Survival Phrases

Use these phrases when you are meeting new people at a social event, at work, or in everyday situations.

You can say this to new people.

Use these phrases to say hello and talk about yourself when you meet someone for the first time.

Use these phrases to smoothly navigate casual conversations at work or with acquaintances, from breaking the ice to politely excusing yourself.

Use these phrases to make light conversation with co-workers, neighbors, and new friends.

Use these common phrases to start, keep going, and politely end light conversations with colleagues or acquaintances.

These phrases will help you smoothly end conversations, wish people well, and say goodbye in a natural way.

Use these phrases when you leave a place or end a conversation.

Use these phrases to end a conversation and leave politely.

Use these everyday phrases to say thank you, say sorry, and get someone's attention politely.

Use these phrases to navigate everyday social situations gracefully, from showing gratitude to handling small accidents.

Use these simple phrases to say thank you, say sorry, and get attention.

These everyday phrases will help you smoothly organize social plans, accept invitations, and agree on details with friends.

Use these phrases to ask about someone's free time, invite them out, and agree on a time and place to meet.

These phrases are used to naturally invite someone out, coordinate the details, and finalize your plans.

These phrases are essential for navigating the delicate transition from casual small talk to a genuine connection by exploring shared interests and gracefully exchanging contact information.

Use these phrases when you are getting to know a new friend or acquaintance and want to stay in touch.

Use these phrases when you are getting to know someone better and want to transition from small talk to building a real friendship.

Use these phrases to articulate complex viewpoints, navigate disagreements diplomatically, and critically evaluate ideas in professional or intellectual discussions.

Use these phrases to share your thoughts, agree, or disagree politely in everyday discussions and meetings.

Use these phrases in professional discussions to clearly state your viewpoint, challenge ideas constructively, and navigate disagreements without causing offense.

Use these phrases to congratulate people on their successes and celebrate special events with friends or colleagues.

Use these phrases to congratulate people on their achievements, wish them a happy birthday, or celebrate special events together.

Use these phrases to talk about your family and ask other people about theirs.

Use these phrases to talk about your family, your marital status, and where your parents live.

Use these phrases when getting to know someone and sharing basic details about your family life.

Use these phrases to politely decline invitations, offers, or requests without offending the other person or sounding overly blunt.

Use these phrases to politely refuse an invitation or an immediate offer without hurting anyone's feelings.

Use these phrases to politely say no to an invitation or an offer.

Use these phrases to secure a table, negotiate the time, and communicate any special requests when calling a restaurant.

Use these phrases to book a table, update your plans, and make sure the restaurant knows what you need.

Use these phrases to call a restaurant to book a table or ask about their menu.

Use these phrases to order food and ask for recommendations at a restaurant.

These essential phrases will help you navigate a restaurant visit naturally, from asking for more time with the menu to handling incorrect orders and paying the check.

Use these phrases to order food and drinks.

Use these phrases when you are talking to staff to get a table, order your meal, and pay at a restaurant.

Use these phrases to order a drink, choose your milk, and pay at a café counter.

Use these words to order a coffee.

Use these phrases to clearly explain your dietary needs and check for allergens when eating out.

Use these phrases to clearly communicate food allergies, intolerances, and dietary preferences to restaurant staff, ensuring you can eat safely.

Use these phrases to tell restaurant staff about your food allergies or special diet.

Use these phrases to firmly but politely address mistakes with your food or order while dining out.

Use these phrases to politely but firmly explain a problem with your meal and ask the restaurant staff to resolve it.

These phrases will help you navigate the delicate situation of sending food back and resolving service issues politely but firmly.

Use these phrases when you are ready to pay for your food and drink at a restaurant.

Use these phrases when you have finished your meal and need to pay, leave a tip, or share the cost with your group.

Use these phrases in a restaurant to pay for your food.

Use these simple phrases to order drinks and pay at a bar.

These phrases will help you confidently order drinks, speak to the bartender, and pay the bill at a bar.

Here are some useful phrases for ordering food to your home or taking it with you from a restaurant.

Use these phrases to order food over the phone or at a counter, and to solve common delivery problems.

