Good afternoon! (the usual greeting is Ni3 hao3 at all times of the day)
午 安 ！
Wu3 an1!
How old are you?
你 的 年 龄 有 多 大 ？
Ni3 de nian2ling2 you3 duo1 da4?
I don't know how to speak Chinese.
我 不 会 说 汉 语 。
Wo3 bu2 hui4 shuo1 Han4yu3.
Let's wait a minute and let them catch up with us. (You will hear "Hui3r" from some people, because it softens it.)
咱 们 等 会 儿 ， 让 他 们 赶 上 来 。
Zan2men deng3 hui4r, rang4 ta1men gan3shang4lai2.
Please come with me.
请 跟 我 来 。
Qing3 gen1 wo3 lai2.
Please come in.
请 进
Qing3 jin4.
Come out, someone's waiting for you outside.
出 来 ， 有 人 在 外 面 等 你 。
Chu1lai, you3ren2 zai4 wai4mian4 deng3 ni3.
Congratulations!
恭 喜 ！ 恭 喜 ！
Gong1xi3! Gong1xi3!
Do you want to dance?
能 请 你 跳 舞 吗 ？
Neng2 qing3 ni3 tiao4wu3 ma?
It's a great day! (short form)
大 晴 天 儿 ！
Da4 qing2 tian1r.
Nice day! (Beijing colloquial -- strong 'r' -- any day that is mostly clear and nice.)
晴 天 儿 ！
Qing2 tian1r#!
It's a fantastic day! (Beijing colloquial -- the kind of day where you make excuses to go out and enjoy it)
天 儿 真 好 ！
Tian1r zhen1 hao3.
It's a beautiful day! (Beijing colloquial -- the kind of day that makes you enjoy doing your errands)
天 儿 太 好 了 ！
Tian1r tai4 hao3 le!
I'm sorry to disturb you.
很 抱 歉 打 扰 你 。
Hen3 bao4qian4 da3rao3 ni3.
What are you doing now?
你 在 干 什 么 ？
Ni3 zai4 gan4 shen2me?
What are you doing?
你 干 什 么 ？
Ni3 gan4 shen2me?
Have you eaten? (A common form of greeting instead of ni3 hao3)
你 吃 饭 了 吗 ？
Ni3 chi1fan4 le ma?
Good evening! (although correct, no one actually says this, it is a translation from English. People say 'Ni3 hao3' all day.)
晚 上 好 ！
Wan3shang hao3!
Where are you going? (A familiar form of greeting instead of ni3 hao3 - sort of like 'what are you doing?' 'What's up?' Can be said in either of two orders, depending on the person.)
你 哪 儿 去 啊 ？
Ni3 na3r qu4 a1?
Good luck!
祝 你 好 运 ！
Zhu4 ni3 hao3 yun4!
Good night! (Said in English, not in Chinese. In Chinese -- see zai4jian4 or shui4 ge hao3 jiao4)
晚 安 。
Wan3 an1.
See you tomorrow!
明 天 见 ！
Ming2tian1 jian4!
See you next year.
明 年 见 ！
Ming2nian2 jian4!
See you shortly.
回 头 见 ！
Hui2tou2 jian4!
See you soon.
一 会 儿 见 ！
Yi2hui4r jian4!
See you in Beijing!
北 京 见 ！
Bei3jing1 jian4!
See you at home!
回 家 见 ！
Hui2jia1 jian4!
See you at the dormitory!
宿 舍 见 ！
Su4she4 jian4!
They saw me off at the airport.
他 们 在 机 场 给 我 送 行 。
Ta1men zai4 ji1chang3 gei3 wo3 song4xing2.
to see someone off
送 行
song4xing2
Smooth sailing! (literal = Wish you smooth sailing - one common form of saying goodbye at the start of a major trip -- not going to a store...)
祝 你 一 帆 风 顺 。
Zhu4 ni3 yi4 fan1 feng1shun4.
to say good-bye
再 见
zai4jian4
Goodbye! (since this means "see you again" patients and doctors seldom say it -- the doctor will say, "take care of yourself" or something similar -- the patient says "thank you" but leaves off the zai4jian4)
再 见 ！
Zai4jian4!
