common phrases in constructed languages

Here is a list of common phrases in constructed languages, similar to the list of common phrases in different languages which lists phrases in natural languages. It is possible for tourists in a country whose language they do not understand to get along with a surprisingly short list of phrases, combined with pointing, miming, and writing down numbers on paper. While most of the languages on this page are not spoken by a wide number of people, the list may give a little glimpse into what a language looks like. Also, some languages (in particular Esperanto) may indeed be useful to a tourist wishing to communicate. You are invited to add more languages to the list. Please use the minimum number of words that would be understandable and put the pronunciation in slashes according to IPA transcription if possible. If desired, also add a pseudo-English pronunciation guide for those not familiar with IPA. However, actual pronunciations of the pseudo-English spellings will vary wildly from speaker to speaker. Enclose the "pronunciation guide" in parentheses, separate syllables with hyphens, use English words that sound like the syllables if possible, and render the stressed syllable in ALL CAPS. The language family of every language is listed in parentheses.

Examples

Chakobsa (Fictional from the Dune series)

align=left \| Translation	align=left \| Phrase	align=left \| Pronunciation
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Buglere	Buglerege	(buu-le-AY-e)
hello	cheklemine	(che-klay-mee-NAY)
good-bye	bachage no	(ba-CHA-ge-no)
please
thank you	kle no	(klay-no)
that one	lle	(ye)
how much?	zenbat	(s,en-bat)
English	ingelez	(ing-lez)
yes	no	(no)
no	meno	(may-no)
generic toast	kle no

Ekspreso (planned, based on European languages)

align=left \| Translation	align=left \| Phrase	align=left \| IPA
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Ekspreso	Ekspreso	(ex-PREY-so)
hello	halo	(HAH-low)
welcome	bonvenied	(bon-vay-nee-ED)
good-bye	adio	(a-dee-OH)
please	per favor	(per FAH-vor)
thank you	grasias	(GRAH-see-yass)
sorry	perdonen	(per-DOEN-nehn)
that one	isa	(EE-saw)
how much?	kuanto?	(KWAN-toe)
English	angles	(an-GLACE)
yes	si	(SEE)
no	no	(NOH)
I don't understand	Mio no komprenden	(MEE-oh NOH kom-PRAYN-dayn)

Esperanto (planned, based on European languages)

align=left \| Translation	align=left \| Phrase	align=left \| IPA
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Esperanto	Esperanto	(ess peh RAN toe)
hello	saluton	(sa LOO ton)
good-bye	ĝis revido	(jiss re VEE doe)
please	bonvole	(bon VOE leh)
thank you	dankon	(DAN con)
that there	tio	(TEE oh)
how much?	kiom	(KEY om)
English	angla	(ANN glah)
yes	jes	(yes)
no	ne	(neh)
Where is the bathroom?	Kie estas la necesejo?	(KEY-eh ESS-tas la neh-tseh-SEH-yo)
generic toast	je via sano	(yeh VEE-a SAH-no)
Do you speak English?	Ĉu vi parolas angle?	(choo vee pa-ROE-las ANG-leh)

Ido (planned, reformed version of Esperanto)

align=left \| Translation	align=left \| Phrase	align=left \| IPA	align=left \| Pronunciation	align=left \| Remarks
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do	Ido
ello	bona jorno
ood-bye	adio
lease	bonvole
hank you	danko
hat one	co
ow much	quanta
nglish	angla
es	yes
o	no
eneric toast

Interlingua Anglo-romance, planned, based on European languages)

align=left \| Translation	align=left \| Phrase	align=left \| IPA
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nterlingua	Interlingua	(een-ter-LEENG-wah)
ello	salute	(sah-LOO-teh)
elcome	benvenite	(ben-veh-NEE-teh)
ood-bye	adeo	(ah-DEH-oh)
lease	per favor	(per fah-VOR)
hank you	gratias	(GRAH-tsias)
orry	pardono	(par-DOH-noh)
hat one	iste	(EES-teh)
ow much?	quanto?	(QUAHN-toh)
nglish	Anglese	(ahng-LEH-zeh)
es	si	(see)
o	no	(noh)
don't understand	Io non comprende	(EE-oh non com-PREN-deh)
eneric toast	A vostre sanitate!	(ah VOS-treh sahn-ee-TAH-teh)

Klingon (Fictional from the Star Trek series)

