HearsayGuide
How to communicate with someone who speaks a different language
When you don't share a language, keep it simple: short sentences, one idea at a time, and something visual to back it up. Slow down, smile, and check that you've understood each other before moving on. A translator app helps most when both people can see and hear it. Here's what works face to face.
Use short, simple sentences
One idea per sentence is easier to understand and easier to translate.
How to do it: Say "Where is the train station?" rather than "Could you possibly tell me how I'd get to the station?"
Slow down instead of getting louder
Speaking slowly and clearly helps; raising your voice doesn't.
How to do it: Pause between sentences so the other person can catch up.
Skip slang and idioms
Phrases like "touch base" or "a piece of cake" rarely survive translation.
How to do it: Use the plain word: meet, easy, later.
Show, point and write
Numbers, names, addresses and dates are easier to read than to hear.
How to do it: Write them down or show them on your phone screen.
Learn five words in their language
Hello, please, thank you, sorry and goodbye go a long way.
How to do it: Practice them out loud before the conversation. Basic phrases to know
Check that you've understood
Repeat back the key point: "So, the second street on the left?"
How to do it: A nod isn't always a yes. Ask a simple either-or question to confirm.
Use a translator you can both see
Passing a phone back and forth slows every exchange down. A shared screen keeps both people in the conversation.
How to do it: Hearsay splits the screen in two at the table: their half faces them, and each of you speaks your own language. Get your table plan
Get a qualified interpreter when it matters
For medical, legal or official decisions, an app or a friend isn't enough.
How to do it: Ask whether a professional interpreter is available. Many hospitals and public offices provide one.
Talk across languages, both ways. Answer six quick questions and get a table plan for your language and the moments you need it for.
Get my table planAvailability: Hearsay is an iPhone app on pre-order. Plans start on launch day, with a full refund any time before launch.
Questions
How do you talk to someone who doesn't speak English?
Use short, simple sentences, speak slowly, show numbers and addresses in writing, and use a translator app you can both see and hear. Check that you've understood each other before moving on.
Is it rude to use a translator app in a conversation?
Usually not, especially if you make it easy for both people. Put the phone where you can both see it, look at the person rather than the screen, and keep sentences short.
What if the conversation is about health or legal matters?
Ask for a qualified interpreter. Translator apps and friends are fine for everyday talk, but not for decisions that need to be exactly right.
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Updated October 12, 2026