trying to have a crystal clear native speaker’s appreciation for the exact meaning of a sentence.

They’re listening for gist—they want to get to the baseline meaning of what I say and follow it intuitively.

They know they’re blindfolded and feeling around in the dark, so they use their intuition and all the bits of language and memory they have to make their best guess.

The single most important skill any language learner can have is the ability to induce and intuit meaning, especially when one doesn’t understand every word—or even most words—a native speaker is saying.

Can you get far enough outside of your own cultural and linguistic box to divine what someone is trying to say?

Perhaps this is the most full-on plunge you can make into a foreign culture: giving yourself up to the language and letting yourself be carried along by it, even when you’re not sure, even when you don’t fully understand, even when you’re totally out of your element.

You’ve got to be confident enough to make a solid attempt at understanding and acting on that understanding, and yet you’ve got to be humble and perceptive enough to pick up on the speaker’s intentions.

Photo: Ed Yourdon

And most of all, you have to give up the need to make sense of every element of language.

You have to get to some deeper level of connection and communication, based on intuition, based on those skills you have when you’re an infant and you’ve got to figure out how to get milk and love.

Use whatever you’ve got – random vocab, frantic miming, raised eyebrows – to make communication happen. And be willing to accept the fact that you won’t know everything, and that you may be partially clueless for awhile.

After all, the struggle to grasp bits and pieces here and there until you can begin to make sense of the foreign world around you, is at the core of every travel experience.

Embrace the confusion!

Like so many things in travel, it makes the most banal moments — sending a postcard, ordering a beer — into grand tales of success and failure.

Please share your language learning tips and stories below!

Photo: peiqianlong Feature photo: Pratham Books

I’ve seen a lot of learners and a lot of strategies pass through my classroom in the past four years of teaching English abroad. In those four years, I’ve also managed to learn two languages and am working on a third.

How people successfully learn a new language is an elusive topic – one that academics have had cat-fights about for years.

What exactly are the factors that determine a language student’s success?

Yesterday at the Nagoya International Center I came across the single most important language-learning factor:

Motivation.

I’d been taught about the importance of motivation in my SIT TESOL course (one of the single greatest learning experiences of my life) but, as usual, learning the concept in the classroom and experiencing it in real life are entirely different stories.

The Nagoya International Center was offering eleven 90-minute Japanese classes for 2500 yen (25 bucks). The application and interview period was from 11:30-12 on Sunday.

We got to the NIC at 11:10, twenty minutes early for the interview period, figuring hey, nobody’s going to be that eager and we’ll probably be among a small group of language nerds.

Ha.

We took the elevator to the fifth floor. The entire place was jam-packed with people.

Photo: author Jam-packed NIC!

People squatting and filling out forms on the inches of available floor space. People milling around and chatting nervously. People bunching up around the desks where application forms were being handed out.

There was only one form left in English, so I let my friend have it and I filled out the Spanish one.

As we sat there, going through the requisite names-numbers-checking-boxes form, I soaked up the energy of the room.

It was a veritable U.N meeting of nationalities—there were Filipinos, Brazilians, Brazilian Japanese, Chinese, Southeast Asians, Americans, Brits, Africans, Mexicans, Spanish…

(I know because I kept peaking at the “native language” box on people’s application forms as we stood waiting in line).

All of us had the same eager, slightly nervous, first-day-at-school posture, and I realized that all of these people needed to learn Japanese. They were there because in their immediate, everyday lives, they had to use Japanese in some form or another and they’d jumped at the chance to do so for a bargain.

I’m sure if I’d asked them there, on the spot, “Why are you taking these classes?”

They could’ve clearly and specifically defined their goals:

“I want to work in an office and I need to learn polite Japanese conversation and basic vocabulary.”

“I want to open a shop and I need to interact with customers and officials.”

“I want to have conversations with people about Japan and Japanese culture.”

“I want to be able to read the newspaper and the subway signs.”

Clearly Defined Goals

And so, waiting in line at the Nagoya International Center with representatives of a dozen different countries, I saw again what I’ve seen throughout the years in my classes: having clearly defined goals and the motivation to charge at them makes all the difference in learning a language.

I’ve heard a lot of people say “I’d love to learn Spanish” or “it’d be great to speak Chinese” but their aims don’t go much further than that—which isn’t to say they aren’t motivated, but their motivation doesn’t have specific goals attached to it.

