Have you already bought your ticket to Albania? Good; now it’s time to learn some useful Albanian vocabulary. Actually, I intend to teach you a whole lot of words for every occasion you can think of—from numbers and colors to greetings and emergency cases. Whether you are planning for a short trip or a long stay, I got you covered. Just keep scrolling!
Table Of Contents
Basic Albanian Vocabulary For Everyday Conversations
Let’s start from scratch with some everyday phrases for basic interactions and introductions. These are quite simple, yet they will prove themselves to be very helpful for your first conversations in Albanian.
| English | Albanian |
|---|---|
| How are you? | Si je? |
| What’s your name? | Si quhesh? |
| My name is… | Emri im është… |
| Nice to meet you | Gëzohem që të njoh |
| Please | Të lutem |
| Madam | Zonjë |
| Sir | Zotëri |
| Do you speak English? | A flet anglisht? |
| I don’t understand | Nuk kuptoj |
| I don’t know | Nuk e di |
| Thank you | Faleminderit |
| Can you help me? | Mund të më ndihmoni? |
| What’s the meaning of this word? | Cili është kuptimi i kësaj fjale? |
Basic Greetings In Albanian
Did you know that Albanians refer to basic greetings as the “magic words”? The natives believe that good manners are the key to positive relations and a great life. Ask any Albanian grandmother, and they will tell you that not using the magic words will bring curses and bad luck. Nobody wants that, so let’s not risk it. Here are the most common greetings in Albanian.
| English | Albanian |
|---|---|
| Hello | Përshëndetje |
| Hi | Ckemi |
| Good Morning | Mirëmëngjes |
| Good Afternoon | Mirëdita |
| Good Evening | Mirëmbrëma |
| Goodbye | Mirupafshim |
| See you | Shihemi |
Numbers In Albanian
Numbers are one of the first things that most people are introduced to when learning a new language. Numbers in Albanian are simple to remember and will be very useful on many occasions.
| English | Albanian |
|---|---|
| Zero | Zero |
| One | Një |
| Two | Dy |
| Three | Tre |
| Four | Katër |
| Five | Pesë |
| Six | Gjashtë |
| Seven | Shtatë |
| Eight | Tetë |
| Nine | Nëntë |
| Ten | Dhjetë |
Colors In Albanian
Albanian national colors are red and black, like our flag. During your stay here, you’ll notice the people’s love for these colors in particular, but it’s good to know the names of the other colors in Albanian, too.
| English | Albanian |
|---|---|
| Red | E kuqe |
| Black | E zezë |
| White | E bardhë |
| Blue | Blu |
| Green | E gjelbërt |
| Yellow | E verdhë |
| Brown | Kafe |
| Grey | Gri |
| Orange | Portokalli |
| Purple | Lejla |
| Pink | Rozë |
Transportation And Travelling Phrases In Albanian
Did you know that Uber isn’t available in Albania yet? When it comes to transportation, your best options are taking a bus, renting a car, or ordering a taxi. To navigate these options, you’ll need to learn some key transportation phrases, of course.
| English | Albanian |
|---|---|
| Where is…? | Ku është? |
| How do I go to…? | Si të shkoj te…? |
| How far is it? | Sa larg është..? |
| Bus Station | Stacion Autobuzi |
| Train station | Stacion Treni |
| Plane | Aeroplan |
| Aeroport | Aeroport |
| Taxi | Taksi |
| Where can I find a taxi? | Ku mund të gjej një taksi? |
| Rented car | Makinë me qera |
| Where can I rent a car? | Ku mund të marr një makinë me qera? |
| Map | Hartë |
| I need a map | Më duhet një hartë |
| Can you show me the way to…? | A mund të më tregosh rrugën për në…? |
Phrases For Eating Out
The full sentence for ordering food or drinks in Albanian is Dëshiroj të porosis…, but consider this a beginner’s cheat code. In Albanian, the verb dua means want, need, wish, and love, depending on the context in which it’s used. For example, if you say “të dua,” it means “I love you,” but if you say “dua ujë,” it means “I want or need water.” It’s pronounced the same as the name of the famous Albanian pop star Dua Lipa, whose name means love in the Albanian language.
