If you’re taking a trip to Taiwan, you’ll need to know a bit of Mandarin Chinese to get around — to help with that, we’ve put together this Mandarin phrasebook! (You can also use Mandarin in China and Singapore!)
Help With Language
I can’t speak Mandarin. — 我唔識講廣東話. (wo woo shí shang guangdong hua.)
Excuse me, do you speak English? — 請問你識唔識講英文呀? (shingwen ni shi wu shi shang yingwen ya?)
Is there someone here who speaks English? — 請問有冇人識講英文呀? (shingwen yo mao ren shi shang yingwen ya)
Please speak more slowly. — 请说慢一点。(shing show man yee-dian.)
How do you say this in Mandarin? — 如何在粤语说？(ru-heh zai yeah-yu show?)
Please repeat it. — 请再说一遍。(shing zai-show yee-bee-an.)
I don’t understand. — 我唔明. (wo woo ming)
I understand. — 我明白。(wo ming bai)
Common Words
NOTE: Mandarin does not have words for “yes” or “no”. Questions are answered by repeating the verb.
Excuse me. (getting attention) — 唔好意思. (woo how ee soo)
Excuse me. (to get past) — 唔該. (woo guy)
Sorry. — 對唔住. (Doo-ee woo choo)
Please. — 請. (Ching)
Thank you. (when someone helps you) — 唔該. (woo guy)
Thank you. (when someone gives you a gift) — 多謝 (doo-shi-eh).
You’re welcome. — 唔使客氣. M̀h’sái haak-hei. (woo-shoo kuh-ti)
How? — 怎麼樣 (zeh-meh yahng)
Where? — 哪裡？(nah-lee)
What? — 什麼？(shen-mah)
When? — 什麼時候？(shen-mah she-hoh)
Who? — 誰？(shwee)
Why? — 為什麼? (wee-sheh-mah)
How much, how many? — 多少？(doo-sh-ow)
What is this? — 這是什麼？(sheh she shen-mah)
Really? — 真？(chin?)
It’s fine. — 沒關係。(may-guan-she)
O.K./All right. — 好吧。(how bah)
That’s all right. — 沒關係。(may-guan-she)
I don’t know. — 我不知道。(woh bu shi-dow)
I think so. — 我想是這樣。(woh shang shi cheh-yahng)
Basic Descriptions
It’s dangerous. — 這很危險。(cheh huh weh-shen)
beautiful — 美麗 (meh-lee)
delicious — 好食. (how shee)
wonderful — 精彩 (shing-tsai)
hungry — 飢餓 (chi-ugh)
thirsty — 渴 (kuh)
tired — 累 (lay)
Days Of The Week
today — 今日 (shin ruh)
yesterday — 昨天 (zoh tee-ehn)
tomorrow — 明天 (ming tee-ehn)
the day before last — 最後的前一天 (zool-hoh deh ching yee-tee-ehn)
the day after tomorrow — 後天 (hoh tee-ehn)
this week — 本星期 (ben shing-chi)
last week — 上個星期 (shang go shing-chi)
next week — 下週 (Chy-ah zhou)
Sunday — 星期日 (shing ch-rooh)
Monday — 星期一 (shing-chi yee)
Tuesday — 星期二 (shing-chi yah)
Wednesday — 星期三 (shing-chi SEN)
Thursday — 星期四 (shing-chi soo)
Friday — 星期五 (shing-chi woo)
Saturday — 星期六 (shing-chi LEoh)
Greetings
Hello. — 你好. (Nee how)
Hello. (only on the telephone) — 喂。(way)
How are you? — 你好嗎? (Nee how mah)
Fine. — 幾好. (Shi how)
Goodbye. — 再見 (tsai shee-n)
Good morning. — 早晨. (tsow-shen)
What is your name? — 你叫什麼名字? (Nee sh-ow shen-muh ming-zoo)
My name is ______ . — 我個名叫______. (Wo guh ming sh-ow)
Nice to meet you. — 幸會. (shing h’way)
Requests
Where is the toilet? — 洗手間在哪? (shi show tsen zai nah)
Can I use your phone? — 可唔可以借個電話用呀? (kuh woo kuh-yee she geh dee’n-huh yong ya)
Please help me. — 唔該幫我. (woo guy bong woh)
It’s an emergency. — 好緊急. (how chin-chi)
It’s urgent. — 這很緊急 (Shuh hun chin-chi)
I’m lost. — 我迷路了 (woh me-loo-luh)
Crime
Help! — 救命呀! (sho-ming ya!)
