Sunday 22 March 2009

Some Chinese basic phrases








Chinese are very happy if you try to speak their language. For the following phrases you do not need to train the tones (which are very difficult in Chinese). Chinese will understand you! Don't be shy and have a go!

Duibuqi? May I disturb you?

Xiexie! Thank you!

Mei guanxi! Your welcome!

Xiansheng... Mister

Taitai... Mrs

Xiaojie... Miss (in a restaurant do not call the waiter xiaojie 
as this means prostitute, call it fuwuyuan)

Duo shao qian? How much is it?

yi, er san, si, wu, 1,2,3,4,5
liu, qi, ba, san, jiu, shi 6,7,8,9,10
yibai, erbai, sanbai,... 100, 200, 300
yiqian 1000

Wo xiang qu...(place) I want to go to... (place)

Tai gui le! Pianyi yidian! Too expensive, make it cheaper!

Fuwuyuan, dian cai!   Waiter, I want the menu.

Fuwuyuan, mai dan! Waiter, I want to pay!

Wo yao fapiao. I need the receipt.

And the last and most important are compliments. You can say:

Ni hen youhao. You are friendly.

Ni hen congming. You are smart.

Jintian ni hen piaoliang.  Today you look beautiful. (This last sentence is usually used from girls to other girls as compliment, but of course even man can use this phrase to make a compliment to a woman. This phrase will open you a lot of doors! You will for example get a cheaper price in a shop if you are nice with the salesgirl.)

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