Conversational phrases in Chinese that will allow you to relax and enjoy communication. Country China: brief information and interesting facts Terracotta Army Museum
Communication can be difficult. Especially in a second language!
Knowing a few useful phrases will not only help you avoid awkwardness in communication, but will allow you to create new contacts with others and take communication to a new level.
Greetings
- 你好! (nǐ hǎo) Hello!
You may already know this greeting. If not, 你好! (nǐ hǎo – Hello!) is the first basic Chinese phrase that you need to learn in order to make contact in a society where everyone speaks Chinese.
- 你好吗? (nǐ hǎo ma) How are you?
If this is not your first time greeting someone, you can show more attention and interest by asking how they are doing. 你好吗? (nǐ hǎo ma)- an excellent phrase for this case.
- 你吃了吗? (nǐ chī le ma) Have you eaten?
This is the Chinese way of showing attention. Culturally, this is a close equivalent to the phrase “How are you?” People ask “Have you eaten?” as a polite way to inquire about the well-being of the other person, and most people simply respond with “吃了” (chī le), “I have eaten.”
Admitting that you have not eaten means putting some pressure on the questioner: a polite reaction to such an admission will be the only way out - to feed you.
- 早安! (zǎo ān) Good morning!
The Chinese love to say "Good morning", so if you greet someone early, try to use this greeting. If the golden time is missed, you should not move on to 午安 ( wǔān– good afternoon) or 晚上好 ( wǎn shàng hǎo– good evening): they are less common.
“Good night” – 晚安 (wǎn ān). As in English, this phrase can also mean “Goodbye.”
Add a conversational touch:
Add casualness and coolness by adding the word “Hey” at the beginning of the phrase. For example:
诶, 你好. (ēi, nǐ hǎo) "Hey hello".
诶, 怎么样? (ēi, zěn me yàng) "Hey, how's life?"
What is your name?
- 我叫[name], 你呢？ (wǒ jiào [name], nǐ ne) I am [name]. What is your name?
This is an informal way to introduce yourself to each other. 我叫 (wǒ jiào) means “My name”, and 你呢? (nǐ ne) “And you?”
- 怎么称呼？ (zěn me chēng hū) How can I contact you?
This phrase is a more formal/polite way of asking someone's name. This roughly translates to “How should I address you?”
- 请问您贵姓? (qǐng wèn nín gùi xìng) May I know your last name?
This phrase is even more formal and is used in. When someone answers by saying their last name, for example, “我姓王” (wǒ xìng wáng), “My surname is Wang,” You can answer using 王先生 ( wáng xiān shēng– Mr. Wang), 王小姐 ( wáng xiǎo jiě– Mrs. (unmarried) Wang) or 王太太 ( wáng tài tài– Mrs. (married) Wang).
Again, a little conversational flavor:
For a fun, tongue-in-cheek twist on the monotonous introduction ceremony, try this phrase:
請問你貴姓大名? (qǐng wèn nǐ gùi xìng dà míng?) What is your “famous” name?
This is a way of asking someone's name while flattering the other person in a friendly manner.
Continuing the conversation
Now that we've met someone, here's how to keep the conversation going.
- 你是本地人吗？ (nǐ shì běn dì rén ma) Are you local?
This is a less direct way of asking “Where are you from?” 你是哪里人? (nǐ shì nǎ lǐ rén). In China, people from big cities often come from elsewhere. They move from smaller towns to big cities to work or study. Asking if they're local can provide an opportunity to talk about their hometowns.
- 你作什么样的工作? (nǐ zùo shén me yàng de gōng zùo) What is your job?
Among professionals or working adults, you can start a conversation by asking what field they work in. You can also ask “你的专场是什么?” ( nǐ de zhuān chǎng shì shén me?- What is your specialty?)
- 你读什么专业? (nǐ dú shén me zhuān yè) What do you study?
Among the students, you can start a conversation by asking about their specialization or main subject.
- 你有什么爱好? (nǐ yǒu shén me ài hào?) What do you like to do?
This phrase is used to ask about hobbies or interests. Another great way to start a conversation.
How to “dilute” the situation:
Try this casual phrase to overcome awkwardness and tension when entering a room or joining a group:
诶, 什么事？ (ēi, shen me shì?) Well, what's going on here?
It's the equivalent of "How are you?" or “What’s going on here?” In the right context, such as among friends or peers, it can sound very friendly and appropriate.
Answers during a conversation
Part of the art of conversation is the ability to give appropriate answers. People love to receive sympathy, encouragement, and compliments no matter what they say.
