USEFUL ENGLISH PHRASES/ QUESTIONS YOU MAY WISH TO ASK WHEN TRAVELLING ABROAD.

Everybody loves going on holiday, but visiting an English speaking country may be rather stressful if you don’t speak the local language.  So, in order to get the most out of your stay abroad, make sure you know these important phrases/ questions regarding the weather, sightseeing, getting around town, going to a restaurant and going to the airport.

I-ASKING ABOUT THE WEATHER 

What will the weather going to be like tomorrow?

What’s the weather forecast for today/ tomorrow/ the weekend?

It is a beautiful day for a walk? 

Is it hot or cold?

What's it like out there?

II- SIGHTSEEING 

I need some sightseeing advice.

I'm going sightseeing, but I'd like to get your advice first.

Where would you recommend I visit tomorrow? 

Can you give me some advice about going sightseeing? 

Where shall I begin my sightseeing?

Which places of your city would you suggest visiting?

Are there any hidden treasures you’d recommend?

III-GETTING AROUND

How do I get around town?

How does public transport work?

Is it easy to get around town without a car?

What’s the best way to get around?

Where can I find a bus/taxi?

I’d like to travel from _______ to __________ by train/ coach. Where can I find informations about departure times and prices?

IV-EATING OUT

What’s a good place to eat?

I need a suggestion for a restaurant here in ______.

Are there any good restaurants around/ near here?

Could you tell me about one or two good restaurants?

Where can I get something to eat?

Are there any good restaurants/ bars in walking distance? Which ones do you recommend?

What about the price?Is it very expensive?

Do I need a reservation?/ How can I make a reservation? How can I book a restaurant in…?

Can you name restaurants in this area that serve local food/  food from other countries?

Is the tip included?

V-GOING SHOPPING

Where is the best place to go shopping?

What’s a nice place to go shopping?

Where’s the most authentic place to go shopping for_____?

VI-GETTING TO THE AIRPORT 

How can I get to the airport?

How much does it cost to get to the airport?

How can I get a taxi to the airport?

How long do I need to get to the airport?

THE TOILET AND ITS SYNONYMS

As a visitor to a foreign country, you will definitely need to ask for the toilet.The English language offers a great number of words, which may vary not only from country to country, but also in degree of formality. It is important to note that some terms are very colloquial and, therefore, should be avoided in public and/or professional situations, mainly when you do not know the person you are talking to.

1. Lavatory = more formal expression, often used in airplanes.
2. Toilet= general expression in British English used by almost everybody.In American English, the word toilet refers to the fixture itself and not to the room that it is in.
3. Washroom= a room with a toilet and a place to wash your hands in it, in a public place such as a restaurant or school.
4. Loo=  British informal word for lavatory.
5. John= an informal American word for a toilet or bathroom. e.g I gotta go to the john.
6. Bog= British informal word, but sounds a little impolite.
7. Dunny= informal Australian/ New Zealand English.
8. Crapper= vulgar word for toilet.
9. Water closet = Another euphemism 'water closet' is often used in restaurants and hotels. Nowadays it has been shortened to the acronym ‘W.C.’.
10. 'ladies' and 'gentlemen' are the traditional notices posted outside public toilets in the UK. 'Gentlemen' has become abbreviated to ‘gents’.
11. powder room= a polite word for a women's toilet in a public building, such as a restaurant, hotel, theatre, etc.
12. The smallest room = An euphemism for toilet, which is now rather dated and is little used.
13. Little boys' room / little girls' room e.g Can you please tell me where the little girls’ room is?
14. Restroom= American word for toilet; a room with a toilet for customers to use in a restaurant or other public place.
15. Public convenience = it is a polite way to refer to public toilet.
16. Bathroom =1) in British English, it is a room in a house that contains a bath or shower, a washbasin, and sometimes a toilet. 2) General word in American English.
17. .An en-suite bathroom = it is directly connected to a bedroom: e.g I ‘d like to stay in a hotel room with an en-suite bathroom.

Here are some common expressions that English-speakers use to ask where the toilet is situated.

“Where is the ______________?”

“Can/ Could you tell me where the __________ is?

“Which way is the _____________?”

“I need to use the _________, where can I find it?

“Excuse me, where can I find the _______________?

‘Can/ Could I use the___________, please?

Obviously, in casual situations, native speakers use zillion ways to say that they need to use the toilet. However, as learners of English, you just need to use the following sentences in order to sound informal but polite.

"Excuse me, I have to go to the ________”.

“Excuse me, I’m just going to the________”

‘Excuse me, I just need to use the _______"

TALKING ABOUT HABITS/ FREE TIME ACTIVITIES/ HOBBIES

Hi, guys!

Just a quick note to explain this post.

Do you know how to talk about your hobbies/ interests? The diagram above is intended to help you  on this topic. However simple it may seem, I've written different ways of approaching the subject, OK? So, it is important to bear in mind that you should vary your vocabulary. In other words, avoid just using 'I like...', and start using "I'm keen on..." I'm into...". These expressions definitely sound real English.

Focus on the different verb patterns (structures). There are some expressions which are followed by VERB ING, whereas others just ask for the VERB.

The phrasal verb  TAKE UP means "to begin to spend time doing".

As for the following chart, it shows examples of leisure time activities. If you are a learner of English, match the pictures to the correct words from the box. Focus on the lexical phrases (word combinations).

FOR PORTUGUESE SPEAKERS

OI, pessoal!

Os dois diagramas ilustram maneiras de falarmos sobre aquilo que gostamos de fazer quando temos um tempinho livre (nossos interesses). No primeiro, procurei trazer várias maneiras de nos comunicarmos sobre o assunto, ou melhor, frases úteis.  O verbo frasal "TAKE UP" nada mais é do que "começar a fazer uma determinada atividade."  Por fim, mas não menos importante, notem as diferentes estruturas gramaticais usadas, ou seja, quando o verbo requer Verb+ ING como complemento.

No segundo, apresento uma lista de vocabulário, onde o aluno deve associar os hobbies às respectivas figuras. Notem que alguns verbos precisam ser aprendidos com um possível complemento. Vejam, também, as várias estruturas do verbo 'GO'. Remeto vocês para um post mais antigo entitulado "Go collocations". Basta clicar em "Word combinations/ collocations", OK?

REFUSING IN ENGLISH

One of the challenges of learning a foreign language is to be able to sound appropriately. It is true that being able to say something in basic English is the first step, but if you want to be fully understood, you should also behave adequately. Do you agree with me? 

Today, I’ll show you a few ways to refuse an invitation. When you refuse something, you say firmly that you will not do it. However, there are different ways of declining an invitation depending on the circumstance.

The diagram above shows how to say "no" in English, ranging from informal and strong refusals, to polite responses. So, let’s have a look at some ways of turning down something that is not desirable. 

Cheers!

GOING TO A RESTAURANT? SO, HAVE A LOOK AT THESE USEFUL SENTENCES.

ASKING FOR INFORMATION IN A POLITE WAY

ON THE PHONE

AT THE HAIRDRESSER'S