Even if you don’t intend doing anything more with your holiday than lying and sunning yourself on the beach by day and relaxing in restaurants and bars in the evening, learning something of the local language can enrich your experience tremendously.  Far from needing to become fluent, even just a few words can help you to win hearts, immerse yourself in the culture and even save you money!

Although many people simply don’t bother, attempting to speak the language when we are abroad should really just be considered as good manners.  It demonstrates respect for the local people and their culture and is always well-appreciated.  Not only this, however, but being able to communicate with the locals gives us a much better insight into the culture of the country that we are visiting than any guide book could ever do.  Even a single word and the context and frequency of its use can speak volumes about a whole nation’s way of life.  The Spanish word ‘mañana’ for example, literally means ‘tomorrow’, but more often refers to ‘some unspecified time in the future’.  Not only does appreciating the difference help visitors to better understand the laid-back attitude of the Spanish people, but it could save them much frustration and disappointment.

As to how a smattering of the language can help you to save money, just think for a second about local taxi drivers who are notorious for overcharging tourists. If you can’t speak even a few words in his tongue, how are you going to be able to check the fare up front or argue the toss at the end of the journey?  The reality is that you are much less likely to get ripped off if you speak at least a few words in their language, as they will assume that you already know your way around and haven’t just stepped off the boat.

English speakers have it easier than anybody else in the world when it comes to communication.  Wherever we go, we can almost bank on there being somebody who will understand us, but in many ways speaking the international language of the world makes us lazy and robs us of a richer experience when travelling abroad.  Before you set off, grab yourself a phrase book and practice a few of the basics to get you started.  The locals will be only too happy to help you improve your language skills once you arrive.