Learn Chinese in 7 days: the free travel course

Fifteen words that carry almost every polite exchange you will have in China. None of them is hard to say, and locals notice immediately when a visitor uses them — doors open faster, service gets friendlier, and small misunderstandings shrink.

1. 你好。Nǐ hǎo. — Hello.
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2. 早上好。Zǎoshang hǎo. — Good morning.
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3. 你好吗？Nǐ hǎo ma? — How are you?
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4. 认识你很高兴。Rènshi nǐ hěn gāoxìng. — Nice to meet you.
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5. 你叫什么名字？Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi? — What's your name?
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6. 我是游客。Wǒ shì yóukè. — I'm a tourist.
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7. 谢谢。Xièxie. — Thank you.
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8. 不客气。Bú kèqi. — You're welcome.
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9. 不好意思。Bù hǎoyìsi. — Excuse me.
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10. 对不起。Duìbuqǐ. — Sorry.
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11. 没关系。Méi guānxi. — It's fine.
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12. 是。Shì. — Yes.
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13. 不是。Bú shì. — No.
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14. 好的。Hǎo de. — Okay.
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15. 再见。Zàijiàn. — Goodbye.
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Today's mission: Greet three people today — hotel staff, a shop assistant, a taxi driver. A spoken 你好 plus a smile is enough.

The phrases that rescue you the moment a conversation outruns your Chinese. These are also the ones locals answer most helpfully: 请说慢一点 and 请写下来 turn a blank stare into a typed screen or a handwritten note you can show to the next person.

1. 我不懂。Wǒ bù dǒng. — I don't understand.
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2. 请再说一遍。Qǐng zài shuō yí biàn. — Please say it again.
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3. 你会说英语吗？Nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma? — Do you speak English?
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4. 请说慢一点。Qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎn. — Please speak more slowly.
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5. 请写下来。Qǐng xiě xiàlái. — Please write it down.
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6. 我中文说得不好。Wǒ Zhōngwén shuō de bù hǎo. — My Chinese isn't good.
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7. 我不知道。Wǒ bù zhīdào. — I don't know.
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8. 请问Qǐngwèn — May I ask?
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9. 请等一下。Qǐng děng yíxià. — Please wait a moment.
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10. 不用了，谢谢。Bú yòng le, xièxie. — No thanks.
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11. 晚安。Wǎn'ān. — Good night.
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12. 我爱你。Wǒ ài nǐ. — I love you.
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13. 干杯！Gānbēi! — Cheers!
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14. 生日快乐！Shēngrì kuàilè! — Happy birthday!
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15. 太棒了！Tài bàng le! — That's great!
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Today's mission: Have one full conversation where you say 我不懂 and 请再说一遍 out loud instead of switching to gestures.

Restaurants are where you will use Chinese most. Menus may have no photos, staff may have no English, and pointing alone will not get you less spicy or no meat. After today you can order, ask what is good, and pay for the meal.

1. 多少钱？Duōshao qián? — How much?
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2. 我要这个。Wǒ yào zhège. — I want this one.
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3. 不要辣。Bú yào là. — Not spicy, please.
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4. 有菜单吗？Yǒu càidān ma? — Do you have a menu?
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5. 好吃！Hǎochī! — Delicious!
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6. 我不吃肉。Wǒ bù chī ròu. — I don't eat meat.
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7. 请给我水。Qǐng gěi wǒ shuǐ. — Water, please.
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8. 可以打包吗？Kěyǐ dǎbāo ma? — Can I get this to go?
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9. 太贵了。Tài guì le. — Too expensive.
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10. 买单。Mǎidān. — The bill, please.
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11. 有什么推荐？Yǒu shénme tuījiàn? — What do you recommend?
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12. 我吃素。Wǒ chī sù. — I'm vegetarian.
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13. 可以加饭吗？Kěyǐ jiā fàn ma? — Can I get more rice?
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14. 太辣了！Tài là le! — This is too spicy!
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15. 我请客。Wǒ qǐngkè. — It's my treat.
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Today's mission: Order one dish end to end: point at the menu, say 我要这个，and finish with 买单。

Drivers and station staff often speak no English at all, which makes this the day that saves the most walking. The address card on this site plus 请带我去这个地址 handles the destination; the rest of today's phrases handle tickets, timing and directions.

1. 厕所在哪里？Cèsuǒ zài nǎlǐ? — Where is the bathroom?
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2. 我要去机场。Wǒ yào qù jīchǎng. — I need to go to the airport.
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3. 就是这个地址。Jiùshì zhège dìzhǐ. — This is the address.
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4. 一张票多少钱？Yì zhāng piào duōshao qián? — How much is one ticket?
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5. 火车站在哪儿？Huǒchēzhàn zài nǎr? — Where is the train station?
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6. 我不会说中文。Wǒ bú huì shuō Zhōngwén. — I can't speak Chinese.
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7. 请帮我一下。Qǐng bāng wǒ yíxià. — Please help me.
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8. 我要买票。Wǒ yào mǎi piào. — I want to buy a ticket.
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9. 什么时候出发？Shénme shíhou chūfā? — When do we leave?
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10. 这是我的护照。Zhè shì wǒ de hùzhào. — This is my passport.
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11. 请带我去这个地址。Qǐng dài wǒ qù zhège dìzhǐ. — Please take me to this address.
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12. 多久能到？Duōjiǔ néng dào? — How long does it take to get there?
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13. 我的手机没电了。Wǒ de shǒujī méi diàn le. — My phone is dead.
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14. 可以帮我拍张照片吗？Kěyǐ bāng wǒ pāi zhāng zhàopiàn ma? — Can you take a photo of me?
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15. 不用找了。Bú yòng zhǎo le. — Keep the change.
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Today's mission: Take one taxi or train using Chinese only — show the address, ask 多久能到？and pay with 不用找了。

Hotels are also where mobile payments stop being optional: front desks, breakfast vouchers and luggage storage all move faster when you can ask for Alipay or WeChat Pay by name. Today ends with you checking in, sorting a room problem, and paying without opening your wallet for cash.

