How to Talk to Someone Who Doesn't Speak Your Language

First, find out what you do share

Before you give up on a conversation, spend ten seconds checking for overlap. Plenty of people speak a little of a second or third language, and a few shared words in any language beat none.

1. Look at the flag. Omlet shows each partner's country flag automatically, which gives you a first guess at their language. Treat it as a hint, not an answer: many countries have several languages.
2. Type a short menu in the chat: "English? Español? Français? Português?" People can type back the one they know, even if they can't say it confidently.
3. Point to yourself and name the languages you speak, then gesture toward them with an open hand and raise your eyebrows. That question works almost everywhere.
4. Mix what you find. If you discover a partial match, such as their basic English and your basic Spanish, use both. Two half-languages can carry a surprisingly good chat.

A greeting in their language helps too, even if it's the only word you know. Our list of how to say hello in 30 languages includes pronunciation hints.

Talking with a language barrier: keep it simple

When words are scarce, the speaker does most of the work. These habits make you easier to understand in any language, including your own.

• One idea per sentence. "I live in Lyon. It's in France. Near Switzerland." beats one long sentence with three clauses.
• Use the most common word. Say "big" instead of "enormous" and "work" instead of "occupation."
• Drop idioms and slang. "It's raining cats and dogs" or "I'm beat" will lose almost anyone who learned English from a course.
• Slow down instead of getting louder. Volume doesn't help comprehension; small pauses between words do.
• Repeat with the same words first. If they didn't catch it, say the same sentence again more slowly before you rephrase. New words mean new problems.
• Make names and numbers visual. Spell names in the chat and type numbers rather than saying them.

Let the camera do the talking

Video is a huge advantage over a phone call. When a word fails, show the thing itself.

• Hold up objects. A cup of coffee, a book, your pet, the view from your window. "This" plus pointing at it is a complete sentence.
• Draw it. Keep paper and a marker nearby. A quick sketch of a map, a house or a family tree explains more than a minute of searching for words. Hold it close to the lens and keep it still for a few seconds.
• Act it out. Miming eating, sleeping, driving or typing is understood almost everywhere.
• Use your face. Exaggerate a little: raised eyebrows for a question, a nod and a smile when you understand, a tilted head when you don't.

Some gestures don't travel well. A thumbs up, an OK sign or a beckoning finger can mean something rude in parts of the world, so check our guide to hand gestures that mean different things abroad before you rely on them. Waving, smiling and miming everyday actions are the safest choices.

Type it in the chat

Reading is often easier than listening, especially with an unfamiliar accent, a weak microphone or a lagging connection. Omlet has a text chat next to the video, so use it as your backup channel.

• Type key words while you say them: "Teacher. Music. 10 years."
• Type names, places and numbers. Spelling a city name ends a lot of confusion.
• Ask them to type when you don't catch a word. Many people read a language far better than they understand it spoken.
• Use emoji as pictures. A plane, a pizza or a sun can stand in for a whole sentence.

Messages can be up to 1,000 characters, which is plenty for pasting a translated paragraph when you want to say something longer.

How to communicate with foreigners using a translator app

Omlet doesn't translate anything for you: there's no built-in translation, and the interface is in English only. A translator app on a second device fills that gap well.

1. Open a translator app on your phone (Google Translate, Microsoft Translator and Apple's Translate app all work) and keep it next to your screen. If you're chatting on your phone, use a laptop or tablet as the translator instead.
2. Type or speak your sentence into the app, then read the translation aloud or type it into the chat.
3. For their replies, use the app's conversation or microphone mode, or ask them to type so you can paste their message into the translator.
4. Keep sentences short and plain. Translators handle "Where do you live?" well and slang badly.
5. Confirm the important parts: "You are a nurse? Yes?" Machines get small words wrong, and small words like "not" change everything.

Translation apps are good enough for friendly small talk, not for anything where a mistake would matter. If a translated message sounds strange or rude, assume the app slipped and ask again before you react.

Phrases to check understanding

Misunderstandings are normal and often funny. What matters is catching them early. Use short check-ins and make it easy for the other person to say no.

• "Yes? No?" with a shrug: the simplest check there is.
• "You mean...?" followed by what you think they said, in your own simple words.
• "Again, please. Slowly."
• "Can you write it?" while pointing at the chat.
• "I understand" with a nod, or "I don't understand" with a smile, so they know it's not a problem.

Learning to say "I don't understand" in their language is a nice touch. It shows effort and keeps the tone light:

If English is the language you're stretching, our list of common English phrases for conversations has polite ways to ask someone to repeat, slow down or rephrase.

Know when to wrap up

Sometimes there's not enough overlap, and that's fine. A warm ending turns an awkward chat into a good memory.

• If they're clearly trying hard, give it another minute. Some of the best chats start with five minutes of charades.
• When it's time, smile, wave and type "Thank you! Bye!" before you leave.
• Then press Next to meet someone new, or Stop to finish.

For more chats where you share at least some language, think about timing. Our guide to the best time to video chat across time zones shows when evenings line up between regions, and international video chat explains how matching across countries works on Omlet. If you want to practice a language on purpose rather than by accident, try our language exchange tips.