Basic Conversational Chinese
The following conversational Chinese that I have compiled, is shown in Pinyin,
with the tones represented by the numbers 1 to 4. Due to the inability of some
browsers handling unicode, I have kept this page in numerical pinyin format. For
more information regarding Chinese, Mandarin and the Pinyin tones, please refer to
information/links found on my Chinese page.
The following link also explains the
use of tones in Mandarin.
Basic Conversation
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Good Morning: Zao3 An1
Good Day (Noon): Wu3 An1
Good Afternoon: Wu3 An1
Good Evening/Good Night: Wan3 An1
Hello/Hi: Ni3 Hao3
Goodbye: Zai4 Jian4
Thank you: Xie4 Xie5
Thank you very much: Duo1 Xie4
You're welcome: Bu4 Ke4 Qi4
Excuse Me: Dui4 Bu4 Qi3 (in general)/Jie4 Guo4 (if asking for passage)
Sorry: Dui4 Bu4 Qi3
May I/Do you mind: Wo2 Ke3 Bu4 Ke2 Yi3...
Yes: Shi4/You3 (when answering in the positive to a question of posession)
No: Bu4 / Bu2 Shi4 (note the change of tone in Bu as used in this word combination)/Mei2
You3
Welcome to... : Huan1 Ying2 Ni3 {Lai2} Dao4...
Please: Qing3
Mr: Xian1 Sheng1 or Xian1 Sheng5
Mrs: Tai4 Tai5
Mdm: Nu3 Shi4
Miss: Xiao2 Jie3 (some object to being called Xiao Jie as the term is also
used to refer to girls working in night clubs)
Do you speak English?: Ni3 Hui4 Jiang3 Ying1 Yu3 Ma1? (Written English is
known as Ying1 Wen2)
I speak a little... : Wo3 Hui4 Jiang3 Yi1 Dian3...
Do you understand: Ni2 Dong3... {insert noun}... Ma1? (Whenever a sound of
the 3rd tone follows another of the same tone, the former changes to the
2nd tone. Therefore, Ni3 changes to Ni2 when said with Dong3) / Ni2 Dong3
Ma1
I (don't) understand: Wo3 (Bu4) Dong3
Could you please speak more slowly?: Ni2 Ke3 Bu4 Ke2 Yi2 Jiang3 Man4 Yi 1
Dian3?
Could you repeat that?: Ni3 Ke3 Bu4 Ke 2 Yi3 Zai4 Shuo1 {or Jiang3} Yi1 Ci4.
Please write it down: Qing2 Xie3 Xia4 Lai2!
How do you say... ?: Ni2 Zen3 Me5 Shuo1... ?
What does... mean?: ...{insert word}... Shi4 Shen2 Me5 Yi4 Si4?
How are you?: Ni2 Hao3 Ma1?
Fine!: Hao3; Fine/Very good: Hen2 Hao3
What is your name?: Ni3 Jiao4 Shen3 Me5 Ming2 Zi4; Nin2 Gui4 Xing4 = more
formal.
My name is... : Wo3 Jiao4...{your name}.
I'm pleased to meet you. : Wo2 Hen3 Gao1 Xing4 Neng2 Gou4 Ren4 Shi4 Ni3 /
Xing4 Hui4 = more formal
Where are you from (a Country, region, province, state, city...)? : Ni3 Shi4
Na3 Yi1 Ge4 Di4 Fang1 Lai2 De5? / Ni3 Shi4 Na2 Li3 Ren2?
Where did you come from (general)?: Ni3 Cong2 Na2 Li3 Lai2?
How old are you?: Ni2 Ji3 Sui4?
I'm... years old: Wo3... {age}... Sui4.
What do you do (as an occupation)?: Ni3 De5 Zhi2 Ye4 Shi4 Shen2 Me5
Are you married?: Ni3 Jie2 Hun1 Le5 Ma1?
I am single: Wo3 Wei4 Hun1
I am married: Wo2 Yi3 Jing1 Jie2 Hun1 Le5
I like... : Wo2 Xi3 Huan1...
I don't like... : Wo3 Bu4 Xi3 Huan1...
Do you like... ?: Ni2 Xi3 Huan1 Ma1?
Where are you going?: Ni3 Yao4 Qu4 Na2 Li3?
What are you doing (general)?: Ni3 Zai4 Zuo4 Shen2 Me5?
What is this called?: Zhe(i)4 Ge5 Jiao4 Shen2 Me5?
Just a minute: Qing2 Deng3 Yi1 Xia4
It's important: {pronoun/classifier} Zhong4 Yao4
It's not important:{pronoun/classifier} Bu4 Zhong4 Yao4
Look!: Kan4!
Listen/Listen to this!: Ting1/Ting1 Zhe(i)4 Ge5!
Where is the... ?: {object/place} Zai4 Na2 Li3?
How do we get to?: Wo3 Men2 Zen3 Me5 Qu4... {name of place}?
It is far!: Hen2 Yuan3!
It is near!: Hen3 Jin4!