If you want to learn a language, ask yourself these three questions:

1. Why do you want to learn a language?

3. Why do you need it?

The more clearly and specifically you can answer these questions the more success you’ll have in learning a language.

Make a list of your goals and make sure you avoid general, vague statements like “I’d like to talk to people.” Be as specific as possible.

Once you’ve drawn up your list, start looking for programs or classes that fit the goals you’ve defined.

And stay tuned to Matador Abroad for where to go from there.

Feature Photo: miguelitos91 Photo: Puamelia

If you’re living abroad, struggling with a foreign language and can’t seem to find the time to go over phrases in a textbook, what’s the best way to learn?

Go out to dinner!

Here’s how to eat your way to fluency.

1. Start Small

Photo: davies

The best way to learn a language is to start off with simple words.

The vocabulary of food is dead simple. Even if you’re taking the easy route and going to a McDonald’s, you can still use words like “beef”, “chicken” and “drink”.

Editor’s Note – Is there any real chicken left at McDonald’s? How do you say McNugget in Mandarin?

2. Daily Meals

Try to eat out at least once a day to build your language skills and practice any material you might have reviewed. It’s tempting to save money and just let the rice cooker do the work at home, but you lose opportunities by staying in.

When I was living in Japan, each day I typically had one set phrase that I learned from the textbook, bounced off my coworkers, and then practiced in the restaurant (e.g. “Kyou no osusume wa nan desu ka?”, or “Yo, what’s cooking?”).

Not only was I able to eat well, but I also used the sentence structure and grammar to form conversations in other situations.

Photo: yomi955

3. Currying Favor

Every culture has their own “foreigner food test” – a seemingly disgusting food that’s actually kind of good once you get used to it.

In Japan there’s natto (fermented soy beans).

Durian (stinky fruit) in the test in Thailand. Australia has vegemite and we’ve got Dominos in America.

Although you may have no control over your gag relax when first trying these foods, finding the taste buds needed to enjoy them and telling the locals that they taste delicious will tear away cultural misconceptions.

4. Start With Delicious

The most valuable word to learn first in any foreign language is simply “delicious”. You might even find yourself muttering the word when no longer in the country, nor eating the same exotic foods:

“Délicieux! Oishi! Aroi mac! Que rico!”

Eventually you can move on to “sweet”, “sour”, “smooth”, and “Yes, I would like fries with that.”

5. Get To Know Your Neighbors

Photo: imorpheus

One of the advantages of being one of the few white faces in a country like Japan was being recognized at the local supermarket, yakitori stand, convenience store, and izakaya.

By visiting shops and restaurants frequently, most of the staff and waiters came to know me by name. Sometimes they would encourage me to try something new, which always involved me learning a new word and a new phrase to describe the food:

“Excuse me… what is this exactly?”

“ Ah yes, that pasta is topped with octopus and salmon roe covered in squid ink.”

…well, it was worth the experience anyway.

Do you know how to say “delicious” in any foreign language? If so, please tell us how by leaving a comment below!

Community Connection

To get jump started learning about food wherever you’re headed, check out these essential cookbooks for the culinary traveler.

For an exploration of how eating is a cultural experience, take a look at tasting place.

If you’re stuck on just where to begin, Japan expert Abram Plaut offers his tips on ramen joints in Tokyo, Contributing Editor Sarah Menkedick gives an overview of foods you can’t miss in Mexico and Matador Nights shares the best cities for late night snacks.

Barfy Hamburgers in a Flow Pack

Dismay cookie

Maybe after dining on your Barfy burgers, you’re ready for some dessert. How about a Dismay cookie?

Penetrit Lubricant

This lubricant says it’s multi-use, but as far as I can tell, a lubricant called Penetrit has only one use.

Polyana Deodorant

If you didn’t get that last one, maybe it’s time you had a Polyana Moment. Teen Spirit has nothing on this deodorant.

Ades

This juice might not share the same success in the U.S. as it does here. Drink Ades, crap lightning!

The Bichy

La Bichy Ahora or “The Bichy Now.” I imagine it best helps the drinker live up to its name when mixed with tequila or gin.

All Photos by Kate Sedgwick

Photo: Hyperscholar

I won’t deny that learning Spanish is both necessary and fun—I studied for a month in Quito before traveling around South America. However, as anyone who has trekked across Bolivia or Guatemala or Mexico can tell you, Spanish is not the native language of the region.

