Chinese for Travel
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Unit 4 · Taxi Lesson 23 7 min Premium in the app

Destination and route in Chinese

Tell the driver your destination, ask about route, travel time, traffic, highway, stopping, and changing destination. A taxi on Beijing's Second Ring Road at rush hour. The driver doesn't know your hotel, and the traffic is crawling.

路线

Key phrases

The 6 phrases this lesson is built around, with the words that make them up. Tap ▶ to listen, or the turtle to hear it slowly.

  • 我要去这个地址。

    Wǒ yào qù zhège dìzhǐ.

    I want to go to this address.

    • 我Wǒ
    • 要yào
    • 去qù
    • 这个zhège
    • 地址dìzhǐ

  • 这个地址您认识吗？

    Zhège dìzhǐ nín rènshi ma?

    Do you know this address?

    • 这个Zhège
    • 地址dìzhǐ
    • 您nín
    • 认识rènshi
    • 吗ma

  • 请按导航走。

    Qǐng àn dǎoháng zǒu.

    Please follow the navigation.

    • 请Qǐng
    • 按àn
    • 导航dǎoháng
    • 走zǒu

  • 大概要多久到？

    Dàgài yào duōjiǔ dào?

    About how long will it take to get there?

    • 大概Dàgài
    • 要yào
    • 多久duōjiǔ
    • 到dào

  • 请靠边停车。

    Qǐng kàobiān tíngchē.

    Please pull over.

    • 请Qǐng
    • 靠边kàobiān
    • 停车tíngchē

  • 到了请告诉我。

    Dào le qǐng gàosu wǒ.

    Please tell me when we arrive.

    • 到Dào
    • 了le
    • 请qǐng
    • 告诉gàosu
    • 我wǒ

More phrases for this situation

Every other phrase from the lesson: 17 in all.

  • 请去这个地方。

    Qǐng qù zhège dìfang.

    Please go to this place.

  • 请看一下地图。

    Qǐng kàn yíxià dìtú.

    Please look at the map.

  • 这条路线可以吗？

    Zhè tiáo lùxiàn kěyǐ ma?

    Is this route okay?

  • 现在堵车吗？

    Xiànzài dǔchē ma?

    Is there traffic now?

  • 这条路会堵车吗？

    Zhè tiáo lù huì dǔchē ma?

    Will this road have traffic?

  • 可以走快一点的路线吗？

    Kěyǐ zǒu kuài yìdiǎn de lùxiàn ma?

    Can we take a faster route?

  • 可以不走高速吗？

    Kěyǐ bù zǒu gāosù ma?

    Can we avoid the highway?

  • 可以走高速吗？

    Kěyǐ zǒu gāosù ma?

    Can we take the highway?

  • 请在前面停车。

    Qǐng zài qiánmiàn tíngchē.

    Please stop up ahead.

  • 请让我在这里下车。

    Qǐng ràng wǒ zài zhèlǐ xiàchē.

    Please let me get off here.

  • 我想改目的地。

    Wǒ xiǎng gǎi mùdìdì.

    I would like to change the destination.

  • 新的目的地是这里。

    Xīn de mùdìdì shì zhèlǐ.

    The new destination is here.

  • 请开慢一点。

    Qǐng kāi màn yìdiǎn.

    Please drive a little slower.

  • 请不要开太快。

    Qǐng bú yào kāi tài kuài.

    Please do not drive too fast.

  • 请问已经快到了吗？

    Qǐngwèn yǐjīng kuài dào le ma?

    Excuse me, are we almost there?

  • 请帮我写下来。

    Qǐng bāng wǒ xiě xiàlái.

    Please write it down for me.

  • 谢谢您的帮助。

    Xièxie nín de bāngzhù.

    Thank you for your help.

What you’ll hear, and how to answer

Staff won’t follow your script. These are things they are likely to say here, with a reply that works.

  1. Staff

    这个酒店我没听说过。

    Zhège jiǔdiàn wǒ méi tīngshuō guo.

    I've never heard of that hotel.

    You

    请按导航走。

    Qǐng àn dǎoháng zǒu.

    Please follow the navigation.

  2. Staff

    到了，就在右边。

    Dào le, jiù zài yòubiān.

    We're here. It's on the right.

    You

    请靠边停车。

    Qǐng kàobiān tíngchē.

    Please pull over.

Play the scene

A taxi on Beijing's Second Ring Road at rush hour. The driver doesn't know your hotel, and the traffic is crawling.

北京·二环路 · Beijing's 2nd Ring Road

  1. Staff

    去什么地方？

    Qù shénme dìfang?

    Where to?

  2. You

    我要去这个地址。

    Wǒ yào qù zhège dìzhǐ.

    I want to go to this address.

  3. Staff

    这个酒店我没听说过。

    Zhège jiǔdiàn wǒ méi tīngshuō guo.

    I've never heard of that hotel.

  4. You

    请按导航走。

    Qǐng àn dǎoháng zǒu.

    Please follow the navigation.

  5. Staff

    行，按导航走。

    Xíng, àn dǎoháng zǒu.

    Fine, I'll follow the navigation.

  6. You

    大概要多久到？

    Dàgài yào duōjiǔ dào?

    About how long will it take to get there?

