How to overcome the language barrier when visiting France and Spain?

I think it's relatively easy to find en English-speaker in France or in Spain. According to this table, 36% and 27% speaks English. It seems to me sometimes they just don't like to use English because they find it disrespectful that you don't use their language. According to my experience if you learn a few phrases and start the conversation using French or Spanish you can switch to English after a few sentences.

Of course a travel guide or a dictionary may help there.

(As I am French, I speak for France only)

Young people learn at least one foreign language at school, usually english. They should at least understand some short sentences if said slowly. Be kind with their strong french accent.

In Toulouse where I live you can find a big student population, including foreign students who may speak decent english. You can also find German and British people working for a big plane builder (not Boeing) and able to have a conversation in english.

Don't expect administrative employees and older people to understand english.

Anyway, most people are helpful and if english doesn't work, non-verbal communication always does.

If is in a big city or tourist zone in Spain, you can try to speak English, because the most of the people understand it. Out of tourist places and with older people is harder, but no impossible to find somebody that understand english.

A clue is, for the people that understands only a little of Spanish (but not much), if you don't have any dictionary or you are asking for a place, you can try to write it in a paper.

For spanish people, is easier read in english that listen english (the pronunciation is the hardest part to learn english for the spanish people).

I got a Berlittz pocket sized French & Spanish books for when I was recently in France & Spain. There are a few phrases that are helpful to know. Aswell as Hello/thank you, the following are helpful:

• "Good"/"Very good". (complimenting waitors/the restuarant make the waiter/etc. like you)
• "Do you have a table for X please?"
• "The bill please"
• "Do you have a room for X for tonight?"

Your question is very wide, and isn't very specific. What will you search for? How long you will stay in countries? What are you going to do there?

Even if you don't know the language people use, you can use some handy methods of conversation - gestures, images and so on. I don't recommend you to use some books or something - you definitely wouldn't understand what other people say, and there will be some misunderstanding.

I think you should get the travel-guide books for your journey, both in your language and local language - just for ease the searching during sightseeing.