In this article, I've chosen ten phrases which are commonly used in Chinese people's daily lives. I have provided the situations in which these phrases are used, as well as vocabulary and grammar explanations for each phrase.

 

I will explain the most basic things so that even beginners will have no problems understanding these phrases.

 

This article goes together with my video on Youtube, which presents the ten phrases in the context of real life situations. For beginners, I suggest reading this article first and then watching the video for listening practice. More advanced learners should try watching the video first and then reading my article.

 

æˆ‘ć›žæ„äș† / Wǒ huílai le

 

Meaning: I’m back.

 

Situation: When you come back from somewhere.

 

Vocabulary:

 

  • 我 / wǒ (I)
  • 曞 / huí (to return)
  • 杄 / lai (to come)
  • äș†/ le (particle)

 

Grammar Explanation:

 

When we want to say that we are "returning to a place," we use 曞 / huí + place. For example:

 

  • 曞柶 / huíjiā (go home)
  • ć›žć­Šæ Ą / huí xuéxiào (go back to school)

 

Sometimes, instead of using a place after 曞 / huí, we use 杄 / lái (to come) or 掻 / qù (to go) after it. ć›žæ„ / huílai means to come back, 曞掻 / huíqù means to go back.  

 

The last word äș†/ le is a particle used at the end of a sentence to indicate the emergence of a new situation. For example: 怩憷äș†/ tiān lěng le (it was not cold before, but it is cold now.)

 

斂, äœ ćœšć“Șć„żć‘ąïŒŸ/ Wéi, nǐ zài nǎr ne?

 

Meaning: Hello, where are you?

 

Situation: When you are talking to somebody on the phone and you want to know their location.

 

Vocabulary:

 

  • 斂 / wéi (hello- on the phone)
  • 䜠 / nǐ (you)
  • ć“Ș愿 / nǎr (where)

 

Grammar Explanation:

 

When we refer to a location, we use 朹 / zài + place. For example:

 

  • æˆ‘ćœšćŒ—äșŹ / wǒ zài BěijÄ«ng (I'm in Beijing)
  • ć„čćœšćź¶ / tā zài jiā (she is at home)

 

When we ask about the location, we use:

 

  • 朹ć“Ș愿 / zài nǎr (where)

 

摱 / ne is a modal particle which is used at the end of a question. It has no specific meaning; it just makes the tone more friendly.

 

现朹懠ç‚čäș†ïŒŸ/ Xiànzài jǐdiǎn le?

 

Meaning: What time is it now?

 

Situation: When you want to know the time.

 

Vocabulary:

 

  • 现朹 / xiànzài (now)
  • 懠 / jǐ (how many)
  • ç‚č / diǎn (o'clock)

 

Grammar Explanation:

 

We have two question words for numbers: 懠 / jǐ and 怚民 / duƍshao. 懠 / jǐ is used for small numbers, commonly those under ten, while 怚民 / duƍshao is used for bigger ones. When asking about times or dates, we only use 懠 / jǐ. For example:

 

  • 懠ç‚č / jǐdiǎn, (what time)
  • ć‡ æœˆć‡ ć· / jǐyuè jǐhào (which month and which date)
  • æ˜ŸæœŸć‡  / xÄ«ngqÄ« jǐ (which day of the week)  

 

Here, äș† is an optional particle. The usage is similar to that in the first phrase æˆ‘ć›žæ„äș†/ wǒ huílai le. However, when talking about time, its use is optional.

 

ć‘šæœ«äœ æœ‰ç©șć—ïŒŸæˆ‘èŻ·äœ ćƒé„­ / Zhƍumò nǐ yǒu kòng ma? Wǒ qǐng nǐ chÄ« fàn

 

Meaning: Do you have time this weekend? I want to treat you to a meal.

 

Situation: When you want to ask somebody out for a meal on the weekend.

