How do you communicate with someone who doesnt speak your language?

Unclear on how to talk to someone when you don’t speak their language? To be fair, most people are. In a perfect world, you would have spent two months drilling down your basics of the local language for whichever country you’re jetting off to tomorrow. But this is a realistic scenario, and you probably never even cracked the pocket dictionary you impulse-purchased when you bought your plane tickets.

You could spend the next eight hours cramming vocab into your brain, but you probably won’t, and even if you did, it probably wouldn’t be a super effective use of your time.

Fortunately, you’re not completely screwed. Here are a few ways you can handle yourself when words alone won’t get you very far.

Get The Bare Essentials

Yes, this is the “take a crash course” solution. No, it’s not the “try to cram an entire semester’s worth of knowledge into an overnight panic session” solution.

Knowing just a handful of very basic words and phrases — hello, thank you, I’m sorry, excuse me, where’s the bathroom, I don’t speak French — can help get you through a lot of the scenarios you’ll encounter as a tourist. Moreover, people will feel less hassled about helping you when you begin the conversation politely in their own language.

You can research essential words online, or use Babbel’s special vacation course, to learn the phrases you’ll need most as a tourist in another country. You can also download the courses you want to work on before your flight takes off, and then work through them in offline mode while you’re trapped in the air with nothing else to do (note: this only works for Android and iOS in the mobile app). This method is a good use of your time, and you’re more likely to actually get around to it if you’re the procrastinating type.

Google It

Given all of its obvious shortcomings, Google Translate is not an ideal solution. But it’s certainly an option if you’re in a jam.

If you’re going to go this route, be aware that automatic translation is very error-prone, and you could be subjecting yourself to a very embarrassing language gaffe. But if you stick to basic words and phrases, you’ll probably come out alive on the other end.

This is useful for practicing a phrase ahead of time (in a place where you have WiFi), but you’ll obviously still need to deal with the fact that you probably won’t understand what anyone says back to you. To overcome this obstacle, keep reading.

Use Your Words

In this particular context, what we really mean is “use your English” — or use any other language you possibly know. Most of the world has received at least some exposure to the English language, and there’s a very good chance you’ll encounter someone who can grasp the basics of what you’re saying. And if English doesn’t work, maybe your second language will.

If you do go this route, try to be polite about it. You don’t want to seem rude or arrogant for assuming everyone else should understand your language, and you also don’t want to accidentally come off condescending in your efforts to simplify your English. Ideally, you’ll know how to introduce yourself and ask someone if they understand English in their own language first.

Depending on how well they speak, you’ll probably want to talk slowly and use simple words. The trick is to avoid shouting or raising your voice because this can be perceived as rude. Most people will be happy to help if you introduce yourself politely.

Use Your Hands

If all else fails, don’t underestimate the power of body language. Hand gestures can convey a lot of meaning (but be careful with these, because they’re not all universal! Be sure to read up on these common hand gestures to avoid abroad).

It might feel silly, but you can get your message across pretty effectively if you simply act it out: pantomime putting a fork in your mouth if you’re looking for food, or driving a car if you’re looking for a taxi.

You could also try writing down the name of a place you’re trying to get to, or drawing a picture. You know what they say about a picture being worth a thousand words. They never said those words were limited to one language.

As a nurse, being able to communicate effectively with patients allows you to do your job better. Compassionate care, after all, gets to the very heart of nursing and why many health care professionals choose the field. So how do you go about overcoming the communication barrier when you and a patient don’t share the same language? Or, how do you talk with someone who suffered a stroke and has limited ability to speak? Here are seven tips that can help you communicate with patients who don’t speak English.

1. Identify the language gap and build trust

Some people won’t want to speak because they fear not being able to get their point across.

Christy Copensky, a progressive care nurse for patients with stroke and neurological issues, says, “For me, sometimes it’s a matter of trying to figure out first if they can speak. Then what language they speak and going from there.”

As a nurse practicing in Florida, she often provides care for patients who don’t speak English and strives to help these patients feel at ease. She recognizes that they’re already feeling vulnerable because of a medical issue, and the communication barrier can make things worse. Once a language barrier is identified, it becomes a matter of building trust so that effective communication can still happen.

2. Use Google Translate

Once you assess the situation and have put your patient at ease, consider using Google Translate or another language translation app on you smartphone. It is a simple way to get a conversation going. Copensky says, “I rely on Google Translate first to at least introduce myself and do the very basics of who I am and what I’m here to do.”

Although the translation might not be perfect, you can usually get the message across. “I think it’s always been a benefit rather than a hindrance for me,” Copensky adds.

3. Use a professional interpreter to convey medical information

Even though you can do a lot with translation aids, an approved medical interpreter is a must when you have to relay medical information.

“Anything regarding their diagnosis, orders, surgery, their medicine prescription, any paperwork requiring consent, it all has to be documented,” Copensky explains. “That should all go through an interpreter approved by the hospital as legally required. Even if your fellow nurse speaks Spanish, for example, and you call her/him in to explain, that technically is not the right way to relay information that needs documentation.”

4. Learn key phrases

Even though documentation must go through an approved interpreter, getting to that point requires flexibility and the willingness to put patients at ease. It helps if you can learn key phrases in the most common languages you encounter in your area. Words and phrases like “sit down,” “turn over,” “eat,” “drink,” “pain,” and “where” can go a long way.

“Especially if you walk into a patient’s room, and they’re crying and you don’t communicate with the same language, you can ask, ‘Are you in pain?’ And they can point or say, ‘Yes,’” Copensky explains.

4. Mind nonverbal cues and be compassionate

“Your visual facial expressions are important — like smiling, and not raising your voice,” Copensky says. “If you’re giving positive nonverbal cues, then it definitely makes them feel as if you’re at least a friend.”

She adds, “Sometimes we think that because a person speaks a different language, that they don’t hear well, which is not the case.”

5. Mime things out

“Act out requests. If you want them to take the medication and drink, sometimes you’ll show them,” Copensky says. Another example is acting out how to use the call button and other important must-knows.

6. Use gestures

With stroke patients, Copensky says they often understand what you’re saying but can’t speak well. Instead, she encourages them to use gestures to communicate their needs.

This approach can be helpful when navigating different languages too. “When it comes to a foreign language, they point a lot to things, so maybe they’re thirsty and they’ll point to a cup and then point to their mouth, for example.”

7. Consider the role cultural differences play

Cultural differences can affect the way you communicate. For example, many cultures, and even older generations, may get offended if healthcare workers address them by their first name. Err on the side of caution. Also, some cultures tend to bring many additional family members to appointments or to the emergency department. Remain flexible and respectful of these cultural differences.

Putting it all together

These tips to communicate better with patients who don’t speak English can help you become a better nurse and caregiver. Try them out next time you care for patients whose native language is different from yours and see what a difference it makes!

What are your tips for communicating with patients who don’t speak English? Share in the comments below.

How do you communicate with someone with a language barrier?

How will you communicate with someone who is different from your first language?