Sometimes you don't have time to learn long lists of words and phrases. All you want to know are the bare essentials for communicating to get what you need, or where you need to go.
Here are the bare minimum of Mandarin Chinese words and phrases you need to know to survive.
Learn the Top 10 Phrases if you only have time for the barest minimum. If you need or want more, then take a look at the Top 20 Phrases, Top 30 Phrases and the Extra Phrases.
Tone sandhi (tone changes) has been shown to help beginners with pronunciation. For example nǐ hǎo => ní hǎo, and nǎli => náli (original tones separately are nǎ + lǐ). See tone sandhi.
The characters shown are Simplified Characters, which are used throughout China and Singapore.
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Hello.
How much is it?|
Here are ten more phrases that will help you make new friends and ask for directions ...
The Top 20 ... |
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Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi? What is your name? Wǒ jiào ... My name is ... Ní hǎo ma? How are you? Hén hǎo. Nǐ ne? Fine. And you? ... zài nǎr? (N) ... zài náli? (S) Where is ...? Cèsuǒ zài nǎr? Nán/Nǚ (N) Cèsuǒ zài náli? Nán/Nǚ (S) Where is the toilet? Men/Women Duìbùqǐ. Láo jià. Sorry. Excuse me. Méi wèntí. No problem. Wǒ yào ... I want ... Wǒ bú yào ... I don't want ... |
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Here are another ten phrases to help you make a little more conversation and to get around ...
The Top 30 ... |
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Nǐ shì cóng nǎr lái de? Where are you from? Wǒ shì cóng Àodàlìyà lái de.* I am from Australia. Qíng mǎidān. Máfan nǐ jié zhàng. The bill, please. Wǒ mílù le. I am lost. Tíng! Děng yi děng! Stop! Wait! Zhèr, nàr. (N) Zhèli, nàli. (S) Here, there. Chūzū chē. Fàndiàn. Jī chǎng. Zhàn. (N) Jì chéng chē. Fàndiàn. Jī chǎng. Zhàn. (S) Dí shì. Fàndiàn. Jī chǎng. Zhàn. (Hong Kong) Dé shì. Fàndiàn. Jī chǎng. Zhàn. (Singapore) Taxi. Hotel. Airport. Station. Wó xǐhuān ... I like ... Wǒ bù xǐhuān ... I don't like ... yī, èr, sān, sì, wǔ. one, two, three, four, five. liù, qī, bā, jiǔ, shí. six, seven, eight, nine, ten. *Or choose your country: Měiguó - America Jiānádà - Canada Yīnggélán - England Aìērlán - Ireland Xīnxīlán (N) - New Zealand Niǔxīlán (S) - New Zealand |
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Here are some extra words and phrases you might find useful, especially if you have dietary needs or allergies ...
Useful Extras ... |
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Gānbēi! Cheers! hǎo / huài good / bad dà / xiǎo big / small fùjìn / yuǎn near / far shǎo / duō less / more zài lái yíge / zúgòu another / enough Wǒ chī sù. Wǒ shì sù shí zhǔ yì zhě. I am vegetarian. Wǒ bù chī ròu. I don't eat meat. ... jī. ... chicken. ... yú. ... fish. Wǒ duì guǒrén. I am allergic to nuts. ... huāshēng. ... peanuts. ... yú. ... fish. ... hǎixiān. ... seafood. ... jīdàn. ... eggs. |
Tone Guide:
There are 4 tones:
1st tone: mā = level tone, high level tone
2nd tone: má = rising tone, mid level to high level
3rd tone: mǎ = low falling or falling-rising tone. Usually mid-low to low, or simply low. A third tone at the end of a sentence or before a pause is a full falling-rising tone: mid-low to low, then rising up to mid-high, also see Tone Sandhi
4th tone: mà = falling tone, high level to low level, a sharp fall
(5th tone: ma = neutral tone)
Vowels:
ao is pronounced as ow as in now (IPA au)
e is pronounced as e as in brother (ə)
e after c, ch, r, s, z and zh is pronounced as ur as in burn with the lips unrounded (ɤ)
ei is pronounced as ay as in day (IPA ei)
en is pronounced ən
eng is pronounced as ur as in burn with the lips unrounded (ɤ and ɤŋ)
i after c, ch, r, s, z and zh is pronounced as ɨ (a high schwa ə or New Zealand i)
i after j, q and x is pronounced as i
ian is pronouned as yen (IPA jɛn)
ie is pronounced as ye as in yet (IPA jɛ)
o is pronounced as o as in pot (ɔ)
o after b, m and p is pronounced as wo (wɔ)
ong is pronounced as ung (ʊŋ)
ou is pronounced as o as in note (IPA o)
uan is pronounced as ü + en (ɥɛn)
u after j, q and x is pronounced as ü
ue is pronounced as ü + ur as in burn (ɥœ)
ui is pronounced as way (IPA wei)
un is pronounced as wən, ie. hun = xwən
ü is pronounced as German ü, ie. an i with rounded lips (IPA y)
Consonants:
b is pronounced as p as in spin, without a puff of breath (IPA p)
c is pronunced as ts as in cats, with a puff of breath (tsʰ)
ch is pronounced as a retroflex ch as in church (tʂʰ)
d is pronounced as t as in stun, without a puff of breath (IPA t)
g is pronounced as k as in skin, without a puff of breath (IPA k)
h is pronounced as kh as in loch or Bach (x)
j is pronounced as a palatalised ch, like ch + y (tɕ)
k is pronounced as k as in kite (kʰ)
n at the end of a word is a uvular nasal (ɴ)
ng is pronounced as ng as in singer (ŋ)
p is pronounced as p as in pin, with a puff of breath (pʰ)
q is pronounced as a palatalised ch plus a puff of breath, like ch + y (tɕʰ)
r is pronounced as retroflex zh as in pleasure (ʐ)
r at the end of a word is pronounced as er with the tongue curled back (ɻ), eg. diǎnr = diǎɻ
final r nasalises the vowel before if an n or ng lies between the vowel and final r, the n or ng then disappears
sh is pronounced as a retroflex sh as in shop (ʂ)
t is pronounced as t as in tin, with a puff of breath (IPA tʰ)
x is pronounced as a palatalised sh, like sh + y (ɕ)
z is pronunced as ts as in cats, without a puff of breath (ts)
zh is pronounced as a retroflex ch as in church (tʂ)
(Hint: Retroflex consonants are made with the tongue curled back against the palate.)