 

Vocabulary:

 

  • ć‘šæœ« / zhƍumò (weekend)
  • 有 / yǒu (to have)
  • ç©ș / kòng (empty, free time)
  • èŻ· / qǐng (to invite)
  • 搃 / chÄ« (to eat)
  • é„­ / fàn (meal)

 

Grammar Explanation:

 

The character ç©ș can be pronounced two different ways. When we say kƍng, it means empty, like in the phrase èż™äžȘæˆżć­æ˜Żç©ș的 / Zhège fángzi shì kƍngde (this house is empty). When we read it as kòng, it means free time. Expressions like æČĄç©ș / méikòng (to have no free time) and 有ç©ș / yǒukòng (to have free time) are commonly used in daily life.

 

搗 / ma is used at the end of a sentence to make it a yes-or-no question. When asking questions in Chinese, you don't need to change the word order. So the answer to ć‘šæœ«äœ æœ‰ç©șć—ïŒŸ/ Zhƍumò nǐ yǒu kòng ma? (Do you have time this weekend?) is ć‘šæœ«æˆ‘æœ‰ç©ș / Zhƍumò wǒ yǒu kòng (I have time this weekend).

 

The structure èŻ· / qǐng + somebody + do something conveys inviting somebody to do something. èŻ· / qǐng + somebody + 搃鄭 / chÄ«fàn is a popular phrase in Chinese daily life because for us, having a meal together is an important way to enhance our relationship, and treating other people to a meal demonstrates the positive quality of being generous.

 

怎äčˆć›žäș‹ć„żïŒŸ/ Zěnme huíshìr?

 

Meaning: What happened?

 

Situation: When something happened, but you have no idea what happened.

 

Vocabulary:

 

  • 怎äčˆ / zěnme (how)
  • äș‹ / shì (thing)
  • 曞 / huí (measure word for äș‹)

 

Grammar Explanation:

 

This is simply a fixed expression. It is difficult to explain exactly why these words appear together.

 

In Northern China, people prefer to add 愿 / er after some nouns or verbs. For example:

 

  • äș‹ć„ż / shìr (thing or event)
  • 玩愿 / wánr (to play)
  • ć°ć­©ć„ż / xiǎoháir (kid)

 

They sometimes add it to location pronouns as well. For example:

 

  • èż™ć„ż / zhèr (here)
  • 那愿 / nàr (there)
  • ć“Ș愿 / nǎr (where)

 

 

çŽŻæ­»æˆ‘äș† / Lèi sǐ wǒ le

 

Meaning: I'm very tired.

 

Situation: When you have finished doing something that has made you very tired.

 

Vocabulary:

 

  • 环 / lèi (tired)
  • æ­» / sǐ (to die)

 

Grammar Explanation:

 

Adjective + 死我äș†/ sǐwǒ le is an exaggerated way to express a feeling. The literal meaning is “I'm so … that I could almost die”. Other common expressions are:

 

  • 热死我äș†/ rè sǐ wǒ le (I'm so hot I could die)
  • ć†»æ­»æˆ‘äș†/ dòng sǐ wǒ le (I'm freezing)  

 

äœ èŻŽçš„ć€ȘćŻčäș†ïŒ/ Nǐ shuƍde tài duì le!

 

Meaning: What you said is so right!

 

Situation: When you hear other people's words and you can’t agree more.

 

Vocabulary:

 

  • èŻŽ / shuƍ (to say)
  • 的 / de (a word showing subordinate relation)
  • ć€Ș / tài (too)
  • ćŻč / duì (right/correct)

 

Grammar Explanation:

 

The structure subject + verb + 的 / de is like a subject clause in English. For example:

 

  • äœ èŻŽçš„ / nǐshuƍde (what you said)
  • äœ æƒłçš„ / nǐ xiǎng de (what you think)

 

ć€Ș / tài + adjective +äș†/ le is a fixed structure that demonstrates the high degree of the adjective.

 

èż™äžȘ怚民钱äč°çš„/ Zhège duƍshao qián mǎide?

 

Meaning: How much did you pay for this?

 

Situation: When you see that your friend has something amazing and you want to know how much it cost.

 

Vocabulary:

 

  • èż™äžȘ / zhège (this)
  • 怚民 / duƍshao (how much)
  • 钱 / qián (money)
  • äč° / mǎi (to buy)

 

Grammar Explanation:

 

When asking about price, we use 怚民钱 / duƍshao qián.

