Feb 11 2009
Travel Tip: Understand Destinations in the Native Language
As most travelers to foreign destinations know, learning a few words in your destination’s language is extremely helpful. So most travelers spend time learning words like “please,” “good morning,” and “where’s the bathroom.” All very important phrases to learn, but there is one other group of words that would greatly benefit anyone traveling to a foreign destination—especially if they’re planning on driving.
Often the English words for a destination are not the same in the native language.
For example, people in Germany trying to find Munich will not be able to find it on any German map or German road signs—they need to look for München.
Here are a few other popular Western European destinations in their native language:
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Venice (English)=Venezia (Italian)
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Rome (English)=Roma (Italian)
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Copenhagen (English)=København (Danish)
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Lisbon (English)=Lisboa (Portuguese)
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Brussels (English)=Bruxelles (French)
Most are fairly easy to figure out, but knowing ahead of time is still a good idea. (Then, of course, there are destinations that use a Cyrillic or other unfamiliar alphabet. Those will take some extra efforts at understanding.)
If you will be flying into one destination from another, be sure you understand the destination in both languages. Another example that I learned the hard way when flying from Venice to Munich, is that Italians call the city Monaco—now that’s confusing!
Photo by pepo, www.sxc.hu
I remember being very confused when visiting Belgium for the first time because every place has both a French and a Flemish name and some signposts show the French name and others the Flemish name for the same place!
Examples are: Liege (French) is the same place as Luik (Flemish), Mons (French) = Bergen (Flemish), Anvers (Fr) = Antwerpen (Fl) and Antwerp (English).
I learned a few of the basics before visiting Hong kong and it certainly helped. Plus the locals love it when you can utter a few words in their language.
Great point, Roz! I hadn’t even thought of that, but it’s an issue in Tirol (an area in Northern Italy that used to be part of Germany/Austria); people are often confused by signs like Bressanone/Brixen and Bolzano/Bozen.
Very true, jodapoet. Locals do appreciate your efforts. I’ve been caught before, thoug, where I say something in the local language and they respond with a long speech and I just have to stare at them blankly and finally admit I only know how to say “how much does this cost”!