Essential Mandarin Chinese Phrasebook & Dictionary. Catherine Dai
find cannot this address
= “I cannot find this address.”
12 Questions
There are three ways to ask a question in Chinese. The easiest way is to add the word ma 吗 at the end of the sentence. This word functions like a question mark.
Nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma?
You can speak English (question marker)
= “Can you speak English?”
Nǐ shì Bǐdé ma?
You are Peter (question marker)
=“Are you Peter?”
The second way is to use the yes/no verbal construction which presents two opposing alternatives.
Nǐ huì bu huì shuō Yīngyǔ?
You can not can speak English
= “Can you speak English?”
Nǐ shì bu shì Bǐdé?
You are not are Peter
= “Are you Peter?”
The third way is to use a question word like shéi “who”, shénme “what”, nǎli/nǎr “where”, wèishénme “why”, jǐ “how many”, nǎ “which” and zěnme “how”. Here are some examples of questions you can ask.
1. Nǐ shì shéi/shuí?
You are who
= “Who are you?”
2. Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?
You called what name
= “What’s your name?”
3. Nǐ zěnme qù jīcháng?
You how go airport
= “How are you going to the airport?”
4. Nǐ cóng nar lái?
You from where come
= “Where are you from?”
5. Nǐ péngyǒu zài nǎli?
Your friends at where
= “Where are your friends?”
6. Nǐ wèishénme bù shuōhuà?
You why not speaking
= “Why aren’t you speaking?”
7. Xiànzài jǐ diǎnzhōng le?
Now what time already
= “What’s the time now?”
8. Nǐ shénme shíhou láide?
You what hour come
= “When did you arrive?”
13 Yes and no
There are no specific words in Chinese for expressing “yes” and “no” in a question. The closest equivalent is shìde 是的 “is”and búshì 不是 “is not” respectively. Usually, when the Chinese ask a question such as Nǐ yào qù Běijīng ma? 你要去北京吗？“Do you want to go to Beijing?”, the person answering uses the same verb. For example, the verb in the question is qù 去 “go”, thus the answer would be Wǒ yào qù Běijīng. 我要去北京。“I want to go to Beijing.” To answer in the negative, you add bù 不 before the verb used in the sentence, e.g., Wǒ bùyào qù Běijīng. 我不要去北京。“I don’t want to go to Beijing.”
Nǐ lèi bú lèi?
You tired not tired
= “Are you tired?”
“Yes” answer:
Hěn lèi.
Very tired
= “Yes, I’m very tired.”
“No” answer:
Bú lèi.
Not tired
= “No, I’m not tired.”
Nǐ gāoxìng bú gāoxìng?
You happy not happy
= “Are you happy?”
“Yes” answer:
Gāoxìng.
Happy
= “Yes, I’m happy.”
“No” answer:
Bù gāoxìng.
Not happy
=“No, I’m not happy.”
Alternatively you can use the words duì 对 meaning “correct” and bùduì 不对 “not correct” (often shortened to bù 不 “no”) in replies. For example:
Nǐ shì Měiguórén ma?
You are American (question marker)
= “Are you American?”
Duì, wǒ shì Měiguórén
Correct, I am American
= “Yes, I’m American” or
Bù, wǒ shì Yīngguórén
No, I am British
= “No, I’m British.”
1. The Basics
1.1 Personal details
1.2 Today or tomorrow?
1.3 What time is it?
1.4 One, two, three...
1.5 The weather
1.6 Here, there...
1.7 What does that sign say?
1.8 Legal holidays
1.1 Personal details
In China the family name comes first and the given name next. Titles come after the name. For example, Mr Wang is Wáng xiānsheng 王先生 and Ms Wang is Wáng xiǎojie 王小姐. The title tàitai 太太 is given to married women and is placed after the husband’s surname. This is the convention still used by Chinese women in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and outside China. In Mainland China, however, Chinese women now do not adopt their husband’s surname after marriage. Overseas Chinese and foreigners will have to get used to this new convention and address married women by their maiden name, e.g., if her surname is Lǐ 李 she should be addressed as Lǐ xiǎojie 李小姐 or Lǐ nǚshì 李女士 (for an older woman). However, you may also use the older title tàitai 太太 after the husband’s surname in formal situations.
surname
xìng
姓
first name
míngzi
名字
initials
xìngmíng suōxiě
姓名缩写
address
dìzhǐ
地址
street
jiē
街
unit number
ménpáihào
门牌号
postal code
yóubiān
邮编
town