How to ask for silk in other languages - French, German, Spanish and more

 

My red blouse and green tunic top have labels saying silk.

Do you read labels? I do. Some words are easy to translate and recognize. For example, on silk clothes, the word for silk.

The closest languages to English are Scandinavian languages.  Silke in Danish, Norwegian and Swedish. Icelandic is silki. I don't often have need of Icelandic, nor Igbo, which is silki.  Esperanto is silko.

French is soie. 

German is Seide. Remember that Germans use capital letters for nouns. Spanish and Portuguese are close in spelling to the German, both seda. 

Italians change the d to a t. Sete is Italian for silk. 

Indonesia is sutra. Malay is sutera. 

Is this silk?

I would like silk.

Do you have any silk?

Where can I buy silk?

Cotton.

Wool.

Synthetic.

Polycotton.

drip-dry.

hand wash

machine washable

dry clean only

A different colour

Est-ce de la soie?
J'aimerais de la soie.
Avez-vous de la soie?
Où puis-je acheter de la soie?
Coton.
La laine.
Synthétique.
Poly coton.
égoutter.
lavage des mains
lavable en machine
nettoyage à sec uniquement
Une couleur différente

I would translate a few phrases differently. I would say, 

Est-ce que c'est de la soie?

ou est-ce que je peux acheter ...

really silk - vraiment de la soie

real silk - veritable soie

German

Ist es Seide?
Ich hätte gerne Seide.
Hast du Seide?
Wo kann ich Seide kaufen?
Baumwolle.
Wolle.
Synthetik.
Poly Baumwolle.
abfließen.
Händewaschen
Waschmaschinenfest
Nur chemische Reinigung
Eine andere Farbe
echte Seide
wirklich Seide
echte Seide

SPANISH

Es seda
Quisiera seda.
Tienes seda
¿Dónde puedo comprar seda?
Algodón. (cotton)
La lana.
Sintético.
Algodon poli.
fluir fuera.

lavado a mano/
lavar a mano
Lavable en la lavadora (machine wash)
Solo limpieza química
Otro color
seda real
realmente seda
seda real

Useful websites

https://www.indifferentlanguages.com/words/silk

polyglot page in facebook

https://www.facebook.com/polyglotclub.world/

About the Author

Angela Lansbury is a travel writer and photographer, author and speaker, fashionista. Please share links to your favourite posts or one or more of the blogs

travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

Medical kits for days out, weekends, travel to hotels and second homes

What do you take on a day trip or holiday or business trip? The first thing you think of is 'Don't forget your toothbrush'. And the toothpaste.

Toothbrush and Toothpaste
It's handy to keep a small or folding or head-covered toothbrush with a small toothpaste in your pocket or a zip up bag. Plus a comb in a case (so you don't pierce your fingertips).

Tweezers
I like the tweezers cum nail file bought from Tanna's chemist in London. They also stock a magnifying mirror for the bathroom at only £1.

Sometimes it's cheaper to buy the cheapest manicure kit than to buy all the items, or even one of the items.

Swiss Army Knife
A Swiss army knife has a built tweezers, scissors and nail file. When buying, invest in a model of knife which has the gadgets you need. If you lose the tweezers, you can buy spares from some shops. Phone first, to be sure the spares are in stock. You could buy a spare teeny tweezers to carry when your knife has to be checked in on an airline.

Sticking Plasters
I used to carry an Elastoplast UK (brand name for sticking plaster) in the zip up compartment of a tote bag. Plasters are useful for minor cuts as well as to protect blisters from rubbing shoes.

Pill Names
If you are on regular medication, it helps to paste the end of the cardboard tube inside your diary so that if you ever run out, you can show it to a pharmacist who cannot understand your verbal English.

(Also look for a lightweight corner of a leaflet in multiple languages.) At least you can put it through google translate.

Spare Pills
If I am travelling on a ten day trip I always carry enough pills for an extra 2-5 days. Then if the flight is delayed or I extend the stay I still have enough pills without wasting time on a shopping trip to get more.

Hair Dye Box End: Colour Name and Colour Chart
If you dye your hair and are away for a month after the last time you dyed your hair, you cannot take liquids on many planes, but the end paper of the box can be shown to a drug store to show that you are looking for hair dye, and what colour.

Insect Repellent and Sunscreen

Checklist
1 Toothbrush and paste
2 Comb and comb case (and/or small folding brush, ideally with mirror)
3 Tweezers, toothpick and nail file (Swiss Army knife)
4 Small magnifying mirror or YSL lipstick with mirror finish case
5 Sticking plaster / or bandage and zinc ointment for healing
6 Small shampoo (also serves as hand wash and clothes wash) or wet wipe
7 Moisturiser (for face, hands, feet).
8 Insect repellent and sun cream
9 'Stingose' or similar sting relief and / or antiseptic cream
10 Zip up waterproof wash bag

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.