See you next time. (a little formal- goodbye)
再 会 ！
Zai4 hui4!
See you tomorrow! (goodbye)
明 天 见 。
Ming2tian1 jian4.
Hope to see you again next time. (a little formal)
希 望 下 次 再 见 到 你 。
Xi1wang4 xia4ci4 zai4 jian4 dao4 ni3.
Sleep well! (said to close friends and family to say goodnight)
睡 个 好 觉 ！
Shui4 ge hao3 jiao4!
Sweet dreams! (literally -- have good dreams)
做 个 好 梦 ！
Zuo4 ge hao3 meng4!
I appreciate your goodwill, but I can't accept your gift. (literally -- I receive your goodwill -- very polite thing to say when being given a gift)
我 领 了 你 的 一 片 好 意 ， 但 是 我 不 能 接 受 你 的 礼 物 。
Wo3 ling3 le ni3 de yi2 pian4 hao3yi4, dan4shi4 wo3 bu4 neng2 jie1shou4 ni3 de li3wu4.
I appreciate your goodwill, but I can't accept your gift. (literally -- I receive your goodwill -- very polite thing to say when being given a gift - this is the shortened version -- colloquial)
你 的 好 意 我 领 了 ， 礼 物 就 不 收 了 。
Ni3 de hao3yi4 wo3 ling3 le, li3wu4 jiu4 bu4 shou1 le.
You're welcome to my home. (this is an invitation to come to someone's house -- you might be at work and the person wants to say that you are always welcome to their home)
欢 迎 到 我 家 做 客 。
Huan1ying2 dao4 wo3 jia1 zuo4 ke4.
Welcome, be our guest! (this is a bit formal -- more likely to hear "Ni3 hao3" "Qing3 jin4")
欢 迎 来 做 客 。
Huan1ying2 lai2 zuo4 ke4.
to be a guest (literally -- be a guest -- the same as 做 客 with the same pronunciation)
作 客
zuo4 ke4
Don't bother to see me out.
请 留 步 。
Qing3 liu2 bu4.
I am happy you are coming.
我 高 兴 你 来 。
Wo3 gao1xing4 ni3 lai2.
It's hard to part with friends. (to cause one feel sad)
与 好 友 分 别 是 令 人 难 过 的 。
Yu3 hao3 you3 fen1bie2 shi4 ling4ren2 nan2guo4 de.
Hello, Mr. Wang.
你 好 ， 王 先 生 ！
Ni3 hao3, Wang2 Xian1sheng!
Hello. Hi! How are you? How you doin'? Howdy! How do you do?
你 好 ？
Ni3 hao3!
Let me introduce you to each other.
我 给 你 们 介 绍 一 下 。
Wo3 gei3 ni3men jie4shao4 yi2 xia4.
I would like to invite you to go to the movies tonight. I have two tickets.
今 天 晚 上 我 想 请 你 去 看 电 影 。 我 有 两 张 票 。
Jin1tian1 wan3shang wo3 xiang3 qing3 ni3 qu4 kan4 dian4ying3. Wo3 you3 liang3 zhang1 piao4.
It's a great day!
天 儿 真 棒 ！
Tian1r zhen1 bang4!
if you're late I'll wait (literally -- not meet, not come loose)
不 见 不 散
bu2jian4bu2san3
I lost your address.
我 丢 了 你 的 地 址 。
Wo3 diu1 le ni3 de di4zhi3.
Pleased to meet you.
遇 见 您 很 高 兴 。
Yu4jian4 nin2 hen3 gao1xing4.
"Meeting and parting are both hard." (quote from a poem by Li Shangyin)
相 见 时 难 别 亦 难 。
Xiang1jian4 shi2 nan2 bie2 yi4 nan2.
Glad to meet you!
见 到 你 很 高 兴 ！
Jian4dao4 ni3 hen3 gao1xing4!
Where will we meet?
我 们 在 哪 儿 见 面 ？
Wo3men zai4 na3r jian4mian4?
we'll meet again someday
后 会 有 期
hou4hui4 you3 qi1
见 到 你 我 很 高 兴 ！
Jian4dao4 ni3 wo3 hen3 gao1xing4!
