🗣️ Essential phrases

Eight phrases in every Schengen country's primary language. Even a butchered "hello" in the local language gets you a warmer reception than English-first. Pronunciation guides are US-English approximations.

Tip: Memorize hello, thank you, and excuse mefor every country you visit — that's 80% of the goodwill for 5 minutes of effort. For everything else, Google Translate's camera mode and conversation mode are excellent offline.
🇫🇷
France
French
▶
Hello
Bonjour (bohn-ZHOOR)
Thank you
Merci (mair-SEE)
Please
S'il vous plaît (seel voo PLEH)
Yes
Oui (WEE)
No
Non (NOH)
Excuse me
Pardon / Excusez-moi (par-DOHN / ex-koo-zay MWAH)
Help!
Au secours (oh-suh-KOOR)
How much?
C'est combien? (say kohm-bee-AHN)
Full France playbook →
🇮🇹
Italy
Italian
▶
Hello
Buongiorno / Ciao (bwohn-JOR-noh / chow)
Thank you
Grazie (GRAHT-see-eh)
Please
Per favore (pehr fah-VOH-reh)
Yes
Sì (see)
No
No (noh)
Excuse me
Scusi (formal) / Scusa (informal)
Help!
Aiuto! (ah-YOO-toh)
How much?
Quanto costa? (KWAHN-toh KOH-stah)
Full Italy playbook →
🇪🇸
Spain
Spanish (Castilian)
▶
Hello
Hola / Buenos días (OH-lah / BWEH-nos DEE-as)
Thank you
Gracias (GRAH-thee-as / GRAH-see-as)
Please
Por favor (por fah-VOR)
Yes
Sí (see)
No
No (noh)
Excuse me
Perdón / Disculpe (pair-DOHN / dees-KOOL-peh)
Help!
¡Socorro! / ¡Ayuda! (so-KOH-rroh / ah-YOO-da)
How much?
¿Cuánto cuesta? (KWAHN-toh KWES-tah)
Full Spain playbook →
🇩🇪
Germany
German
▶
Hello
Hallo / Guten Tag (HAH-loh / GOO-ten tahk)
Thank you
Danke / Danke schön (DAHN-keh / DAHN-keh shoen)
Please
Bitte (BIT-eh)
Yes
Ja (yah)
No
Nein (nine)
Excuse me
Entschuldigung (ent-SHOOL-di-goong)
Help!
Hilfe! (HIL-fuh)
How much?
Wie viel kostet das? (vee feel KOHS-tet das)
Full Germany playbook →
🇳🇱
Netherlands
Dutch (English universally spoken)
▶
Hello
Hallo / Goedendag (HAH-loh / KHOO-den-dahkh)
Thank you
Dank u wel / Bedankt (dahnk oo vel / be-DAHNKT)
Please
Alstublieft (ahls-too-BLEEFT)
Yes
Ja (yah)
No
Nee (nay)
Excuse me
Pardon / Sorry (universally understood)
Help!
Help! (help)
How much?
Hoeveel kost het? (HOO-vayl kost het)
Full Netherlands playbook →
🇬🇷
Greece
Greek
▶
Hello
Γειά σας / Γειά σου (YAH-sahs / YAH-soo) — formal/informal
Thank you
Ευχαριστώ (ef-khah-rees-TOH)
Please
Παρακαλώ (pah-rah-kah-LOH)
Yes
Ναι (neh)
No
Όχι (OH-khee)
Excuse me
Συγγνώμη (see-GHNO-mee)
Help!
Βοήθεια! (vo-EE-thee-ah)
How much?
Πόσο κάνει; (POH-soh KAH-nee)
Full Greece playbook →
🇵🇹
Portugal
Portuguese (European, distinct from Brazilian)
▶
Hello
Olá / Bom dia (oh-LAH / bohm DEE-ah)
Thank you
Obrigado (m) / Obrigada (f) (oh-bree-GAH-doo / -dah)
Please
Por favor (por fah-VOR)
Yes
Sim (seem)
No
Não (now — nasalized)
Excuse me
Desculpe (desh-KOOL-peh)
Help!
