Basic Conversation

English Mandarin Pinyin

GreetingsHello (How are you?) Ni/ hao\/.Good morning. Zao\/shang\ hao\/. -or- Zao\/an—.Good afternoon. Xia\wu\/ hao\/. -or- Wu\/an—.Good evening. Wan\/shang\ hao\/. -or- Wan\/an—.Good night. Wan\/an—.Good-bye. Zai\ jian\.See you soon. Hui/ tou/ jian\.See you later. Yi\huir\/ jian\.See you later. Dai—huir\/ jian\.See you tomorrow. Ming/tian— jian\.I hope to meet you again. Xi—wang\ wo\/men zai\ jian\mian\.I'll miss you. Wo\/ hui\ xiang\/nian\ ni\/de.Hello (on the phone) Wei\. -or- Wei/.

I am American. Wo\/ shi\ Mei\/guo/ ren/.My name is ____. Wo\/ jiao\ _____.What is your family name? Gui\ xing\?What is your surname? Ni\/ xing\ shen/me?What is your first name? Ni\/ jiao\ shen/me ming/zi?Nice meeting you. Hen\/ gao—xing\ ren\shi ni\/.I am glad to meet you. Hen\/ gao—xing\ ren\shi ni\/.Glad to meet you. Zhen— gao—xing\ ren\shi ni\/.It's been a long time since we last met. Hao\/jiu\/ mei/ jian\le.Long time no see. Hao\/jiu\/ bu/jian\.I am really pleased to see you. Wo\/ zhen— gao—xing jian\dao\ ni\/.I am very pleased to have met you. Hen\/ gao—xing\ yu\dao\ ni\/.I've brought you a small present. Wo\/ gei\/ ni\/ dai\lai/ yi/ge xiao\/ li\/wu\.I know a little Chinese. Wo\/ hui\ yi\dianr\/ Zhong—wen/.I don't understand. Wo\/ ting— bu\ dong\/.Can you say that again? Ni\/ neng/ zai\ shuo— yi—bian\ ma?Say it again. Zai\ shuo— yi—bian\.

Please speak more slowly. Qing\/ shuo— man\ yi\dian\/.

Excuse me. (I'm sorry.) Dui\ bu\ qi\/.I'm sorry. Qing\/ yuan/liang\.I'm sorry. Bao\ qian\.May I ask you a question? Wo\/ neng/ wen\ ni\/ yi/ge wen\ti/ ma?May I ask … Qing\/ wen\ …Please tell me … Qing\/ gao\su\ wo\/ …Please tell me how to get to _____ Qing\/ gao\su\ wo\/ _____ zen\/me zou\/.Where is _____? _____ zai\ na\/li\/?Would you help me? Ni\/ neng/ bang— wo\/ yi/xia\ ma?Can I help you? Xu—yao\ wo\/ bang—mang/ ma?What's the matter? Zen\/me hui/ shi\?That's too bad. Zao—le.Can be done. Ke\/yi\/. -or- Xing/.Can't be done. Bu\ ke\/yi\/. -or- Bu\ xing/.

Thank you. Xie\xie\.Thank you very much. Shi/fen— gan\/xie\. -or- Hen\/ xie\xie ni\/.

Thank you for all you've done for me.Xie\xie\ ni\/ wei\ wo\/ suo\/ zuo\de yi/qie\.

Thank you for your kindness, I appreciate it very much.

Xie\xie\ ni\/de hao\/yi\, wo\/ xin—ling\/le.

Thank you for your hospitality. Xie\xie\ ni\/de zhao—dai\.You're welcome. Bu/yao\ ke\qi\.That's all right. Mei/ guan—xi.OK! Xing/!Good! Hao\/!Not good! Bu\ hao\/!Very good! Tai\ hao\/le!Excellent! Hao\/ ji/le!Extremely good! Bang\ ji/le!Wonderful! Tai\ jing—cai\/le!

Delicious!Wei\dao\ hao\/ ji/le! -or- Zhen— hao\/chi—.

I like _____. Wo\/ xi\/huan— _____.I don't like _____. Wo\/ bu\ xi\/huan— _____.I like it very much. Wo\/ hen\/ xi\/huan—.I like _____ very much. Wo\/ hen\/ xi\/huan— _____.Won't do! Bu\ xing/!

Ridiculous! Jian\/zhi/ ke\/xiao\ ji/le!That's too bad! Zhen— zao— gao—!