| English | Albanian |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Mëngjes |
| Lunch | Drekë |
| Dinner | Darkë |
| Restaurant | Restorant |
| Coffee Shop | Kafene |
| Fast Food | Fast Food (English-borrowed word) |
| Reservations | Rezervime |
| I want to reserve a table | Dua të rezervoj një tavolinë |
| Menu | Menu |
| Can I have the menu? | A mund të më jepni menu? |
| I want to order | Dua të porosis |
| I am allergic to… | Jam alergjik nga |
| Bill, please | Faturën, ju lutem |
| How much does it cost? | Sa kushton? |
| I want to pay the bill | Dua të paguaj faturën |
Food Vocabulary
Food is one of the best things Albania has to offer, so I bet you’ll be excited to learn these words. Located in the Mediterranean and blessed with great weather, Albanian dishes are rich in taste. We might not have a McDonald’s yet, but we sure do have all the fresh fruits and vegetables you can think of.
| English | Albanian |
|---|---|
| Water | Ujë |
| Food | Ushqim |
| Bread | Bukë |
| Meat | Mish |
| Fish | Peshk |
| Chicken | Pulë |
| Perime | Vegetables |
| Fruits | Fruta |
| Fruit juice | Lëng Frutash |
| Milk | Qumësht |
| Yogurt | Kos |
| Cheese | Djathë |
Family Vocabulary
Albanians are very family-oriented people, so it’s highly likely that you might get asked about your relatives. If so, here’s all the vocabulary you’ll need in case of introductions.
| English | Albanian |
|---|---|
| Family | Familja |
| Mother | Nëna |
| Mom | Mama (slang) |
| Father | Babai |
| Brother | Vëllai |
| Sister | Motër |
| Twin | Binjak |
| Husband | Bashkëshort |
| Wife | Bashkëshorte |
| Child | Fëmijë |
| Grandfather | Gjysh |
| Grandmother | Gjyshe |
| Niece | Mbesa |
| Nephew | Nipi |
| Cousin | Kushuri |
| Paternal Uncle | Xhaxha |
| Maternal Uncle | Daja |
| Paternal Aunt | Hallla |
| Maternal Aunt | Teze |
Shopping Vocabulary
Is it really a vacation if you don’t enjoy some shopping? For your trip to local shops or city malls, here are some useful phrases for shopping in Albania.
| English | Albanian |
|---|---|
| Shopping | Bëj pazar |
| Price | Çmimi |
| I’d like to buy | Dua të blej |
| How much does it cost? | Sa kushton? |
| Clothing | Rroba |
Money Vocabulary
The national currency is the Albanian Lek. It’s always good to have some lek with you during your stay, especially in remote areas, because they might not accept foreign money.
| English | Albanian |
|---|---|
| Money | Para |
| Albanian Lek | Leku |
| Bank | Banka |
| Bank Account | Llogaria bankare |
| How much money? | Sa para? |
| Money transfer | Transferim Parash |
Albanian Culture Vocabulary
Did you know that Albanians don’t call their country Albania, but Shqipëria? Albania comes from Albanoi, the biggest Illyrian tribe. Old Greeks and later Romans referred to the land as Albanoi, where the Illyrian kingdom was located. Shqipëria means “land of the eagles.”
