The gap between the language in a textbook and the language on a street is mostly this: the question words, the short answers, and the ten phrases that fill a pause. Press any line to hear it.
170words & phrases
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Conversation
我明白wǒ míngbáiI understand
我不明白wǒ bù míngbáiI don't understand
请说慢一点qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎnPlease speak slowly
你叫什么名字?nǐ jiào shénme míngzì?What's your name?
我叫…wǒ jiào …My name is…
你从哪里来?nǐ cóng nǎlǐ lái?Where are you from?
请再说一遍qǐng zàishuō yībiànCan you say that again?
我不知道wǒ bù zhīdàoI don't know
也许yěxǔMaybe
你能帮我吗?nǐ néng bāng wǒ ma?Can you help me?
Opinions & Comparing
更好gènghǎoBetter
更糟gèngzāoWorse
一样yīyàngThe same
不同bùtóngDifferent
我觉得…wǒ juéde …I think that…
当然!dāngrán!Of course!
真的zhēndeReally
重要zhòngyàoImportant
容易róngyìEasy
难nánDifficult
Small Talk
天气真好!tiānqì zhēn hǎo!Nice weather!
最近怎么样?zuìjìn zěnmeyàng?How's it going?
悠闲yōuxiánChill / relaxed
真的吗?!zhēnde ma?!Really?!
开玩笑的!kāiwánxiào de!Just kidding!
不确定bù quèdìngNot sure
你呢?nǐ ne?And you?
好的hǎo deOkay
可以!kěyǐ!Sure! (can do)
不行bùxíngCan't (not possible)
Phone Calls
喂wèiHello (on phone)
占线zhànxiànThe line is busy
接电话jiēdiànhuàTo answer the call
挂电话guà diànhuàTo hang up
电话号码diànhuàhàomǎPhone number
回电huídiànCall back
留言liúyánLeave a message
信号不好xìnhào bùhǎoBad signal
没电了méidiàn leBattery dead
静音jìngyīnMute / silent
Connector Words
因为yīnwèiBecause
但是dànshìBut
和héAnd
或者huòzhěOr
所以suǒyǐTherefore
如果rúguǒIf
之前zhīqiánBefore
之后zhīhòuAfter
例如lìrúFor example
全部quánbùAll / total
Slang & Expressions
太酷了!tàikù le!Cool! / awesome
超好吃chāo hǎochīSuper delicious
很随意hěn suíyìChill / easy-going
你认真的?nǐ rènzhēn de?Are you serious?
加油哦!jiāyóu ó!You got this!
受不了shòubùliǎoCan't handle it
咋啦?zǎla?What's up?
等一下děng yīxiàHold on / wait
超多chāoduōSo much / a lot
一头雾水yītóuwùshuǐSo confused
Idioms & Sayings
慷慨kāngkǎiGenerous (big-hearted)
心碎xīnsuìHeartbroken
趁热打铁chènrèdǎtiěStrike while iron's hot
慢工出细活màngōng chū xìhuóSlow and steady wins
屈居第二qūjū dìèrTo play second fiddle
礼尚往来lǐshàngwǎngláiYou scratch my back…
脚踏两条船jiǎotà liǎngtiáochuánBite off more than you can chew
废话连篇fèihuàliánpiānAll talk, no substance
默默行善mòmò xíngshànDo good quietly
谚语yànyǔProverb
Question Words
谁?shuí?Who?
什么?shénme?What?
哪里?nǎlǐ?Where?
什么时候?shénme shíhòu?When?
为什么?wèishénme?Why?
怎么?zěnme?How?
多少?duōshǎo?How much?
哪个?nǎge?Which one?
几个?jǐgè?How many?
对吧?duì ba?Right? / isn't it?
Real Spoken
没关系méiguānxìIt's okay / No worries
太棒了tàibàngleAwesome! / The best
真的吗?zhēnde ma ?Really?
啊,我明白了a , wǒ míngbái leAh, I get it now
我不知道wǒ bù zhīdàoI don't know
救命!jiùmìng !Help!
我想你wǒ xiǎng nǐI miss you
你吃饭了吗?nǐ chīfàn le ma ?Have you eaten yet?
太贵了tàiguì leToo expensive
能便宜一点吗?néng piányi yìdiǎn ma ?Can you give a discount?
很辣hěnlàVery spicy
太好吃了!tài hǎochī le !So delicious!
Quick Questions
哪里?nǎlǐ ?Where?
什么时候?shénme shíhòu ?When?
谁?shuí ?Who?
为什么?wèishénme ?Why?
怎么?zěnme ?How?
多少钱?duōshǎo qián ?How much?
几点?jǐdiǎn ?What time?
哪个?nǎge ?Which one?
有吗?yǒu ma ?Do you have it?
远吗?yuǎn ma ?Is it far?
这是什么?zhèshì shénme ?What's this?
洗手间在哪里?xǐshǒujiān zài nǎlǐ ?Where's the bathroom?
Thoughts & Opinions
想xiǎngTo think
感觉gǎnjuéTo feel
相信xiāngxìnTo believe
希望xīwàngTo hope
需要xūyàoTo need / want
讨厌tǎoyànTo hate
感兴趣gǎnxìngqùInterested
同意tóngyìTo agree
不同意bù tóngyìTo disagree
确定quèdìngSure / certain
怀疑huáiyíTo wonder / doubt
记得jìdeTo remember
Talking & Communication
说shuōTo speak
告诉gàosùTo tell
问wènTo ask
回答huídáTo answer
解释jiěshìTo explain
打电话dǎdiànhuàTo call
发短信fāduǎnxìnTo text
回复huífùTo reply
承诺chéngnuòTo promise
讲述jiǎngshùTo narrate
听tīngTo listen
安静ānjìngTo be quiet
喊hǎnTo shout
小声说xiǎoshēng shuōTo whisper
翻译fānyìTo translate
同意tóngyìTo agree
Small Talk & Questions
第一次来这里dìyīcì lái zhèlǐFirst time here
多久?duōjiǔ ?How long?
你结婚了吗?nǐ jiéhūn le ma ?Are you married yet?
你多大了?nǐ duō dà le ?How old are you?
你一个人来的吗?nǐ yígè rénlái de ma ?Are you here alone?
你做什么工作?nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò ?What do you do?
好玩吗?hǎowán ma ?Is it fun?
想家xiǎngjiāHomesick
祝你好运zhùnǐhǎoyùnGood luck to you
下次见xiàcì jiànSee you again
Gossip & Secrets
八卦bāguàTo gossip
谣言yáoyánRumor
秘密mìmìSecret
别告诉别人bié gàosù biérénDon't tell anyone
大嘴巴dàzuǐbāBlabbermouth
唠嗑làokēTo chit-chat
我听说…wǒ tīngshuō …I heard that...
是真的还是编的?shì zhēnde háishì biān de ?Fact or made up?