These are the most common Chinese phrases and basic sentences that you will encounter again and again in your daily life. Some high frequency words, like nǐ, wǒ, hǎo, mā, and bù, you will hear them over and over again. They are like English sight words, as long as you keep practicing them, more and more of them will get stored in your brain, and when the situation calls for them later on, it will pop up at the right time. Even though you can’t say it correctly, it is OK. Just try your best to mimic the sound as best you can. If you want, you can record your own pronunciation and compare it with my recording; it is fun activity too. In order to let you know the meanings of the characters, I wrote down the definition for you; I hope that you can relate the sound with the meaning, so that you can memorize them longer. Let me know if you have any questions, and good luck and have fun with learning basic Chinese:)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to34.mp3|titles=listen to]
Hello. Nǐ hǎo. 你好。
Nǐ hǎo. (Nǐ, you; hǎo, good)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to35.mp3|titles=listen to]
How are you? Nǐ hǎo ma? 你好吗？
Nǐ hǎo ma? ( Nǐ, you; hǎo, good; ma, question marker)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to36.mp3|titles=listen to]
Fine, thank you. Hěn hǎo, xièxie. 很好, 谢谢。
Hěn hǎo, xièxie. (Hěn, very; hǎo, good; xièxie, thanks)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to49.mp3|titles=listen to]
Good morning. Zǎo’ān. 早安。
Zǎo’ān. (Zǎo, early; ān, well or safe)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to50.mp3|titles=listen to]
Good evening. Wǎnshàng hǎo. 晚上好。
Wǎnshàng hǎo. (Wǎnshàng, night; hǎo, good)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to51.mp3|titles=listen to]
Good night. Wǎn’ān. 晚安。
Wǎn’ān. (Wǎn, night or late; ān, well or safe)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to37.mp3|titles=listen to]
My name is ** Helen Wang ** . Wǒ jiào **Wáng Hǎilún** . 我叫**王海伦** 。 ＊＊＊remember to replace it with your Chinese name here. Otherwise, you are going to get a new name as Helen.
Wǒ jiào Wáng Hǎilún . ( Wǒ, I; jiào, am called; Wáng Hǎilún, Helen Wang)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to38.mp3|titles=listen to]
Please. Qǐng. 请。
Qǐng. (please)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to39.mp3|titles=listen to]
May I please ask? Qǐngwèn. 请问.
Qǐngwèn.( Qǐng, please?; wèn, may I ask?)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to53.mp3|titles=listen to]
What is your name? Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi? 你叫什么名字？
Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi? (Nǐ, you; jiào, are called; shénme, what; míngzi, name)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to26.mp3|titles=listen to]
May I please ask, what is your name? Qǐngwèn nǐjiào shěnme míng?
请问你叫什么名字?
Qǐngwèn nǐjiào shěnme míng? (Qǐng, Please?; wèn, may I aske?; nǐ, you; jiào, are called; shěnme, what; míng, name)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to27.mp3|titles=listen to]
Nice to meet you. Hěn gāoxìng rènshì nǐ. 很高兴认识你。
Hěn gāoxìng rènshì nǐ. ( Hěn, really; gāoxìng, glad; rènshì, to meet or to know; nǐ, you)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to28.mp3|titles=listen to]
Thank you. Xièxiè. 谢谢
Xièxiè. (thanks)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to29.mp3|titles=listen to]
You’re welcome. Bú kèqi. 不客气。
Bú kèqi.
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to30.mp3|titles=listen to]
Excuse me. qǐng wèn 请问 (be used when you want to get other’s attention. For example, you want to ask someone where is the bathroom. Excuse me ….)