 

The complete form of this sentence is èż™äžȘæ˜Żć€šć°‘é’±äč°çš„/ Zhège shì duƍshao qián mǎide? æ˜Ż / shì is omitted in informal speech. The structure subject + æ˜Ż / shì + place/time/means/price + verb + 的 / de implies that the action has happened in the past and it emphasizes a feature of that action. Other examples are:

 

  • æˆ‘æ˜Żä»ŽćŒ—äșŹæ„的 / Wǒ shì cóng BěijÄ«ng lái de (I came from Beijing)
  • ä»–æ˜ŻćŽ»ćčŽćŽ»çŸŽć›œçš„ / Tā shì qùnián qù Měiguǒ de (He went to America last year)

 

揔揔, èŻ·é—źæŽ—æ‰‹é—Žćœšć“Șć„żïŒŸé‚Łć„żïŒ/ ShĆ«shu, qǐngwèn xǐshǒu jiān zài nǎr? Nàr!

 

Meaning: Sir, may I ask where the washroom is? Over there!

 

Situation: When you want to find the washroom.

 

Vocabulary:

 

  • 揔揔 / shĆ«shu (uncle)
  • èŻ· / qǐng (please)
  • 闼 / wèn (ask)
  • 掗手闎 / xǐshǒujiān (washing room)
  • 那愿 / nàr (there)

 

Grammar Explanation:

 

揔揔 / shĆ«shu basically refers to your father’s younger brother, but in China, we have a culture of using terms for family members to address people outside of our families; even strangers! So, we call any male whose age is similar to our parents’ 揔揔 / shĆ«shu (uncle), any female whose age is similar to our parents’ 阿槚 / āyí (aunt), any old lady whose age is similar our grandma’s 愶愶 / nǎinai (grandma), and any old man whose age is similar to our grandpa’s 爷爷 / yéye (grandpa).

 

èŻ· / qǐng + 闼 / wèn together literally means “may I ask.” It is used like "excuse me" in English. We use it before a question to show politeness.

 

The three characters in 掗手闎 / xǐshǒujiān actually have their own separate meanings:

 

  • 掗 / xǐ (to wash)
  • 手/ shǒu (hand)
  • 问 / jiān (room)

 

Together, they mean washroom.You may sometimes see ć«ç”Ÿé—Ž / wèishēngjiān which refers to the same thing. ć«ç”Ÿ / wèishēng means “hygiene.”

 

ä»Šć€©ć€©æ°”çœŸć„œïŒ/ JÄ«ntiān tiānqì zhēn hǎo!

 

Meaning: The weather is so good today!

 

Situation: When you see that the weather is great.

 

Vocabulary:

 

  • 今怩 / jÄ«ntiān (today)
  • ć€©æ°” / tiānqì (weather)
  • 真 / zhēn (really)
  • ć„œ / hǎo (good)

 

Grammar Explanation:

 

In Chinese, we don't use the structure subject + am/is/are + adjective. Instead, we use the structure subject+ adverb + adjective. So you should never say, for example:

 

  • æˆ‘æ˜Żć„œ / wǒ shì hǎo (I'm good)
  • ć„čæ˜Żé«˜ / tā shì gāo (she is tall)
  • äœ æ˜ŻæŒ‚äșź / nǐ shì piàoliang (you are pretty)

 

You should use an adverb before the adjective.

 

Literally, 真 / zhēn means “really,” but it also implies a kind of exclamation. If you have a strong feeling when you see or hear something, then you can say 真 / zhēn + adjective. It can also be used in praise. For example:

 

  • äœ ä»Šć€©çœŸæŒ‚äșź / nǐ jÄ«ntiān zhēn piàoliang (you are so pretty today)
  • äœ ćź¶çœŸć€§ / nǐjiā zhēn dà (your house is so big)
  • äœ çš„è‹±èŻ­çœŸæŁ’ / nǐde YÄ«ngyǔ zhēn bàng (your English is so amazing)

 

These phrases were chosen from my personal experience, not according to any research or survey, so they may not be the most commonly used ones. The aim of this article is simply to present some useful words and expressions in a practical way.

 

I hope that all of my work may help more people understand and use Chinese correctly.

 

Please leave a comment below if you have any questions or suggestions!

 

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