Socorro! (soh-KOH-rroh)
How much?
Quanto custa? (KWAHN-too KOOSH-tah)
Full Portugal playbook →
🇨🇭
Switzerland
German / French / Italian (region-dependent)
▶
Hello
Grüezi (German CH) / Bonjour (French) / Buongiorno (Italian)
Thank you
Merci vielmal (CH-German) / Merci (French) / Grazie (Italian)
Please
Bitte / S'il vous plaît / Per favore
Yes
Ja / Oui / Sì
No
Nein / Non / No
Excuse me
Entschuldigung / Pardon / Scusi
Help!
Hilfe / Au secours / Aiuto
How much?
Wie viel kostet das? / Combien? / Quanto costa?
Full Switzerland playbook →
🇦🇹
Austria
German (Austrian dialect — Servus is hello/bye informally)
▶
Hello
Grüß Gott / Servus (GREWSS gott / SAIR-voos)
Thank you
Danke (DAHN-keh)
Please
Bitte (BIT-eh)
Yes
Ja (yah)
No
Nein (nine)
Excuse me
Entschuldigung (ent-SHOOL-di-goong)
Help!
Hilfe! (HIL-fuh)
How much?
Was kostet das? (vahss KOHS-tet das)
Full Austria playbook →
🇨🇿
Czech Republic (Czechia)
Czech
▶
Hello
Dobrý den (DOH-bree den) — formal
Thank you
Děkuji (DYEH-koo-yi)
Please
Prosím (PROH-seem)
Yes
Ano (AH-no)
No
Ne (neh)
Excuse me
Promiňte (PROH-min-tyeh)
Help!
Pomoc! (POH-mots)
How much?
Kolik to stojí? (KOH-leek toh STOH-yee)
Full Czech Republic (Czechia) playbook →
🇧🇪
Belgium
Dutch (Flanders) / French (Wallonia / Brussels)
▶
Hello
Bonjour / Goedendag / Hallo
Thank you
Merci / Dank u
Please
S'il vous plaît / Alstublieft
Yes
Oui / Ja
No
Non / Nee
Excuse me
Pardon / Pardon (works both)
Help!
Au secours / Help
How much?
Combien? / Hoeveel kost het?
Full Belgium playbook →
🇩🇰
Denmark
Danish (English universally spoken)
▶
Hello
Hej (hi) / Goddag (gud-DAY)
Thank you
Tak (tahk) / Mange tak (MAHNG-eh tahk = many thanks)
Please
(no direct word — phrase as 'kunne du venligst…' = could you kindly)
Yes
Ja (yah)
No
Nej (nigh)
Excuse me
Undskyld (OON-skool)
Help!
Hjælp! (yelp)
How much?
Hvad koster det? (vah KOS-ter day)
Full Denmark playbook →
🇸🇪
Sweden
Swedish (English universally spoken)
▶
Hello
Hej (hay)
Thank you
Tack (tahk) / Tack så mycket (tahk soh MOO-ket)
Please
(no direct equivalent — 'snälla' if begging, otherwise just polite phrasing)
Yes
Ja (yah)
No
Nej (nay)
Excuse me
Ursäkta (oor-SHEK-ta)
Help!
Hjälp! (yelp)
How much?
Hur mycket kostar det? (hoor MOO-ket KOSS-tar day)
Full Sweden playbook →
🇳🇴
Norway
Norwegian (English universally spoken)
▶
Hello
Hei (hay) / Hallo
Thank you
Takk (tahk) / Tusen takk (TOO-sen tahk = thousand thanks)
Please
Vær så snill (vehr soh snill)
Yes
Ja (yah)
No
Nei (nigh)
Excuse me
Unnskyld (OON-shool)
Help!
Hjelp! (yelp)
How much?
Hvor mye koster det? (vor MEW-eh KOS-ter day)
Full Norway playbook →
🇫🇮
Finland
Finnish (Swedish second official; English very common)
▶
Hello
Hei (hay) / Moi (informal)
Thank you
Kiitos (KEE-tohss)
Please
Ole hyvä (oh-leh HOO-vah) — also 'here you go'
Yes
Kyllä (KOOL-la) / Joo (informal)
No
Ei (ay)
Excuse me
Anteeksi (AHN-tek-see)
Help!
