Word for the Travel Wise (11/26/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

I’m going to continue riding on the idea that many of you went shopping this weekend and had a grand old time doing so. Perhaps some of you are overseas and found many good gifts to wrap and ship back home. I don’t know what your story is, but if you’re broke and out of cash then this phrase may also be for you…

Today’s word is an Italian word used in Italy:

sono al verde – I’m in the green. I’m broke.

Seeing how popular the language is there isn’t much difficulty finding learning resources on the web. I’m a little unsure about what’s going on with this June29 site, but they have three very simple lessons to get your learning motors going. You might find the BBC your one stop shop in handling your needs. Dictionaries, lessons, audio, and slang are all included. Distance learning is always recommended in my book. Check out some of these programs abroad where you can study in various cities across the country and even Lugano, Switzerland. A few links to study abroad are as follows: Amerispan, World Link Education, and ILUSS. Head over to this Italian Book Store for suggested text.

Past Italian words: qualcosa, dov’é, congratulazioni, un riccone/una riccona, sono strafelice

Word for the Travel Wise (11/25/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

This weekend is one of the craziest for shopping of the entire year and when you’ve reached your max or find you went far or over your spending limits it might be time to use this phrase heard in Sierra Leone…

Today’s phrase is a Mende phrase used in Sierra Leone:

Ngii loni a hani weka gbi. – I don’t want anything else.

Mende is going to be yet another toughie to learn online. For now I suggest going through this Mende Phrasebook published by the Bumumbu Press during colonial times to help Mende speakers learn English. In turn it can help you learn Mende in modern times.

Past Mende words: Nya sinjii ve, wa mu li na, nyaa fisama

Word for the Travel Wise (11/24/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Whether you’re in search of postage in Nicaragua to send a postcard back home or surfing the web for some new stamps to add to your collection here is a Spanish word that might make your hunting easier. That is if the person you’re dealing with doesn’t speak English or your native tongue.

Today’s word is a Spanish word used in Nicaragua:

timbre – postage

Amerispan, Cactus Language and IMAC are all good starting points to learning abroad. A free membership at Spanish Unlimited gives you the opportunity to learn a new word everyday by email, gain pen pals and hear audio of the words. Their website is actually a good resource tool for many different Spanish related topics. I won’t even begin to list some of the texts out there that could further your studies because there are entirely too many. If you know of some language books that would be useful please feel free to list them.

Past Spanish words: escalar, cercano, realidad, enfermo, jalar, isla

Word for the Travel Wise (11/23/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on


Today marks the day of my all-time favorite holiday where year-long stories are exchanged with family and friends over warm plates of turkey, ham, stuffing, and veggies. As people from all corners of the country either relax in the comfort of their own homes or dine out at some fabulous restaurant there will be many toasts, cheers and wishes for good-health over their good meal. It is for this very occasion that I pass this small fruit of knowledge your way to whoever may be reading at this hour.

Today I leave you with various ways to say Bon appetit!

  • Croatian – Dobar tek!
  • German – Guten appetit!
  • Hebrew – Bete’avon!
  • Hungarian – Jó étvágyat!
  • Korean – Mani deuseyo!
  • Persian – Noosh-e jan!
  • Polish – Smacznego!

For a complete list as found on the New York Public Library site in their World Languages Collection follow the link found here. Happy Thanksgiving all!

Word for the Travel Wise (11/22/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

It was the eve before Thanksgiving and some American was off abroad in a land where people spoke Vietnamese. They searched for turkey, but no one understood; they asked for gravy, but received phô instead and to make matters worse they were dirty from toe to head. If there was one word the poor tourist could remember it was the word for laundry place.

Today’s word is a Vietnamese word used in Vietnam:

phòng giat (fom zuht) – laundry place

To continue learning Vietnamese online start with phrase list found at the NY Public Library. This Wanna Learn / Geocities page has some free words and phrases listed. It was one of few I could find online for free though you won’t get far. Rosetta Stone offers audio and web courses for a fee and there’s always the opportunity to take a Vietnamese language class in Hanoi, Vietnam with CIEE. For those flying through the country for just a few short days pick up the phrasebook.

Past Vietnamese words: Xe Ðap, xinh xinh, cam hut thuoc, tam biêt, bàn dô