You can use these phrases to order fast food.

Use these simple phrases to order food, choose sizes, and pay at a fast-food restaurant.

Use these simple phrases to order bread, pastries, meat, or cheese at a bakery or deli.

Use these phrases to order food and pay at a street stall.

Use these simple phrases to ask questions and buy food at a street food stall.

Use these phrases when you arrive at the airport check-in desk.

These phrases will help you communicate clearly at the check-in desk, hand over your documents, drop off your luggage, and confirm your boarding details.

These phrases will help you navigate the check-in process, drop off your luggage, and confirm your boarding details at the airport.

Use these phrases when you are passing through airport security and need to follow instructions or ask questions about your belongings.

Use these phrases when you go through airport security and follow the officer's instructions.

Use these phrases when you talk to an immigration or customs officer at the airport.

Use these phrases to speak confidently and respectfully when answering questions at border control or customs.

Use these phrases to answer questions clearly and confidently when speaking to an immigration officer at the airport.

Use these upper-intermediate phrases at the airport baggage service desk to formally report missing luggage, describe your items clearly, and arrange for delivery.

Use these phrases to speak with airline staff when your suitcase does not arrive at the baggage area.

Use these essential phrases when buying train tickets, asking about schedules, and navigating the train station.

Use these simple phrases to buy a train ticket and find your train.

Use these phrases when you buy train tickets at the station and ask about times, platforms, and delays.

Use these short phrases to find, ride, and leave buses and trains.

Use these everyday phrases to buy tickets, find your platform, and ask for directions when taking a bus or train.

Use these phrases when you travel by bus or train.

Use these phrases to tell a taxi or rideshare driver where to go, give instructions, and pay for your trip.

Use these practical phrases to communicate clearly with your driver during a taxi or rideshare trip.

Use these phrases when you travel in a taxi or a rideshare car.

Use these phrases to ask for help finding places and to understand directions on the street.

Use these practical phrases to ask people for directions, understand their instructions, and confidently navigate your way around a new city.

Use these phrases to ask for directions.

These phrases will help you navigate the process of checking out, inspecting, and returning a rental vehicle clearly and professionally.

These phrases are useful when you need to pick up, ask questions about, or return a rental car at an agency.

Use these phrases when you travel by plane and need help from the crew or other passengers.

Use these phrases when you are on an airplane.

Use these phrases when you are on a plane and need to find your seat, talk to the crew, or deal with a problem.

Use these phrases when you visit a tourist information office to get maps, find out about sights, and plan your trip.

Use these phrases when you visit a tourist office to get maps, find top sights, and plan your trip.

Use these phrases to ask about prices, apps, and rules when renting a bike or scooter in a new city.

Use these phrases to successfully check into a hotel and ask for the information you need.

Use these phrases when you arrive at a hotel and speak to the staff.

Use these everyday phrases when you arrive at your hotel to get your room and ask important questions.

Use these phrases to clearly report problems with your hotel room and request solutions from the staff.

Use these phrases to report problems during your hotel stay and ask the staff for help.

Use these phrases when checking in or asking hotel staff about services and facilities during your stay.

Use these phrases when you need information from hotel staff.

Use these phrases when you leave a hotel and pay your bill.

Use these phrases when you leave a hotel — to return your key, check your bill, and sort out any last details before you go.

Use these phrases to ask for a room, check the price, and change your dates at a hotel.

Use these practical phrases to book a hotel room, check details, and make changes to your stay.

Here are some useful phrases to communicate with your host when you stay at a short-term rental.

These phrases will help you communicate clearly with your host about check-in details, house rules, and any unexpected issues during your stay.

Use these phrases to communicate with your host when you stay at a short-term rental.

Use these phrases to check in, follow the rules, and make new friends at a hostel.

These phrases will help you check in, use the shared facilities, and meet new people during your hostel stay.

Use these phrases to check in, find things, and talk to people at a hostel.

Use these phrases when you want to add an extra night to your hotel booking.

Use these phrases when you are shopping for clothes and need to ask about sizes, colors, or trying things on.

Use these phrases when you buy clothes.

