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 going to any foreign-speaking land.

Now, you’re probably thinking of the obvious terms: “hello” and “goodbye”; “please” and “thank you”; “help” and “lost.”

But no!

I am talking about the words for “push” and “pull” — the two words that will keep you from looking like a fool when you approach a simple door. (Similarly, the words for “men” and “women” will save you from an embarrassing scenario when going to a public bathroom, but those are often accompanied by helpful pictograms.)

In many languages, the words are strikingly similar — even in English they are both four letters and start with a “P” and “U”, so thinking that you can just figure out which one is “push” and “pull” by sight isn’t going to work.

Therefore, I’ve given you a handy guide for the words “push” and “pull” in the most popular languages on Duolingo:

• French: Push = Pousser, Pull = Tirer

• Spanish: Push = Empujar, Pull = Tirar

• German: Push = Drücken, Pull = Ziehen

• Italian: Push = Spingere, Pull = Tirare

• Turkish: Push = İtme, Pull = Çekme

• Portuguese: Push = Empurrar, Pull = Puxar

• Swedish: Push = Tryck, Pull = Dra

• Norwegian: Push = Trykk, Pull = Trekk

• Dutch: Push = Duwen, Pull = Trekken

So now you won’t be that tourist in Norway who trykks when you should trekk.