Common Chinese Mandarin Phrases

This page list some common Mandarin Chinese Phrases and sentences for basic communication such as when you are greeting someone, speaking to strangers, traveling or asking questions. The two major Chinese dialects are Cantonese and Mandarin, of which Mandarin is the more commonly spoken in mainland China and Taiwan, whereas Cantonese is in primarily spoken in Hong Kong and to a lesser extent in Mainland China. This page is has sentences and terms in Mandarin Chinese and will be updated often with additional sentences, phrases and their details. Visitors can feel free to contact us for corrections, comments, recommendations of new phrases and any general suggestions.

1. Question: How do you say “How are you” in Mandarin Chinese?

Answer: Ni Hao Ma

Meaning: Are you Healthy?. The literal breakdown is Ni (you) Hao(healthy/good) Ma (inquiring tone used at the end of questions).




2. Question: How do you say “I am well” in Mandarin Chinese?

Answer: Wo Hun Hao

Meaning: I am good. Literal meaning is Wo(I) Hun(very) Hao(good).

3. Question: How do you say “What is your name” in Mandarin Chinese?

Answer: Nǐ jiào shénme míngzì

Meaning: Nǐ(You) jiào(called) shénme(what) míngzì(name)?

4. How do you say “My name is” in Mandarin Chinese?

Answer: Wǒ de míngzì shì (Then YOUR NAME)

Meaning: Wo de(my) míngzì(name) shì (is)

5. Question: How do you say “Do you speak english” in Mandarin Chinese?

Answer: Ni hui shuo engwen ma?

Meaning: Ni(You) hui shuo(speak) engwen(English) ma(inquiring tone used at the end of questions)




6. How to say “Please” in Mandarin Chinese?

Answer: Qing (Pronounced: “Ching”, and stretch out the “i” a little)

Meaning: Often used a common etiquette when asking some to go before you, analogous to “Please do” in English.

7. How to say “Thank You” in Mandarin Chinese?

Answer: XieXie (Pronounced “SaySay”)

Meaning: Thank You.

8. How to say “I am sorry” in Mandarin Chinese?

Answer: Duìbùqǐ (Pronounced “te bu chi”)

Meaning: I am sorry.

9. How to say “I don’t understand” in Mandarin Chinese?

Answer: Wǒ bù míngbái

10. How to say “How much” in Mandarin Chinese?

Answer: Duōshǎo?

11. How to ask “do you speak english? in Mandarin Chinese?

Answer: Nǐ huì shuō yīngyǔ ma?