And while most countries have done a remarkable job of wiping out native languages through a mixture of brutality, exclusionary educational policy, discrimination and intimidation, some of these languages have managed to hang on, and some have even seen a revival in recent years.

Travelers now have a chance to get a more intimate look at Latin America and its diverse cultural groups, and to aid in the preservation of distinct cultures and languages in danger of being usurped by mainstream Hispanic culture.

The following is your guide to Latin America’s indigenous languages and where to study them. The languages mentioned below are only a sampling—there are literally hundreds more, but I’ve tried to select the ones that are still spoken by a large number of people and that are offered at fairly accessible language schools.

1. Zapotec

Zapotec is spoken by around half a million people in the southern Mexican states of Oaxaca, Puebla, and Guerrero. There are more than 50 versions of the language, but the largest three are mountain Zapotec (spoken in the Sierra Norte and Sur), valley Zapotec (spoken in the central valley of Oaxaca), and Zapotec from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

Of these three, the latter two are the most accessible.

Valley Zapotec can be studied in Téotitlan del Valle (a village a stone’s throw from the city of Oaxaca), and in the city of Oaxaca. In Téotitlan, you’ll need to ask around for private tutors and negotiate prices.

In Oaxaca, the Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca (UABJO) offers semester-long courses in Zapotec, with four evening classes a week, for 500 pesos (around $50 USD). These courses usually go from September-December and February-May.

Zapotec from the isthmus can be studied in Juchitán, Oaxaca, where the Casa de la Cultura offers courses. The University of California at San Diego offers a summer Zapotec immersion program in Juchitán which sounds wonderful, but costs $4,000.

But for those interested in anthropology or in working with indigenous groups, the price may be worth it.

2. Quechua

Photo: Quinet

The official language of the Incas, Quechua is spoken today by more than 10 million people from southern Colombia to northern Chile, with the largest concentration of speakers in Peru and Bolivia. In the latter two countries, Quechua is recognized as an official language.

The best place to study Quechua is Bolivia, where Quechua and Aymara (another official language recognized by both Peru and Bolivia) are as widely used as Spanish. Aymara and Quechua share similar structures and over one-third of their vocabularies, so learning Quechua is practically a two-for-one deal.

Sustainable Bolivia, an NGO based in Cochabamba, offers full time Quechua language study, as well as a host of volunteer opportunities in Cochabamba and the surrounding communities. For total immersion, this is your best option.

For more information about where to learn Quechua, this page offers plenty of information.

3. Mayan

Photo: spankmeeehard

Sometimes it is difficult to believe that those elusive, mystical places and peoples featured on National Geographic specials (the ones where the narrator speaks in booming tones and the dramatic musical score plays in the background) actually exist.

The Maya are one such example; much has been written about ancient Mayan culture, but few people actually get involved with the present-day Mayan community, which, like most other indigenous communities in Latin America, is largely marginalized and poor.

There are more than six million Mayan speakers in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, and Honduras. By far, the biggest number live in Guatemala, which remains the best destination for full immersion Mayan study.

The Celas Maya language school in
Quetzaltenango, Gautemala, offers full immersion Mayan classes as well as local volunteer opportunities.

4. Guaraní

Photo: Nagillum

Guaraní is the language of the indigenous group of the same name. One of the two official languages in Paraguay, Guaraní is widely spoken throughout that country, as well as throughout parts of Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia and Uruguay.

Paraguay is an exceptional example of a country that has embraced an indigenous language and enforced a policy of bilingualism in education. All Paraguayan children are required to speak, read, and write Guaraní as well as Spanish.

Asunción is the best place to get started on Guaraní study. The National Registration Center for Study Abroad offers study abroad programs in Guaraní in Asunción (for a bit of a steep price!) and South America Inside offers slightly cheaper courses.

Both websites mention private language schools that I couldn’t dig up online, but I’d imagine that roaming around Asunción (or taking a glance at the Lonely Planet) you could find the addresses of these schools and save money by approaching them directly.

5. Nahuatl

The language of the Aztecs, Nahuatl dominated Mesoamerica for over a millennium, first as the lingua franca for merchants and politicians under Aztec rule, and then as the language favored by Spanish conquistadors for communication with local subjects.

