30 Most Essential Phrases in Mandarin Chinese That You Need to Know

This list contains the 30 most common words and phrases in Mandarin Chinese that are essential for beginners to learn.

31 words in this list

你好 (Nǐ hǎo) → Hello

🗣️ 你好吗？ (How are you?)

可以 (Kěyǐ) → Can/able to

🗣️ 我可以帮你。 (I can help you.)

不好意思 (Bù hǎoyìsi) → Excuse me

🗣️ 不好意思，我能问你一个问题吗？ (Excuse me, can I ask you a question?)

请问 (Qǐngwèn) → Excuse me/Sorry to bother you

🗣️ 请问，洗手间在哪里？ (Excuse me, where is the restroom?)

知道 (Zhīdào) → Know

🗣️ 你知道他是谁吗？ (Do you know who he is?)

可以帮我吗 (Kěyǐ bāng wǒ ma) → Can you help me?

🗣️ 你可以帮我拿一下吗？ (Can you help me get that?)

一点儿 (Yīdiǎnr) → A little bit

🗣️ 我只会说一点儿中文。 (I can only speak a little bit of Chinese.)

对不起 (Duìbùqǐ) → Sorry

🗣️ 对不起，我迟到了。 (Sorry, I'm late.)

谢谢 (Xièxiè) → Thank you

🗣️ 谢谢你的帮助。 (Thank you for your help.)

是 (Shì) → Yes

🗣️ 你是中国人吗？ (Are you Chinese?)

没有 (Méiyǒu) → Don't have/doesn't have

🗣️ 我没有时间。 (I don't have time.)

不知道 (Bù zhīdào) → Don't know

🗣️ 我不知道。 (I don't know.)

不好 (Bù hǎo) → Not good/bad

🗣️ 这个不好。 (This is not good.)

太贵了 (Tài guì le) → Too expensive

🗣️ 这个太贵了。 (This is too expensive.)

多少钱 (Duōshǎo qián) → How much?

🗣️ 这个多少钱？ (How much is this?)

有 (Yǒu) → Have/has

🗣️ 你有兄弟姐妹吗？ (Do you have siblings?)

对不对 (Duì bù duì) → Right?

🗣️ 这个是对不对？ (Is this right?)

很好 (Hěn hǎo) → Very good

🗣️ 这个很好。 (This is very good.)

很多 (Hěn duō) → A lot/many

🗣️ 这里有很多人。 (There are many people here.)

不是 (Bù shì) → No

🗣️ 我不是中国人。 (I'm not Chinese.)

请 (Qǐng) → Please

🗣️ 请给我一杯水。 (Please give me a glass of water.)

不用谢 (Bùyòng xiè) → You're welcome

🗣️ 谢谢你的帮助。 (Thank you for your help.)

请坐 (Qǐng zuò) → Please sit down

🗣️ 请坐。 (Please sit down.)

不要 (Bùyào) → Don't want/don't

🗣️ 我不要吃这个。 (I don't want to eat this.)

不要紧 (Bùyào jǐn) → It doesn't matter

🗣️ 没关系，不要紧。 (It's okay, it doesn't matter.)

再见 (Zàijiàn) → Goodbye

🗣️ 明天见。 (See you tomorrow.)

不可以 (Bù kěyǐ) → Cannot/not allowed to

🗣️ 你不可以抽烟。 (You cannot smoke.)

好的 (Hǎo de) → Okay

🗣️ 好的，我知道了。 (Okay, I understand.)

可以吗 (Kěyǐ ma) → Is it okay?

🗣️ 我可以坐这里吗？ (Is it okay if I sit here?)

有点儿 (Yǒudiǎnr) → A little bit

🗣️ 我有点儿累。 (I'm a little bit tired.)

不错 (Bùcuò) → Not bad/pretty good

🗣️ 这个不错。 (This is not bad/pretty good.)

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