你好
Hello
你好，我叫安娜。
Hello, my name is Anna.
Beginner Mandarin guide
40 Basic Chinese Phrases for Beginners
Start with the Chinese phrases you can use immediately: greetings, introductions, clarification, everyday needs, and getting help.
Last reviewed
You do not need hundreds of sentences to begin communicating in Mandarin. A small set of flexible phrases can help you greet people, introduce yourself, ask simple questions, and recover when you do not understand.
Each phrase below includes tone-marked pinyin and a natural example. Read the usage note before memorizing it: a literal translation does not always show when a phrase sounds natural in real conversation.
Greetings and politeness
Use these phrases to open and close everyday conversations politely.
您好
Hello (polite)
您好，请问您贵姓？
Hello, may I ask your surname?
早上好
Good morning
老师，早上好！
Good morning, teacher!
晚上好
Good evening
大家晚上好。
Good evening, everyone.
谢谢
Thank you
谢谢你的帮助。
Thank you for your help.
不客气
You're welcome
不客气，这是我应该做的。
You're welcome. It's what I should do.
对不起
I'm sorry
对不起，我来晚了。
I'm sorry I'm late.
没关系
It's okay; no problem
没关系，别担心。
It's okay. Don't worry.
Introducing yourself
Replace the dots with your own name, country, city, or occupation.
我叫……
My name is…
我叫大卫。
My name is David.
你叫什么名字？
What's your name?
你好，你叫什么名字？
Hello, what's your name?
我是……
I am…
我是新来的学生。
I'm a new student.
很高兴认识你
Nice to meet you
很高兴认识你，我也在学中文。
Nice to meet you. I'm also learning Chinese.
我来自……
I come from…
我来自加拿大。
I come from Canada.
我住在……
I live in…
我现在住在上海。
I live in Shanghai now.
我在学中文
I'm learning Chinese
我在学中文，但是说得不太好。
I'm learning Chinese, but I don't speak it very well.
你会说英语吗？
Do you speak English?
不好意思，你会说英语吗？
Excuse me, do you speak English?
When you do not understand
These repair phrases keep a conversation going when your Chinese is still limited.
我听不懂
I don't understand what I'm hearing
对不起，我听不懂。
Sorry, I don't understand.
请再说一遍
Please say it again
我没听清楚，请再说一遍。
I didn't hear clearly. Please say it again.
请说慢一点
Please speak a little more slowly
我的中文不太好，请说慢一点。
My Chinese isn't very good. Please speak a little more slowly.
这是什么意思？
What does this mean?
这个词是什么意思？
What does this word mean?
这个用中文怎么说？
How do you say this in Chinese?
这个用中文怎么说？
How do you say this in Chinese?
你能写下来吗？
Can you write it down?
这个地址你能写下来吗？
Can you write this address down?
我不知道
I don't know
对不起，我不知道。
Sorry, I don't know.
我明白了
I understand now
好的，我明白了。
Okay, I understand now.
Everyday needs
Use these flexible patterns while shopping, eating, arranging a time, or finding a place.
多少钱？
How much is it?
请问，这个多少钱？
Excuse me, how much is this?
我想要这个
I'd like this one
我想要这个，谢谢。
I'd like this one, thank you.
有没有……？
Do you have…?; Is there…?
你们有没有英文菜单？
Do you have an English menu?
洗手间在哪里？
Where is the restroom?
请问，洗手间在哪里？
Excuse me, where is the restroom?
现在几点？
What time is it now?
不好意思，现在几点？
Excuse me, what time is it?
今天几号？
What's today's date?
今天几月几号？
What month and date is it today?
请给我……
Please give me…
请给我一杯水。
Please give me a glass of water.
可以吗？
Is that okay?; May I?
我坐这里，可以吗？
May I sit here?
Getting help
Learn these before a trip so you can communicate clearly in an urgent situation.
请帮帮我
Please help me
对不起，请帮帮我。
Excuse me, please help me.
我迷路了
I'm lost
我迷路了，地铁站在哪里？
I'm lost. Where is the subway station?
我需要帮助
I need help
我的朋友受伤了，我需要帮助。
My friend is injured. I need help.
我不舒服
I don't feel well
我不舒服，想去医院。
I don't feel well and want to go to a hospital.
请叫救护车
Please call an ambulance
有人受伤了，请叫救护车！
Someone is injured. Please call an ambulance!
请报警
Please call the police
我的包被偷了，请报警。
My bag was stolen. Please call the police.
最近的医院在哪里？
Where is the nearest hospital?
请问，最近的医院在哪里？
Excuse me, where is the nearest hospital?
我丢了护照
I lost my passport
我丢了护照，应该怎么办？
I lost my passport. What should I do?
How to practice these phrases
- 1.Choose eight phrases from one section instead of trying to memorize all forty at once.
- 2.Say each example aloud and replace one detail, such as the name, place, object, or time.
- 3.Practice the repair phrases first. Being able to ask someone to repeat or slow down keeps a real conversation going.
Common questions
Is Mandarin Chinese the same as Chinese?
Chinese includes several spoken varieties. This guide teaches Standard Mandarin, the national standard in mainland China and a widely used standard variety in Taiwan and Singapore.
Do I need to learn Chinese characters before speaking?
No. Pinyin can help you begin speaking, but learning characters early helps you read signs, messages, menus, and dictionaries without depending on romanization.
Why do some written tones sound different in speech?
Mandarin has tone-change rules. For example, 不 is written bù but is pronounced bú before another fourth-tone syllable. The pinyin here reflects common connected speech where it helps beginners.
How should I practice these phrases?
Learn them in small groups, listen to native audio when available, repeat complete examples, and substitute your own names, places, and needs rather than memorizing isolated words.