Survival Phrases Season 1
Don't waste your time! Get the most language in the shortest time with these survival phrases.
Absolute Beginner

Curriculum

Survival Phrases Season 1

In this 60-lesson series, you'll learn vital English phrases in each lesson that will help prepare you for an upcoming trip to the United States. Topics covered include ordering at a restaurant, taking public transportation, asking directions, checking into a hotel, and much more. If you simply want to master basic phrases without getting into the details of English grammar, this is the series for you.


Lesson Title Topic Function Target Phrases Key Vocab Cultural Insight
1 How to Say Thank You in English Gratitude Thanking people - Thank you
- Thank you very much
- Thanks
- Thanks a lot
very much
thank you
thanks
a lot
Different ways to say "Thank you"
2 How to Say You're Welcome in English Gratitude Saying "You're welcome" - you're welcome
- no problem
- my pleasure
You're welcome
no problem
pleasure
Different ways to say "You're welcome"
3 Getting What You Want Using English Asking questions Asking for something - Please
- This please
- Tthat please
- This one please
- That one please
please
this
that
Usage of "those" and "these"
4 Basic English Greetings Greetings Exchanging basic greetings - Hello
- Goodbye
- Bye
- Good morning
- Good afternoon
- Good evening
- Good night
hello
goodbye
bye
good morning
good afternoon
good evening
goodnight
"Good afternoon" and "Good evening"
5 How to Say Goodbye in English Greetings Saying goodbye - See you later
- Take care
- Have a nice day
- Have a good evening
see you later
take care
have a nice day
have a good evening
Different ways to say goodbye
6 How to Ask "Where is the Bathroom?" in English Asking questions Asking where something is - Where is the bathroom?
- Excuse me, where is the bathroom?
where
to be
bathroom
excuse me
Words that mean "bathroom"
7 Use English to Your Advantage in English (NOTE: Umm...) Asking questions Asking if someone can speak a certain language - Do you speak Spanish? to do
to speak
Spanish
Chinese
French
German
Signs in different languages
8 How to Say "I Don't Understand" in English Basic conversation Saying that you can't speak a language - I don't understand. I don't understand. I don't understand.
- What does this mean? What does this mean? What does this mean?
to do
not
to understand
this
to mean
Asking about the meaning of a word
9 Learn English Using English with This Unbelievably Simple Phrase Basic conversation Asking someone to repeat something - Can you repeat that please?
- Slowly please.
- Can you repeat that slowly please?
to repeat
slowly
please
excuse me
pardon me
Different ways to ask for a repeat
10 How to Say "I'm Sorry" in English Apologies Apologizing - I'm sorry
- I'm really sorry
- My apologies
- My bad
- No problem
- Don't worry about it 
sorry
apology
bad
problem
to worry
Usage of "I'm sorry"
11 Eating Out in English Restaurant Giving the number of people in your party - How many people in your party?
- Three people
- for one
how many
people
party
three
one
Eating out in the U.S.
12 Restaurants: Choosing a Seat in English Restaurant Reserving a table - I would like to make a reservation please.
- For how many people?
- For four please
- What time would you like to reserve it for?
- At eight o'clock, please.
reservation
time
to reserve
table
How to drink alcohol in the U.S.
13 American Restaurant, Part 3: Smoking or Nonsmoking? Restaurant Asking for smoking or non-smoking seats - Excuse me, is smoking allowed here?
- Smoking area please.
- Non-smoking area please.
smoking
to allow
area
Cigarettes in the U.S.
14 American Restaurant, Part 4: At the Table Restaurant Ordering food and drinks - Can I get a menu please.
- A coke please.
- Can you give us a minute?
- Can I get the chicken with fries please?
menu
coke
minute
chicken
fries
How to ask for a menu
15 American Restaurant, Part 5: Check, Please! Restaurant Getting the check - Is everything okay?
- Excuse me, can I get the check please?
okay
check
tip
Friendly staff and tip culture
16 Counting 1-10 in English Numbers Counting 1-10 - Can I get six t-shirts please.
- Can I get three bottles of wine.