In a policy that seems an anomaly within the larger history of colonization, Spain’s King Phillip II decreed in 1570 that Nahuatl would be the official language of New Spain.

During a period lasting over two centuries, Nahuatl spread from modern-day New Mexico to El Salvador. In the 16th and 17th centuries it became a literary language in which poetry, theatrical works, histories, chronicles, and administrative documents were written.

In 1770, a Spanish decree calling for the elimination of indigenous languages in Spanish colonies did away with Nahuatl as a literary language, but didn’t entirely eliminate it.

Today, it is spoken by more than 1.5 million people, mostly in Mexico. You can study it in Cuernavaca at the International Center for Cultural and Language Studies (CICEL), which also offers seminars on traditional medicine and “reality tours” focusing on Mexican traditions and foods.

So instead of signing up for a Spanish course, go further back into Latin America’s history and get a little closer to its roots by studying Quechua, Guarani, Zapotec, Nahuatl, or Mayan, and in the meantime contribute to greater cultural diversity in this globalized world.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION:

Matador offers resources for students of all languages! Check out 5 Questions to Ask When Picking a Language School, 5 Tips for a More Productive Language Exchange, or 10 Steps to Recovering a Language You’ve Forgotten, for a start.

Feature photo by ricardo.martins. Photo above by Patrick_coe.

Wilderness

Chile is home to some of the longest stretches of pristine wilderness anywhere in the world. From the Atacama desert to the rivers of Patagonia, the massive glaciers of Tierra del Fuego to the long Pacific coastline, Chile is full of natural wonders that make for world-class outdoor adventuring.

Photo: magical-world (Flickr creative commons)

Amazing people

In your attempts to master Spanish, you will meet many friendly Chileans who will encourage you and help you learn the best (and worst) words in Chilean Spanish.

Even better, once you finish your stint in Chile, you can head to any other Spanish-speaking country with surprising results—they’ll be easy to understand!

Photo by P_R_.

You’ll learn a lot of swear words right away.

Chileans pepper their speech with colorful phrases and plenty of swear words. Anyone under the age of 35 adds huevon or huevona to the end of almost every sentence. Huevon is the Chilean equivalent of dude, but literally derives from huevos, the word for testicles.

Slang.

Chileans use a shortened form of the word pues– “po”– to add emphasis to certain words. The most common are: si po,obviopo, and no po.

Destinations

Community Connection to Chile

Much like po, cachai and other forms of “cachar” (to get or to understand) find their way into most conversations with Chileans.

It is the English version of “You know?”

If a Chilean is explaining something to you, you will eventually hear “Cachai?”

Often, a rhetorical “You know what I mean?” and a nod of the head (if you do know what the person means) is enough to keep the conversation going.

When you adopt po and cachai into your vocabulary, you are officially on your way to speaking Chilean Spanish.

You’ll learn to mumble like the locals.

Chileans are notorious for speaking fast. Chilean Spanish is also marked by a lack of clarity of speech. The “s” is hardly ever pronounced; the “d” in nouns and adjectives (like estado and complicado) are skipped, making the endings sound like “ao” instead of “ado.”

Plus, the entire tu form is pronounced differently than you learned in high school Spanish class. Como estas? becomes Como estai? and Que quieres? (What do you want?) becomes Que queri?

You’ll learn Mapuche words.

The Mapuche were indigenous people living in Chile before the Spanish arrived. As the two cultures mixed, the Spanish adopted many Mapuchan words: cahuín (gossip or party), guata (belly), and malón (potluck).

These are words won’t be taught in a university Spanish class—it’s only when you come to Chile that you are exposed to them.

You’ll learn about your own culture and language through Chilean Spanish.

Learning Chilean Spanish (and trying to translate English into Spanish in your head) will help you gain a new perspective on your own culture and language. Chilean Spanish has made me realize just how many American English phrases make absolutely no sense.

Try translating and explaining “Junk in your trunk” or “You’re the bomb.” Even phrases like “No way!” or “Sweet!” do not have direct translations. Certainly, there are similar phrases in Spanish…it’s just a matter of discovering them.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION:

Planning to learn some Spanish? Check out the Top 10 Spanish Schools for Waves, Wilderness and Buena Onda!

Or, check in with some Matador members who are currently tackling the language: read How’s My Spanish? by member jgbrandt, or “Perdon, habla poquito castellano” by member laurenkearns.

