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Cue Cards

Last updated: 27/10/2026

The cue cards are an award winning resource developed by Eastern Health Language Services (Australia) to assist health professionals, clients and carers who communicate in other languages. Most languages have two size options - up to 20 symbols per page or 4 symbols per page.  The files contain 11 categories which are divided into: Basic, Instructions, Family, Community, Descriptions, Medical, Objects, People, Religion, Time & Dental and includes charts indicating days of the week, months of the year, level of pain scale. Each symbol is labelled with both the English word and other language.    Please note this entry has been created by Language Library Moderators using the best available information.

General

Languages

Afrikaans, Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Assyrian, Bosnian, Burmese, Cambodian, Chinese (Cantonese), Chinese (Mandarin), Croatian, Czech, Dari, Dinka, Dutch, Filipino (Tagalog), Finnish, French, German, Greek, Gujarati, Haitian-Creole, Hakha-Chin, Hebrew, Hindi, Hmong, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Karen, Kirundi, Korean, Lao, Latvian, Macedonian, Malay, Maltese, Mandarin Chinese, Maori (Cook Island), Maori (New Zealand), Nepalese, Nuer, Oromo, Pashto, Persian or Farsi, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Samoan, Serbian, Sinhalese, Slovak, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Tamil, Tetum, Thai, Tigrinya, Tongan, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese, Yiddish, English


Does this vocabulary cost to access?

Free


Format

Paper-based


Translation Method

Not specified, but Eastern Health Language Services (Australia) provide interpreting and translation services for health professionals.


Supplier

Eastern Health Language Services


Software Required

To open PDF/Word

Vocabulary

Can the user switch between languages while staying in the vocabulary package? (E.g via a link on the home page or tool bar etc)

Yes


When the vocabulary was created what features of the language were considered?

Local Government, Acute/ Mental/ Community Health, Residential Care, Dental and Disability Services were asked to provide a list of most commonly used words they needed to communicate on a daily basis. A list of words used across the spectrum of health care services was developed.


Is it a Text-only or Symbol + Text vocabulary?

Symbol + Text

Symbol + Text

Are there written labels on the cells as well as symbols?

Yes


Is it possible to have two labels on the cell with the symbol?

Yes


Is it possible to have symbol-only page sets? (i.e no written labels)

No


Is there a keyboard available?

No


Can you change the skin tone of symbols?

No


Can the vocabulary content be personalised for the individual?

No


What level of language ability does this package support? (pick the best fit category)

One word or prestored message at a time (this could include a prestored message that says “I need a drink” but would not offer the flexibility to change the message to “I need juice”)


What topics of conversation does the system support? (choose the best fit category)

Basic needs only

Resources available in Afrikaans, Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Assyrian, Bosnian, Burmese, Cambodian, Chinese (Cantonese), Chinese (Mandarin), Croatian, Czech, Dari, Dinka, Dutch, Filipino (Tagalog), Finnish, French, German, Greek, Gujarati, Haitian-Creole, Hakha-Chin, Hebrew, Hindi, Hmong, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Karen, Kirundi, Korean, Lao, Latvian, Macedonian, Malay, Maltese, Mandarin Chinese, Maori (Cook Island), Maori (New Zealand), Nepalese, Nuer, Oromo, Pashto, Persian or Farsi, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Samoan, Serbian, Sinhalese, Slovak, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Tamil, Tetum, Thai, Tigrinya, Tongan, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese, Yiddish, and English

FAQs

Answering common queries and concerns.