Looking for love and heading to Europe? Why not learn corny pickup lines in six languages before hitting the Continent?
Showing the language of love is universal - and sometimes universally cheesy - a Scottish publisher released a list of 10 phrases on Tuesday with their equivalents in Czech, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
Travelers to France can try their luck saying, "Excuse-moi, j'ai perdu mon numero de telephone. Est-ce que je peux emprunter le tien?" or "Excuse me, I seem to have lost my phone number. Could I borrow yours?"
Other winning one-liners on the list include, "You must be tired, because you've been running through my mind all day." Spaniards would say, "Debes estar cansada, porque has estado dando vueltas en mi cabeza todo el dia."
Publishing house Chambers Harrap chose lines that would get positive results - or a slap in the face - for Europe-bound Casanovas, company spokeswoman Charlotte Kissack said.
"The French and Italians are especially renowned for their romantic ways, but it seems that chat-up lines are the same no matter what language you are speaking," said Chambers Harrap managing publisher Anna Stevenson. "Our chat-up lines show budding English-speaking Romeos how to impress the girl of their dreams whatever country she is from."
Chambers Harrap's top 10 lines, available in a phrase book costing 3.50 pounds ($6.44, euro5.06), are:
- Was your father a thief? Because he stole the stars from the sky and put them in your eyes.
- Didn't it hurt when you fell from heaven?
- You must be tired, because you've been running through my mind all day.
- Excuse me, I seem to have lost my phone number. Could I borrow yours?
- Do you believe in love at first sight, or shall I walk by again?
- Excuse me, do you kiss strangers? No? Well let me introduce myself.
- Do your legs hurt from running through my dreams all night?
- I'm new in town. Could you give me directions to your apartment?
- Do you have a map? I keep getting lost in your eyes.
- The only thing your eyes haven't told me is your name.