Usage Note: Many sentences which in English would be phrased as requests are represented in Klingon by imperative verbs, which are very freely used in this language. As a result, the word "please" is absent from the Klingon lexicon. Whereas in English one asks "what is it", in Klingon one would be more likely to say yIngu' (literally, "Identify it!"), and for Klingons, "ordering" a drink is not a metaphor: romuluS HIq HInob "give me Romulan ale!"

align=left \| Translation	align=left \| Phrase	align=left \| IPA	align=left \| Pronunciation	align=left \| Remarks
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English	DIvI' Hol	(dih-VIH khole)	("Federation language")
Klingon	tlhIngan Hol	(TLING-an khole)	("Klingon language")
hello, good-bye, please, thank you	(can safely be left out; see Note below)
that one	Dochvetlh	(DOACH-vettle)
how much?	'ar	(ARE)
yes	HIja' HISlaH luq		(khi-JAH), (khish-LAHKH) (luke)	(response to a yes/no question); (response to an order)
no:	ghobe'	(gho-BEH)
sorry:	jItlhIj jIQoS		(jih-TLIDGE) (jih-KROASH)	(literally "I apologise"); ("I am sorry")
I don't understand	jIyajbe'	(jih-yahj-BEH)
where's the bathroom?	nuqDaq 'oH puchpa''e'?	(NOOK-dack oakh pooch-pah-EH)
generic toast	'IwlIj jachjaj	(EWWW-lidge JATCH-jadge)
Do you speak English?	DIvI' Hol DajatlhlaH'a'?	(dih-VIH khole da-jattle-lahkh-AH)
foreigner	nov	(noav)

Note

Klingon usually dispenses with such things as greetings, "please", or "thank you". It is recommended that you leave out these phrases. If you specifically wish to say these, here are some ways:

align=left \| Translation	align=left \| Phrase	align=left \| IPA	align=left \| Pronunciation	align=left \| Remarks
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hello	nuqneH	(nook-NEHKH)	(literally "What do you want?", only said when someone approaches you, not the other way around)
goodbye	Qapla'	(krap-LAH)	(literally "Success!")
please	qatlhob	(ka-TLOBE)
thank you	qatlho' Satlho'		(ka-TLOE) (sha-TLOE)	(when speaking to one person), (when speaking to more than one person)

Lojban (a priori planned language)

align=left \| Translation	align=left \| Phrase	align=left \| IPA
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Lojban	la lojban	(lah LOZH-bahn)
hello	coi	(shoy)
good-bye	co'o	(SHO-ho)
please	pe'u	(PEH-hoo)
thank you	ki'e	(KEE-heh)
that one	ta	(tah)
how much?	la'u ma	(LAH-hoo mah)
English	le glibau	(leh GLEE-bow)
yes	.i go'i	(ee GO-hee)
no	.i na go'i	(ee nah GO-hee)
sorry	.u'u	(OO-who)
generic toast:
I don't understand	mi na jimpe	(mee nah ZHEEM-peh)
Where's the bathroom?	ma stuzi le vimku'a	(ma STOO-zee leh vim-KOO-ha)
Do you speak English?	xu do se bangu le glibau	(khoo doe seh BAN-goo leh GLEE-bow)

Quenya (Fictional from J. R. R. Tolkien's work)

align=left \| Translation	align=left \| Phrase	align=left \| IPA
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uenya	Quenya
ello	mára calë
ood-bye	namárië mára mesta	;
lease
hank you	hantanyel	(lit. I thank you)
orry
hat one
ow much?
nglish
es	yé
o	lá
don't understand	ni lá hanyan
here's the bathroom?
eneric toast
o you speak English?

Toki Pona (planned pidgin based on sources from around the world)

Words are accented on the first syllable.

align=left \| Translation	align=left \| Phrase	align=left \| IPA
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oki Pona	toki pona
ello	toki!
ood-bye	mi tawa tawa pona	(said by person leaving) (said by person staying)
hank you	pona
hat one	ni
ow much?	mute seme?
nglish	toki Inli
es	lon⁴
o	lon ala⁵
eneric toast	telo nasa pona!
o you speak English?	sina sona ala sona e toki Inli?

Volapk (planned, based mostly on English and other European languages)

align=left \| Translation	align=left \| Phrase	align=left \| IPA	align=left \| Pronunciation	align=left \| Remarks
valign=top
olapk	Volapk
ello	glidis
elcome	vekm
ood-bye	ledit
lease	if pldol
hank you	dan
orry	pard
hat one	atos
ow much?	flaged?
nglish	Linglanik, Nelijik
es	si
o	no
don't understand	no suemob