Learning how to communicate in Chinese can be a challenging task. There are so many different Chinese dialects and the language can be complicated for a beginner to understand.
However, with a few basic phrases and conversations, you can quickly become more conversational in Chinese. Here are some basic daily Chinese conversations to learn quickly.
1. Greetings
Greetings are an important part of any language and Chinese is no different. To say “hello” in Chinese, you can say “nǐ hǎo” (pronounced “nee-how”). This is the most common type of greeting. To say “goodbye” in Chinese, you can say “zài jiàn” (pronounced “zigh-jen”). It’s also important to note that the response “Nǐ hǎo” should be used when greeting someone in the morning and “Nǐ hǎo ma” (你好吗) should be used when greeting someone in the evening.
When greeting an older person or someone you don’t know, it’s more appropriate to say “Zàijiàn” (再见). This means “goodbye” and is considered a more polite greeting. Similarly, “Lǎo shī” (老师) is used when greeting an older teacher or professor.
For a more formal greeting, you can use “Zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè” (祝你生日快乐). This translates to “happy birthday” and is a great way to show your respect and appreciation.
When conversing with a close friend or family member, you can use the phrase “Gāo xìng jiàn” (高兴见). This translates to “it’s nice to see you” and is a more casual way of saying hello. Similarly, “Nǐ shēnme shíhou kāishǐ le” (你什么时候开始了）can be used when you want to ask how someone’s day is going.
2. Introductions
Introductions are another common part of daily conversations. To introduce yourself in Chinese, you can say “wǒ jiào _____” (pronounced “waw-jow”). The blank should be filled in with your name. To ask someone else’s name, you can say “nǐ jiào shén me míng zì” (pronounced “nee-jow-shen-me meeng-ze”).
To make sure you introduce yourself with confidence, here are some useful phrases and tips to get you started.
Zhōngwén hǎo ma?
This simple phrase translates to “Do you speak Chinese?” It’s a good way to initiate a conversation. If the person you’re addressing does not speak Chinese, you can switch to another language such as English or Japanese.
Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?
This phrase translates to “What’s your name?” It’s polite to ask someone’s name when you’re introducing yourself. Once you’ve asked the question, you can give your own name in response.
Wǒ shì …
This phrase translates to “I am…” As with any language, you can use this phrase to introduce yourself with your name, your job, or simply your nationality.
Nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò?
This phrase translates to “What do you do (for work)?” Asking about someone’s job is a great conversation starter and can be an interesting way to learn more about the person.
Wǒ zuòzhège
This phrase translates to “I do this.” Use this phrase to describe your job or something you’re passionate about.
3. Asking Questions
Questions are an important part of any conversation. To ask a simple question in Chinese, you can say “nǐ xiǎng shén me” (pronounced “nee-she-ang-shen-me”). This phrase literally translates to “what do you want?” and can be used in a variety of situations.
When asking questions in Chinese, there are two main forms you can use: the ma 吗 (ma) form and the ne 呢 (ne) form. The ma form is used to ask yes/no questions, while the ne form is used to ask open-ended questions. Keep in mind that the particle isn’t always necessary, as the intonation of the sentence can sometimes make it clear that you’re asking a question.
To ask a yes/no question in Chinese, start by stating the question in a neutral tone. Then add the particle ma 吗 (ma) at the end of the sentence to form the interrogative. For example, if you wanted to ask “Do you like Chinese food?”, you’d say “Ni xihuan Zhongguo cai ma? 你喜欢中国菜吗？” (“Ni xihuan Zhongguo cai ma?”).
On the other hand, to ask an open-ended question in Chinese, start by stating the question in a neutral tone. Then add the particle ne 呢 (ne) at the end of the sentence to form the interrogative. For example, if you wanted to ask “What do you like to do in your free time?”, you’d say “Ni zai xianyou shi jian zuo shenme ne? 你在闲暇时间做什么呢？” (“Ni zai xianyou shi jian zuo shenme ne?”).
It’s also important to remember that the tone of the sentence is important when asking questions in Chinese. If you use a rising tone, it will show that you are asking a question. But if you use a falling tone, it will show that you are making a statement. So be sure to pay attention to your intonation when conversing in Chinese.
