The survival sheet

The five that buy you time

Learn these before anything else. They turn a wall into a conversation.

qǐngwèn…請問……

Excuse me, may I ask…

bù hǎo yìsi不好意思

Excuse me… (getting attention)

wǒ tīng bù dǒng.我聽不懂

I don't understand (by ear).

qǐng zài shuō yícì.請再說一次

Please say it again.

qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎn.請說慢一點

Please speak a bit slower.

Ordering

nèiyòng.內用

For here.

wàidài.外帶

To go.

wǒ yào yí fèn zhège.我要一份這個

One of these, please.

shǎo bīng.少冰

Less ice.

bàn táng.半糖

Half sugar.

búyào là.不要辣

Not spicy.

wǒ yào jiézhàng.我要結帳

I'd like to pay / the check.

zhèyàng jiù hǎo.這樣就好

That's all, thanks. (very Taiwanese)

Buying and finding

yǒu méi yǒu … ?有沒有……？

Do you have… ?

zhège duōshǎo qián?這個多少錢？

How much is this?

wǒ yào zhège.我要這個

I'll take this one.

wǒ búyòng dàizi.我不用袋子

I don't need a bag.

… zài nǎlǐ?……在哪裡？

Where is the … ?

cèsuǒ zài nǎlǐ?廁所在哪裡？

Where's the restroom?

Numbers and time

Two of something is liǎng, never èr.

jǐ ge?幾個？

How many?

liǎng ge兩個

Two of them. (never èr ge)

xiànzài jǐ diǎn?現在幾點？

What time is it now?

jǐ diǎn kāimén?幾點開門？

What time do you open?

yào duōjiǔ?要多久？

How long does it take?

Getting around

Yōuyóu kǎ.悠遊卡

EasyCard.

wǒ yào qù …我要去……

I want to go to …

chēzhàn zài nǎlǐ?車站在哪裡？

Where's the station?

Being a person

búhuì.不會

You're welcome / no worries. (very Taiwanese)

bàibài!拜拜！

Bye-bye! (how everyone says goodbye)

wǒ zhǐ huì shuō yìdiǎn.我只會說一點

I only speak a little.

zhège zhōngwén zěnme shuō?這個中文怎麼說？

How do you say this in Chinese?

If something goes wrong

jiùmìng!救命！

Help!

kuài jiào jǐngchá!快叫警察！

Call the police, quick!

wǒ xūyào bāngmáng.我需要幫忙

I need help.

wǒ bú huì shuō zhōngwén.我不會說中文

I don't speak Chinese.

yǒu rén huì shuō yīngwén ma?有人會說英文嗎？

Does anyone speak English?

wǒ mílù le.我迷路了

I'm lost.

What you'll hear back

You don't have to say these. You do have to recognise them.

yào bīng de háishì rè de?要冰的還是熱的？

Iced or hot?

tiándù bīngkuài ne?甜度冰塊呢？

Sugar level and ice?

xūyào dàizi ma?需要袋子嗎？

Do you need a bag?

fāpiào yào ma?發票要嗎？

Do you want the receipt?

yígòng sānbǎi wǔshí yuán.一共三百五十元

That's 350 altogether.

yào qù nǎlǐ?要去哪裡？

Where to?