hard to give recommendations without more information. For example

1. what languages does he know? there are boardgames that are localized into other languages. Probably the easiest route tbh.

2. what kinds of games does he like? for example, many boardgames have very little english on the game pieces. think any game that uses a standard poker deck, e.g. solitaire, or many others. Mahjong is another example though, as is dominos).

There are some modern boardgames that might also be fine, namely ones that discourage communication in the first place. It's common in co-op boardgames. For example, the Lord of the Rings trick taking game is 1-4 players, and during gameplay there is no discussion allowed. Game pieces can be separated into two categories

1. scenario-specific ones, which have text on them/must be read to be understood/played. You could maybe translate them? or it may have been localized for a language he's literate in. I don't know.

2. secnario-independent ones, which are (functionally) poker cards.

For this game you only need to share language when understanding the scenario-specific cards, and when planning strategy before each scenario starts. I would be comfortable playing the game with someone I don't share a language with if

1. we both know the game (this would be the hard part), and

2. we have two copies of the game, so we each can read our scenario-specific cards in our own language, and

3. we struggled through with a translation app before each scenario starts, if we want to discuss strategy.