What do you say when you hear something exciting or interesting? Here are some basic phrases to respond to such stories:
- 太酷了! (tài kù le!) That's cool!
The Chinese word for "cool" is borrowed from the English "cool" and sounds exactly the same!
- 好搞笑。 (hǎo gǎo xiào) Cool.
搞笑 (gǎo xiào) literally means "to have fun" or "to joke."
- 真的吗? (zhēn de ma) What, really?
真的 (zhēn de) means “truth”, and 吗 (ma)– interrogative particle.
- 不会吧? (bù hùi ba) Are you serious?
不会 (bù hùi) means “no”, and 吧 (ba)– exclamation particle. In other words, it’s like saying “Come on!”
- 我的妈呀! (wǒ de mā ya) OMG!
我的妈呀! (wǒ de mā ya) literally means “Oh, Mommy!” Culturally it's closer to "Oh my god!"
- 哎呦我去! (āi yōu wǒ qù) Oh my God!
Again there is no exact equivalent. 哎呦我去! (āi yōu wǒ qù) literally translates to "Oh, I'm coming!" This phrase is super casual, so it's not something you can use with just anyone, especially if you've just met.
- 我也是。 (wǒ yě shì) Me too.
Three words to help you express your shared feelings.
- 我理解。(wǒ lǐ jiě) I understand.
A very useful phrase for expressing empathy.
Conversational version:
For the most emotional response, try saying:
太牛了! (tài níu le) This is damn good (can't stand up)!
In formal business contexts, this may be considered rude. But perfectly acceptable at a party.
Farewell phrases
Finally we come to the words for parting. Here's how you can say goodbye in a relaxed and appropriate way.
- 我先走了。下次再聊吧！ (wǒ xiān zǒu le。 xià cì zài liáo ba) I have to go. Let's talk again (let's talk another time)!
If you need to leave first, you can bow out in a friendly manner.
- 回头见。 (húi tóu jiàn) See you.
This phrase is useful for breaking up for a short time, for example, if you meet again on the same day.
- 我们再联络吧。 (wǒ mén zài lián lùo ba) We'll keep in touch.
This means that you may call or write later. The phrase works well when you don't see each other in person very often, but would like to stay in the know and maintain closer contact.
How to say this more casually:
Even when it comes to saying goodbye, there are several opportunities to tone down the sociality and perhaps move on to a more intimate relationship in the future:
这是我的手机号码。给我发短信吧！ (zhè shì wǒ de shǒu jī hào mǎ。gěi wǒ fā duǎn xìn ba) Here's my cell number. Text me sometime!
This is a simple phrase that should help maintain your relationship after the party.
加我的微信。 (jiā wǒ de wēi xìn) Add me on WeChat.
We hope these phrases will add some “zest” to your social life! Whatever social situation you encounter, use it as an opportunity to hone your language skills, even when greeting someone, saying goodbye, or responding to someone's story.
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Are you planning a trip to China and don't know Chinese?
We have prepared a short selection of useful phrases that will help when communicating with the Chinese.
1. What is it?这是什么？ Zhè shì shénme?
What is there?那是什么 ？ Nà shì shénme?
Don't know what to name an item in Chinese? Point it out!
这是什么? (Zhè shì shénme?) means that the thing you are interested in is nearby or a couple of steps away.
And the question 那是什么? (Nà shì shénme?) is used to clarify about something located at a distance.
Advice:
When you hear an unfamiliar word, repeat it adding the phrase “是什么?” shì shénme? You will get “What does _____ mean?” This will help you clarify the unclear word and better understand what you were just told.
2. How much does it cost?多少 钱 ? Duō shǎo qián?
The Chinese will always try to sell you a product for more than it is worth. Get used to it, you're a foreigner!
Advice:
remember this phrase together with 太贵了! (Tài guìle!) Too expensive! And don't be shy to bargain!
Phrase 太贵了! (Tài guìle!) plus your acting skills will help you reduce the price significantly.
3. Where is it located?(something)? ___在哪里 ? ___ zài nǎlǐ?
This phrase will help you find everything you want! Need a taxi? Restaurant? Pencil? Telephone? Toilet?
Substitute any noun and ask a question.
For example, 厕所在哪里? (Cèsuǒ zài nǎlǐ?) I am looking for the restroom. We also recommend learning this phrase by heart. Believe me, one day she will save you.
Advice. When planning a trip to China, do a little prep work. Look up the names of the places you plan to visit and write down their names in Chinese. This will come in handy if you have to ask locals for directions.