qǐng wèn. (qǐng, please; wèn, may I ask?)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to31.mp3|titles=listen to]
Excuse me. Qǐng ràng yixià 请让一下 (When someone is blocking your way and you want to let that person know. You would say: excuse me …)
Qǐng ràng yixià. (Qǐng, please; ràng, yield; yixià, a few moments)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to32.mp3|titles=listen to]
I’m sorry. Duìbùqǐ. 对不起。
Duìbùqǐ. (sorry)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to33.mp3|titles=listen to]
It’s okay. méiguānxi 没关系 (response to “I’m sorry”)
méiguānxi. (It’s okay)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to41.mp3|titles=listen to]
Goodbye Zàijiàn 再见。 (formal goodbye)
Zàijiàn. (Goodbye)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to42.mp3|titles=listen to]
Goodbye Bái-bái 拜拜 (informal goodybe)
Bái-bái (Byebye)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to43.mp3|titles=listen to]
I don’t understand. Wǒ tīng bù dǒng. 我听不懂。
Wǒ tīng bù dǒng. ( Wǒ, I; tīng, heard; bù, not; dǒng, understand)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to44.mp3|titles=listen to]
Please say again. Qǐng zài shuō yí cì 请再说一次
Qǐng zài shuō yí cì. (Qǐng, please; zài, again; shuō, say; yí, one; cì, time)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to45.mp3|titles=listen to]
Where is the restroom? Cèsuǒ zài nǎli? 厕所在哪里？
Cèsuǒ zài nǎli? (Cèsuǒ, restroom; zài, at; nǎli, where)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to46.mp3|titles=listen to]
Where is the bathroom? Xǐshǒujiān zài nǎli? 洗手间在哪里？ （洗手间 literally means washing hands room; it can be used for bathroom or restroom)
Xǐshǒujiān zài nǎli? (Xǐ, wash; shǒu, hands; jiān, room; zài, at; nǎli, where)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to47.mp3|titles=listen to]
I can’t speak Chinese. Wǒ bú huì shuō zhōngwén. 我不会说中文。
Wǒ bú huì shuō zhōngwén. (Wǒ, I; bú, not; huì, able; shuō, say or speak; zhōngwén, Chinese)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to52.mp3|titles=listen to]
My Chinese is not good. Wǒ de zhōngwén shuō de bùhǎo.我的中文说得不好。
Wǒ de zhōngwén shuō de bùhǎo。(Wǒ, I; de, particle; zhōngwén, Chinese; shuō, say or speak; de, particle; bù, not; hǎo, good)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to48.mp3|titles=listen to]
Do you speak English? Nǐ huì shuō Yīngwēn ma? 你会说英文吗？
Nǐ huì shuō Yīngwén ma? ( Nǐ, you; huì, able; shuō, speak; Yīngwén, English; ma, question marker)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to54.mp3|titles=listen to]
You are very good. Nǐ zhēn hǎo. 你真好。
Nǐ zhēn hǎo. (Nǐ, you; zhēn, really; hǎo, good)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to55.mp3|titles=listen to]
You learn very well. Nǐ xué de zhēn hǎo. 你学得真好。
Nǐ xué de zhēn hǎo. (Nǐ, you; xué, learn; de, particle; zhēn, really; hǎo, good)
Upside Down lyrics Johnson, Jack
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Upside-Down-jack-Johnson.mp3|titles=Upside Down jack Johnson]
Who’s to say what’s impossible?
Well they forgot this world keeps spinning
And with each new day
I can feel a change in everything
And as the surface breaks reflections fade
But in some ways they remain the same
And as my mind begins to spread its wings
There’s no stopping curiosity
I want to turn the whole thing upside down
I’ll find the things they say just can’t be found
I’ll share this love I find with everyone
We’ll sing and dance to Mother Nature’s songs
I don’t want this feeling to go away
Who’s to say I can’t do everything?
Well I can try, and as I roll along I begin to find
Things aren’t always just what they seem
I want to turn the whole thing upside down
I’ll find the things they say just can’t be found
I’ll share this love I find with everyone
We’ll sing and dance to Mother Nature’s song
This world keeps spinning and there’s no time to waste
Well it all keeps spinning, spinning
Round and round and upside down
Who’s to say what’s impossible and can’t be found?
I don’t want this feeling to go away
Please don’t go away
Please don’t go away
Please don’t go away
Is this how it’s supposed to be?
Is this how it’s supposed to be?
Hope your curiosity will never go away, and so you will have new adventure day after day — on Chinese learning or anything ….