Look out! — 小心! (chow-cheen)
Leave me alone. — 唔好搞我. (woo how gow woh)
Go away! — 走開！(tsoh kai!)
Don’t touch me! — 不要碰我！ (boo yow pung woh)
I’ll call the police. — 我會叫警察. (Woh hui chow jing-cha)
Police! — 警察! (jing-cha!)
Stop! Thief! — 停止！ 賊！ (ting-chi! zay!)
I lost my bag. —我唔見左個袋. (wo woo tschan zoh guh die)
I dropped my wallet. — 我跌左個銀包. (woh dee zoh guh yeen bao)
Medical
I don’t feel well. — 我感覺不舒服. (woh gan-shoo boo shoo foo)
I’ve been injured. — 我受挫傷. (woh show tsuh-shong)
Please call a doctor. — 唔該幫我叫醫生. (woo guy bong woh sh-ow yee-shung)
Directions
Is it far? — 遠嗎？(yee-en mah?)
How do I get to _____ ? — 我可以點去_____呀? (Woh keh-yee d’yan chu _____ ya)
…the train station — 火車站 (hoo-uh chuh chen)
…the bus station? — 巴士站 (bah-shi jen)
…the airport? — 機場 (shi-chong)
…downtown? — 市區 (chee-choo)
…the _____ hotel? — _____ 酒店 (_____ dee-ehn)
Can you show me on the map? — 你能在地圖上指給我看嗎？ (nee neng zai dee-tu shong chu gay woh kahn mah)
street — 街 (she-ay)
Turn left. — 轉左 (joo-wan zoh)
Turn right. — 轉右 (joo-wan yoh)
left — 左 (zoh)
right — 右 (yoh)
straight ahead — 直行 (gee-sing)
towards the _____ — 去_____ (choo _____)
past the _____ — 過去 _____ (gwo-choo _____)
before the _____ — _____ 之前 (_____ ch-zee-ehn)
Watch for the _____. — 觀看了_____. (guan-kal-luh _____)
intersection — 十字路口 (shi-zoo-loo koh)
north — 北面 (bay me-in)
south — 南面 (naan me-in)
east — 東面 (dohng me-in)
west — 西面 (shi me-in)
Flirting
Can I have a cigarette? – 我能有一根煙？(woh nung yo yee gehn yen)
Can I buy you a drink? – 我可以請你喝一杯嗎？(woh kuh-yee king nee hoo yee bay mah?)
Can I have your telephone number? — 我可以把你的電話號碼嗎？(woh kuh-yee bah nee deh dee-en-hua how-ma mah?)
Let’s go eat together. — 讓我們一起吃飯。 (rong woh-men yee-chi shi-fan)
You are handsome. — 您是英俊瀟灑。(neen shi yeeng-shing chow-sah)
You look sexy. – 你看起來性感。(nee kahn chi-lai sheen-gan)
You have beautiful eyes. – 你有美麗的眼睛。(nee yo may-lee de yan-shing)
You have a nice smile. — 你有一個漂亮的笑容。(nee yo yee-go pyow-long de sh-ow-rong)
What’s your HIV status? – 什麼是你的艾滋病病毒感染狀況？(shen-meh she nee de eye-zuh-bing bing-doo gone-ren zhong-kong)
We must use a condom. — 我們必須使用安全套。(woh-men bee-shoo she-yong an-chen-cow)
We should use a condom. — 我們應該使用避孕套。(woh-men ying-guy she-yong bee-yoon tao)
Can I see you again? — 我可以再見到你？(woh kuh-yee tsai-shen dow ni?)
(Featured image via IStoleTheTV/Flickr.)