4. I don't speak Chinese very well. 我的汉语不太好。 Wǒ de Hànyǔ bù tài hǎo.
5. I don't understand.我不懂. Wǒ bù dǒng.
Asking a question is half the battle. It is also important in Chinese. Therefore, if in a conversation with you the Chinese began to endlessly tell different stories, and you do not understand them, stop them with these phrases. Or ask them to repeat the same thing, just slowly.
6. Can you repeat it again more slowly? 你能再说慢一点吗? Nǐ néng zàishuō màn yīdiǎn ma?
You need to learn this phrase, it will come in handy more than once! The Chinese may not always understand that you have difficulty understanding rapid speech. So don't be shy and ask your interlocutors to repeat it slowly again. This will help you begin to understand much more.
7. You speakBy-RusskAnd(in English)? 你会 说 俄语 (英语 ) 吗 ? Nǐ huì shuō éyǔ (yīngyǔ) ma?
If the conversation in Chinese is not going well, try switching to a language that is more understandable to you.
8. Can you help me?你可以帮我 吗 ? Nǐ kěyǐ bāng wǒ ma?
We all face situations where we need help. It is extremely unpleasant to get confused while abroad. This is where this phrase comes in handy.
9. PosHello the police! 叫警察 ! Jiào jǐngchá!
Rest is relaxation, but caution doesn’t hurt. Always be careful! We really hope that you will never need this phrase, but you need to learn it.
10. Thank you! 谢谢 ! Xièxiè!
你好吗? ( Nǐ hǎo ma? How are you?), 再见 ( Zaijiàn Goodbye), 对不起 ( Duìbùqǐ Sorry).
一路顺风 ！ Yī lù shùnfēng！ Fair wind!
Happy practice!
Svetlana Khludneva
P.S. Take care of yourself!
The first words in a foreign language, of course, are affirmative: “I want this, I don’t want that.” But soon we need to know “how” or “where” to go, “with whom” and “where” to dine, “how much” and “who” pays.
Fortunately, Chinese grammar is simple, and you only need to know a little to construct questions. Let's take a closer look at them.
General question
Questions with interrogative particles
General questions are those that have a “yes” or “no” answer.
"It is a table?" “Do you like dogs?” "Have you had lunch?" - all these questions are constructed in the same way: by adding the particle 吗 (ma) to the end of the affirmative sentence.
他爱中国。- He loves China
他爱中国吗？- Does he love China?
The situation is slightly different with the particle 呢 (ne). It is translated by the Russian word "a" and means "What about...?" or “Where is...?”
同学们都来了，老师呢？The students have all come, but what about the teachers?
Where is my phone? I just put it on the table and it’s gone!
Questions with the affirmative-negative form of the predicate
This is the second way to construct a general question: we repeat the predicate, placing the particle 不 in the middle. Please note that the predicate can be both a verb (what did you do?) and an adjective (which one?).
他要不要咖啡？- Will he have coffee?
你妹妹漂亮不漂亮？-Is your little sister beautiful?
It is impossible to construct a question this way if the predicate is preceded by an adverb (very, often). In such cases we ask the question with 吗.
Alternative question
This is a question where the answer can only be one of the proposed options. (你要茶还是要咖啡？Will you have tea or coffee?)
Such questions are asked using 还是 (háishi, or). Usually we repeat the verb (on both sides of 还是).
你一个人去 超市还是 跟朋友一起去 ？Will you go to the supermarket alone, or with a friend (will you go)?
If the question is asked to complement, the verb need not be repeated:
你想吃米饭还是面条 ？Do you want noodles or rice?
Of course, if the predicate in a sentence is the verb 是, it is also not repeated:
你是老师还是学生？Are you a teacher or a student?
Special question:question words.
When we want to know a name, we ask “who?”, when the owner – “whose?”, the address – “where?”. In other words, we are looking for some information.
Pay attention to how such interrogative sentences are constructed. We do not put all question words in one place. We put each of them where we expect to see the answer.
你去哪儿 ？-Where are you going?
我去学校. - I am going to school.
Please note that the word order in the sentence does not change: subject - predicate - object.
A more complicated example:
你在谁那儿喝茶？- Who do you drink tea from?
我在王老师那儿喝茶。- I'm drinking tea at Teacher Wang's.
The word order in the sentence is also preserved, only instead of “teacher Wang” in the question there is “who?”
