Exploring European Languages for Travelers

When traveling overseas, many people choose to take a short-term, conversational foreign language class to lean the basics of the native language spoken by that country's citizens. Often times the dilemma occurs when a traveler is visiting multiple countries and is unsure which language would work best for them. The good news is that when planned properly, learning a language can actually get you further than just the countries where it is spoken natively.

For travelers who decide to learn French, while the country of France may seem like an obvious choice, French is also spoken in Belgium, Luxembourg, Monaco and Switzerland. Outside of Europe, French is also spoken in many African countries, as well as Quebec in Canada, and would benefit those people who ever plan on visiting one of those nations. Furthermore, French is also helpful to those travelers who may be visiting countries that border France, as many merchants may be fluent in more than one language for commerce purposes.

One of the easier languages to learn, Spanish, can actually be most beneficial to those traveling in Europe. While Spanish is the dominant language of Spain, if a person can speak Spanish, they should have no problems communicating in countries that speak Portuguese or Italian. Spanish is also helpful to learn in you plan on traveling to Central America, South America, or some Caribbean destinations.

If you are traveling to the Alpine regions in Europe, learning German is recommended. German is spoken not only in Germany, but also in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. In addition, some Eastern European countries such as Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Slovenia have native speakers of German and still speak it on a daily basis, especially in border regions.

On the other hand, for travelers who want to explore Middle and Eastern Europe, learning Greek would be most beneficial. Greek is spoken in the countries of Greece, Cypress, Albania, Italy, Macedonia, Turkey, and the Yugoslavia. If your plans include visiting Russia, many Russians are also bilingual and speak fluent Greek.

While much mention has been focused on Italy's multi-lingual languages, learning Latin is not a good idea. Vatican City is the only place in Italy where Latin is spoken, and that is reserved for official business, not everyday conversation. When in doubt about which language to learn, one of the best keys may be your past. What did you learn in high school? Brushing up on old skills may actually be easier in the long-run, than having to learn something new. Also, take into consideration your travel party. What languages are they proficient in? As long as one member of the group can translate, then it will make travel from country to country easier. Last, when in doubt, don't worry. There are automatic translators for sale that can translate multiple languages, or you can type in come common phrases in English on Babel fish, translate them, and upload them to your palm pilot or cell phone, so you will be able to ask for what you need in any language. Enjoy your trip and remember, there will more than likely be other English speakers located nearby, especially in Western Europe, so when in doubt, just ask. Someone will be happy to assist.