I’m here on vacation
Wo lai dujia (Woh lie doo-jah) 我来渡假
I’m in China on holiday
Wo lai Zhongguo luxing (Woh lie Johng-gwoh lweesheeng) 我来中国旅行
I’m traveling on business
Wo zuo shengyi luxing (Woh zwoh sherng lwee-sheeng) 我做生意旅行
I’m in China on business
Wo lai Zhongguo weile zuo shengyi (Woh lie Johng-gwoh way-ler zwoh sherng-ee) 我来中国为了做生意
I am traveling alone
Wo dandu luxing (Woh dahn-doo lwee-sheeng) 我单独旅行
I don’t understand (listening)
Wo ting bu dong (Woh teeng boo dohng) 我听不懂
I’ve had enough, thank you
Wo gou le, xiexie (Woh go ler, shay-shay) 我够了，谢谢
I know
Wo zhidao (Woh jr-dow) 我知道
I don’t know
Wo bu zhidao (Woh boo jr-dow) 我不知道
I’m not sure
Wo bu qingchu (Woh boo cheeng-choo) 我不清楚
I’ve (already) eaten
Wo chi le (Woh chr ler) 我吃了
These are my bags
Zhe shi wo-de xingli (Jer shr woh-der sheeng-lee) 这是我的行李
My address is _____
Wo-de dizhi shi _____ (Woh-der dee-jr shr_____)
我的地址是 _____
That is my book
Wo-de shu (Woh-der shoo) 我的书
Are you Chinese?
Ni shi Zhonguoren ma? (Nee shr Johng-gwoh-wren mah)
你是中国人吗?
Are you Japanese?
Ni shi Ribenren ma? (Nee shr Ree-bern-wren mah)
你是日本人吗?
Do you live here?
Ni zhu zai zhe-ge difang ma? (Nee joo dzigh jay-guh dee-fahng mah) 你住在这个地方吗?
Are you married?
Ni jiehun-le ma? (Nee jay-hoon-ler mah) 你结婚了吗?
Do you have children?
Ni you haizi-le ma? (Nee you high-dzu-ler mah) 你有孩子了吗?
*The “you” (ni) is generally left out of sentences when it is understood from the context.
*Yes and no are not commonly used on their own in Chinese. Yes is usually expressed by repeating the verb. The negative is expressed by putting bu (boo) or mei (may) in front of verbs and adjectives.
first name ming (meeng) 名
family name xing (sheeng) 姓
What is your first name?
Nin gui ming? (Neen gway-meeng) 你贵名?
What is your family name?
Ni xing shenme? (Nee sheeng shern-mo) 你姓什么?
My family name is _____
Wo xing ______ (Woh sheeng _____) 我姓 ______
Where are we? / Where is this?
Zhe shi nali? (Jer shr nah-lee?) 这是那里?
We are not going
Wo-men bu qu (Woh-mern boo chwee) 我们不去
We have one daughter
Wo-men you yi-ge nuer (Woh-mern you ee-guh nwee-urr) 我们有一个女儿
We live in America
Wo-men zhu Meiguo (Woh-mern joo May-gwoh) 我们住美国
We are married
Wo-men jiehun-le (Woh-mern jeh-hoon-ler) 我们结婚了
We want to go to_____
Wo-men yao qu _____ (Woh-mern yee-ow chwee _____)
我们要去 _____
Do you speak English?
Ni hui shuo Yingwen ma? (Nee hway shwo Eeng-wern mah?) 你会说英文吗?
I don’t speak Chinese
Wo bu hui Zhongwen (Woh boo hway Johng-wern) 我不会中文
I speak a little Chinese
Hui yidian Zhongwen (Hway ee-dee-an Johng-wern) 会一点中文
Please speak more slowly
Qing shuo man yidian