This is Miss Li.
这 位 是 李 小 姐 。
Zhe4 wei4 shi4 Li3 xiao3jie3.
Morning! Young people don't use it, but older people meeting to do exercises very early in the morning may.)
你 早 ！
Ni3 zao3!
Good morning!
早 上 好 ！
Zao3shang hao3!
That's Mr. Yao.
那 位 是 姚 先 生 。
Na4 wei4 shi4 Yao2 xian1sheng.
I'm Michael.
我 是 迈 克 尔
Wo3 shi4 Mai4ke4er3.
What was his name again?
他 叫 什 么 名 字 来 着 ？
Ta1 jiao4 shen2me ming2zi lai2zhe?
My last name's Jordan, my first name's Michael. (may leave out the shi4 in the second phrase)
我 姓 乔 丹 ， 叫 迈 克 尔 。
Wo3 xing4 Qiao2dan1, jiao4 Mai4ke4er3 .
Say Hi to Professor Shen!
请 代 问 沈 教 授 好 。
Qing3 dai4 wen4 Shen3 jiao4shou4 hao3!
Haven't seen you for quite awhile.
好 久 不 见 ！
Hao3 jiu3 bu2 jian4!
Please sit down and have a cup of tea.
请 坐 下 ， 喝 杯 茶 。
Qing3 zuo4xia4, he1 bei1 cha2.
Is this seat taken? (said on a bus, theater or in a restaurant)
这 儿 有 人 吗 ？
Zhe4r you3 ren2 ma?
Please take a seat.
请 坐 ！
Qing3 zuo4!
Thank you.
谢 谢 你 ！
Xie4xie ni3!
Have a good trip! (literally -- Wishing you a tailwind for your sail! Wishing you a speedy sail! -- wishing good wind -- for a major trip)
祝 你 一 路 顺 风 ！
Zhu4 ni3 yi2 lu4 shun4feng1!
Have a good trip! (literally -- Wish you a happy journey! used before a major trip to hope the actual travel is pleasant -- but the most common thing to say is "Wan2r de gao1xing" for family or friends, or "Zhu4 ni3 lu~3tu2 yu2kuai4." for acquaintances or your boss)
祝 你 路 途 愉 快 。
Zhu4 ni3 lu4tu2 yu2kuai4!
Bon Voyage! Have a safe trip! (literally -- Wishing you a safe journey back home! -- may see this on signs at the airport or leaving a city)
祝 你 一 路 平 安 ！
Zhu4 ni3 yi2 lu4 ping2'an1!
to visit; to pay a visit, to tour
参 观
can1guan1
to visit, to interview, to pay a diplomatic call (formal visit)
访 问
fang3wen4
Let's meet at 6:45, if you're not there I'll wait until you come.
咱 们 七 点 差 一 刻 见 ， 不 见 不 散 ！
Zan2men qi1 dian3 cha4 yi2 ke4 jian4, bu2 jian4 bu2 san4.
Let's walk. (preferred colloquial expression, replaces zou3lu4 found in the Reader)
我 们 步 行 吧 。
Wo3men bu4xing2 ba.
They welcomed me warmly.
他 们 热 烈 的 欢 迎 我 。
Ta1men re4lie4 de huan1ying2 wo3.
Let's play!
咱 们 玩 吧 ！
Zan2men wan2r ba!
Make yourself at home. Feel at home. (Don't feel like a guest)
别 客 气 。
Bie2 ke4qi4.
Welcome to my family.
欢 迎 到 我 家 来 。
Huan1ying2 dao4 wo3 jia1 lai2.
to welcome; Welcome!
欢 迎
huan1ying2
What's up?
有 什 么 新 闻 ？
You3 shen2me xin1wen2?
Who are you?
你 是 谁 ？
Ni3 shi4 shui2?
You look very young.
你 的 样 子 很 年 轻 。
Ni3 de yang4zi hen3 nian2qing1.
http://hua.umf.maine.edu/Chinese/topics/topics.html Last Update: January 2009 © Marilyn Shea 1999, 2001, 2004, 2008
