Engrish Spoken Here

08/21/08  Print This Post Print This Post    8 Comments   Popular   Written by Julie Schwietert
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Some of our favorite Engrish signs found at home and abroad…


Photo: Augapfel (creative commons)


Photo: Shamam (creative commons)


Photo: Stardog Champion (creative commons)


Photo: xiaming (creative commons)


Photo: sproing (creative commons)


Photo: jj look (creative commons)


Photo: jgalvan (creative commons)


Photo: xiaming (creative commons)

Feature photo: xiaming (creative commons)


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About the Author

Matador ID: collazo

Julie Schwietert is the managing editor of Matador Network. She contributed a chapter to the recently published book, The Voluntary Traveler, and is currently working on five features for Fodor's Puerto Rico, 6th Edition.

8 Comments... join the discussion!

  • Brandon Mendelson replied on August 22, 2008

    Well, I'm sure glad white trash is welcomed there… Nice collection.

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  • Reader replied on April 13, 2010

    Hahaha this is some of the best Engrish I’ve seen. Especially the second one, made me laugh out loud :D

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  • Honor Baldry replied on April 28, 2010

    Love the office of Mayhem evaluation.. think we need one of those in our office :)

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  • Margitravelling replied on May 4, 2010

    While in Salta, Argentina, I caught the cable car to the top of Cerro San Bernardo and the sign inside the Cable car cabin made me laugh: ” Don’t leaning out or extract the arms out of the windows”
    The spanish version made more sense – No Asomarse ni sacar los brazos por la ventanilla.

    I love this sort of thing – allows you to feel better about speaking the local language poorly.

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  • Turner replied on May 9, 2010

    Right next to that White Trash store is one called “Three Minutes Happiness”

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  • Nikki replied on June 19, 2010

    Haha, has anyone noticed that they spelled ‘Emergency’ wrong in the fifth picture!? At times I wonder if this how the Japanese see things when English Speakers try to write in Japanese. Oh…removing my bowels sounds dreadful, all I wanted was one of those tummy heaters…

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  • tracy replied on July 13, 2010

    okay, these signs are funny. but isn’t it kinda unnecessary to make fun by repeatedly using the word “engrish”? the unique melding of some foreign language consonant pronunciations within the English language is simply a matter of linguistics. just sayin… some might find this hurtful.

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