The Mandarin Chinese course
Learn Mandarin Chinese ten words at a time
中文
Ten games of ten words: the hundred most useful Mandarin Chinese words and expressions you could live on for years, from greetings and ordering food to numbers, small talk and getting around. Play a lesson in the box beside its words, and the next one starts itself.
Mandarin Chinese challenge
Do you know the essentials? 25 quick questions from across the course. Score high and you are ready for the trip.
Mandarin Chinese · Lesson 1 of 10
Greetings and politeness
Hello, thanks, please: the ten openers everything else builds on.
- 你好nee-HOW
- Hello
- 嗨hai
- Hi
- 早上好dzow-shang-HOW
- Good morning
- 晚安wan-AN
- Good night
- 非常感谢fay-chang gan-SHYEH
- Thank you very much
- 谢谢SHYEH-shyeh
- Thanks
- 不客气boo-kuh-CHEE
- You're welcome
- 请ching
- Please
- 不好意思boo-how-EE-suh
- Excuse me
- 再见dzai-JYEN
- Goodbye
Mandarin Chinese · Lesson 2 of 10
Order anything by pointing
One beer please, one of these please, the bill: survive any menu.
- 一瓶啤酒ee-ping PEE-jyoh
- One beer, please
- 我要这个wo-yow JAY-guh
- One of these, please
- 一杯咖啡ee-bay ka-FAY
- One coffee, please
- 两个lyang-guh
- Two, please
- 再来一个dzai-lai EE-guh
- One more, please
- 多少钱dwo-shao CHYEN
- How much is it?
- 买单my-DAN
- The bill, please
- 就这些jyoh JAY-shyeh
- That's everything
- 干杯gan-BAY
- Cheers!
- 祝你健康joo-nee jyen-KWONG
- Bless you
Mandarin Chinese · Lesson 3 of 10
Yes, no and the essentials
The tiny words that carry half of every conversation.
- 是shir
- Yes
- 不是boo-SHIR
- No
- 好how
- Okay
- 没问题may-wen-TEE
- Sure, no problem
- 我不知道wo boo-jir-DOW
- I don't know
- 听不懂ting-boo-DONG
- I don't understand
- 你会说英语吗nee hway shwo ying-YOO ma
- Do you speak English?
- 一点ee-DYEN
- A little
- 当然dang-RAN
- Of course
- 没事may-SHIR
- Everything is fine
Mandarin Chinese · Lesson 4 of 10
Numbers and money
Counting, prices, paying by card or cash.
- 一ee
- One
- 二ar
- Two
- 三san
- Three
- 四suh
- Four
- 五woo
- Five
- 十shir
- Ten
- 一百ee-BAI
- One hundred
- 元ywen
- Yuan
- 刷卡shwa-KA
- By card
- 现金shyen-JIN
- In cash
Mandarin Chinese · Lesson 5 of 10
At the supermarket
Bread, milk, a bag, nothing else thanks: the checkout routine.
- 面包myen-BOW
- Bread
- 牛奶nyoh-NAI
- Milk
- 鸡蛋jee-DAN
- Eggs
- 水shway
- Water
- 要袋子吗yow DAI-dzuh ma
- A bag?
- 有没有yoh-may-YOH
- Do you have...?
- 在哪里dzai NA-lee
- Where is...?
- 这个JAY-guh
- This one
- 太贵了tai-GWAY-luh
- Too expensive!
- 不要了boo-YOW-luh
- Nothing else
Mandarin Chinese · Lesson 6 of 10
Cafe and restaurant
A table, the menu, a compliment to the kitchen.
- 两位lyang-WAY
- A table for two
- 菜单，谢谢tsai-DAN, SHYEH-shyeh
- The menu, please
- 来一壶茶lai ee-hoo CHAH
- One tea, please
- 扎啤JA-pee
- Draft beer
- 不辣boo-LAH
- Not spicy
- 米饭mee-FAN
- Rice
- 好吃how-CHIR
- It's delicious
- 服务员foo-woo-YWEN
- Waiter!
- 打包da-BOW
- To take away
- 不用找了boo-yong JOW-luh
- Keep the change
Mandarin Chinese · Lesson 7 of 10
Small talk and neighbors
How are you, nice day, see you soon: superficial and proud of it.
- 您好吗neen-HOW-ma
- How are you? (polite)
- 吃了吗chir-luh-MA
- Have you eaten?
- 我很好wo hen-HOW
- I'm fine
- 你呢nee-NUH
- And you?
- 最近忙吗dzway-jin MANG-ma
- Busy lately?
- 今天真热jin-tyen jen-RUH
- It's so hot today
- 回头见hway-toh-JYEN
- See you soon
- 慢走man-DZOH
- Take care
- 替我问你家人好tee-wo wen nee jya-ren HOW
- Say hi to the family
- 欢迎hwan-YING
- Welcome!
Mandarin Chinese · Lesson 8 of 10
Getting around
Left, right, the station, one ticket, where is the toilet.
- 洗手间在哪里shee-shoh-JYEN dzai NA-lee
- Where is the toilet?
- 左边DZWO-byen
- Left
- 右边YOH-byen
- Right
- 一直走ee-jir-DZOH
- Straight ahead
- 这里JUH-lee
- Here
- 地铁站dee-tyeh-JAN
- Subway station
- 火车站hwo-chuh-JAN
- Train station
- 一张票ee-jang PYOW
- One ticket, please
- 去...吗chyoo ... ma
- Does this go to...?
- 在这里停dzai juh-lee TING
- Stop here, please
Mandarin Chinese · Lesson 9 of 10
Time and days
Today, tomorrow, later, the weekend.
- 今天jin-TYEN
- Today
- 明天ming-TYEN
- Tomorrow
- 昨天dzwo-TYEN
- Yesterday
- 现在shyen-DZAI
- Now
- 等一下dung-ee-SHYA
- Later
- 几点了jee-DYEN-luh
- What time is it?
- 星期一shing-chee-EE
- Monday
- 星期六shing-chee-LYOH
- Saturday
- 星期天shing-chee-TYEN
- Sunday
- 周末joh-MWO
- The weekend
Mandarin Chinese · Lesson 10 of 10
Help and emergencies
The words you hope to never need.
- 救命！jyoh-MING
- Help!
- 叫医生jyow ee-SHUNG
- Call a doctor
- 警察jing-CHA
- Police
- 药店yow-DYEN
- Pharmacy
- 医院ee-YWEN
- Hospital
- 我迷路了wo mee-LOO-luh
- I'm lost
- 我不舒服wo boo shoo-FOO
- I don't feel well
- 我的手机wo-duh shoh-JEE
- My phone
- 被偷了bay-TOH-luh
- It was stolen
- 很急hen-JEE
- It's urgent