Learn These Two Words Before Visiting a Foreign Country
You’ve probably already downloaded Duolingo before your next big international trip, but there are two important words to know before traveling to any foreign-speaking country.
By now, you’re probably thinking of the obvious terms: “hello” and “goodbye”; “please and thank you”; “Help” and “lost”.
But no!
I’m talking about the words “push” and “pull” – two words that will keep you from looking like a fool when you get close to a simple door. (Likewise, words for “men” and “women” will save you an awkward situation when you go to a public toilet, but they are often accompanied by helpful pictograms.)
In many languages the words are strikingly similar – even in English they are four letters and start with “P” and “U”, so thinking you can just tell which is “push” and “pull” by eye. will not work.
So I gave you a handy guide to push and pull in the most popular Duolingo languages:
- French : Push = Pousser , Pull = Tirer
- Spanish : Push = Empujar , Pull = Tirar
- German : Push = Drücken , Pull = Ziehen
- Italian : Push = Spingere , Pull = Tirare
- Turkish : Push = İtme , Pull = ekme
- Portuguese : Push = Empurrar , Pull = Puxar
- Swedish : Push = Tryck , Pull = Dra
- Norwegian : Push = Trykk , Pull = Trekk
- Dutch : Push = Duwen , Pull = Trekken
So now you will not be the kind of tourist in Norway trying his way when you should go hiking.