Use these everyday phrases when you are shopping for clothes, asking for sizes, and using the fitting rooms.

Use these phrases when you are shopping for fresh food at a market or grocery store.

Use these simple phrases to find food, ask for quantities, and pay at the market.

Use these phrases to ask about prices and politely negotiate a better deal at a market or informal shop.

Use these phrases when you shop at a market and want to negotiate a lower price.

Use these phrases to naturally navigate returning or exchanging items, explaining defects, and handling store policies.

Use these simple phrases when you pay at the supermarket.

Use these phrases when you are paying for your groceries at the supermarket.

Use these phrases to ask questions, compare products, and buy things at an electronics store.

These phrases will help you ask for recommendations, find the perfect gift, and pay in a local store.

Use these simple phrases to find and buy gifts in a shop.

Use these phrases to ask for recommendations, check prices, and buy gifts in a souvenir shop.

Use these phrases to ask staff about items, sizes, and stock when you are shopping.

Use these phrases to shop in a store.

Use these phrases in a shoe store to ask for your size, try shoes on, and talk about the fit.

Use these phrases in a shoe store.

Use these phrases to describe your symptoms, ask about medication, and communicate clearly with a pharmacist.

Use these simple phrases when you buy medicine or ask a pharmacist for help.

Use these phrases at the pharmacy.

Use these phrases when calling a medical clinic to schedule a visit with a doctor.

Use these phrases to call a clinic, talk to the staff, and get a time to see a doctor.

Use these phrases when you need to explain your symptoms to a doctor or ask a pharmacist for advice.

Use these phrases when you are feeling sick and need to explain your symptoms to a doctor or a pharmacist.

Use these phrases to describe dental problems, ask about treatments like fillings or extractions, and discuss pain relief and costs.

Use these phrases when describing dental symptoms, discussing treatment options, and asking about costs during a visit to the dentist.

Use these phrases when you have an emergency and need to see a doctor at the hospital.

Use these phrases when you visit an optician to test your eyes or get new glasses.

Use these phrases when you visit the optician or eye doctor for an exam, to check your vision, or to buy new glasses.

Use these practical phrases when you need to book a medical test, get a vaccine, or ask about your results at a clinic or pharmacy.

Use these phrases when visiting a bank branch to open a new checking or savings account.

Use these phrases to find cash machines, ask about fees, and get help with your card.

Use these phrases to find an ATM, get cash, and report machine problems.

These phrases will help you navigate currency exchange offices to ask about rates, avoid hidden fees, and request the exact cash you need.

Use these phrases when you need to buy or sell foreign currency at a bank or exchange office.

Use these phrases when you need to send letters or packages, buy stamps, and ask about shipping options at the post office.

Use these essential phrases when you need to buy a local SIM card, choose a data plan, and set up your phone in a new country.

Use these phrases when you want to buy a mobile phone plan or SIM card in a new country.

Use these phrases when you visit a government office to register your new address and apply for an ID card.

Use these phrases when submitting documents and navigating the administrative process for residency and ID registration.

Use these phrases when you need to contact a bank or company to report an error and request a solution.

Use these phrases when you need to contact your bank or a service provider to report a billing issue, demand a refund, and escalate the problem if necessary.

Use these phrases when you visit an apartment, ask about costs, and check what is included.

Use these phrases when viewing an apartment to ask the landlord or agent essential questions about the property, costs, and terms.

Use these phrases to negotiate rental terms, understand your legal responsibilities, and successfully sign a new lease.

Use these selected phrases to confidently navigate property viewings, clarify strict legal obligations, and negotiate the nuanced terms of a rental agreement with a landlord or leasing agent. At the advanced level, securing an apartment involves far more than simply asking about the monthly price. You are expected to dissect the fine print, gently push back on unfavorable clauses, and protect your long-term financial interests. Whether you are inquiring about buyout penalties, confirming maintenance stipulations, or ensuring your deposit is legally safeguarded, this vocabulary is essential. It helps you project competence and authority while maintaining an appropriately pragmatic conversational tone throughout the demanding leasing process.

Use these phrases to ask important questions and agree on terms when you are renting a new apartment or house.

