I try to learn enough of a language to be polite (Hello, Please, Thank You, How Much, "I don't speak ____") but I found I could make myself understood in much o

I try to learn enough of a language to be polite (Hello, Please, Thank You, How Much, "I don't speak ____") but I found I could make myself understood in much of Europe with English. The only exception was Spain, but fortunately, I do speak Spanish conversationally.