Chinese for Travel
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Free phrasebook

Mandarin phrases for travel in China

The whole course, free to read and listen to: 57 lessons and 1,250 phrases in the order a trip happens, each with pinyin, a translation and clear Mandarin audio.

Start with ten phrases Browse by situation
An open pocket notebook, a train ticket, a fan, a steamed bun and a phone with plum blossoms.

Start with these ten

If you learn nothing else, learn these. They get you through greetings, prices, toilets, payment, spice and trouble.

  1. 你好。

    Nǐ hǎo.

    Hello.

  2. 谢谢。

    Xièxie.

    Thank you.

  3. 不好意思。

    Bù hǎoyìsi.

    Excuse me.

  4. 我听不懂。

    Wǒ tīng bu dǒng.

    I don't understand.

  5. 我要这个。

    Wǒ yào zhège.

    I'd like this one.

  6. 这个多少钱？

    Zhège duōshao qián?

    How much is this?

  7. 厕所在哪儿？

    Cèsuǒ zài nǎr?

    Where is the toilet?

  8. 可以用支付宝吗？

    Kěyǐ yòng Zhīfùbǎo ma?

    Can I use Alipay?

  9. 我不要辣。

    Wǒ bú yào là.

    No spice for me, please.

  10. 救命！

    Jiùmìng!

    Help!

How to read the phrases

  • Characters are what you see on signs and screens. You don’t need to read them to speak.
  • Pinyin spells the sound in Latin letters. The mark over a vowel is the tone, and we color it like the app: tone 1 red, tone 2 green, tone 3 blue, tone 4 purple, neutral grey. Train your ear with the tone trainer.
  • Audio is recorded in standard Mandarin. Tap the turtle to hear it slower.

The course, situation by situation

Each lesson page has every phrase with audio, what staff are likely to say, a short scene to play and a culture tip.

Unit 0

Mandarin basics for your China trip
  1. 1 Hello, thank you and other lifesavers in Chinese
  2. 2 Pinyin and the four tones
  3. 3 Numbers and prices in Chinese
  4. 4 Time and dates in Chinese
  5. 5 Handy Chinese sentence patterns
  6. 6 Common signs in China
Unit 1

Airport and immigration Mandarin
  1. 7 Answering immigration questions in Chinese
  2. 8 Baggage claim and lost luggage in Chinese
  3. 9 Customs declaration in Chinese
  4. 10 Asking the airport help desk in Chinese
  5. 11 Leaving the airport in Chinese
Unit 2

SIM card and internet Mandarin
  1. 12 Buying a SIM card in Chinese
  2. 13 Data plans and prices in Chinese
  3. 14 eSIM and phone compatibility in Chinese
  4. 15 When you have no Chinese phone number
  5. 16 Wi-Fi and internet problems in Chinese
Unit 3

Mobile payment Mandarin
  1. 17 Setting up mobile payment in Chinese
  2. 18 Paying by QR code in Chinese
  3. 19 Bank cards and cash in Chinese
  4. 20 ATMs and currency exchange in Chinese
  5. 21 Payment problems and refunds in Chinese
Unit 4

Taxi and ride-hailing Mandarin
  1. 22 Taking a taxi in Chinese
  2. 23 Destination and route in Chinese
  3. 24 Ride-hailing pickup in Chinese
  4. 25 Paying the fare and getting a receipt
  5. 26 Lost items and problems in a taxi
Unit 5

Metro and bus Mandarin
  1. 27 Metro tickets and entering the station
  2. 28 Metro lines, platforms and transfers
  3. 29 Bus stops and routes in Chinese
  4. 30 Hours, last trains and delays in Chinese
  5. 31 Wrong train, missed stop and getting help
Unit 6

Hotel Mandarin
  1. 32 Hotel check-in with your passport
  2. 33 Deposit, room rate and receipt in Chinese
  3. 34 Room key, breakfast and Wi-Fi in Chinese
  4. 35 Early check-in, late check-out and luggage
  5. 36 Room problems and changing rooms
Unit 7

Restaurant Mandarin
  1. 37 Getting a table in Chinese
  2. 38 Ordering food and asking for recommendations
  3. 39 Spice levels, allergies and diets in Chinese
  4. 40 Extra orders, service and tableware
  5. 41 The bill, leftovers and invoice
  6. 42 Food problems and changing dishes
Unit 8

Shopping Mandarin
  1. 43 Asking prices, discounts and stock
  2. 44 Sizes, colors and trying things on
  3. 45 Bargaining in Chinese
  4. 46 Paying and getting a receipt in shops
  5. 47 Returns, exchanges and after-sales help
Unit 9

Sightseeing Mandarin
  1. 48 Getting to attractions and entrances
  2. 49 Buying tickets and checking prices
  3. 50 Opening hours and reservations in Chinese
  4. 51 Queueing, security and entry
  5. 52 Photos, guided tours and visitor services
Unit 10

Emergency and help Mandarin
  1. 53 Asking for help and calling the police
  2. 54 Lost passport, wallet and phone
  3. 55 Illness, injury and seeing a doctor
  4. 56 Pharmacy and buying medicine in Chinese
  5. 57 Accidents, embassy and emergency contacts

Free tools

Allergy & diet card

Build a polite, exact card in Chinese for restaurants.

Taxi address card

Turn your hotel address into a big card for drivers.

Tone trainer

Hear a syllable and pick its tone. Thirty real words.

Numbers & prices

Count to 10,000 and catch prices said out loud.

Chinese menu words

The characters that turn up on every menu.