Asia Adult Guide

Travel essentials

Language essentials

Survival phrases for 9 languages covering the eleven countries on this site. Phrases for taxi, hospital, police, and embassy — the four interactions you need most when something has gone wrong. Show the native script on your phone; romanisation is tonal-language-misleading.

Refusal & emergency phrases

The phrases you are most likely to need in a difficult moment — no thank you, I am married, call the police, help, hospital. Tap the speaker icon to hear on-device pronunciation (Web Speech API; no network call).

Thai

  • No thank you (male)ไม่เอาครับmai ao khrap"No thank you" (male speaker)
  • No thank you (female)ไม่เอาค่ะmai ao kha"No thank you" (female speaker)
  • I'm marriedผมแต่งงานแล้วครับphom taeng-ngan laeo khrap"I am married" (male)
  • Call the policeโทรหาตำรวจtho ha tam-ruat"Call the police"
  • Help!ช่วยด้วยchuai duai"Help!"
  • Take me to the hospitalพาฉันไปโรงพยาบาลpha chan pai rong-pha-ya-ban"Take me to the hospital"

Tagalog

  • No thank youHindi, salamat po.Hindi, salamat po."No, thank you" (polite)
  • I'm marriedMay asawa na ako.May asawa na ako."I already have a spouse"
  • Call the policeTumawag po ng pulis!Tumawag po ng pulis!"Call the police!" (polite)
  • Help!Saklolo!Saklolo!"Help!"
  • Take me to the hospitalDalhin niyo po ako sa ospital.Dalhin niyo po ako sa ospital."Take me to the hospital"

Vietnamese

  • No thank youKhông, cảm ơn.Khong, cam on."No, thank you"
  • I'm marriedTôi đã có vợ rồi.Toi da co vo roi."I already have a wife"
  • Call the policeGọi cảnh sát!Goi canh sat!"Call the police!"
  • Help!Cứu tôi với!Cuu toi voi!"Help me!"
  • Take me to the hospitalĐưa tôi đến bệnh viện.Dua toi den benh vien."Take me to the hospital"

Indonesian

  • No thank youTidak, terima kasih.Tidak, terima kasih."No, thank you"
  • I'm marriedSaya sudah menikah.Saya sudah menikah."I am already married"
  • Call the policeTolong panggil polisi!Tolong panggil polisi!"Please call the police!"
  • Help!Tolong!Tolong!"Help!"
  • Take me to the hospitalTolong antar saya ke rumah sakit.Tolong antar saya ke rumah sakit."Please take me to the hospital"

Japanese

  • No thank youけっこうです。Kekkō desu."No thank you" / "I'm fine"
  • I'm married私は結婚しています。Watashi wa kekkon shite imasu."I am married"
  • Call the police警察を呼んでください！Keisatsu o yonde kudasai!"Please call the police!"
  • Help!助けて！Tasukete!"Help!"
  • Take me to the hospital病院に連れて行ってください。Byōin ni tsurete itte kudasai."Please take me to the hospital"

Korean

  • No thank you괜찮아요, 감사합니다.Gwaenchanhayo, gamsahamnida."I'm fine, thank you"
  • I'm married저는 결혼했어요.Jeoneun gyeolhon haesseoyo."I am married"
  • Call the police경찰을 불러 주세요!Gyeongchal-eul bulleo juseyo!"Please call the police!"
  • Help!도와주세요!Dowajuseyo!"Please help me!"
  • Take me to the hospital병원에 데려다 주세요.Byeongwon-e deryeoda juseyo."Please take me to the hospital"

Mandarin Chinese

  • No thank you不用了，谢谢。Bù yòng le, xièxie."No need, thank you"
  • I'm married我已经结婚了。Wǒ yǐjīng jiéhūn le."I am already married"
  • Call the police请报警！Qǐng bào jǐng!"Please call the police!"
  • Help!救命！Jiùmìng!"Help!" (lit. save my life)
  • Take me to the hospital请带我去医院。Qǐng dài wǒ qù yīyuàn."Please take me to the hospital"

Cantonese

  • No thank you唔使喇，多謝。M̀h sái la, dōjeh."No need, thank you"
  • I'm married我已經結婚喇。Ngóh yíh-gīng git-fān la."I am already married"
  • Call the police唔該報警！M̀h-gōi bou-gíng!"Please call the police!"
  • Help!救命！Gau meng!"Help!"
  • Take me to the hospital唔該帶我去醫院。M̀h-gōi daai ngóh heui yī-yún."Please take me to the hospital"

Khmer

  • No thank youអត់ទេ អរគុណOt te, orkun."No thank you"
  • I'm marriedខ្ញុំរៀបការហើយKhnyom rieb kaa haey."I am already married"
  • Call the policeសូមហៅប៉ូលីស!Som hao police!"Please call the police!"
  • Help!ជួយផង!Juoy phong!"Help!"
  • Take me to the hospitalសូមនាំខ្ញុំទៅមន្ទីរពេទ្យSom noam khnyom to montir pet."Please take me to the hospital"

Thai

Thailand

Taxi

Please use the meter.

ใช้มิเตอร์ครับ / ค่ะ

chai mí-dtər kráp / kâ

Hospital

Please take me to the hospital.

พาผมไปโรงพยาบาลครับ

paa pŏm bpai roong-pa-yaa-baan kráp

Police

I want to call the tourist police 1155.

ผมต้องการโทรหาตำรวจท่องเที่ยว 1155

pŏm dtông-gaan toh hăa dtam-rùat tông-tîeow

Embassy

I need to call my embassy.