Feature photo by CharlesFred. Photo above by Soqotra (Yemen).

Despite its rap as a hotbed of kidnapping, terrorism, and tribalism, San’a, Yemen is doing for Arabic what Antigua, Guatemala has done for Spanish: making the language affordable and accessible in a stunningly beautiful location (UNESCO has declared the entire old town of San’a a World Heritage Site).

Wandering the labyrinth streets of San’a is like peeking back into the Persian Gulf before oil, before the trappings of modernity. Here the essence of frankincense – piney, medicinal and evocative – drifts between lopsided towers of stone and mud brick.

Stacked on top of each other six to eight stories high, the towers drape the narrow alleyways in shadow. Yemeni women seem to float by, their eyes encased in head-to-toe black veils.

Photo by alvise forcellini.

Mustachioed men in turbans and long skirts sport curved blades. Smiling broadly, they ask for your name, where you’re from. Little boys and girls stop and stare before chanting, sura, sura, sura! (Photo, photo, photo!). The cacophonous adhan, the Islamic call to prayer, thunders down from the peaks of minarets spiraling skyward.

The sights and sounds of ancient San’a get you all turned around. Don’t worry though, that’s part of the fun. But when the minarets get to whirling like dervishes and you’ve heard the adhan more than once, you’ll know its time to stop one of those guys in a ma’waz (an ankle-length skirt) and jambiya (Yemeni dagger) to lay down that line you’ve been practicing on the plane ride over: Low samahat, eyen madrassa arabia? (Excuse me, where’s the Arabic school?)

They’ll be delighted with your attempt at their language and will more than likely escort you all the way there. If you’re feeling adventurous, accept their invitation to join them after class for a traditional afternoon of chewing qat, a mildly addictive stimulant grown throughout Yemen.

Photo by Dawson-Foremans.

During class, you’ll get the kind of attention that would have made you squirm in your high school French course: intensively individualized instruction. Unlike in Tunisia, Syria, and Egypt (where as many foreigners as possible are packed into a class), classes in Yemen max-out at six students per teacher.

Before you book your flight, here’s a couple of places that’ll get you headed straight into the heart of Arabia.

Center for Arabic Language & Eastern Studies
Phone: 967-1-292-090; Fax 960-281-700; Az-Zumar St.; www.ynet.ye/cales.

Part of the University of San’a, the school offers monthly intensive courses for US $390 for three to six students (80 hours: four hours per day, five days a week).

San’a Institute for Arabic Language
Phone: 967-1-284-330; Fax: 967-1-284-329, As-Saliah St.; www.sialyemen.com/ An intensive three week course (60 hours) costs US$ 300. A six week (120 hours) course goes for $570; a nine week (180 hours) course will set you back $1,215 and a full year (720 hours) is just $3,240. Arabic for Specific Purposes (ASP) is also available.

Yemen Language Center & Yemen Center for Arab Studies
Phone: 967-1 -270-200; Fax: 967-1-270-127; 26th of September St.; www.ylcint.com. An all inclusive five weeks in Yemen (airfare, Arabic instruction, accommodation, two meals a day, organized excursions and high speed Internet) will cost you $2,960.

Community Connection

For more on travel in this under-visited region, check out 6 Under-the-Radar Destinations in the Middle East, 7 Reasons to Travel to Iran NOW, or Discovering Israel’s City of the Future.

Feature photo by kool_skatkat. Photo above by .craig.

When living abroad, communication is the biggest obstacle. Loneliness in a strange land can be truly depressing, and a lack of communication skills may compound your sadness.

So why not kill two birds by learning a new language with a new love?

First and foremost, you will learn much more quickly when you and your partner’s happiness depends on it. There is an added incentive to decipher facial expressions, strange sounds, and frantic hand-waving, if a correct interpretation might lead to a fine meal, good kisses, or a wonderful night under a full moon.

Photo by FranUlloa.

Second, who wants to spend time in a classroom reciting the ABCs, learning how to say “Where is the shoe store?” and other such vital information when an pillow talk and strolls through the park could be the alternative?

The tedium of going back to school for a language is completely washed away when mistakes become opportunities for laughter and inside jokes told years later to friends and family.

Third, the breadth and depth of you language ability will surprise you. If you are dating a native, you will learn words and expressions that no other foreigner in the Greek as a Second Language class is learning. The language becomes not only a mode of communication, but also a living connection to the world around you.

