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How to check numbers, prices and dates in a translated conversation
Confirm what each number refers to, including units, currencies and dates, instead of relying on how confidently it is spoken.
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Say what each number measures
'Two, three days, four hundred' leaves room for confusion between rooms, guests, nights and prices. Try 'There are two of us. We need a room for three nights,' then ask about the price separately.
Repeat both the number and its noun: 'Two guests for three nights, correct?' Repeating a number alone does not establish that you are discussing the same thing.
Check both the currency and what the price covers
'The price is five hundred' is incomplete. Ask which currency it is and whether the amount is per person, per night or the total. Have additional items shown separately on a written quote or bill rather than relying only on spoken translation.
Keep the currency name or code beside a written amount. Decimal marks and thousands separators can be interpreted differently across writing conventions. Ask for the full amount in writing and compare it with the bill. This checks the meaning of a quote, not a live exchange rate.
Name the month and make the time explicit
A date such as '03/04' can mean different months to different people. Say '3 April,' include the year when needed, and ask for written confirmation instead of relying on two numbers separated by a slash.
For a time, try 'Tomorrow at three in the afternoon, in the hotel's local time.' For flights, remote meetings or cross-time-zone calls, confirm the date and time zone as well as the hour.
Confirm the full instruction before acting
Combine the details into an actionable sentence: 'Two guests, leaving from the hotel's main entrance on 3 April at three in the afternoon.' Ask the other person to point to the matching information on the reservation or confirmation message.
Fluent translation is not a reason to skip checking. Before paying, issuing tickets or confirming a reservation, review the numbers, units and dates again. Show only the relevant parts of identity or booking documents.