I'm here. Wo\/ lai/le.Welcome. Huan—ying/.Please, come in. Qing\/ jin\.Please, sit down. Qing\/ zuo\.Make yourself at home. Bu/yao\ ke\qi\.Excuse me. (Please make way.) Qing\/ rang\ yi/rang\.Look out! (Be careful!) Xiao\/ xin—!

ShoppingDo you have _____? Ni\/ you\/ _____ ma?Do you have _____? Ni\/ you\/ mei/ you\/ _____?I want _____. Wo\/ yao\ _____.I don't want _____. Wo\/ bu/ yao\ _____.This one is very nice. Zhe\ge hen\/ hao\/.It's really beautiful. Zhen—shi\ piao\liang\ ji/le.I'll buy this one. Wo\/ yao\ zhe\ge.How much does it cost? Duo—shao\/ qian/?It's too expensive. Tai\ gui\le.Can you lower the price a little bit? Neng/ pian/yi yi\dianr\/ ma?I can't affort it. Wo\/ mai\/ bu\ qi\/.Sorry, I don't want this. Dui\ bu\ qi\/ wo\/ bu/yao\le.It's a deal. Cheng/ jiao—le.

Relative Words

English Mandarin Pinyin Pronunciation

Numberszero ling/ leengone yi– eetwo er\ urhtwo of … liang\/ ge\ lee–ahng guhtwo (measure) liang\/ tian– lee–ahng tee–inthree san– sahnfour si\ suhfive wu\/ wuusix liu\ leoseven qi– tcheeeight ba– bahnine jiu\/ jeoten shi/ shreleven shi/ yi– shr eetwelve shi/ er\ shr urhhundred bai\/ buythousand qian– tchee–inten thousand wan\ wahnhundred thousand (use 1 wan) shi/ wan\ shr wahnmillion (use 1 wan) bai\/ wan\ buy wahnten million (use 1 wan) qian– wan\ tchee–in wahnhundred million (use 1 wan wan) wan\ wan\ (yi\) wahn wahnbillion (use 1 wan wan) shi/ wan\ wan\ shr wahn wahnten billion (use 1 wan wan) bai\/ wan\ wan\ buy wahn wahnhundred billion (use 1 wan wan) qian– wan\ wan\ tchee–in wahn wahnhow many (less than ten) ji\/ jeehow many? duo– shao\/ dwaw shouhow many? (quantity) duo– shao\/ hao\ dwaw shou howhow many people? ji\/ wei\ jee wayhow many things? ji\/ ge\ jee guhhow much money? duo– shao\/ qian/ dwaw shou tchee–in

Timeyear nian/ nee–in

year, two ago qian/ nian/ tchee–in nee–inyear, last qu\ nian/ tchuu nee–inyear, this jin– nian/ jeen nee–inyear, next ming/ nian/ meeng nee–inyear, two from now hou\ nian/ hoe nee–inyear 1999 yi– jiu\/ jiu\/ jiu\/ nian/ ee jeo jeo tchee nee–in

seasons si\ ji\ suh jeespring chun– tian– chwun tee–insummer xia\ tian– shee–ah tee–inautumn, fall qiu– tian– tcheo tee–inwinter dong– tian– doong tee–inmonth yue\ yu–ehmonth, two ago shang\ shang\ ge yue\ shahng shahng guh yu–ehmonth, last shang\ ge yue\ shahng guh yu–ehmonth, this zhei\ ge yue\ jay guh yu–ehmonth, next xia\ ge yue\ shee–ah guh yu–ehmonth, two from now xia\ xia\ ge yue\ shee–ah shee–ah guh yu–ehone month yi– ge yue\ ee guh yu–ehJanuary yi– yue\ ee yu–ehFebruary er\ yue\ urh yu–ehMarch san– yue\ sahn yu–ehApril si\ yue\ suh yu–ehMay wu\/ yue\ wuu yu–ehJune liu\ yue\ leo yu–ehJuly qi– yue\ tchee yu–ehAugust ba– yue\ bah yu–ehSeptember jiu\/ yue\ jeo yu–ehOctober shi/ yue\ shr yu–ehNovember shi/ yi– yue\ shr ee yu–ehDecember shi/ er\ yue\ shr urh yu–ehweek li\/ bai\ (or) xing– qi/ lee buy (or) sheeng tchee

