This section contains 400 of the most used phrases in Chinese. This should help you improve your speaking, reading and writing. Exploring the whole list will make it easier to start conversations and understand what was said to you. I divided this section into 4 pages, the first 100 are listed on this page, then the rest here: phrases 2, phrases 3, phrases 4. Each page contains 100 common expressions. Going through each page should take about 30 min. Make sure to read the pronunciation and hear the audio as well. If you have any question about this course, please email me directly at Chinese Classes.
Phrases Tips
To make sure you are more likely to remember each expression, try to first to read the sentence without hearing it, then click to hear how it is prnounced, then read it out loud 3 times while imagining yourself vividly talking to somone. Also try to practice what you memorized from time to time, to make it stick.
Here are the first 100 common phrases. You will find a lot of them are about greeting someone, introducing yourself or asking where someone is from ... etc. Basically, these are expressions which you might use when starting a conversation with someone you have just met.
Phrases in Chinese
Phrases
Chinese
Audio
How are you? (informal)
您的身体好吗？ Nín de shēntǐ hǎo ma?
How are you? (formal)
你好吗？ Nǐ hǎo ma?
What's up? (colloquial)
你好﹗ Nǐ hǎo﹗
I'm fine, thank you!
很好﹗谢谢 hěn hǎo﹗xièxiè
Hi!
嗨！ hāi!
Good morning!
早上好！ Zǎoshang hǎo!
Good afternoon!
下午好！ Xiàwǔ hǎo!
Good evening!
晚上好！ Wǎnshàng hǎo!
And you? (informal)
你呢？ Nǐ ne?
And you? (formal)
那你呢？ Nà nǐ ne?
Good
好 Hǎo
We speak two languages
我们说两种语言 wǒmen shuō liǎng zhǒng yǔyán
They speak four languages
他们说四种语言 tāmen shuō sì zhǒng yǔyán
I visited one country
我去过一个国家 wǒ qùguò yīgè guójiā
She visited three countries
她去过3个国家 tā qùguò 3 gè guójiā
She has one sister
她有一个妹妹 tā yǒu yīgè mèimei
He has two sisters
他有两个妹妹 tā yǒu liǎng gè mèimei
Welcome!
欢迎你！ huānyíng nǐ!
Do you like it here?
你喜欢这里吗？ Nǐ xǐhuān zhèlǐ ma?
See you later!
再見﹗ Zàijiàn﹗
Thank you very much!
非常谢谢你！ fēicháng xièxiè nǐ!
I really like it!
我很喜欢！ Wǒ hěn xǐhuān!
Happy
高兴 Gāoxìng
Sad
难过 nánguò
Thank you!
谢谢！ xièxiè!
You're welcome! (in response to "thank you")
不客气！ Bù kèqì!
Have a nice day!
祝你好的一天！ Zhù nǐ hǎo de yītiān!
Good night!
晚安﹗ Wǎn'ān﹗
Have a good trip!
一路平安﹗ yīlù píng'ān﹗
It was nice talking to you!
很高兴跟你谈话。 hěn gāoxìng gēn nǐ tánhuà.
Am I right or wrong?
我对了吗？ Wǒ duìle ma?
Is he younger or older than you?
他比你大还是小？ Tā bǐ nǐ dà háishì xiǎo?
Is the test easy or difficult?
这个测验简单还是难？ Zhège cèyàn jiǎndān háishì nán?
Is this book new or old?
这是本新书还是旧书？ Zhè shì běn xīnshū háishì jiùshū?
This is so expensive
太贵了。 Tài guìle.
More Sentences
English
Chinese
Audio
Languages
I don't speak Korean
我不会说韩国语 Wǒ bù huì shuō hánguó yǔ
I love the Japanese language
我喜欢日文 wǒ xǐhuān rìwén
I speak Italian
我说意大利语 wǒ shuō yìdàlì yǔ
I want to learn Spanish
我要学西班牙语 wǒ yào xué xībānyá yǔ
My mother tongue is German
我的母语是德文 wǒ de mǔyǔ shì dé wén
Spanish is easy to learn
Origins
He has a Moroccan rug
他有个摩洛哥杯子 tā yǒu gè móluògē bēizi
I have an American car
我有一辆美国车。 wǒ yǒuyī liàng měiguó chē.
I love French cheese
我爱吃法国起司。 Wǒ ài chī fàguó qǐ sī.
I'm Italian
我是意大利人。 Wǒ shì yìdàlì rén.
My father is Greek
我父亲是。。。 Wǒ fùqīn shì...
My wife is Korean
我老婆/太太是韩国人。 Wǒ lǎopó/tàitài shì hánguó rén.
Countries
Have you ever been to India?
你去过印度吗？ Nǐ qùguò yìndù ma?
I came from Spain
我来自西班牙 Wǒ láizì xībānyá
I live in America
我住在美国。 wǒ zhù zài měiguó.
I want to go to Germany
我要去德国。 Wǒ yào qù déguó.
I was born in Italy
我在意大利书生。 Wǒ zài yìdàlì shūshēng.
Japan is a beautiful country
日本是一个很漂亮的国家。 Rìběn shì yīgè hěn piàoliang de guójiā.
Long time no see
好久不见 Hǎojiǔ bùjiàn
I missed you
很想念你 hěn xiǎngniàn nǐ
What's new?
最近好吗？ zuìjìn hǎo ma?
Nothing new
跟平常一样 Gēn píngcháng yīyàng
Make yourself at home!
进来坐 jìnlái zuò
Have a good trip
一路平安 yīlù píng'ān
Can I practice Italian with you?
我能跟你练意大利语吗？ wǒ néng gēn nǐ liàn yìdàlì yǔ ma?
I speak French but with an accent
我说法语但是带口音 Wǒ shuō fǎyǔ dànshì dài kǒuyīn
I was born in Miami
我出生在迈阿密 wǒ chūshēng zài mài'āmì
I'm from Japan
我来自日本 wǒ láizì rìběn
The letter is inside the book
信夹在书里 xìn jiā zài shū lǐ
The pen is under the desk
钢笔在桌子下面 gāngbǐ zài zhuōzi xiàmiàn
Directions
问路 wèn lù
Can I help you?
我能帮你吗？ wǒ néng bāng nǐ ma?
Can you help me?
你能帮我吗？ Nǐ néng bāng wǒ ma?
Can you show me?
你可以带我去吗？ Nǐ kěyǐ dài wǒ qù ma?
Come with me!
来！跟我走。 Lái! Gēn wǒ zǒu.
Downtown (city center)
城市商业区 Chéngshì shāngyè qū
Excuse me! (to ask someone)
请问！ qǐngwèn!
Go straight
直走。 Zhí zǒu.
How can I get to the museum?
博物馆怎么走？ Bówùguǎn zěnme zǒu?
How long does it take to get there?
需要多长时间？ Xūyào duō cháng shíjiān?
I'm lost
我迷路了。 Wǒ mílùle.
I'm not from here
我不是这里的人。 Wǒ bùshì zhèlǐ de rén.
It's far from here
离这儿不远 Lí zhè'er bù yuǎn
It's near here
不在这儿。 bùzài zhè'er.
One moment please!
请等一下。 Qǐng děng yīxià.
Turn left
左转 Zuǒ zhuǎn
Turn right
右转 yòu zhuǎn
Questions?
If you have any questions, please contact me using the Chinese contact form on the header above.
Here are the rest of the Chinese phrases: phrases 2, phrases 3, phrases 4. You can also simply click on one of the links below or go back to our Learn Chinese homepage.
