The Around the World phrasebook
Let's learn traveller's Albanian
Not the school kind — the airport, taxi and dinner-table kind. Every phrase with a say-it-out-loud pronunciation.
Nobody expects you to speak fluent Albanian. But ten words in the right places — and the market seller smiles, the driver drops the price, the waiter brings the good stuff. We've gathered 65 phrases that actually work, sorted by the moment you'll need them: the landing, the taxi, check-in, the table. Each with a pronunciation you can read aloud without cringing.
Phrasebook · 1/8
First words
| What you want to say | Albanian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Hello (formal) | Përshëndetje | per-shen-DE-tyeh |
| Hello (informal) | Çkemi | CHKE-mee |
| Goodbye | Mirupafshim | mee-roo-PAF-sheem |
| Thank you | Faleminderit | fa-le-min-DE-rit |
| Please | Ju lutem | yoo LOO-tem |
| Yes | Po | PO |
| No | Jo | YO |
| Sorry | Më fal | muh FAL |
| I don't understand | Nuk kuptoj | nook koop-TOY |
| Do you speak English? | A flisni anglisht? | ah FLEES-nee ahn-GLEESHT? |
Phrasebook · 2/8
Courtesy & introductions
| What you want to say | Albanian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Good morning | Mirëmëngjes | meer-MEN-gjes |
| Good evening | Mirëmbrëma | meer-MBRE-ma |
| How are you? | Si jeni? | see YE-nee |
| My name is… | Emri im është… | EM-ree eem ESH-teh |
| Nice to meet you | Gëzohem që ju takova | guh-ZO-hem che YOO ta-KO-va |
| I am from Israel | Unë jam nga Izraeli | OO-neh yam nga ee-zra-EH-lee |
| See you | Shihemi | SHEE-heh-mee |
Phrasebook · 3/8
At the airport & on the flight
| What you want to say | Albanian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the gate? | Ku është porta? | ku ESH-teh POR-ta? |
| Is the flight delayed? | A është fluturimi me vonesë? | a ESH-teh flu-tu-RI-mi meh vo-NE-se? |
| Boarding pass | Karta e imbarkimit | KAR-ta eh im-bar-KI-mit |
| My luggage hasn't arrived | Bagazhi im nuk ka mbërritur | ba-GA-zhi im nuk ka mbë-RRI-tur |
| I have a connecting flight | Kam një fluturim lidhës | kam NYE flu-tu-RIM LIDH-es |
| Window/aisle seat | Vendi pranë dritares/korridorit | VEN-di PRA-ne dri-TA-res/ko-ri-DO-rit |
| Where is passport control? | Ku është kontrolli i pasaportave? | ku ESH-teh kon-TRO-li i pa-sa-POR-ta-ve? |
Phrasebook · 4/8
Transport & directions
| What you want to say | Albanian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| To this address, please | Në këtë adresë, ju lutem | NEH K'TEH ah-DREH-seh, YOO LOO-tem |
| How much to the center? | Sa kushton për në qendër? | SAH koosh-TON per neh CHEN-der |
| One ticket to... | Një biletë për... | NYEH bee-LEH-teh per... |
| Which platform? | Cili platformë? | TSI-lee plaht-FOR-meh |
| Where is the bus station? | Ku është stacioni i autobusëve? | KOO ESH-teh staht-TSYO-nee ee ah-too-BOO-seh-veh |
| Stop here, please | Ndaloni këtu, ju lutem | n'dah-LOH-nee K'TOO, YOO LOO-tem |
| Is it far? | A është larg? | AH ESH-teh LARG |
| Turn left/right | Kthehu majtas/djathtas | K'TEH-hoo MAI-tas/D'YAHT-tas |
| Straight | Drejt | DREYT |
Phrasebook · 5/8
Hotel & stay
| What you want to say | Albanian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| I have a reservation | Kam një rezervim | KAM nyEH re-zerv-IM |
| Check-in | Regjistrimi | re-jis-TRI-mi |
| Check-out | Largimi | lar-GI-mi |
| Is breakfast included? | A është mëngjesi i përfshirë? | a ESHT-eh meng-JE-si i per-fshi-REH? |
| Room key | Çelësi i dhomës | CHE-le-si i DHO-mes |
| Wi-Fi password | Fjalëkalimi i Wi-Fi | fya-le-ka-LI-mi i WAI-fai |
| Can I leave my luggage? | A mund të lë bagazhet? | a MUND te le ba-GA-zhet? |
