Shqip, the language which Kosovo shares with neighboring Albania, is a unique branch of the Indo-European language family, written with Roman lettering and unrelated closely to any other modern language except for more recent loan words like muze/muzeu, hotel, restorant, and universitet). And for visitors, here´s a handful of essential Albanian words and phrases:

Hello - përshëndetje (pronounced "per-shen-DET-yeh")*

Hi (informal) - tung ("toong")

Goodbye - mirupafshim ("meer-oo-PAHF-sheem")

Please - ju lutem ("yoo LOO-tem")

Thank you - faleminderit ("fah-leh-meen-DEH-reet) - if you can manage to remember only one, make it this one.

Yes - po ("poh")

No - jo ("yoh")

Good morning - mirëmëngjes ("meer-uh-MUHN-jes")*

Good evening - mirëmbrëma ("meer-uh-MBRUH-ma")*

Excuse me/sorry - më falni ("muh FAHL-nee")*

Cheers! - gëzuar! ("guh-ZOO-ar!")*

Do you speak English? - A flisni anglisht? ("ah FLEES-nee ahn-GLEESHT?")