| English | Albanian |
|---|---|
| Albania | Shqipëria |
| Albanians | Shqiptarët |
| Kosovo | Kosova |
| Albanian Diaspora | Diaspora Shqiptare |
| Albanian Language | Gjuha Shqipe |
| Albanian Flag | Flamuri Shqiptar |
| Homeland | Atdhe |
Location And Countries
Most foreigners visiting Albania also want to travel alongside other Balkan countries. Here’s how you say their names, and those of some other countries, in Albanian:
| English | Albanian |
|---|---|
| Places | Vende |
| Country | Shtet |
| Sightseeing | Vend turistik |
| Greece | Greqia |
| Italy | Italia |
| Montenegro | Mali i Zi |
| North Macedonia | Maqedonia e Veriut |
| Republic of Kosovo | Republika e Kosovës |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Bosnja dhe Hercegovina |
| Serbia | Serbia |
| Germany | Gjermania |
| France | Franca |
| Great Britain | Britania e Madhe |
| Spain | Spanjë |
| Europe | Europa |
| Asia | Azia |
| Japan | Japonia |
| China | Kina |
| India | India |
| United States | Shtetet e Bashkuara |
| South America | Amerika e Jugut |
| Australia | Australia |
Phrases In Case of Emergency
If you find yourself in any case of danger, scream as loud as you can for help. The Albanian word for it is ndihmë, but if you don’t remember it because you’re panicking, then scream in English or whatever language you speak to draw attention to you! Trust me, the locals will run in your direction. Here are some other emergency phrases in Albanian:
| English | Albanian |
|---|---|
| Help | Ndihmë |
| Hospital | Spital |
| Ambulance | Ambulanca |
| Doctor | Doktori |
| Police | Policia |
| Firefighters | Zjarrfikësja |
Asking For Directions
If you ever find yourself lost or unsure where to go, here’s how you ask for directions in Albanian.
| English | Albanian |
|---|---|
| Where is it? | Ku është…? |
| In which direction? | Në cilin drejtim? |
| Left | Majtas |
| Right | Djathtas |
| Forward | Përpara |
| Backwards | Mbrapa |
| Sideways | Anash |
| Turn back | Kthehu mbrapa |
How Do You Say “Albanian Vocabulary” In Albanian?
The translation for Albanian vocabulary is fjalori shqip.
Frequently Asked Questions Related To Albanian Vocabulary
1. Do I Need To Speak Albanian To Visit Albania, Or Is English Enough?
The short answer to this is no. In the cities or the main tourist attractions, you’ll find many Albanians who are fluent in English, Italian, French, Spanish, or even more. So you don’t need to speak perfectly fluent Albanian; however, it would be wise to learn some vocabulary and expressions for basic interactions.
However, if you are traveling in remote areas, hiking, or enjoying the lonely beaches, then you should at least learn some words beforehand. Most Albanians will go above and beyond to help you or even offer their house to stay the night, but they need to know how they can be of use. The good thing is that Albanians use a lot of face and body gestures when they are speaking. So, if you know some basic expressions and use body language, you’ll be just fine.
2. What Are The Most Essential Albanian Phrases I Should Learn For Traveling?
The most essential Albanian phrases you need to learn are “Hello” (Përshëndetje), “What’s your name?” (“Si quhesh?“), “Can you help me?” (“Mund të më ndihmoni?“) “How much does it cost?” (Sa kushton?), and “Thank you” (Faleminderit).
3. How Do Albanians React When Foreigners Try To Speak Their Language?
Albanians love it when foreigners try to speak their language because they consider it a sign of intelligence and respect. Don’t be shy to show off your skills, even if you’re just starting to learn Albanian and are far from being perfect.
Wrapping Up
In this post, we’ve gone through a long list of basic Albanian vocabulary. Whether you want to ask for directions and need to say, “Where is it?” – Ku është…?, or are ordering at a restaurant and want to ask, “Can I have the menu?” – A mund të më jepni menu?, these words and phrases will surely come in handy if you’re traveling to Albania.
We also covered phrases for shopping, emergencies, some greetings, colors, numbers, and much more, so be sure to return to this guide any time you need it! And let us know in the comments if there are any other words and phrases you think could be useful for traveling to this incredible country.
