The Around the World phrasebook
Let's learn traveller's Mandarin Chinese
Not the school kind — the airport, taxi and dinner-table kind. Every phrase with a say-it-out-loud pronunciation.
Nobody expects you to speak fluent Mandarin Chinese. But ten words in the right places — and the market seller smiles, the driver drops the price, the waiter brings the good stuff. We've gathered 64 phrases that actually work, sorted by the moment you'll need them: the landing, the taxi, check-in, the table. Each with a pronunciation you can read aloud without cringing.
Phrasebook · 1/8
First words
| What you want to say | Mandarin Chinese | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Hello (formal) | 你好 | NI-HAO |
| Hello (informal) | 嗨 | HAI |
| Goodbye | 再见 | DZAI-JIEN |
| Thank you | 谢谢 | XIE-XIE |
| Please | 请 | QI-NG |
| Yes | 是 | SHI |
| No | 不是 | BU-SHI |
| Sorry | 对不起 | DUI-BU-QI |
| I don't understand | 我不明白 | WO-BU-MING-BAI |
| Do you speak English? | 你会说英语吗? | NI-HUI-SHUO-YING-YU-MA |
Phrasebook · 2/8
Courtesy & introductions
| What you want to say | Mandarin Chinese | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Good morning | 早上好 | DZAO-shang HAO |
| Good evening | 晚上好 | WAN-shang HAO |
| How are you? | 你好吗? | NI HAO ma? |
| My name is... | 我叫... | WO JIAO... |
| Nice to meet you | 很高兴认识你 | HEN GAO-xing REN-shi NI |
| I am from Israel | 我来自以色列 | WO LAI-ze YI-se-LIE |
| See you | 再见 | DZAI JIAN |
Phrasebook · 3/8
At the airport & on the flight
| What you want to say | Mandarin Chinese | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the gate? | 登机口在哪里？ | DENG-ji KOU tzai-NA-li? |
| Is the flight delayed? | 航班延误吗？ | HANG-ban YEN-wu MA? |
| Boarding pass | 登机牌 | DENG-ji PAI |
| My luggage hasn't arrived | 我的行李还没到 | WO de XING-li HAI mei DAO |
| I have a connecting flight | 我有转机航班 | WO you ZHUAN-ji HANG-ban |
| Window/aisle seat | 靠窗/靠过道的座位 | KAO CHUANG/KAO GUO-dao de ZUO-wei |
| Where is passport control? | 护照检查在哪里？ | HU-zhao JIAN-cha tzai-NA-li? |
Phrasebook · 4/8
Transport & directions
| What you want to say | Mandarin Chinese | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| To this address, please. | 到这个地址，请。 | DAO zhe-ge DI-zhi, QING. |
| How much to the center? | 到市中心多少钱？ | DAO shi ZHONG-xin DUO-shao QIAN? |
| One ticket to… | 一张票到… | YI zhang PIAO DAO… |
| Which platform? | 哪个站台？ | NEI-ge ZHAN-tai? |
| Where is the bus stop? | 公交车站在哪儿？ | GONG-jiao CHE-zhan ZAI nar? |
| Stop here, please. | 请在这里停。 | QING ZAI zhe-li TING. |
| Is it far? | 远吗？ | YUAN ma? |
| Turn left/right. | 左转/右转。 | ZUO zhuan/YOU zhuan. |
| Straight ahead. | 一直走。 | YI-zhi ZOU. |
Phrasebook · 5/8
Hotel & stay
| What you want to say | Mandarin Chinese | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| I have a reservation. | 我有预订。 | WO yo YU-ding. |
| Check-in / Check-out | 入住 / 退房 | RU-zhu / TWEI-fang |
| Is breakfast included? | 包含早餐吗？ | BA-han DZAO-chan ma? |
| Room key | 房卡 | FANG-ka |
| Wi-Fi password | Wi-Fi密码 | WAI-fai MI-ma |
| Can I leave my luggage? | 可以寄存行李吗？ | KE-yi JI-tsun XING-li ma? |
| The air conditioner doesn't work. | 空调坏了。 | KONG-tiao HUAI le. |
Phrasebook · 6/8
Restaurant & food
| What you want to say | Mandarin Chinese | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Table for two | 一张双人桌 | YI zhang SHUANG ren ZHUO |
| The menu, please | 请给我菜单 | QING gei WO CAI-dan |
| What do you recommend? | 你推荐什么? | NI tui-JIAN shen-ME |
| The bill, please | 请给我账单 | QING gei WO ZHANG-dan |
| Tap water | 自来水 | ZI lai SHUI |
| I have a nut allergy | 我对坚果过敏 | WO dui JIAN guo GUO-min |
| No meat | 不要肉 | BU yao ROU |
| It was excellent | 太好了 | TAI hao LE |
| Can I pay by card? | 可以刷卡吗? | KE yi SHUA ka MA |
Phrasebook · 7/8
Shopping & money
| What you want to say | Mandarin Chinese | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| How much does it cost? | 这个多少钱？ | ZHEH-ge DUO-shao QIAN |
| It's too expensive. | 太贵了。 | TAI GUI le |
| Do you accept card? | 你们接受信用卡吗？ | NI-men JIE-shou XIN-yong KA ma |
| I'm just looking. | 我只是看看。 | WO zhi-shi KAN-kan |
| Can I have a receipt? | 可以给我发票吗？ | KE-yi GEI wo FA-piao ma |
| Where is an ATM? | 自动取款机在哪里？ | ZI-dong QU-kuan JI zai NA-li |
| A smaller size. | 小一点的。 | XIAO yi-DIAN de |
Phrasebook · 8/8
Emergencies & health
| What you want to say | Mandarin Chinese | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Help! | 救命! | JIU-ming |
| Call a doctor | 叫医生 | JIAO yi-SHENG |
| Call the police | 报警 | BAO-jing |
| Where is the pharmacy? | 药店在哪里? | YAO-dian zai NA-li |
| I don't feel well | 我不舒服 | WO bu SHU-fu |
| I'm lost | 我迷路了 | WO mi-LU le |
| I need a hospital | 我需要医院 | WO xu-YAO yi-YUAN |
| It hurts here | 这里疼 | ZHE-li TENG |
Q&A
Answers to your questions
How do you say "thank you" in Mandarin Chinese?
"谢谢" (XIE-XIE). It's one of the five words worth knowing by heart before you land.
How much Mandarin Chinese do I need for a trip?
Not much. Five or six courtesy words (hello, thank you, please, sorry, yes/no) open doors, and another ten to fifteen phrases for fixed situations — a taxi, check-in, the restaurant bill — cover almost any trip. The rest: a camera-translation app.
Can you get by in English where Mandarin Chinese is spoken?
In city centres, hotels and tourist sites — usually yes, especially with younger people. Outside them — markets, transport, small towns — a few words of the local language make a real difference and are warmly received.
Which countries have Mandarin Chinese as an official language?
Mandarin Chinese is a main language in 2 countries: China, Taiwan.
What's the difference between the formal and casual greeting?
Most languages have a formal "hello" for strangers, service staff and elders, and an everyday version for friends and peers. As a traveller it's always safer to open with the formal one — nobody is offended by too much politeness.
How do you politely ask someone to speak English?
"你会说英语吗?" (NI-HUI-SHUO-YING-YU-MA) — "do you speak English?". Lead with "excuse me" in the local language and it comes across as respectful.
About this page
Written and checked by the Around the World team. We compare prices across the major providers, cross-check official sources, and update when something changes. We have no stake in any one provider — links are affiliate links, and the price is the same for you.
Sources: Phrasebook: the Around the World team · Language-to-country: Around the World data