Surviving in a country where you don't speak the language is often easier done than said.

At least, it is probably easier for the traveler and not the poor local who is left in questions by your... well... questions – and the massive game of charades you end up playing in the process. 

Sometimes  these workers, bus drivers, waiters and waitresses go above and beyond their normal call of duty to help bewildered and lost foreigners who can't speak in the same language, and all it would take to make their day in the process might be two little words:  thank you.

Saying “thank you” in the language of the country you are traveling in is probably one of the best phrases you can learn and use.  Not only does it show your gratitude for a person's help, but also a certain level of respect in the fact that you're attempting to reach out in the local language.

Whether you just hopped off cheap flights to Rome, Thailand or even Mongolia, you have no excuse.  Here is how to say these magic words in 58 different languages:

AFRIKAANS - dankie
ALBANIAN - faleminderit
ARABIC - shukran
ARMENIAN - Շնորհակալություն / chnorakaloutioun
BELARUSIAN - Дзякую / dziakuju
BOSNIAN - hvala (HVAH-lah)
BULGARIAN - благодаря / blagodaria
CATALAN - gràcies (GRAH-syuhs)
CANTONESE - M̀h'gōi
CROATIAN - hvala (HVAH-lah)
CZECH - děkuji (Dyekooyih)
DANISH - tak (tahg)
DUTCH - dank u
ESTONIAN - tänan (TA-nahn)
FINNISH - kiitos (KEE-tohss)
FRENCH - merci
GERMAN - danke
GREEK – ευχαριστώ (ef-hah-rees-TOH)
HAWAIIAN - mahalo (ma-HA-lo)
HEBREW - .תודה  / todah (toh-DAH)
HINDI – dhanyavād / shukriya
HUNGARIAN - köszönöm (KØ-sø-nøm)
ICELANDIC – takk (tahk)
INDONESIAN - terima kasih. (tuh-REE-mah KAH-see)
ITALIAN - grazie (GRAHT-tsyeh)
JAPANESE – arigatô (ah-ree-GAH-toh)
KHMER - akun (Aw khun)
KOREAN - 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida)
LAO - khob chai
LATVIAN – paldies (PUHL-dyehs)
LEBANESE - choukrane
LITHUANIAN - ačiū (AH-choo)
MACEDONIAN - Благодарам / blagodaram (blah-GOH-dah-rahm)
MALAY - terima kasih (TREE-muh KAH-seh)
MALTESE - grazzi (GRUTS-ee)
MANDARIN - Xièxiè
MONGOLIAN - Баярлалаа (bayarlalaa)
NORWEGIAN - takk
PERSIAN - mamnun (formal) / mersi (informal)
POLISH - dziękuję (Jenkoo-yen)  
PORTUGUESE – obrigado [masculine]  / obrigada [feminine] (oh-bree-GAH-doo / oh-bree-GAH-dah)
ROMANIAN - mulţumesc (mool-tzoo-MESK)
RUSSIAN - спасибо (spuh-SEE-buh)
SERBIAN – xвала / hvala (HVAH-lah)
SLOVAK – Ďakujem (JAH-koo-yehm)
SLOVENIAN - hvala (HVAA-lah)
SPANISH - gracias (GRAH-syahs)
SWAHILI - asante (ah-sahn-teh)
SWEDISH - tack
TAMIL - nandri
THAI - kop khun
TURKISH - teşekkür ederim (teh shek uer eh der eem)
UKRAINIAN - Дякую (DYAH-koo-yoo)
URDU - shukriya
WELSH – diolch (DEE-ol'ch)
WOLOF - djiere dieuf
YIDDISH - a dank
ZULU - ngiyabonga

"thank you note for every language," Flickr image credit: woodleywonderworks