Everyday Chinese

How to greet each other in Putonghua? How to order a cup of coffee or some dumplings in a restaurant?
Here are some situational conversations and basic knowledge we have prepared for you.
They are practical and easy to learn. You can click the links to listen to the vocabulary or the conversations.
You are most welcome to tell us your comments and feedback about the online lessons.

Making Inquiries

Vocabulary
词汇
Cíhuì

请
qǐng
please

问
wèn
to ask

去
qù
to go

中文大学
Zhōngwén Dàxué
Chinese University

怎么
zěnme
how

走
zǒu
to walk

可以
kéyǐ
can; may

坐
zuò
to sit

火车
huǒchē
train

远
yuǎn
far

站
zhàn
station; stop

到
dào
to arrive; to go to

哪 (兒)
nǎr
where

那边 (兒)
nèibiānr
there

看见
kànjiɑn
to catch sight of; to see

这（儿）
zhèr
here

附近
fùjìn
nearby

书店
shūdiàn
bookstore

有
yǒu
to have

要
yào
to need

分钟
fēnzhōng
minute

好的
hǎo de
Ok; great

Notes: When "请问" is used to start an inquiry, it means "Excuse me".


对话
Duìhuà
Dialogue
對話一

请问，去中文大学怎么走？
Qǐngwèn, qù Zhōngwén Dàxué zěnme zǒu?
Excuse me, how can I get to the Chinese University?

你可以坐火车去。
Nǐ kéyǐ zuò huǒchē qù.
You may go by train.

远吗？
Yuǎn mɑ?
Is it far away?

不远，两个站就到了。
Bùyuǎn, liǎng gè zhàn jiù dào le.
No, only two stops.

火车站在哪儿呢？
Huǒchēzhàn zài nǎr ne?
Where is the railway station?

就在那边(兒) 。
Jiù zài nèibiānr.
It's right there.

我看见了，谢谢。
Wǒ kànjian le, xièxie.
I get it, thank you.

對話二

请问，这附近有书店吗？
Qǐngwèn, zhè fùjìn yǒu shūdiàn mɑ?
Excuse me, is there a bookstore around here?

有，你一直往前走就到了。
Yǒu, nǐ yīzhí wǎng qián zǒu jiù dào le.
Yes, go straight on until you get there.

要走多久？
Yào zǒu duōjiǔ?
How long will it take?

十分钟就到了。
Shí fēnzhōng jiù dào le.
Ten minutes.

好的，谢谢!
Hǎo de, xièxie!
Great, thank you!


句型与替换
Jùxíng yǔ tìhuɑn
Sentence patterns and pr actice phrases

你可以坐
Nǐ kéyǐ zuò
火车
huǒchē
 去。
qù.

You may go by train.

地铁
dìtiě
Subway

你可以坐地铁去。
Nǐ kéyǐ zuò dìtiě qù.
You may go by subway/ MTR.

小巴
xiǎobā
mini bus

你可以坐小巴去。
You may go by mini bus.
Nǐ kéyǐ zuò xiǎobā qù.

大巴
dàbā
bus

你可以坐大巴去。
Nǐ kéyǐ zuò dàbā qù.
You may go by bus.

出租车
chūzūchē
taxi

你可以坐出租车去。
Nǐ kéyǐ zuò chūzūchē qù.
You may go by taxi.

这附近有
Zhè fùjìn yǒu
 书店
shūdiàn
 吗？
mɑ?

Is there a bookstore around here?

邮局
yóujú
post office

这附近有邮局吗？
Zhè fùjìn yǒu yóujú mɑ?
Is there a post office around here?

医院
yīyuàn
hospital

这附近有医院吗？
Zhè fùjìn yǒu yīyuàn mɑ?
Is there a hospital around here?

餐馆
cānguǎn
restaurant

这附近有餐馆吗？
Zhè fùjìn yǒu cānguǎn mɑ?
Is there a restaurant around here?

酒店
jiǔdiàn
hotel

这附近有酒店吗？
Zhè fùjìn yǒu jiǔdiàn mɑ?
Is there a hotel around here?

药店
yàodiàn
drugstore

这附近有药店吗？
Zhè fùjìn yǒu yàodiàn mɑ?
Is there a drugstore around here?

公车站
gōngchē zhàn
bus stop

这附近有公车站吗？
Zhè fùjìn yǒu gōngchē zhàn mɑ?
Is there a bus stop around here?

地铁站
dìtiězhàn
subway station/ MTR station

这附近有地铁站吗？
Zhè fùjìn yǒu dìtiězhàn mɑ?
Is there a subway station/ MTR station around here?

火车站
huǒchēzhàn
railway station

这附近有火车站吗？
Zhè fùjìn yǒu huǒchēzhàn mɑ?
Is there a railway station around here?

你往
Nǐ wǎng
 前
qián
 走五分钟就到了。
zǒu wǔ fēnzhōng jiù dào le.

Go straight on for five minutes until you get there.

左转
zuózhuǎn
Turn left

你往左转走五分钟就到了。
Nǐ wǎng zuózhuǎn zǒu wǔ fēnzhōng jiù dào le.
Turn left on for five minutes until you get there.

右转
yòuzhuǎn
Turn right

你往右转走五分钟就到了。
Nǐ wǎng yòuzhuǎn zǒu wǔ fēnzhōng jiù dào le.
Turn right on for five minutes until you get there.

东
dōng
east

你往东走五分钟就到了。
Nǐ wǎng dōng zǒu wǔ fēnzhōng jiù dào le.
Go east on for five minutes until you get there.

南
nán
south

你往南走五分钟就到了。
Nǐ wǎng nán zǒu wǔ fēnzhōng jiù dào le.
Go south on for five minutes until you get there.

西
xī
west

你往西走五分钟就到了。
Nǐ wǎng xī zǒu wǔ fēnzhōng jiù dào le.
Go west on for five minutes until you get there.

北
běi
north

你往北走五分钟就到了。
Nǐ wǎng běi zǒu wǔ fēnzhōng jiù dào le.
Go north on for five minutes until you get there.