how do most of you lads manage with the lingo when abroad, do you learn just a few phrases and thats it or have a handy book with you 
thanks
I learnt German at school and pidgen German seems to be the international language of truck drivers and officials in Europe so thatâs helpful.
good on ya H, I find german an awful hard language to grasp but will try my best at learning bits and pieces. Its usually france and spain that I travel through and find that the spanish are helpful while the french can be hit and miss 
I learnt French at school back in the 70âs, so that gave me a start. Iâve found that the more time I spend in any particular country, the more I learn. Its just a matter of putting it into action, and most people are pleased that you have a go, even if its not perfect,
I also carry a couple of translation books with me, not that I use them when in conversation, but occasionally just to look-up or remind myself of certain words.
Iâm currently working with a Dutchman, and we have a daily routine of greeting each other in Dutch, which we both find quite amusing. Donât think theres much call for it, as iâve never met a Dutchman who canât speak English, but its nice to be polite.
All lorry drivers throughout Europe can understand the following, oft repeated conversationâŚ
Him- zere ist ein problem.
Me- Was is der problem?
Him- Problem mit papiere
Me- Es ist ein grosse problem?
Him- Ja. Kommen zie hier zuruck Morgen froo.
Me- Alice Klarr
I find a mixture of French, Spainish and English works, but most of my travels is in Southern Europe.
Although I did a bit of French and German at School, canât really remember alot from those lessons, but I know can get by because I know a few words in various languages.
Learning and using âHelloâ, âPleaseâ and âThank Youâ in various languages and smiling goes a long way in getting people to help you and as GB1 says try and speak the langauge at the very least youâll give somebody a good laugh and that can break down a few barriers. Where if you insist on being the loud, arrogant Brit abroad youâll get very little.
I think there is a European langauge of truck drivers, itâs a mixture of words from various langauges and if the person youâre talking to doesnât understand one langauge you use the same word in another langauge and that seems to work. 
Got to say Iâve seen far more British truck drivers making an effort to speak the local language than your average British Tourist.
yeah got to agree with there, Iâve always found if you at least make an attempt they try and help you out.As regards to being loud its bad enough watching the tourists and the way they perform they seem to forget that theyâre in a different country 
I replied to a post on this subject a couple of years ago, and there were many drivers agreed with me, basically sit amongst them, get involved in a conversation and you will use every word in your vocabulary in a dozen languages.
The Dutch and Belgians are the best, but every driver can tell a tale in any restaurant helped by copious amounts of wine, the blank bits will be filled in by another driver if you get stuck.
One thing I have never done is stick to a restaurant full of Brits. get involved, sit in the middle of a table of Frenchmen and learn a new word, the culture and how to order food that tastes nice.
Wheel Nut:
I replied to a post on this subject a couple of years ago, and there were many drivers agreed with me, basically sit amongst them, get involved in a conversation and you will use every word in your vocabulary in a dozen languages.The Dutch and Belgians are the best, but every driver can tell a tale in any restaurant helped by copious amounts of wine, the blank bits will be filled in by another driver if you get stuck.
One thing I have never done is stick to a restaurant full of Brits. get involved, sit in the middle of a table of Frenchmen and learn a new word, the culture and how to order food that tastes nice.
Thatâs the way I did it. I am fairly decent at German and can cover the basics such as directions, ordering food and drink and so forth in French, Spanish, Italian. I can understand a fair bit of Dutch but canât really speak more than a few words. I find listening to the radio helps a lot, I learnt a lot of German that way. When the news comes on you already have a fair idea of the international stories from the English media so itâs not so hard too start making sense of the foreign version. Start with the news and traffic reports, move onto the weather and sports reports and before you know it youâll be arguing with the radio during the phone ins.
I can speak pretty reasonable French and i can speak Thai and both languages are no good unless you are in that particular country. 
About 25% of English and German has a common root, once you work out a few basics, it helps a lot. I donât think anyone expects fluency, but a decent attitude and a willingness to try and meet someone half way gets more results than getting all het up fluently
Just shout louder and add âOâ after evrything you say, Like âWhereâoâ is thisâoâ âŚalways works a treat
Deepinvet:
Just shout louder and add âOâ after evrything you say, Like âWhereâoâ is thisâoâ âŚalways works a treat
Scorchio
I speak rather poor German and even worse French but, as others have stated, you certainly get a better response from at least trying!
For all other difficult situations, I have used these for a while.
Mine have âearned their keepâ in quite a few âfar flung placesâ - just the job!!!
my german is poor even though i learnt it at school, its not something i enjoyed though but i do know the basics, please thank you and hello and it seems to get you by if you you know how to say it in the language of the country,
its worse for me if i speak âenglishâ as i have a messed up scottish accent lol
mind you i do feel sorry for when hutchie goes abroad LOL
Wheel Nut:
Scorchio
look out wheel nut speaks welsh
its welsh for hot
welshboyinspain:
Wheel Nut:
Scorchiolook out wheel nut speaks welsh
its welsh for hot
he,s more welsh than you
I can speak 156 languages,thankâs to Trivial Pursuit.
The only word recognised in all these languages is
TAXI. 
Seriously I learnt my French,as others have said,talking
with the drivers of the country was in.
My mates speak Spanish,Portugese Italian, etc.
This was their final destination, whereas I never knew.
BTW I am now a French citizen.
I got good grades in french and germen at school, but then promptly forgot it all. However, after a short time in foreign climes I found it largely came back to me and I remember it well enough even now.
I learnt enough spanish to do reasonably well out there, and enough italian to find my way around. It is just something you pick up and, sure enough, there is a truck drivers lingo that seems to contain all different words from different languages and is understaood the world overâŚ
bobthedog:
, there is a truck drivers lingo that seems to contain all different words from different languages and is understaood the world overâŚ
Itâs called âDesperantoâ