Learn Mandarin is Easy
|
| Beginning | Ending | Tone | |
| 勞 | l | áo | 2 |
| 駕 | j | ià | 4 |
你好嗎 How are you? (You would expect an answer.)
很好 I’m fine
早上好 Good morning
謝謝 Thank you
很好吃 Yummy, very delicious
埋單 give me my bill please 多少錢 How much?
打折嗎 discount please
Chinese Greetings
Formal greetings - In Chinese formal greetings, we call people by their family names. Like this:
Now, base on what you’ve learned to practice greeting Mr. Hu, Ms. Hu and Mrs. Hu in Mandarin.
Casual greetings - As a tourist, you don’t have much chance to greet people in a formal way. However, there are two types of people you will deal with mostly – your tour guide and your driver.
Tour guides usually ask their clients to call them Xiao family name. For example, Xiao Hu, it doesn’t matter whether Xiao Hu is Mr. Hu or Ms. Hu.
In mainland China, people usually call drivers Shifu. Let’s see the rationale behind.
Anna's Notes If you want to learn more keywords, do drop me an email. I am happy to help.
Learn Mandarin in Beijing BLS has partnered with the Beijing Capital Normal University and offers excellent facilities for group study, plus high standard, brand new student accommodation and restaurant on the campus. Click for a
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China travel tip: Chinese Language Still want some handy help, carry a Mandarin Phrasebook
A travel story about my
This Mandarin phrasebook will prove more valuable on the road than a bicycle in Beijing.
你好 Regards (You won’t expect an answer. You can say this whenever seeing someone. You are just sending regards and wishing them well.)
Beginning
Ending
Tone
你
n
í
2
好
h
ăo
3
嗎
m
a
Beginning
Ending
Tone
很
h
én
2
好
h
ăo
3
Beginning
Ending
Tone
早
z
ăo
3
上
sh
àng
4
好
h
ăo
3
When you buy something, the salesman will say 謝謝to you. You can also say this when receiving a gift.
Beginning
Ending
Tone
謝
x
iè
4
謝
x
ie
Beginning
Ending
Tone
很
h
én
2
好
h
ăo
3
吃
ch
ī
1
Beginning Ending Tone 埋 m ái 2 單 d ān 1
Beginning
Ending
Tone
多
d
uō
1
少
sh
ăo
3
錢
q
ián
2
Beginning
Ending
Tone
打
d
a
3
折
zh
e
2
嗎
m
a
Greeting
Pronunciation
English
胡先生
H ú xi ān sh ēng
Mr. Hu
胡小姐
H ú xi áo j iě
Ms. Hu
胡太太
H ú t ài t ai
Mrs. Hu
Greeting
Pronunciation
English
小胡
Xi ăo H ú
Calling someone junior or younger than you.
師傅
Sh ī f ù
Shifu is someone good at something. Beijing people call drivers Shifu which is some kind of a compliment meaning he is good at driving.
Learn Mandarin is easy. Speak Mandarin is fun. However learn Mandarin online is just a shortcut to fulfil our travel needs. It is more a matter of practicing and refreshing. Best is to learn from a person and learn interactively.
Are you an expatriate who wants to learn Mandarin in order to work or to live in Beijing?
In China, staff members from main hotels, restaurants and shops will all speak English. However you should carry around with you something that bears your hotel name and address, preferably in Chinese, to show to taxi drivers. Five-star hotels usually have cards ready for you. Otherwise just ask the front office for one. with you will be of great value.
Mandarin Study Tour at Peking University