What... is this?: Zhe(i)4 Ge4 Shi4 Shen2 Me5...?
At the next corner.: Zai4 Xia4 Yi2 Ge5 Jiao3 Chu4
Straight ahead: Yi4 Zhi2 Zou3
To the right: You4 Bien1
To the left: Zuo3 Bien1
Behind: Hou4 Mien4
In front of: Qian2 Mien4
Opposite: Dui4 Mien4
In the centre: Zhong1 Xin1/Jien1
North: Bei3
South: Nan2
East: Dong1
West: Xi1
How much does... cost?: Zhe(i)4 Ge5... Duo1 Shao3 Qien2?
Please wait here!: Qing3 Zai4 Zhe4 Li2 Deng3!
Stop!: Ting2!
How long does... take?: {verb + place/object} Yao4 Duo1 Jiu3?
I need a (another)... : Wo3 Xu1 Yao4 {Ling4 Yi2 Ge5}...
Where is the bathroom?: Ce4 Suo3 Zai4 Na2 Li3?
Could I please use the telephone.: Wo3 Neng2 Bu4 Neng2 Yung4 Dian4 Hua4?
I am hungry!: Wo2 Hen3 E4!
I need food!: Wo3 Yao4 Dong1 Xi5 Chi1!
I want to eat: Wo3 Yao4 Chi1
Breakfast: Zao3 Can1
Lunch: Wu3 Can1
Dinner: Wan3 Can1
Snack: Dian 3 Xin1
I'd like to buy... : Wo3 Xiang2 Mai3...
It is too expensive...: Tai4 Gui4 Le5
It is cheap: Bien2 Yi2
You are cheap/petty!: Ni3 Hen2 Xiao3 Qi4!
What time is it?: Ji2 Dian3 Le5?
What date/day is it today?: Jin1 Tian1 Ji3 Ri4?
Today: Jin1 Tian1
This morning: Jin1 Tian1 Zao3 Shang4
Tonight: Jin1 Wan3
This week: Zhe(i)4 Ge4 Li3 Bai4/Xing1 Qi2
This year: Jin1 Nian2
Now: Xian4 Zai4
Yesterday: Zuo2 Tia n1
Day before yesterday: Qian2 Tian1
Yesterday morning: Zuo2 Tian1 Zao3 Shang4
Last night: Zuo2 Wan3
Last Week: Shang4 Ge4 Li3 Bai4/Xing1 Qi2
Last Year: Qu4 Nia n2
Tomorrow: Ming2 Tian1
Day after tomorrow: Hou4 Ti an1
Tomorrow morning: Ming2 Tian1 Zao3 Shang4
Tomorrow afternoon: Ming2 Tian1 Xia4 Wu3
Tomorrow evening: Ming3 Tian1 Wan3 Shang4
Next week: Xia4 Ge4 Li3 Bai4/Xing1 Qi2
Next year: Ming2 Nian2
Afternoon: Xia4 Wu3
Dawn: Tian1 Liang4
Day: Ri4
Early: Zao3
Midnight: Ban4 Ye4
Morning: Zao3 Shang4
Night: Ye4 Jien1
Noon: Zhong1 Wu3
Sunrise: Ri4 Chu1
Sunset: Ri4 Luo4
I need money!: Wo3 Xu1 Yao4 Qian2!
I don't have money!: Wo3 Mei2 You3 Qian2!
Help!: Jiu4 Ming4 (in life threatening emergencies)/Qing3 Bang1 Mang2
(asking for general help)
Go away!: Zou3 Kai1! or Gun3! (more vulgar)
Thief!: Zei2!
Fire!: Huo3! (fire)/Shi1 Huo3 Le5! (shouting when there is a fire)
Watch Out!: Zhu4 Yi4!/Xiao3 Xin1
I'm lost!: Wo3 Mi2 Lu4 Le5! (Wo3 Shi1 Zong1 Le5 – Shi Zong is used to say
someone else is missing)
Numbers
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1: Yi1
2: Er4
3: San1
4: Si4 (Chinese avoid 4 because it rhymes with the word death – Si3)
5: Wu3
6: Liu4
7: Qi1
8: Ba1 (considered a lucky number for the Chinese because it rhymes with
prosper – Fa1)
9: Jiu3
10: Shi2
11: Shi2 Yi1
12: Shi2 Er4
13: Shi2 San1
14: Shi2 Si4
15: Shi2 Wu3
16: Shi2 Liu4
17: Shi2 Qi1
18: Shi2 Ba1
19: Shi2 Jiu3
20: Er4 Shi2
30: San1 Shi2
40: Si4 Shi2
50: Wu3 Shi2
60: Liu4 Shi2
70: Qi1 Shi2
80: Ba1 Shi2
90: Jiu1 Shi2
100: Yi1 Bai3
1000: Yi1 Qian1
10000: Yi1 Wan4
100000: Shi2 Wan4
1000000: Yi1 Bai3 Wan4
10000000: Yi2 Yi4
Ordinal Numbers
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1st: Di4 Yi1
2nd: Di4 Er4
3rd: Di4 San1
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