Apua! (AH-poo-ah)
How much?
Paljonko se maksaa? (PAHL-yon-ko seh MAHK-sah)
Full Finland playbook →
🇮🇸
Iceland
Icelandic (English universally spoken)
▶
Hello
Halló / Góðan daginn (HAH-loh / GO-than DA-yin)
Thank you
Takk / Takk fyrir (tahk FEE-rir)
Please
Vinsamlegast (VIN-sahm-leh-gahst) — formal
Yes
Já (yow)
No
Nei (nay)
Excuse me
Afsakið (AHF-sah-kith)
Help!
Hjálp! (hyalp)
How much?
Hvað kostar þetta? (kvath KOS-tar THET-ta)
Full Iceland playbook →
🇵🇱
Poland
Polish
▶
Hello
Dzień dobry (jane DOH-bri) — formal / Cześć (cheshch) — informal
Thank you
Dziękuję (jen-KOO-yeh)
Please
Proszę (PROH-sheh)
Yes
Tak (tahk)
No
Nie (nyeh)
Excuse me
Przepraszam (psheh-PRAH-shahm)
Help!
Pomocy! (poh-MOH-tsi)
How much?
Ile to kosztuje? (EE-leh toh kohsh-TOO-yeh)
Full Poland playbook →
🇭🇺
Hungary
Hungarian (a non-Indo-European outlier)
▶
Hello
Jó napot (yoh NAH-pot) — formal / Szia (SEE-ah) — informal
Thank you
Köszönöm (KUR-sur-nurm)
Please
Kérem (KEH-rem)
Yes
Igen (EE-gen)
No
Nem (nem)
Excuse me
Elnézést (EL-nay-zaysht)
Help!
Segítség! (SHEH-geet-shayg)
How much?
Mennyibe kerül? (MEN-yi-beh KEH-rul)
Full Hungary playbook →
🇭🇷
Croatia
Croatian
▶
Hello
Bok (bohk) — informal / Dobar dan (DOH-bar dahn) — formal
Thank you
Hvala (HVAH-lah)
Please
Molim (MOH-leem)
Yes
Da (dah)
No
Ne (neh)
Excuse me
Oprostite (oh-PROH-stee-teh)
Help!
Upomoć! (oo-POH-mohch)
How much?
Koliko košta? (KOH-lee-koh KOH-shtah)
Full Croatia playbook →
🇸🇮
Slovenia
Slovenian
▶
Hello
Dober dan (DOH-ber dahn) — formal / Živjo (ZHEEV-yo) — informal
Thank you
Hvala (HVAH-lah)
Please
Prosim (PROH-seem)
Yes
Da (dah)
No
Ne (neh)
Excuse me
Oprostite (oh-PROH-stee-teh)
Help!
Na pomoč! (nah POH-moch)
How much?
Koliko stane? (KOH-lee-koh STAH-neh)
Full Slovenia playbook →
🇧🇬
Bulgaria
Bulgarian (Cyrillic script)
▶
Hello
Здравейте (ZDRAH-vey-teh) — formal / Здрасти (ZDRAH-stee) — informal
Thank you
Благодаря (blah-go-dah-RYAH) / Мерси (mer-SEE) — French loan, common
Please
Моля (MOH-lyah)
Yes
Да (dah) — but a head SHAKE means yes here
No
Не (neh) — head NOD means no, will trip you up
Excuse me
Извинете (eez-vee-NEH-teh)
Help!
Помощ! (POH-mohsht)
How much?
Колко струва? (KOL-koh STROO-vah)
Full Bulgaria playbook →
🇷🇴
Romania
Romanian (Latin-based, easier than Slavic neighbors)
▶
Hello
Bună ziua (BOO-nah ZEE-wah) — formal / Salut (sah-LOOT) — informal
Thank you
Mulțumesc (mool-tsoo-MESK)
Please
Vă rog (vah ROHG)
Yes
Da (dah)
No
Nu (noo)
Excuse me
Scuzați-mă (skoo-ZAHTS-mah)
Help!