In this way, the country becomes less foreign and its people more accessible when you are able to spit out a few colloquialisms gleaned from your lover-teacher.

Photo by heartarcade.

Fourth, you will have a cuddle companion for trips that you might not have taken if you were alone with your phrasebook. You will see more of the country and be able to find the best places to stay, the cheapest modes of local transportation and eat local cuisine at the right mom and pop shop, because your lover knows these things.

Last and most important, finding a person to share your experience is the whole point of traveling. The connections you make with people is exactly why people pack up and leave home for a few years. In fact, finding a native lover should be the first goal of any person going to live in another country.

All of the above reasons for using love to learn how to communicate revolve around the central theme for traveling: connecting. Have fun.

Community Connection:

So where are the best places to find your new lover and teacher? Check out Sascha’s companion piece: The Love Tour: World’s Best Cities for Singles.

For more on the ups and downs of love on the road, check out Why Sex is the First Real Connection in Foreign Relationships, or How to Travel with your Fiance and Come Back Together.

Feature photo by kalandrakas. Photo above by kalandrakas

1. Addressing Someone, Respect

Bowing is nothing less than an art form in Japan, respect pounded into children’s heads from the moment they enter school. For tourists, a simple inclination of the head or an attempt at a bow at the waist will usually suffice.

The duration and inclination of the bow is proportionate to the elevation of the person you’re addressing.

The duration and inclination of the bow is proportionate to the elevation of the person you’re addressing. For example, a friend might get a lightning-fast 30-degree bow; an office superior might get a slow, extended, 70-degree bow. It’s all about position and circumstance.

In addition to bowing, addressing someone properly is key. Just as a “Dr. Smith” might feel a little insulted if you were to refer to him as “Smith”, so would a Japanese if you do not attach the suffix “san” to their last name, or “sama” if you are trying to be particularly respectful.

Usually children are content with just their first names, but you can add the suffix “chan” for girls and “kun” for boys if you like.

2. Table Manners

Some simple bullet points here:

- If you’re with a dinner party and receive drinks, wait before raising the glass to your lips. Everyone will be served, and someone will take the lead, make a speech, raise his drink, and yell “kampai!” (cheers).

- You will receive a small wet cloth at most Japanese restaurants. Use this to wash your hands before eating, then carefully fold it and set it aside on the table. Do not use it as a napkin, or to touch any part of your face.

- Slurping noodles or making loud noises while eating is OK! In fact, slurping hot food like ramen is polite, to show you are enjoying it.

- You may raise bowls to your mouth to make it easier to eat with chopsticks, especially bowls of rice.

- Just before digging in, whether it be a seven-course dinner or a sample at a supermarket, it’s polite to say “itadakimasu” (I will receive).

3. No Tipping

There is no tipping in any situation in Japan – cabs, restaurants, personal care. To tip someone is actually a little insulting; the services you’ve asked for are covered by the price given, so why pay more?

If you are in a large area like Tokyo and can’t speak any Japanese, a waiter or waitress might take the extra money you happen to leave rather than force themselves to deal with the awkward situation of explaining the concept of no tipping in broken English.

Just remind yourself: a price is a price.

Photo by tavallai

4. Chopsticks

Depending on the restaurant you decide upon for that evening, you may be required to use chopsticks.

If for some reason you aren’t too adept with chopsticks, try to learn before passing through immigration. It’s really not that hard.

One false assumption among many Japanese that’s slowly being dispelled by time is the “uniqueness” of Japan. Japan is an island nation; Japan is the only country that has four seasons; foreigners can’t understand Japan; only Japanese can use chopsticks properly.

I cannot count the number of times I’ve been told I use Japanese chopsticks with skill and grace, despite the fact I’ve seen three-year-olds managing just as well.

If you’re dining with a Japanese, don’t be surprised if you receive a look of amazement at your ability to eat like a Japanese.

5. Thresholds

Take off your shoes at the entrance to all homes, and most businesses and hotels. Usually a rack will be provided to store your shoes, and pair of guest slippers will be sitting nearby; many Japanese bring a pair of indoor slippers just in case, though.

Never wear slippers when you need to step onto a tatami mat (used in most Japanese homes and hotels; the standard unit of measurement for area even today), and be careful to remove the toilet slippers waiting for you in the bathroom.

