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4. Words to Know Before You Go.


Learning some of the language of your host community will demonstrate that you care about the people you’ve come to serve. It will also make it easier to find your way around and to understand what’s happening. Although you probably don’t have time to become fluent, learning 200 everyday words and phrases is an easy and beneficial first step for your adventure in learning as you go overseas.

Following are specific words and phrases to learn. This list focuses on common phrases, adjectives, prepositions, and nouns. Arm yourself with this list and a bilingual dictionary. Try to find someone who speaks the language you are learning and schedule time to sit down with them. Online resources are also available that offer translation and pronunciation help. Have fun!​

Phrases

Greetings and Pleasantries

  • hello
  • good morning
  • good afternoon
  • my name is …
  • what is your name?
  • nice to meet you.
  • I am from …
  • how are you?
  • I am fine.
  • good-bye
  • have a nice day.
  • what time is it?
  • please
  • thank you
  • you are welcome.
  • excuse me

Going to the Store

  • what is this?
  • what is that?
  • how much does it cost?
  • what do you call this?
  • how do you say ...?
  • I would like ...
  • yes
  • no
  • stop
  • who
  • what
  • when
  • where
  • why
  • how

Adjectives

Comparative Adjectives

  • small
  • large
  • wet
  • dry
  • long
  • short
  • tall
  • short
  • fast
  • slow
  • hot
  • cold
  • fat
  • skinny
  • hard
  • soft
  • young
  • old

Colors

  • black
  • white
  • red
  • green
  • blue
  • yellow
  • orange
  • purple

Nouns​

House

  • house
  • door
  • floor
  • window
  • ceiling
  • chair
  • table
  • bed
  • blanket
  • pillow
  • light
  • bedroom
  • dining room
  • living room
  • bathroom

Relationships

  • father
  • mother
  • son
  • daughter
  • brother
  • sister
  • grandfather
  • grandmother
  • grandson
  • granddaughter

Medical

  • doctor
  • nurse
  • hospital
  • pain
  • sick

Food

  • water
  • food
  • bread
  • meat
  • coffee
  • tea
  • vegetables and fruit common to the area

People

  • man
  • woman
  • youth
  • boy
  • girl
  • child
  • baby
  • police
  • teacher

Parts of the Body

  • head
  • hair
  • hand
  • finger
  • arm
  • leg
  • knee
  • foot
  • eyes
  • ears
  • nose
  • mouth
  • back
  • stomach

Transportation

  • car
  • truck
  • bus
  • street
  • airplane
  • train
  • ticket
  • passport
  • visa
  • taxi

Other

  • store
  • school
  • church
  • pastor
  • Bible
  • Jesus
  • God
  • song
  • embassy
  • tree
  • street
  • road
  • help
  • emergency
  • paper
  • pencil
  • pen
  • scissors
  • ball

Days and Time​

​yesterday, today, tomorrow, early, late, hour, day, month, year, in the past, in the future

(Knowing the days of the week and the months of the year can be helpful as well.)

Numbers, Money

​Learn to say and recognize the numbers from 1 to 20 (especially 1 to 10). Numbers allow you to count and to handle money. To practice the numbers, look at license plates and try to say them. Learn the names of the money, bills and coins, as well as how many of one bill it takes to equal the next bill.

Prepositions

​in, out, under, above, behind, beside

We’re avoiding verbs because, although important, verbs are often complicated since they change forms. Learning the basic form of 20 to 30 common verbs is good but harder; consider verbs extra credit. It would also be helpful to learn words associated with what you will be doing, e.g., orphanage, construction, teaching, medical, church, VBS.

For more information on language learning, SIL International’s site has a host of language learning links.

​David Armstrong served as a missionary and short-term mission coordinator at OC International and is Co-founder and Executive Director at Mission Data International. He also serves on the steering committee for Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Mission.

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