ผมต้องการติดต่อสถานทูตของผม

pŏm dtông-gaan dtìt-dtòr sà-tăan-tôot kŏng pŏm

Add 'kráp' (male speaker) or 'kâ' (female speaker) at sentence end for politeness. Thai script is essential — show it on your phone if pronouncing.

Tagalog

Philippines

Taxi

Please use the meter.

Pakigamit po ang meter.

Hospital

Please take me to the hospital.

Dalhin niyo po ako sa ospital.

Police

Please call 911. / Please call the tourist police.

Pakitawag po ang 911. / Pakitawag po ang tourist police.

Embassy

I need to contact my embassy.

Kailangan kong tawagan ang embahada ko.

'Po' is the politeness marker; use it with anyone older or in authority. English is widely understood in Metro Manila, Cebu, and Boracay — Tagalog is most useful in provincial settings.

Vietnamese

Vietnam

Taxi

Please use the meter.

Làm ơn dùng đồng hồ.

lam un yoom dong ho

Hospital

Please take me to the hospital.

Cho tôi đến bệnh viện.

cho toy den ben vyen

Police

Please call the police 113.

Làm ơn gọi cảnh sát 113.

lam un goy can sat 113

Embassy

I need to call my embassy.

Tôi cần gọi đại sứ quán của tôi.

toy can goy dai su quan kua toy

Vietnamese is heavily tonal — six tones — and the romanisation is misleading without diacritics. Show the native script. English is functional in HCMC District 1; less so in Hanoi outside the Old Quarter.

Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia)

Indonesia

Taxi

Please use the meter.

Tolong pakai argo.

Hospital

Please take me to the hospital.

Tolong antar saya ke rumah sakit.

Police

Please call the police 110.

Tolong telepon polisi 110.

Embassy

I need to call my embassy.

Saya perlu menghubungi kedutaan saya.

Bahasa Indonesia is among the easier Asian languages for English speakers — Latin alphabet, regular pronunciation, no tones. 'Tolong' = please; add it to any request.

Japanese

Japan

Taxi

To [destination], please.

[目的地]までお願いします

[mokutekichi] made onegai shimasu

Hospital

Please take me to a hospital.

病院に連れて行ってください

byōin ni tsurete itte kudasai

Police

Please call the police. / 110.

警察を呼んでください。/ 110番

keisatsu o yonde kudasai / hyaku-tōban

Embassy

I need to contact my embassy.

私の大使館に連絡したいです

watashi no taishikan ni renraku shitai desu

Japan's emergency number is 110 (police) or 119 (ambulance/fire). Tokyo English Lifeline (TELL) +81-3-5774-0992 is the English crisis line. Have destinations written or as Google Maps share-links — pronouncing Japanese place names is difficult.

Khmer

Cambodia

Taxi

Please use the meter.

សូមប្រើម៉ែតរ

som broeu maeta

Hospital

Please take me to the hospital.

សូមនាំខ្ញុំទៅមន្ទីរពេទ្យ

som noam khnyom to montir pet

Police

Please call the police 117.

សូមហៅប៉ូលីស 117

som hao police 117

Embassy

I need to call my embassy.

ខ្ញុំត្រូវការទាក់ទងស្ថានទូត

khnyom trov ka teak tong sthan tut

Khmer is non-tonal but uses a unique script. English is functional in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap riverside, and tourist-trade-adjacent businesses; much less so in provincial Cambodia.

Korean

South Korea

Taxi

[Destination], please.

[목적지]까지요

[mokjeokji]-kkajiyo

Hospital

Please take me to the hospital.

병원에 데려다 주세요

byeongwon-e deryeoda juseyo

Police

Please call 112. / Tourist Helpline 1330.

112에 전화해 주세요. / 1330

il-il-i-e jeonhwahae juseyo / il-sam-sam-gong

Embassy

I need to contact my embassy.

대사관에 연락하고 싶어요

daesa-gwan-e yeollak-hago sipeoyo

Korean Tourist Helpline (1330) is 24/7 English. Korean uses Hangul script which is among the most logical of regional scripts — a 20-minute primer makes signage readable.

Mandarin Chinese

Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia

Taxi

Please use the meter.

請打表 / 请打表

qǐng dǎ biǎo

Hospital

Please take me to the hospital.

請帶我去醫院 / 请带我去医院

qǐng dài wǒ qù yīyuàn

Police

Please call the police.

請報警 / 请报警

qǐng bào jǐng

Embassy

I need to contact my embassy.

我需要聯絡大使館 / 我需要联络大使馆

wǒ xūyào liánluò dàshǐguǎn

Taiwan uses Traditional script (first); Singapore and Malaysia use Simplified (second). Mandarin is four-tone; romanisation without diacritics is unreliable. Taiwan tourist hotline 0800-011-765 is 24/7 English.

Cantonese

Hong Kong

Taxi

Please use the meter.

唔該打咪

m̀h-gōi dá-māi

Hospital

Please take me to the hospital.

唔該帶我去醫院

m̀h-gōi daai-ngóh hui yī-yún

Police

Please call 999.

唔該打999

m̀h-gōi dá gáu-gáu-gáu

Embassy

I need to contact my embassy.

我需要聯絡領事館

ngóh sēui-yiu lyùhn-lok líhng-sih-gún

Hong Kong taxi drivers, government services, and most hospitality workers speak basic English. Cantonese is six-tone; Mandarin is widely understood but less culturally welcomed than English by older Hongkongers. HKPF 999 is the emergency line.