Here are the main question words:
- 谁 (shéi/shuí) who
这是谁？-Who is this? - 谁的 (shéi de) whose
这是谁的衬衫？- Whose shirt is this? - 什么 (shénme) what, which
你学习什么？- What are you studying?
你学习什么语言？- What language are you learning? - 哪 (nǎ) which (of)
这儿有几个杯子，哪个是你的？ There are several glasses here, which one is yours? - 哪儿 (nǎr) where, where
你在哪儿学了中国功夫？Where did you study kung fu?
夏天你打算去哪儿旅游？Where are you planning to go in the summer? - 多少 (duōshao) how many (more than 10)
一公斤苹果多少钱？How much does a kilogram of apples cost? - 几 (jǐ) how much (less than 10)
你家有几口人？ How many people are in your family? - 为什么 (wèishénme) why
你为什么不想去北京？Why don’t you want to go to Beijing? - 怎么 (zěnme) how, why (emotional)
到火车站怎么走？How to get to the station?
Why don't you love him? He is a good man! - 怎么样 (zěnmeyàng) how, how about...
你最近过得怎么样？How have you been doing lately?
Remember that you cannot use both question words and the particle 吗 in the same sentence.
These three ways to ask a question will help you create and understand 90% of the questions you'll encounter.
Bonus: Dividing questions in Chinese.
Such questions are placed after a comma at the end of the sentence.
1.…, 好吗？(行吗？)
It is used, as you might guess, to ask for the consent of the interlocutor.
Let's go for a swim right now, okay?
2. …, 没有？
This option is most often used in the past tense:
你做好了作业，没有？Have you done your homework?
你去过北京，没有？Have you been to Beijing?
And now we meet again!
Today we will study with you several phrases that you cannot do without if you decide to learn Chinese. They will definitely come in handy on your first trip to China, so they should be in your vocabulary.
So get ready, we're about to begin!
谢谢 - thank you
Imagine that you are lost, wandering the streets of China. How do you know how to get to the right place? You can ask young people, who will probably use the 百度 card, or you can also ask the older generation, who, as a rule, are better oriented than young people. And so, they told you the way. How can you thank the person who helped you? It's simple. Just tell him “谢谢”.
This is a more versatile option. Very often, being in a Chinese environment, you can come across slightly different words of gratitude:
很感谢你！ is a more formal thank you.
对不起 - sorry
You are on a bus crowded with people (believe me, this happens very often in China). And you completely accidentally (or maybe not J) stepped on the foot of a standing person. The Chinese usually rarely get indignant or start swearing over such trifles, but you can hardly avoid a sidelong glance. And it is precisely in such moments, when you are to blame, that you can apologize by saying: 对不起
抱歉 – I apologize
不好意思 - sorry
多少钱 – how much does it cost?
The most necessary phrase if you decide to make a purchase. Well, here I think everything is clear. The only thing that can be added is that if you don’t know how to say this or that thing in Chinese, you can either just point your finger and say “多少钱?”, or say 这个多少钱 - How much does it cost?
Here are some examples of what you might ask:
这支笔多少钱？ – How much does this pen cost?
门票多少钱？ – How much is the entrance ticket?
这本书多少钱？ – How much does this book cost?
…怎么走？- how to get to….?
You will need it if you don’t know how to get to the right place. Just before the words 怎么走 insert the name of the place you need, as done below:
地铁站怎么走？ – How to get to the metro station?
警察局怎么走？[ jǐngchá jú zěnme zǒu] – How to get to the police station?
公交车站怎么走？ – How to get to the bus stop?
你慢点说 – speak more slowly
If you can't understand what a Chinese person is saying because he speaks too quickly, you can ask him to speak more slowly.
你会说英语吗？ - Can you speak English?
Are you in China and your Chinese is zero? No problem. Perhaps your English is at a fairly good level. In this case, you can ask your interlocutor if he speaks English. And if the answer is positive, then you can continue the conversation in English.
我迷路了 - I'm lost
After this phrase, you can insert phrase number 4 to finally find the right path.
请问 - let me ask, excuse me (you can ask)
In order not to seem like an ill-mannered laowai who came to the Celestial Empire, we add this phrase before the question. And here are some examples:
请问，警察局怎么走？ – May I ask how to get to the police station?
请问，门票多少钱？ – May I ask, how much is the entrance ticket?
请问，公交车站怎么走？ – May I ask, how to get to the bus stop?
That's all for today. You can also watch a video on this topic, where our teacher, a native Chinese speaker, will explain everything clearly to you, and you can listen to the correct pronunciation. By the way, don't forget to turn on subtitles. Enjoy watching!