It is extremely bad form, for example, to reenter the main room of a house wearing slippers that have been running across dirty linoleum.

6. Masks

Photo by toestubber

SARS is long gone, though I did happen to see a “SARS Preparation Kit” during my brief stay in a Japanese hospital.

Nevertheless, sterilized masks, like the ones you’d see in the emergency room, are commonly used by salarymen, office ladies, and municipal workers to protect other people from their germs.

Rather sensible when you think about it, as masks do not protect the wearer so much as the ones around him. The reason could be anything from a slight cold to simply being worried about exposing other people; don’t let it concern you on your Japanese vacation.

7. Conformity

When groups of high school students in Japan were asked to identify the dangers facing children today, the majority agreed on the number one threat: individualism.

Japanese society is focused on the group. Western cultures are focused on the individual.

Does this mean that the Japanese are nothing more that worker bees in a vast hive of steel and concrete? Certainly not, but their presentation of such individual qualities are carefully calculated and given in doses.

Drawing attention to yourself as an individual is a huge no-no: don’t blow your nose in public, try to avoid eating while on the go, and don’t speak on your cell phone in crowded public areas like trains or buses.

The main problem with this is that foreigners simply can’t avoid standing out; we stick out like sore thumbs no matter how long we’ve been here, or how much we know about Japanese culture and society.

As a result, being in Japan gives foreigners the status of D-level celebrities: you’ll get glances, shouts for attention, calls to have pictures taken with people, requests for autographs (happened once to me on a southern island), and overall just more awareness of being a “stake that sticks out”.

8. Bathing

Photo by meganscheminske

Public bathhouses are alive and well in Japan.

Sento, or neighborhood bathhouses, can be found from the largest area in Shinjuku to a small town on the island of Shikoku.

Onsen, or hot springs, are very popular as weekend excursion resorts.

Unlike in western cultures, the Japanese bath is used after you have washed and rinsed, and feel like soaking in extra-hot water for 10, 20, 30 minutes. It’s an acquired taste to be sure, but can be very relaxing.

If you happen to be invited into a Japanese household, you will be given the honor of using the bath first, usually before dinner. Be extra careful so as to not dirty the water in any way; the sanctity of the ofuro (bath) is of utmost importance.

Take the time to visit a sento if you have the opportunity. These are places without barriers, without regard to skin color, age, or language… well, they are separated by sex with the exception of some mixed-bathing areas.

Lying in the hot water and slowly listening to my heart beat slow down is a time when I feel most attuned to Japanese culture.

9. Speaking English

Japanese will generally assume you are a native English speaker until you prove otherwise. Even during a short visit, you’ll see:

-A group of schoolchildren in neatly pressed Prussian uniforms walking across the intersection, shouting “Hello! Hello! Herro!” as they assess your foreign features

-A random person just walking up to you and asking “Where are you from?”

Friendly? Certainly. But I can see how constant celebrity status might get confusing or frustrating for travelers who don’t speak English.

Although you may speak some or fluent Japanese, the default language of choice is English. Many Japanese will insist on using their own English language ability, however limited, to converse with foreigners, in spite of the fact that the person on the opposing end may have more knowledge of the local tongue.

10. Safety

Every Japanese person I have met warns me to be safe in my travels, to take care of my belongings. Every foreigner tells me not to worry, nothing can go wrong, nothing will be stolen. This may be based on individual experience, but there are other issues:

- The fear of crime in Japan is high, especially among Japanese citizens.

- Murders happen. I repeat, murders happen. People are attacked, robbed, assaulted, raped, beaten, and swindled

However, Japan’s low crime rate is evident when you see businessmen who have missed the last train sleeping outside on a park bench, or a group of 5-year-old boys walking by themselves for over a kilometer to make the starting bell at school.

Going to Japan?

Check out our humorous list of 10 Extraordinarily Useful Japanese Phrases.

Community Connection!

There are a bunch of cool Matador folks living in various parts of Japan. If you want the lowdown on teaching English, ask Abram or Stephanie.

If you’re looking for a photography outing in Asia, ask pro photographers Ryan Libre or Scott Lothes.

Wanna ride a wave? Ask Angie where the best surf spots in Japan are.

Wanna go hiking? Check out Tim’s definitive list of the top 10 hikes in Hokkaido.