1. 我订了房间。Wǒ dìng le fángjiān. — I booked a room.
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2. 有空房吗？Yǒu kòngfáng ma? — Do you have a room available?
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3. 我要入住。Wǒ yào rùzhù. — I'd like to check in.
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4. 我要退房。Wǒ yào tuìfáng. — I'd like to check out.
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5. 房间在几楼？Fángjiān zài jǐ lóu? — What floor is the room on?
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6. 有 Wi-Fi 吗？Yǒu Wi-Fi ma? — Is there Wi-Fi?
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7. 空调坏了。Kōngtiáo huài le. — The air conditioner is broken.
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8. 请给我毛巾。Qǐng gěi wǒ máojīn. — A towel, please.
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9. 可以寄存行李吗？Kěyǐ jìcún xíngli ma? — Can I store my luggage?
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10. 早餐几点开始？Zǎocān jǐ diǎn kāishǐ? — What time does breakfast start?
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11. 可以用支付宝吗？Kěyǐ yòng Zhīfùbǎo ma? — Can I pay with Alipay?
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12. 可以用微信支付吗？Kěyǐ yòng Wēixìn zhīfù ma? — Can I pay with WeChat Pay?
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13. 怎么付款？Zěnme fùkuǎn? — How do I pay?
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14. 我来付。Wǒ lái fù. — I'll get this.
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15. 可以开发票吗？Kěyǐ kāi fāpiào ma? — Can I have a receipt?
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Today's mission: Check in by saying 我要入住 and 我订了房间，then pay once with 可以用支付宝吗？

Markets and small shops run on two sentences: 这个多少钱 and 可以便宜一点吗。Everything else today is about getting the right size, the right color, and not buying the first thing you touch. Browse politely with 我随便看看 — sellers genuinely back off when you say it.

1. 这个多少钱？Zhège duōshao qián? — How much is this?
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2. 可以便宜一点吗？Kěyǐ piányi yìdiǎn ma? — Can you make it cheaper?
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3. 我可以试试吗？Wǒ kěyǐ shìshi ma? — Can I try it on?
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4. 我随便看看。Wǒ suíbiàn kànkan. — I'm just browsing.
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5. 有别的颜色吗？Yǒu bié de yánsè ma? — Do you have another color?
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6. 可以刷卡吗？Kěyǐ shuākǎ ma? — Can I pay by card?
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7. 有小号吗？Yǒu xiǎo hào ma? — Do you have a small size?
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8. 给我一个袋子。Gěi wǒ yí ge dàizi. — Give me a bag, please.
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9. 我要退这个。Wǒ yào tuì zhège. — I want to return this.
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10. 打折吗？Dǎzhé ma? — Is there a discount?
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11. 有大号的吗？Yǒu dàhào de ma? — Do you have a larger size?
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12. 可以退税吗？Kěyǐ tuìshuì ma? — Can I get a tax refund?
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13. 收现金吗？Shōu xiànjīn ma? — Do you take cash?
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14. 一共多少钱？Yígòng duōshao qián? — How much is it altogether?
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15. 可以分开付吗？Kěyǐ fēnkāi fù ma? — Can we pay separately?
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Today's mission: Buy something small: ask the price, try it on, and ask 可以便宜一点吗？ once. The worst case is a smile and a no.

The phrases you hope never to need, learned last so they stay fresh. They cover the four emergency numbers, sickness and allergies, a lost passport or stolen wallet — plus the two payment failures that most often end a good day badly.

1. 救命！Jiùmìng! — Help!
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2. 我需要帮助。Wǒ xūyào bāngzhù. — I need help.
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3. 请叫警察。Qǐng jiào jǐngchá. — Please call the police.
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4. 请叫救护车。Qǐng jiào jiùhùchē. — Please call an ambulance.
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5. 我迷路了。Wǒ mílù le. — I'm lost.
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6. 医院在哪里？Yīyuàn zài nǎlǐ? — Where is the hospital?
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7. 我需要看医生。Wǒ xūyào kàn yīshēng. — I need to see a doctor.
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8. 我过敏。Wǒ guòmǐn. — I'm allergic.
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9. 我对花生过敏。Wǒ duì huāshēng guòmǐn. — I'm allergic to peanuts.
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10. 我生病了。Wǒ shēngbìng le. — I'm sick.
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11. 我的护照丢了。Wǒ de hùzhào diū le. — I lost my passport.
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12. 我的钱包被偷了。Wǒ de qiánbāo bèi tōu le. — My wallet was stolen.
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13. 这附近有药店吗？Zhè fùjìn yǒu yàodiàn ma? — Is there a pharmacy nearby?
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14. 支付没成功。Zhīfù méi chénggōng. — The payment didn't go through.
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15. 我的卡不能用。Wǒ de kǎ bù néng yòng. — My card doesn't work.
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Today's mission: Fill in the emergency card on this site and save 110 and 120 in your phone under favorites before your trip.