Essential Phrases you’ll need for your Ski Holiday

10 November 2017

Whether you’re travelling to the French Alps, Germany or Switzerland, having a few French and German ski related phrases up you sleeve will come in handy.

Despite many lift attendants resort staff and locals already speaking fluent or basic English, you never know when you might need to communicate with the someone who’s not mastered the language of the Brits. Plus, if you’re hitting the slopes in a foreign country, throwing out a few words in the native language shows great effort on your part and might impress those you’re travelling with!

5 Phrases you’ll need for your ski holiday…

“Stop standing on my skis!”

If you’ve ever queued in a French lift line, you’ll know that the words ‘line’ and ‘queue’ don’t apply. It can be a free-for-all trying to get to the front of the swarm of skiers and snowboarders hoping to get on the lift, and in the process you’re likely to find the person behind you ‘accidently’ trampling over the back of your skis or snowboard. That’s when this phrase comes into play…

French: “Vous êtes sur mes skis!”

German: “Du stehst auf meine Skiern. Bitte geh runter!”

“What's the easiest way down?”

If you’re stuck trying to get down a slope that’s a little out of your comfort zone, throwing this phrase out to passers-by or any locals or instructors nearby, might just see you down an easier route.

French: “Quelle est la façon la plus facile de descendre?”

German: “Wie ist der kürzeste Weg ins Tal?”

“Where is the nearest restaurant?”

When you’re feeling hungry mid ski, you’ll be glad you remembered this phrase!

French: “Où est le restaurant le plus proche?” 

German: “Wo finde ich das nächste Restaurant?”

“I've missed the last lift. How do I get home?

Nobody plans to get stuck on the wrong side of the valley, but it happens. Learning this ski holiday phrase will help you get home safely.

French: “J'ai loupé le dernier télésiège. Comment je rentre?” 

German: “Ich habe den letzten Lift verpasst. Wie komme ich nach Hause?”

“A beer, please.”

The most important phrase of all, to complete your ski holiday!

French: “Un bière, s’il vous plait.”

German: “Ein Bier, bitte”