50 basic Mandarin phrases to get started
Essential Chinese phrases with pinyin: greetings, introductions, everyday questions, and useful answers from HSK 1.
Overview
Before piling up isolated vocabulary, master short phrases you can use right away. These cover everyday situations from your first month.
Greetings and courtesy
你好 (nǐ hǎo), 谢谢 (xièxie), 不客气 (bú kèqi), 对不起 (duìbuqǐ), and 没关系 (méi guānxi) are the base of almost every interaction.
Add 请问 (qǐngwèn) before asking and 请 (qǐng) to sound natural when requesting something.
Introducing yourself and asking
我叫… (wǒ jiào…), 你是哪国人？ (nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?), and 你会说英语吗？ (nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma?) open real conversations.
Practice variants with numbers, age, and job so you can personalize without memorizing dozens of rules.
Immediate survival
这个多少钱？ (zhège duōshao qián?), 我不懂 (wǒ bù dǒng), and 请再说一遍 (qǐng zài shuō yí biàn) save you in shops, taxis, or class.
Say each phrase aloud: Chinese sticks better when you combine ear, mouth, and writing.
Put it into practice
Practice these phrases with audio, flashcards, and speaking in Chinese Trainer.