4. Expressing Desires
Expressing desires can be a bit tricky in Chinese. To express a desire in Chinese, you can say “wǒ yào _____” (pronounced “waw-yao”). The blank should be filled in with what you want. To say “I want to go” in Chinese, you can say “wǒ yào qù” (pronounced “waw-yao-choo”).
The most commonly used phrase to express a wish or desire in Chinese is “xīwàng.” This phrase directly translates to “hope” and is used to express wishes or desires that are not necessarily immediate. For example, one might say “Wǒ xīwàng nǐ hǎo” to express the desire for someone to be well. This phrase can also be used to express general hopes or desires for the future, such as “Wǒ xīwàng wǒ gēn nǐ yīqǐ qù shàngkè” which expresses the desire to go to class together with someone.
The phrase “zhù” is used to express a more immediate desire. This phrase is often used to ask for something, such as “Wǒ zhù nǐ gěi wǒ yībēi kāfēi” which expresses the desire to have a cup of coffee. The phrase “zhù” is also commonly used to ask for help, such as “Wǒ zhù nǐ bāng wǒ gòu mǎi yīxiē dōngxi” which expresses the desire for someone to help buy some items.
The phrase “yùyào” is used to express a strong desire or demand. This phrase is often used to express a strong desire for something, such as “Wǒ yùyào nǐ qù wánchéng zhège rènwù” which expresses the desire for someone to complete a task. The phrase “yùyào” is also commonly used to express a strong demand for something, such as “Wǒ yùyào nǐ fàngxiàn zhège páiduì” which expresses the demand for someone to put down a team.
Finally, the phrase “xiǎng” is used to express a desire or wish in a more subtle way. This phrase is often used to express a desire or wish in a more gentle manner, such as “Wǒ xiǎng nǐ gāoxìng” which expresses the desire for someone to be happy. This phrase is also commonly used to express a desire for something, such as “Wǒ xiǎng yīxiē qíngkuàng huì gèng hǎo” which expresses the desire for a situation to be better.
5. Talking About the Weather
Talking about the weather is a great way to make small talk. To ask someone about the weather in Chinese, you can say “tiān qì zěn me yàng” (pronounced “te-en-chee-zen-me-ya-ng”). To answer the question, you can say “tiān qì hěn hǎo” (pronounced “te-en-chee-hen-how”) which means “the weather is very good.”
A popular Chinese phrase that is often used in weather conversations is 天气 (tiānqì), which means “weather” or “climate.” It is used to talk about the current weather conditions, as well as the forecast for the future. For example, the conversation may go something like this:
“今天的天气怎么样？” (Jīntiān de tiānqì zěnme yàng?) which means “How is the weather today?”
The response could be “今天的天气很好，很晴朗。” (Jīntiān de tiānqì hěn hǎo, hěn qínglǎng.). This means “The weather today is very good, it’s very sunny.”
Another phrase used to talk about weather is 天气变化 (tiānqì biànhuà), which means “weather change.” This phrase is used to talk about how the weather is changing, often in a negative way. For example, if there is a storm coming, someone might say “天气变化很快，可能会下雨。” (Tiānqì biànhuà hěn kuài, kěnéng huì xià yǔ.) This means “The weather is changing quickly, it might rain.”
Chinese also has a variety of different words to describe different types of weather. For example, the word for “sunny” is 晴 (qíng), and the word for “cloudy” is 阴 (yīn). There are also more specific words, such as 雷阵雨 (léizhènyǔ) for “thunderstorm,” and 大风 (dàfēng) for “strong wind.”
Finally, there are also words used to describe the temperature, such as 冷 (lěng) for “cold” and 热 (rè) for “hot.” These words can also be used to describe the climate in general, with “冷温带” (lěngwēndài) for “cold temperate zone” and “热带” (rèdài) for “tropical zone.”
Conclusion
Learning Chinese can be daunting at first, but with these basic daily Chinese conversations, you can quickly become more conversational. With a bit of practice, you’ll be able to hold conversations and master the language in no time.
Practice is key!
Originally posted 2023-01-03 16:20:11.