- Can I get 5 slices of bread.
t-shirt
bottle
wine
slice
bread
Shopping in the U.S.
17 Counting 10-100 in English Numbers Counting 11 - 100 11 eleven
12 twelve
13 thirteen
14 fourteen
15 fifteen
16 sixteen
17 seventeen
18 eighteen
19 nineteen
20 twenty
30 thirty
40 forty
50 fifty
60 sixty
70 seventy
80 eighty
90 ninety
100 one hundred
11 eleven
12 twelve
13 thirteen
14 fourteen
15 fifteen
16 sixteen
17 seventeen
18 eighteen
19 nineteen
20 twenty
30 thirty
40 forty
50 fifty
60 sixty
70 seventy
80 eighty
90 ninety
100 one hundred
Correct ways to read numbers
18 How Much in English? Shopping Asking prices - How much is this?
- How much is this shirt?
- Do you have any plus-size clothing?
shirt
pants
jeans
plus-size
Staff at shops in the U.S.
19 Lower the Price in English Shopping Asking for a discount - Can you lower the price a little?
- I'll give you $50 for it.
lower
really
ouch
Sales and shopping
20 American Currency Money Counting currency - Twenty eight dollars and fifty cents
- Four ninety nine.
- Twenty eight fifty
- Buck
- Benjamin
- Dough
dollar
cent
penny
nickel
dime
quarter
Bills in the U.S.
21 American Internet Café! Internet Using an internet cafe - Excuse me, how much is it per hour?
- It's $4.00 an hour.
per hour
Wi-Fi
Internet connections
22 Riding the American Bus, Part 1: Getting a Ticket Bus Buying bus tickets - How much is it?
- One-way ticket to Chicago please.
- Return ticket to Chicago please.
bus
ticket
one-way
return
Bus tickets in the U.S.
23 Riding the American Bus, Part 2: Does This Bus Go To...? Bus Confirming bus destinations - Excuse me, does this go to...
- Excuse me, does this stop at...
- How long does it take to...?
to take
to stop
Bus drivers and schedules
24 Riding the American Bus, Part 3: What's the Next Stop? Bus Confirming bus stops - Excuse me, what's the next stop?
- Excuse me, is Fisherman's Wharf the next stop?
next
stop
What to do on a crowded bus
25 Riding the American Rails, Part 1 Train Buying a subway ticket - Excuse me, a subway ticket please.
- Excuse me, a ticket to Fairview Mall please.
- Excuse me, a return ticket to Fairview Mall please.
Buying tickets from a machine
26 Riding the American Rails, Part 2 Train Using a day pass - Do you have any day passes?
- How many rides is it worth?
- What's the price for _____?
day pass
worth
baby
Tourist buses
27 Riding the American Rails, Part 3 Train Selecting a seat - An aisle seat to the city, please.
- A window seat to the city please.
window
aisle
Seating in trains
28 Riding the American Taxi Taking a taxi Taking a taxi - To the Sears Tower please.
- Could you take me to the Sears Tower please.
- Could you drop me off here?
- Do you have change for $50?
taxi
to drop off
change
Sharing taxis
29 Where Can I Get...in the U.S.? Directions Asking where something is located - Where can I find...?
- Excuse me, could you tell me where can I find a pay phone?
- Excuse me, could you tell me where can I find a tobacco shop?
where
tobacco shop
pay phone
to find
How to get directions to certain places
30 Where is the Closest Store in the U.S.? Directions Looking for the closest store/ATM - Is there a drugstore near here?
- Is there an ATM near here?
ATM
drugstore
pharmacy
How to find drugstores
31 Directions in English Directions Giving directions - Go straight
- Turn right
- Turn right at the traffic light.
- It's on the right side.
to go
straight
to turn
right
left
traffic
Knowing your directions
32 Can You Take My/Our Picture in the U.S.? Photos Asking someone to take your picture - Can you take our picture?
- Can you take my picture?
