Before you travel abroad to a country whose native language is different from your own, it’s a good idea to have some helpful words and phrases in your back pocket to help you get around. Of course it’s important to be able to order food, ask where the restroom is, and read signs at the train station, but we think it’s also important to know how to ask for a pencil. Here is how to say “pencil” in ten different languages:*

Spanish

Spanish

Pronounced “LAH-pees” with the emphasis on the first syllable. To ask for a pencil in Spanish, say: “Puedo tener un lápiz?”

French

French

You’ve got to love a good false cognate! It may look like the English word for a colorful wax drawing implement and be pronounced similarly, but don’t be fooled. To ask for a pencil in French, say: “Puis-je avoir un crayon?”

German

German

Pronounced “BLY-shtuft.” To ask for a pencil in German, say: “Kann ich einen Bleistift haben?”

Greek

Greek

Pronounced “mol-yee-vee.” To ask for a pencil in Greek, say “μπορώ να έχω ένα μολύβι?” Here’s (roughly) how to pronounce it: “Epee-teh-reps-thih-mon na-ray-hohn mol-yee-vee?”

Mandarin

Mandarin

Pronounced “chee-in-bee.” Mandarin is the most widely-spoken language in the world with around 955 million speakers. Chances are, you’ll have to ask someone for a pencil in Mandarin sometime! Here’s how: “我可以有铅笔?” And here’s how to pronounce it: “Wo-kuh-ee yo chee-in-bee?”

Arabic

Arabic

Pronounced “oh-lee-mah-roh-sohs.” Arabic has several different ways to say pencil, and they all sound equally musical. To ask for a pencil in Arabic, say: “قد لدي قلم رصاص” – I’d love to tell you how to pronounce it, but unfortunately I will never be an Arabic speaker, because I’m not even sure how to write this one out phonetically!

Russian

Russian

Pronounced “kuh-rahn-dahsh.” To ask for a pencil in Russian, say: “Могу ли я иметь карандаш?” pronounced like “Mah-goo lee yay me kuh-rahn-dahsh?” (Fun fact, Caran d’Ache adapted their name from the phonetic pronunciation of pencil in Russian!)

Afrikaans

Afrikaans

Pronounced “pot-loo-ay.” To ask for a pencil in Afrikaans, say “Mag ek n’ potlood?”

Hindi

Hindi

This one may look complicated, but it’s actually pronounced the same way it is in English. To ask for a pencil in Hindi, say: “मैं एक पेंसिल हो सकता है?” Pronounce it like: “May ik pencil ho sik tie eh?”

Latvian

Latvian

Any New Girl fans in the house? If you were going to play basketball in Latvia like Winston, you’d need to know this word! Pronounced “zee-moo-lees.” To ask for a pencil in Latvian, say: “Vai es varu būt zīmuli zīmuli?”

*Disclaimer: this post was created with a heavy reliance on Google Translate and World Lingo. If you speak any of these languages, please please feel free to leave a comment correcting my spelling, grammar, or attempt at phonetic pronunciation! I don’t mean to offend you by unintentionally butchering your language, and your help/guidance/constructive criticism is welcomed!

 

 

1 reply
  1. Peternography
    Peternography says:

    I instantly knew the Spanish and French ones were literal translations, meaning a program translated words rather than meanings. To have; tener in Spanish and avoir in French do not work anything like the word have. I really hate the complexity of conjugation. You literally asked if you were allowed to have a pencil. It sort of sounds sarcastic to ask such a thing. A better way to translate would have been to ask if you may borrow a pencil.

    I really enjoyed the Russian one. I noticed the similarity but had no idea they did it on purpose.

    Reply

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