week, two agoshang\ shang\ ge xing– qi/ (li\/ bai\)

shahng shahng guh sheeng tchee

week, last shang\ ge xing– qi/ (li\/ bai\) shahng guh sheeng tcheeweek, this zhei\ ge xing– qi/ (li\/ bai\) jay guh sheeng tcheeweek, next xia\ ge xing– qi/ (li\/ bai\) shee–ah guh sheeng tchee

week, two from now xia\ xia\ ge xing– qi/ (li\/ bai\)shee–ah shee–ah guh sheeng tchee

day tian– tee–inday, before yesterday qian/ tian– tchee–in tee–inday, yesterday zuo/ tian– zwaw tee–inday, this; today jin– tian– jeen tee–inday, tomorrow ming/ tian– meeng tee–inday, after tomorrow hou\ tian– hoe tee–inday of the month hao\ howday, every tian– tian– tee–in tee–inMonday xing– qi/ yi– (li\/ bai\ yi–) sheeng tchee eeTuesday xing– qi/ er\ (li\/ bai\ er\) sheeng tchee urhWednesday xing– qi/ san– (li\/ bai\ san–) sheeng tchee sahnThursday xing– qi/ si\ (li\/ bai\ si\) sheeng tchee suhFriday xing– qi/ wu\/ (li\/ bai\ wu\/) sheeng tchee wuuSaturday xing– qi/ liu\ (li\/ bai\ liu\) sheeng tchee leoSunday xing– qi/ tian (li\/ bai\ tian) sheeng tchee tee–intime of dayearly morning 3am to 6 am qing– chen/ tcheeng chunmorning 6 am to 9 am zao\/ chen/ zow chunbefore noon 9 am to 11 am shang\ wu\/ shahng wuunoon time 11 am to 1 pm zhong– wu\/ joong wuuafternoon 1 pm to 6 pm xia\ wu\/ shee–ah wuuevening 6 pm to 11 pm wan\/ shang\ wahn shahngnight 11 pm to 3 am ye\ li\/ yeh leehours dian\/ (zhong–) dee–in joongo'clock dian\/ (zhong–) dee–in joonghour of time xiao\/ shi/ shee–ow shrhour of time zhong– tou/ joong toehalf past … … dian\/ ban\ (zhong–) … dee–in bahn joonghalf an hour of time ban\ ge zhong– tou/ bahn guh joong toequarter hour, first yi/ ke\ (zhong–) ee kuh joongquarter hour, third san– ke\ (zhong–) sahn kuh joongquarter hour, fourth si\ ke\ (zhong–) suh kuh joongminutes fen– (zhong–) fin joongseconds miao\/ (zhong–) mee–ow joongtime, next xia\ ci\ shee–ah tsuWhat time is it? Ji\/ dian\/ zhong–? jee dee–in joongtime (number hour:number minutes)

(number) dian\/ (number) fen– … dee–in … fin

Locationnorth bei\/ baynorth side bei\/ bian– bay bee–ineast dong– doongeast side dong– bian– doong bee–insouth nan/ nahnsouth side nan/ bian– nahn bee–inwest xi– shewest side xi– bian– she bee–indirection from one place to another zai\ (place)de (direction)bian– zign …duh …bee–inbefore yi\/ qian/ ee tchee–inafter yi\/ hou\ ee hoeabove, upper part shang\ tou shahng toeabove surface shang\ mian\ shahng mee–inabove edge shang\ bian shahng bee–inbelow, lower part xia\ tou shee–ah toebelow surface xia\ mian\ shee–ah mee–inbelow edge xia\ bian– shee–ah bee–infront of, in qian/ tou tchee–in toefront of surface, in qian/ mian\ tchee–in mee–infront of edge, in qian/ bian– tchee–in bee–inback of, in; rear hou\ tou hoe toeback of surface, in; behind, rear hou\ mian\ hoe mee–inback of edge, in; rear hou\ bian– hoe bee–inleft side, at the zuo\/ bian– zwaw bee–inbetween in, middle zhong– jian– joong jee–inright side, at the you\ bian– yoe bee–ininside li\/ tou lee toeinside surface li\/ mian\ lee mee–ininside edge li\/ bian– lee bee–inoutside wai\ tou wigh toeoutside surface wai\ mian\ wigh mee–inoutside edge wai\ bian– wigh bee–in