- Do you mind taking our picture?
to take
picture
do you mind
What to say before taking a picture
33 Can I Take Your Picture in the U.S.? Photos Asking permission in German - Can I take your picture?
- Can I take a picture here?
to take
picture
How to use the verb "can"
34 How Do You Say This in English? Asking questions Asking how to say something in English - How do you say "manzana" in English?
- How do you say this in English?
- What do you call this in English?
how
to say
to call
How to celebrate
35 Learn to Write in English without Lifting a Pen Asking questions Asking someone to write something down - Can you write it down please?
- How do you pronounce this?
- Do you have a pen and paper?
to write
to pronounce
paper
pen
Names of places
36 Read English Instantly! No Knowledge of English Required Asking questions Asking pronunciation, meaning, etc - How do you read this?
- What does this word mean?
- What's another word for it?
to read
another
English and pronunciation
37 The American Hotel Check-In is Only Half the Battle Hotel Checking into a hotel - I have a reservation.
- I would like a room.
- Your name please.
- Can you spell it?
reservation
room
to spell
What to do to get a room at a hotel
38 American Hotel, Part 2: Check-Out Hotel Checking out of a hotel - What time is checkout?
- Can I have a towel please?
- Can I have some soap please?
soap
towel
toothbrush
toothpaste
shampoo
checkout
Prices of hotels
39 Using the Post Office in the U.S., Part 1 Post office Sending something at the post office - I would like to send this to Italy.
- I would like to send this postcard to Italy.
- I would like five eighty-cent stamps please. I would like five eighty-cent stamps please.
to send
postcard
letter
package
Postal service in the U.S.
40 Using the Post Office in the U.S., Part 2 Post office Sending a package - I would like to send this package to Italy.
- What's in the package?
- Just some candy.
to send
package
Pounds and ounces
41 Foreign Exchange in the U.S. Money Exchanging currency - Is there a bank near here?
- Where can I exchange currency?
- Smaller bills please.
- Could you break this?
ATM
currency
bill
to break
How to pay for dinner
42 Buying Phone Cards in America Phone card Buying a phone card - Do you have calling cards?
- Can I get a $5 calling card please?
- May I have a $5 calling card please?
- Is there a payphone near here?
near
local
pay phone
Different calling cards
43 Buying an American SIM Card Cell phone Renting phones - I would like to rent a cell phone.
- I would like to rent two phones.
- How much are calls to Greece?
to rent
cell phone
to call
How to call other countries from America
44 Admissions in the U.S. Tickets Buying tickets - One ticket, please.
- Four tickets please.
- Your ticket, please.
ticket Art forms
45 Do You Have Information Guides in My Language in the USA? Info guide Asking for an info guide in another language - Do you have an English information guide?
- Do you have a French information guide?
- Do you have a German information guide?
information guide Widely spoken English
46 How Do You Eat This American Food? Food Asking how to eat something - How do you eat this?
- Is this hot?
- Is this spicy?
hot
to eat
spicy
How to avoid stuff you don't like in American restaurants
47 I Am a Vegetarian in the U.S. Food Saying you are a vegetarian/asking if a certain dish has something - I am vegetarian.
- I don't eat meat.
- I don't eat cheese.
- Does this have meat? 
vegeterian
meat
cheese
Different diets in the U.S.
48 Help! in English Help Asking for help - Help!
- Fire!
- Police!
to help
fire
police
What to do after losing something
49 Medical Assistance in the U.S. Medical assistance Asking for medical assistance - Please take me to the hospital.
- Please take me to the doctor.
- Please take me to the pharmacy.
- Do you have a prescription?
pharmacy
to take
hospital
doctor
prescription
Health insurance check
50 Expressing Symptoms in English Medical assistance Explaining symptoms - Do you have any medicine for a cold?
- I have a headache.
- I have a stomachache.
headache
cold
medicine
stomachache
American pharmacies