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.
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.