Have you ever thought to yourself, after seeing some commercial on cable TV promising to teach YOU how to speak a second language for only 6 weeks and $400, "What? $400 to learn a second language? There MUST BE some way cheaper than that!"
Well, you thought right. There IS a less-expensive way, IF you have ready access to native speakers of the language you want to learn, and IF at least one of them is fluently bi-lingual to help you get started.
The phrases here, when learned in your target language (TL, for short) will allow you to learn for yourself, teach yourself or let non-teacher native speakers teach you. These comprise a fairly complete DIY Language Learning System (Do It Yourself).
Here we go...
Yes, No These are essential to agree and to disagree or show non-understanding.
Please / Thank you Essential to show respect and smooth your path.
Excuse me... The phrase for minor social glitches. Learn this, USE IT, you'll need it the rest of your life.
Where is the toilet? (bathroom, WC) You can go for weeks with no food, days with no water, but in only a few hours without a pitstop, you're in trouble. Learn this, you'll need it the rest of your life.
Say that again (please).
Speak slower please. Speak slowly / clearly, please. These enable the dynamics of (Native Speaker) producing sounds for you.
(Please) Speak clearly. To help the Native Speaker know to enunciate (and perhaps exaggerate) the vocalization, clearly.
How do we say "Target Word in Target Language" in English? Here is where your TL Native Speaker comes in handy.
How do we say "city" in Thai? for illustrative example, and the converse of that phrase:
How do we say "nakon' in English? or What does "nakon" mean, (in English)?
I don't understand. and I don't know.
Optional phrase: How do we spell/write that? This can help, and can speed your learning, but the above has proven sufficient to get your Second Language learning jump-started in a big way. The above phrases, used in combination, help you learn your immediate necessary next phrases, such as "Where is a ....?" and "How much is ...." and "This", "That" "These"... and so on. Too many native speakers THINK you MUST READ and WRITE in order to understand and speak their language. Toddlers don't, and neither do you.
Obvious candidates for learning include FOOD & DRINK (and the ordering, purchasing, preparation of and eating of it); LODGING (where, how much; from-to) and the quantitative terms inclusive in the ordering, paying and agreeing processes of the language.
Please note that most languages will allow you to ask, "How do WE say..." and this comes back to a dynamic I've discussed in other articles; emotional closeness to and acceptance of your new language. Include yourself in, from the very start. You are human, this is a human language and you have the right to be a speaker of THIS language!
With these few elegant tools, you can be! Good luck to you!