Please note:
the word er is pronounced as ɑɻ
the word e is pronounced as ɤ
Differences with pronunciation in the South:
retroflex consonants are changed to non-retroflex, ie. sh -> x or s, ch -> q or c, zh -> j or z
eng after b, f and p is pronounced as ʊŋ, feng = fong
More notes on Tone Sandhi:
Third tone sandhi: When a 3rd tone tone is followed by a 1st, 2nd or 4th tone it usually becomes a half-3rd tone (low falling only).
Second tone sandhi: When a 2nd tone tone is followed by another 2nd tone and it is preceded by a 1st or a 2nd tone, it changes to a 1st tone. For example, Yīnggélán is pronounced as Yīnggēlán.
Yī (one): On its own pronounced yī, before 1st, 2nd and 3rd tones pronounced yì, before 4th tone pronounced yí. In telephone numbers, use the pronunciation yāo.
Bù (not): Before 1st, 2nd and 3rd tones pronounced bù, before 4th tone pronounced bú.
There are 4 tones:
1st tone: mā = level tone, high level tone
2nd tone: má = rising tone, mid level to high level
3rd tone: mǎ = low falling or falling-rising tone. Usually mid-low to low, or simply low. A third tone at the end of a sentence or before a pause is a full falling-rising tone: mid-low to low, then rising up to mid-high, also see Tone Sandhi
4th tone: mà = falling tone, high level to low level, a sharp fall
(5th tone: ma = neutral tone)
Vowels:
ao is pronounced as ow as in now (IPA au)
e is pronounced as e as in brother (ə)
e after c, ch, r, s, z and zh is pronounced as ur as in burn with the lips unrounded (ɤ)
ei is pronounced as ay as in day (IPA ei)
en is pronounced ən
eng is pronounced as ur as in burn with the lips unrounded (ɤ and ɤŋ)
i after c, ch, r, s, z and zh is pronounced as ɨ (a high schwa ə or New Zealand i)
i after j, q and x is pronounced as i
ian is pronouned as yen (IPA jɛn)
ie is pronounced as ye as in yet (IPA jɛ)
o is pronounced as o as in pot (ɔ)
o after b, m and p is pronounced as wo (wɔ)
ong is pronounced as ung (ʊŋ)
ou is pronounced as o as in note (IPA o)
uan is pronounced as ü + en (ɥɛn)
u after j, q and x is pronounced as ü
ue is pronounced as ü + ur as in burn (ɥœ)
ui is pronounced as way (IPA wei)
un is pronounced as wən, ie. hun = xwən
ü is pronounced as German ü, ie. an i with rounded lips (IPA y)
Consonants:
b is pronounced as p as in spin, without a puff of breath (IPA p)
c is pronunced as ts as in cats, with a puff of breath (tsʰ)
ch is pronounced as a retroflex ch as in church (tʂʰ)
d is pronounced as t as in stun, without a puff of breath (IPA t)
g is pronounced as k as in skin, without a puff of breath (IPA k)
h is pronounced as kh as in loch or Bach (x)
j is pronounced as a palatalised ch, like ch + y (tɕ)
k is pronounced as k as in kite (kʰ)
n at the end of a word is a uvular nasal (ɴ)
ng is pronounced as ng as in singer (ŋ)
p is pronounced as p as in pin, with a puff of breath (pʰ)
q is pronounced as a palatalised ch plus a puff of breath, like ch + y (tɕʰ)
r is pronounced as retroflex zh as in pleasure (ʐ)
r at the end of a word is pronounced as er with the tongue curled back (ɻ), eg. diǎnr = diǎɻ
final r nasalises the vowel before if an n or ng lies between the vowel and final r, the n or ng then disappears
sh is pronounced as a retroflex sh as in shop (ʂ)
t is pronounced as t as in tin, with a puff of breath (IPA tʰ)
x is pronounced as a palatalised sh, like sh + y (ɕ)
z is pronunced as ts as in cats, without a puff of breath (ts)
zh is pronounced as a retroflex ch as in church (tʂ)
(Hint: Retroflex consonants are made with the tongue curled back against the palate.)
Please note:
the word er is pronounced as ɑɻ
the word e is pronounced as ɤ
Differences with pronunciation in the South:
retroflex consonants are changed to non-retroflex, ie. sh -> x or s, ch -> q or c, zh -> j or z
eng after b, f and p is pronounced as ʊŋ, feng = fong
More notes on Tone Sandhi:
Third tone sandhi: When a 3rd tone tone is followed by a 1st, 2nd or 4th tone it usually becomes a half-3rd tone (low falling only).
Second tone sandhi: When a 2nd tone tone is followed by another 2nd tone and it is preceded by a 1st or a 2nd tone, it changes to a 1st tone. For example, Yīnggélán is pronounced as Yīnggēlán.
Yī (one): On its own pronounced yī, before 1st, 2nd and 3rd tones pronounced yì, before 4th tone pronounced yí. In telephone numbers, use the pronunciation yāo.
Bù (not): Before 1st, 2nd and 3rd tones pronounced bù, before 4th tone pronounced bú.