  7. Staff

    二环堵得厉害，要四十分钟。

    Èrhuán dǔ de lìhai, yào sìshí fēnzhōng.

    The Second Ring Road is jammed. It'll take forty minutes.

  8. You

    到了请告诉我。

    Dào le qǐng gàosu wǒ.

    Please tell me when we arrive.

Culture tip

Arrival reminder

If you are unfamiliar with the area, ask the driver to tell you when you arrive.

Which phrase asks the driver to follow navigation?

Show the answer

请按导航走。 — Please follow the navigation.

Go deeper

Background for this situation: key words, what to expect and a few more short dialogues.

Key Route and Destination Terms

目的地 Destination. This is where you want the driver to take you.

我先确认一下目的地。 Wǒ xiān quèrèn yíxià mùdìdì. Let me confirm the destination first.

地址 Address. If pronunciation is difficult, show the address on your phone.

我要去这个地址。 Wǒ yào qù zhège dìzhǐ. I want to go to this address.

地图 Map. Showing a map is helpful when the driver may not recognize the address immediately.

请看一下地图。 Qǐng kàn yíxià dìtú. Please look at the map.

导航 Navigation. Use this when asking the driver to follow GPS or app navigation.

请按导航走。 Qǐng àn dǎoháng zǒu. Please follow the navigation.

路线 Route. Use this word when discussing which way to take.

这条路线可以吗？ Zhè tiáo lùxiàn kěyǐ ma? Is this route okay?

堵车 Traffic jam or heavy traffic. Useful when asking about travel time or route choice.

现在堵车吗？ Xiànzài dǔchē ma? Is there traffic now?

Ride Communication Flow

Step 1: Show the destination

Show the address or map and say 我要去这个地址 or 请去这个地方.

Step 2: Confirm navigation and route

If you prefer the app route, say 请按导航走. If unsure, ask 这条路线可以吗？

Step 3: Ask about time and traffic

Ask 大概要多久到？, 现在堵车吗？, or 这条路会堵车吗？

Step 4: Adjust route or destination

Ask for a faster route, to avoid or take the highway, or say 我想改目的地 if you need to change destination.

Step 5: Stop and get off safely

Use 请靠边停车, 请在前面停车, or 请让我在这里下车 when you want to stop.

Useful Route Patterns

我要去…… Use this to tell the driver where you want to go.

我要去这个地址。 Wǒ yào qù zhège dìzhǐ. I want to go to this address.

请按……走 Use this to ask the driver to follow a certain route or navigation.

请按导航走。 Qǐng àn dǎoháng zǒu. Please follow the navigation.

可以……吗？ Use this to ask whether a route choice is possible.

可以不走高速吗？ Kěyǐ bù zǒu gāosù ma? Can we avoid the highway?

请在……停车 Use this to ask the driver to stop at a specific place.

请在前面停车。 Qǐng zài qiánmiàn tíngchē. Please stop up ahead.

Highway and Traffic Tips

Taking the highway

Taking the highway may be faster, but it may also involve tolls. Confirm before choosing it.

Avoiding the highway

If you want to avoid extra tolls or prefer local roads, say 可以不走高速吗？

Traffic time

During rush hour, arrival time may change. Ask 大概要多久到？ again if traffic gets worse.

Safety and Comfort Tips

Ask the driver to slow down

If you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, say 请开慢一点 or 请不要开太快.

Arrival reminder

If you are unfamiliar with the area, ask the driver to tell you when you arrive.

Changing destination

If you change plans, clearly say 我想改目的地 and show the new destination on your phone.

Interactive Scenarios

Showing the destination

  • Traveler我要去这个地址。

    Wǒ yào qù zhège dìzhǐ.

    I want to go to this address.

  • Traveler请看一下地图。

    Qǐng kàn yíxià dìtú.

    Please look at the map.

  • Traveler请按导航走。

    Qǐng àn dǎoháng zǒu.

    Please follow the navigation.

Asking about route and traffic

  • Traveler这条路线可以吗？

    Zhè tiáo lùxiàn kěyǐ ma?

    Is this route okay?

  • Traveler大概要多久到？

    Dàgài yào duōjiǔ dào?

    About how long will it take to get there?

  • Traveler现在堵车吗？

    Xiànzài dǔchē ma?

    Is there traffic now?

Stopping and changing destination

  • Traveler我想改目的地。

    Wǒ xiǎng gǎi mùdìdì.

    I would like to change the destination.

  • Traveler新的目的地是这里。

    Xīn de mùdìdì shì zhèlǐ.

    The new destination is here.

  • Traveler请靠边停车。

    Qǐng kàobiān tíngchē.

    Please pull over.

Mini Quiz

How do you say “I want to go to this address”?
  • 我要去这个地址。 ✓ Answer
  • 我要买这个地址。
  • 我要写这个地址。
Which phrase asks the driver to follow navigation?
  • 请按导航走。 ✓ Answer
  • 请打开后备箱。
  • 请帮我写下来。
How do you ask “About how long will it take to get there?”
  • 大概要多久到？ ✓ Answer
  • 大概要多少钱？
  • 大概要几个人？
Which phrase asks the driver to pull over?
  • 请靠边停车。 ✓ Answer
  • 请按导航走。
  • 请开慢一点。

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