These phrases will help you successfully navigate phone conversations to activate, transfer, or manage your home utility services.

Use these phrases when you need to connect your utilities, provide meter readings, or sort out billing for a new home.

Use these phrases when you need to contact your landlord or building manager to report a problem and ask for a repair.

Use these phrases to report problems in your home and ask your landlord or property manager for repairs.

Use these phrases to meet the people living near you, ask for small favors, or solve everyday problems.

These phrases will help you introduce yourself to new neighbors, handle issues like noise or packages, and ask for small favors.

Use these phrases to ask your caretaker or landlord about the waste and recycling rules in your new home.

Use these phrases to ask about trash rules and recycling in your new apartment.

Use these practical phrases to ask the right questions about stock, dimensions, and delivery when buying furniture for your home.

Use these phrases when explaining exactly how you want your hair cut, styled, or colored at a salon.

These phrases will help you ask the right questions and choose the best plan when joining a gym.

Use these phrases when you visit a new gym.

Use these phrases to make, change, or cancel your visits and meetings.

Use these phrases to book, change, or cancel an appointment for everyday services like a haircut or doctor visit.

These phrases will help you explain car problems to a mechanic and discuss repair estimates, parts, and costs.

These phrases will help you explain the problem and ask about repairs at a device shop.

Use these phrases when you need to fix your phone or tablet at a repair shop.

Use these simple phrases when you visit a spa or nail salon.

Use these phrases when you visit a tailor for clothes alterations.

Use these phrases to call for help and explain your emergency clearly.

Use these practical phrases to get help quickly, describe an injury, or talk to emergency services during a medical crisis.

Use these phrases to quickly and clearly communicate critical information during a sudden medical emergency or when speaking with emergency services.

Use these phrases when you need to report a lost or stolen item, speak to the police, or contact your embassy.

Use these phrases when you need to urgently report a lost or stolen item, contact local authorities, or manage the immediate aftermath of a theft.

These phrases are for emergencies in a new city.

Use these phrases when you need help, are lost, or do not understand someone in an emergency.

Use these phrases to stay safe, communicate clearly, and get help after a car accident or breakdown.

These phrases will help you communicate clearly and safely if you are ever involved in a vehicle collision or breakdown.

Use these phrases when you need to report a crime to the police, describe the suspect, and ask for an official report.

Use these phrases when speaking to the police or emergency dispatchers to report a crime, describe what happened, and follow up.

Use these phrases to alert others, follow evacuation instructions, and make sure everyone gets out safely during an emergency.

Use these phrases to stay safe during a fire or evacuation.

Use these phrases to navigate a professional job interview in English, from introducing your experience to discussing salary expectations.

Use these phrases to confidently highlight your experience and navigate the different stages of a job interview.

Use these phrases to confidently answer questions and present yourself during a job interview.

Use these phrases on your first day at work.

Use these phrases on your first day at a new job to introduce yourself, navigate the office, and start conversations with your colleagues.

These phrases are essential for smoothly navigating professional meetings, from asking for updates to respectfully disagreeing with colleagues.

Master these nuanced expressions to effectively navigate complex corporate discussions, align with stakeholders, and confidently steer project outcomes in high-stakes meetings.

Use these phrases to actively participate in work meetings, share updates, and manage discussions.

Use these phrases to ask questions, check requirements, and register for a class at a school or language center.

Use these common phrases to ask questions and sign up for a new class.

Use these phrases when you need to ask your manager for time off, explain your absence, or call in sick.

Use these phrases to ask your boss for time away from work for a trip or when you are sick.

Use these phrases when initiating, managing, and concluding professional correspondence or phone calls in a corporate environment.

These phrases will help you sound professional, clear, and natural when communicating in workplace emails and phone calls.

These phrases will help you sound natural and professional when handling everyday phone calls and writing emails for work.

Use these phrases when speaking to university administrators about enrollment, schedules, transcripts, and official paperwork.

Use these phrases to confidently introduce yourself, make small talk, and exchange contact details at professional events.

Use these phrases to confidently introduce yourself, discuss your work, and build professional connections at networking events or conferences.