An exciting experience is starting the adventure of learning Mandarin Chinese. Learning fundamental and frequent phrases is one of the first steps, especially for those that adhere to the HSK 1 norm, the beginner’s tier in the official Chinese proficiency test. To offer you a solid basis, let’s delve into these expressions!
Greetings
你好 (Nǐ hǎo) – Hello
下午好 (Xiàwǔ hǎo) – Good afternoon
晚上好 (Wǎnshàng hǎo) – Good evening
再见 (Zàijiàn) – Goodbye
早上好 (Zǎoshang hǎo) – Good morning
Basic Questions and Statements
你叫什么名字？ (Nǐ jiào shénme míngzì?) – What’s your name?
我叫… (Wǒ jiào…) – My name is…
你好吗？ (Nǐ hǎo ma?) – How are you?
我很好 (Wǒ hěn hǎo) – I am good
我不太好 (Wǒ bù tài hǎo) – I’m not so good
Numbers
一 (Yī) – One
二 (Èr) – Two
三 (Sān) – Three
四 (Sì) – Four
五 (Wǔ) – Five
Note: Basic numbers form the basis of everyday interactions, such as discussing prices, telling time, or giving addresses.
Polite Phrases
谢谢 (Xièxiè) – Thank you
非常谢谢 (Fēicháng xièxiè) – Thank you very much
不客气 (Bù kèqì) – You’re welcome
对不起 (Duìbùqǐ) – Sorry
请 (Qǐng) – Please
Basic Interactions
你是哪国人？ (Nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?) – Where are you from?
我是…人 (Wǒ shì…rén) – I am from…
你会说中文吗？ (Nǐ huì shuō zhōngwén ma?) – Can you speak Chinese?
我会 (Wǒ huì) – I can
我不会 (Wǒ bù huì) – I can’t
我不懂 (Wǒ bù dǒng) – I don’t understand
Everyday Phrases
这是什么？ (Zhè shì shénme?) – What is this?
多少钱？ (Duōshǎo qián?) – How much is this?
水 (Shuǐ) – Water
饭店 (Fàndiàn) – Restaurant
厕所在哪里？ (Cèsuǒ zài nǎlǐ?) – Where is the restroom?
是 (Shì) – Yes
不是 (Bù shì) – No
Getting familiar with these expressions will provide a solid foundation as you learn more about the Chinese language. Remember that comprehending basic words and phrases is the first step in writing any complex sentence.
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