Everyday Chinese Conversation: Essential Phrases and How to Practise
You can start having real conversations in Mandarin much sooner than you might think. A small set of high-frequency phrases covers greetings, introductions, shopping, food and finding your way. Below are 39 essential phrases with pinyin and meanings, grouped by situation, plus advice on how to turn them into real speaking skills.
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How to learn conversational Chinese
Conversation is a skill, not a list. The fastest progress comes from learning phrases as whole chunks, saying them out loud with correct tones, and then using them in real exchanges where you also have to understand the answer.
In the tables below, the pinyin shows the tone changes of 一 and 不 as they are actually pronounced (for example 不客气 bú kèqi), as most textbooks do. Third-tone changes are not marked: 你好 is written nǐ hǎo but pronounced closer to ní hǎo. Our pinyin and tones guide explains both rules.
Greetings and polite expressions
These are the phrases you will use every day. Note that 你好 is a greeting for people you don't know well; friends often just say hi with the person's name.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 你好！ | Nǐ hǎo! | Hello! |
| 您好！ | Nín hǎo! | Hello! (polite) |
| 早上好！ | Zǎoshang hǎo! | Good morning! |
| 晚安！ | Wǎn'ān! | Good night! |
| 谢谢！ | Xièxie! | Thank you! |
| 不客气。 | Bú kèqi. | You're welcome. |
| 对不起。 | Duìbuqǐ. | Sorry. |
| 没关系。 | Méi guānxi. | That's all right. / Never mind. |
| 再见！ | Zàijiàn! | Goodbye! |
Introducing yourself
Introductions are often the first real conversation you have. Prepare a short version about yourself and practise it until it flows.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 你叫什么名字？ | Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi? | What's your name? |
| 我叫安娜。 | Wǒ jiào Ānnà. | My name is Anna. |
| 很高兴认识你。 | Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ. | Nice to meet you. |
| 你是哪国人？ | Nǐ shì nǎ guó rén? | Which country are you from? |
| 我是英国人。 | Wǒ shì Yīngguórén. | I'm British. |
| 你做什么工作？ | Nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò? | What do you do for work? |
| 我在学中文。 | Wǒ zài xué Zhōngwén. | I'm learning Chinese. |
When you don't understand
These phrases keep a conversation going when you get lost — arguably the most useful ones for any learner.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 我听不懂。 | Wǒ tīng bu dǒng. | I don't understand (what I hear). |
| 请再说一遍。 | Qǐng zài shuō yí biàn. | Please say that again. |
| 请说慢一点儿。 | Qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎnr. | Please speak a little more slowly. |
| ……用中文怎么说？ | … yòng Zhōngwén zěnme shuō? | How do you say … in Chinese? |
| 这是什么意思？ | Zhè shì shénme yìsi? | What does this mean? |
| 你会说英语吗？ | Nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma? | Do you speak English? |
Shopping and eating out
Prices and food are where many learners first use Chinese for real. In markets, friendly bargaining is common; in shops with marked prices, it usually is not.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 多少钱？ | Duōshao qián? | How much is it? |
| 太贵了！ | Tài guì le! | That's too expensive! |
| 能便宜一点儿吗？ | Néng piányi yìdiǎnr ma? | Could you make it a bit cheaper? |
| 我要这个。 | Wǒ yào zhège. | I'll take this one. |
| 我不吃辣。 | Wǒ bù chī là. | I don't eat spicy food. |
| 很好吃！ | Hěn hǎochī! | It's delicious! |
| 买单！ | Mǎidān! | The bill, please! |
Getting around
With these questions — and a map on your phone — you can find almost anything.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 洗手间在哪儿？ | Xǐshǒujiān zài nǎr? | Where is the restroom? |
| 地铁站怎么走？ | Dìtiězhàn zěnme zǒu? | How do I get to the metro station? |
| 我想去这个地方。 | Wǒ xiǎng qù zhège dìfang. | I'd like to go to this place. |
| 离这儿远吗？ | Lí zhèr yuǎn ma? | Is it far from here? |
How to practise these phrases
Knowing a phrase is not the same as being able to say it in the moment. These habits close the gap.
- Say every phrase out loud, several times, with the right tones — never learn silently.
- Shadow audio: listen to a native speaker, then repeat immediately with the same rhythm.
- Practise mini-dialogues, not single lines: a question, an answer and a follow-up.
- Record yourself and compare, or use AI tone feedback to check each syllable.
- Use new phrases in your next lesson so that they move into your active vocabulary.
- Learn to understand the likely answers, not just your own lines.
Practise conversation with CNLingo
In CNLingo's 1-on-1 conversation lessons, most of the time is spent speaking. Your teacher sets up real situations — ordering, travelling, small talk at work — and corrects tones and grammar as you go. Between lessons, the CNLingo app lets you role-play with an AI tutor that gives pinyin hints when you get stuck, and scores your tones syllable by syllable.
Frequently asked questions
How many phrases do I need to have a basic conversation?
With a few dozen well-practised phrases and around 300 words — roughly the HSK 1 range — you can handle greetings, introductions and simple everyday exchanges.
Should I learn pinyin before speaking?
Learn pinyin in your first weeks, alongside your first phrases. It shows you how to pronounce everything and helps you look up new words.
Why does 你好 sound like “ní hǎo”?
When two third-tone syllables come together, the first changes to a rising second tone. It is still written nǐ hǎo. This is called third-tone sandhi.
Is 你好 really used every day?
It is the standard greeting with strangers and in service situations. Among friends, people often greet each other with a name, a question such as 吃了吗 or simply 嗨 (hi).
How can I practise speaking if I don't live in China?
Regular 1-on-1 online lessons with a teacher are the most effective way. Add daily shadowing, recordings and an AI conversation tutor between lessons.
Making friends and everyday reactions
Short reactions make you sound natural and keep the other person talking.