Ajutor! (ah-zhoo-TOR)
How much?
Cât costă? (kewt KOS-tah)
Full Romania playbook →
🇪🇪
Estonia
Estonian (Finno-Ugric — like Finnish, not Russian)
▶
Hello
Tere (TEH-reh)
Thank you
Aitäh (EYE-tah)
Please
Palun (PAH-loon)
Yes
Jah (yah)
No
Ei (ay)
Excuse me
Vabandage (VAH-bahn-dah-geh)
Help!
Appi! (AH-pee)
How much?
Kui palju maksab? (kwee PAHL-yoo MAHK-sahb)
Full Estonia playbook →
🇱🇻
Latvia
Latvian (Baltic — distinct from Lithuanian and Estonian)
▶
Hello
Sveiki (SVAY-kee) / Labdien (LAHB-dee-en) — formal
Thank you
Paldies (PAHL-dee-es)
Please
Lūdzu (LOO-dzu)
Yes
Jā (yah)
No
Nē (neh)
Excuse me
Atvainojiet (AHT-vie-no-yeht)
Help!
Palīgā! (PAH-lee-gah)
How much?
Cik tas maksā? (tseek tahs MAHK-sah)
Full Latvia playbook →
🇱🇹
Lithuania
Lithuanian (oldest surviving Indo-European language)
▶
Hello
Labas (LAH-bahs) / Sveiki (SVAY-kee) — formal
Thank you
Ačiū (AH-choo)
Please
Prašau (prah-SHOW)
Yes
Taip (type)
No
Ne (neh)
Excuse me
Atsiprašau (aht-see-prah-SHOW)
Help!
Padėkite! (pah-DAY-kee-teh)
How much?
Kiek kainuoja? (kyek kye-NOO-oh-yah)
Full Lithuania playbook →
🇸🇰
Slovakia
Slovak (Czech speakers will understand)
▶
Hello
Dobrý deň (DOH-bree dyen)
Thank you
Ďakujem (DYAH-koo-yem)
Please
Prosím (PROH-seem)
Yes
Áno (AH-no)
No
Nie (nyeh)
Excuse me
Prepáčte (PREH-pahch-teh)
Help!
Pomoc! (POH-mots)
How much?
Koľko to stojí? (KOL-ko toh STOH-yee)
Full Slovakia playbook →
🇱🇺
Luxembourg
Luxembourgish / French / German (all official; English fine)
▶
Hello
Moien (MOY-en) — Luxembourgish / Bonjour (French) / Guten Tag (German)
Thank you
Merci (mehr-SEE) — same in all three
Please
W.e.g. (Wann ech gelift) / S'il vous plaît / Bitte
Yes
Jo (yoh) / Oui / Ja
No
Nee (nay) / Non / Nein
Excuse me
Entschëllegt / Pardon / Entschuldigung
Help!
Hëllef! / Au secours / Hilfe!
How much?
Wéi vill kascht et? / Combien? / Wie viel?
Full Luxembourg playbook →
🇲🇹
Malta
Maltese / English (both official; English universal)
▶
Hello
Bonġu (BON-joo) — morning / Hello
Thank you
Grazzi (GRAHT-tsee)
Please
Jekk jogħġbok (yek YOJ-bok)
Yes
Iva (EE-vah)
No
Le (leh)
Excuse me
Skużani (skoo-ZAH-nee)
Help!
Ajjut! (eye-YOOT)
How much?
Kemm jiswa? (kem YIS-wah)
Full Malta playbook →
🇱🇮
Liechtenstein
German (Alemannic dialect)
▶
Hello
Grüezi (GREW-tsee) / Hoi (informal)
Thank you
Danke (DAHN-keh)
Please
Bitte (BIT-eh)
Yes
Ja (yah)
No
Nein (nine)
Excuse me
Entschuldigung (ent-SHOOL-di-goong)
Help!
Hilfe! (HIL-fuh)
How much?
Was kostet das? (vahss KOHS-tet das)
Full Liechtenstein playbook →