| The air conditioner doesn't work | Kondicioneri nuk punon | kon-di-tsio-NE-ri nuk pu-NON |
Phrasebook · 6/8
Restaurant & food
| What you want to say | Albanian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| A table for two | Një tavolinë për dy | NYEH ta-vo-LEE-neh per DEE |
| The menu, please | Menuja, ju lutem | me-NU-ya, yu LU-tem |
| What do you recommend? | Çfarë rekomandoni? | CHFA-reh re-ko-man-DO-ni? |
| The bill, please | Faturën, ju lutem | fa-TU-ren, yu LU-tem |
| Tap water | Ujë nga rubineti | UY-yeh NGA ru-bi-NE-ti |
| I have a nut allergy | Kam alergji ndaj arrave | KAM a-ler-GI n-DAY a-RA-ve |
| Without meat | Pa mish | pa MISH |
| It was excellent | Ishte e shkëlqyer | ISH-teh eh shkel-CYER |
| Can I pay by card? | A mund të paguaj me kartë? | a MUND te pa-GU-yay meh KART? |
Phrasebook · 7/8
Shopping & money
| What you want to say | Albanian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| How much does it cost? | Sa kushton? | SA koosh-TON? |
| It's too expensive | Është shumë e shtrenjtë | ESHT shoom eh SHTREN-yteh |
| Do you accept card? | A pranoni kartë? | AH prah-NO-nee KAR-teh? |
| I'm just looking | Thjesht po shikoj | THYESHT poh shee-KOY |
| Can I have a receipt? | Mund të kem një faturë? | MOOND teh kem NYEH fah-TOO-reh? |
| Where is an ATM? | Ku është bankomati? | KOO esht bahn-ko-MAH-tee? |
| A smaller size | Një masë më e vogël | NYEH MAH-seh meh eh VO-gel |
Phrasebook · 8/8
Emergencies & health
| What you want to say | Albanian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Help! | Ndihmë! | n-DIH-meh! |
| Call a doctor. | Thirrni një mjek. | THIR-ni NYEH myek. |
| Call the police. | Thirrni policinë. | THIR-ni po-li-TSIN. |
| Where is the pharmacy? | Ku është farmacia? | ku ESH-teh far-ma-TSI-a? |
| I don't feel well. | Nuk ndihem mirë. | nuk NDI-hem MI-reh. |
| I'm lost. | Jam i humbur. | yam i HUM-bur. |
| I need a hospital. | Kam nevojë për një spital. | kam ne-VO-yeh per NYEH spi-TAL. |
| It hurts here. | Më dhemb këtu. | meh DHEM k-TU. |
Q&A
Answers to your questions
How do you say "thank you" in Albanian?
"Faleminderit" (fa-le-min-DE-rit). It's one of the five words worth knowing by heart before you land.
How much Albanian do I need for a trip?
Not much. Five or six courtesy words (hello, thank you, please, sorry, yes/no) open doors, and another ten to fifteen phrases for fixed situations — a taxi, check-in, the restaurant bill — cover almost any trip. The rest: a camera-translation app.
Can you get by in English where Albanian is spoken?
In city centres, hotels and tourist sites — usually yes, especially with younger people. Outside them — markets, transport, small towns — a few words of the local language make a real difference and are warmly received.
Which countries have Albanian as an official language?
Albanian is a main language in 2 countries: Albania, Kosovo.
What's the difference between the formal and casual greeting?
Most languages have a formal "hello" for strangers, service staff and elders, and an everyday version for friends and peers. As a traveller it's always safer to open with the formal one — nobody is offended by too much politeness.
How do you politely ask someone to speak English?
"A flisni anglisht?" (ah FLEES-nee ahn-GLEESHT?) — "do you speak English?". Lead with "excuse me" in the local language and it comes across as respectful.
About this page
Written and checked by the Around the World team. We compare prices across the major providers, cross-check official sources, and update when something changes. We have no stake in any one provider — links are affiliate links, and the price is the same for you.
Sources: Phrasebook: the Around the World team · Language-to-country: Around the World data