Basic Mandarin

Basic Mandarin – All the words/phrases to get by in China

Learn all the basic mandarin you’ll ever need right here with LTL Mandarin School.

Before you get started on your basic mandarin make sure you’re on top of your Chinese tones and Chinese finals with this video.

Basic Mandarin Greetings
Thanks in Chinese
Time in Chinese
Asking Questions in Chinese
Basic Mandarin Numbers
Places in Chinese
Vehicals in Chinese

Directions in Chinese
Likes and Dislikes in Chinese
Ordering in Chinese
Food in Chinese
Drinks in Chinese
Misunderstandings in Chinese
Help in Chinese

Basic Mandarin Greetings

• Hello: 你好 – nǐ hǎo
• I am: 我是 – wǒ shì
• How are you?: 你好吗 – nǐ hǎo ma
• I’m good thanks: 我很好的谢谢 – wǒ hěn hǎo xiè xiè
• Have you eaten?: 你吃了吗 – nǐ chī le ma
• Nice to meet you: 我很高兴认识你 – wǒ hěn gāo xìng rèn shi nǐ
• What is your name?: 你叫什么名字 – nǐ jiào shén me míng zì？
• My name is X: 我的名字是 X – wǒ de míng zì shì X
• My friend’s name is X: 我朋友的名字是 X – wǒ péng you de míng zì shì X
• I’m from X: 我来自 X – wǒ lái zì X
• Where are you from?: 你来自哪里 – nǐ lái zì nǎ li
• Goodbye: 再见 – zài jiàn

Check out all the other ways to say hello in Mandarin.

Thanks in Mandarin

• Please: 请 – qǐng
• Thank you: 谢谢 – xiè xiè
• You’re welcome: 不客气 – bú kè qì
• I’m sorry: 对不起 – duì bu qǐ
• Excuse me: 打扰一下 – dǎ rǎo yī xià
• Yes: 是 – shì
• No: 不是 – bù shì
• I’m good thanks: 我很好的谢谢 – wǒ hěn hǎo de xiè xiè
• And you?: 你呢 – nǐ ne

Time in Chinese

• Good morning (early morning): 早上好 – zǎo shàng hǎo
• Good morning (late morning): 上午好 – shàng wǔ hǎo
• Good afternoon (only to be used around midday): 中午好 – zhōng wǔ hǎo
• Good afternoon: 下午好 – xià wǔ hǎo
• Good evening: 晚上好 – wǎn shàng hǎo
• Goodnight: 晚安 – wǎn ān

Asking Questions in Chinese

• Where is X?: X在哪里 – X zài nǎ li
• How do I get to X?: 怎么去X – zěn me qù
• How far is X?: X 有多远 – X yǒu duō yuǎn
• Can you show me on a map?: 你能在地图上给我看看吗 – nǐ néng zài dì tú shàng gěi wǒ kàn kan ma？
• Can you write that down?: 你能把它写下来吗 – nǐ néng bǎ tā xiě xià lái ma？
• How much does it cost?: 它的价格是多少 – tā de jià gé shì duō shǎo？
• What is this?: 这是什么 – zhè shì shén me
• What time is it?: 现在几点钟 – xiàn zài jǐ diǎn zhōng
• Do you have X?: 你有 X 吗 – nǐ yǒu X ma
• Do you have anything cheaper?: 你们有便宜一点的吗 – nǐ men yǒu pián yi yì diǎn de ma
• Do you like?: 你喜欢 X 吗 – nǐ xǐ huan X ma
• What is the best X?: 什么是最好的 X – shén me shì zuì hǎo de X
• How do you say X?: X 怎么说 – X zěn me shuō ？
• What is fun to do around here?: 在这里做什么有趣 – zài zhè lǐ zuò shén me yǒu qù
• What do you recommend?: 你有什么建议 – nǐ yǒu shén me jiàn yì
• Where can I X? 我在哪里可以 X – wǒ zài nǎ li kě yǐ X

Basic Mandarin Numbers

Want to go all the way to a million? Listen to all the numbers 

Places in Chinese

Vehicles in Chinese

Airplane: 飞机 – fēi jī
Train: 火车 – huǒ chē
Taxi: 出租车 – chū zū chē
Car: 车 – chē
Bus: 公共汽车 – gōng gòng qì chē

Check out our useful tips for learning a language

Directions in Chinese

Left: 左边 – zuǒ biān
Right: 右边 – yòu biān
Straight: 直 – zhí
Backwards: 向后 – xiàng hòu

Likes and Dislikes in Chinese

• I like: 我喜欢 – wǒ xǐ huān
• I don’t like: 我不喜欢 – wǒ bù xǐ huān
• I’d like to go to X: 我想去 X – wǒ xiǎng qù X
• I’m allergic to X: 我对 X 过敏 – wǒ duì X guò mǐn

Ordering in Chinese

• I would like X: 我想要 X – wǒ xiǎng yào X
• Can I have X?: 我可以有 X 吗 – wǒ kě yǐ yǒu X ma
• Do you speak English?: 你会说英语吗 – nǐ huì shuō yīng yǔ ma
• Menu, please: 请给我菜单 – qǐng gěi wǒ cài dān
• Bill please: 买单 – mǎi dān
• This: 这 – zhè
• That: 那就是 – nà jiù shì

Make sure your pronouncing your initials and finals correctly

Food in Chinese

Noodles: 面条 – miàn tiáo
Rice: 米饭 – mǐ fàn
Chicken: 鸡肉 – jī ròu
Beef: 牛肉 – niú ròu
Pork: 猪肉 – zhū ròu
Vegetarian: 素食 – sù shí

Basic Mandarin tip: Expressing that you are vegetarian or vegan can be difficult in China. A good way to be understood is to say you are Buddhist (佛教) fó jiào. Typically people will understand your diet if you say this.

Drinks in Chinese

Water: 水 – shuǐ
Coffee: 咖啡 – kā fēi
Cola: 可乐 – kě lè
Beer: 啤酒 – pí jiǔ

Basic Mandarin tip: gānbēi (干杯) means “dry cup”, or to finish your drink. So be careful to use the term loosely. Also when clinking glasses, be sure your glasses are at even level as high will indicate you believe yourself to be of higher status and lower will be interpreted as the opposite.

Misunderstandings in Chinese

• Repeat, please: 请重复一遍 – qǐng chóng fù yí biàn
• More slowly, please: 请慢点 – qǐng màn diǎn
• I don’t understand: 我不明白 – wǒ bù míng bái
• I’m sorry, I don’t speak Mandarin: 对不起, 我不会说普通话 – duì bu qǐ , wǒ bù huì shuō pǔ tōng huà
• What does X mean?: X 是什么意思 – X shì shén me yì sī

Help in Chinese

• Help: 帮助 – bāng zhù
• Caution: 谨慎 – jǐn shèn
• Danger: 危险 – wēi xiǎn
• Emergency: 紧急 – jǐn jí
• Fire: 火 – huǒ

Want all these basic mandarin phrases on flashcards?

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Basic Mandarin FAQs

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