Chinese for Travel
English
Unit 4 · Taxi Lesson 22 6 min Free in the app

Taking a taxi in Chinese

Hail a taxi, ask whether the driver is available, confirm the car, license plate, driver, and whether the passenger can get in. The ride-hailing pickup zone at Shanghai Hongqiao Station. Dozens of white cars, and only one of them is yours.

打车

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.

  • 这是我叫的车吗？

    Zhè shì wǒ jiào de chē ma?

    Is this the car I ordered?

    • 这Zhè
    • 是shì
    • 我wǒ
    • 叫jiào
    • 的de
    • 车chē
    • 吗ma

  • 车牌号对吗？

    Chēpái hào duì ma?

    Is the license plate number correct?

    • 车牌Chēpái
    • 号hào
    • 对duì
    • 吗ma

  • 我有一个行李箱。

    Wǒ yǒu yí ge xínglixiāng.

    I have one suitcase.

    • 我Wǒ
    • 有yǒu
    • 一yí
    • 个ge
    • 行李箱xínglixiāng

  • 行李可以放后备箱吗？

    Xíngli kěyǐ fàng hòubèixiāng ma?

    Can I put my luggage in the trunk?

    • 行李Xíngli
    • 可以kěyǐ
    • 放fàng
    • 后备箱hòubèixiāng
    • 吗ma

  • 我们有两个人。

    Wǒmen yǒu liǎng ge rén.

    There are two of us.

    • 我们Wǒmen
    • 有yǒu
    • 两liǎng
    • 个ge
    • 人rén

  • 目的地是这个地址。

    Mùdìdì shì zhège dìzhǐ.

    The destination is this address.

    • 目的地Mùdìdì
    • 是shì
    • 这个zhège
    • 地址dìzhǐ

More phrases for this situation

Every other phrase from the lesson: 17 in all.

  • 您好，可以打车吗？

    Nínhǎo, kěyǐ dǎchē ma?

    Hello, can I get a taxi?

  • 您现在可以载客吗？

    Nín xiànzài kěyǐ zàikè ma?

    Can you take passengers now?

  • 我可以上车吗？

    Wǒ kěyǐ shàngchē ma?

    Can I get in?

  • 请问您是司机吗？

    Qǐngwèn nín shì sījī ma?

    Excuse me, are you the driver?

  • 请问车牌号是多少？

    Qǐngwèn chēpái hào shì duōshǎo?

    Excuse me, what is the license plate number?

  • 您的名字和订单上一样吗？

    Nín de míngzi hé dìngdān shàng yíyàng ma?

    Is your name the same as the one on the order?

  • 我叫的车是白色的。

    Wǒ jiào de chē shì báisè de.

    The car I ordered is white.

  • 我在确认车辆，请稍等。

    Wǒ zài quèrèn chēliàng, qǐng shāo děng.

    I am confirming the vehicle. Please wait a moment.

  • 可以帮我打开后备箱吗？

    Kěyǐ bāng wǒ dǎkāi hòubèixiāng ma?

    Could you help me open the trunk?

  • 我们有四个人，可以坐吗？

    Wǒmen yǒu sì ge rén, kěyǐ zuò ma?

    There are four of us. Can we ride?

  • 这个车可以坐几个人？

    Zhège chē kěyǐ zuò jǐ ge rén?

    How many people can this car take?

  • 可以坐副驾驶吗？

    Kěyǐ zuò fùjiàshǐ ma?

    Can I sit in the front passenger seat?

  • 我先确认一下目的地。

    Wǒ xiān quèrèn yíxià mùdìdì.

    Let me confirm the destination first.

  • 请看一下这个地址。

    Qǐng kàn yíxià zhège dìzhǐ.

    Please look at this address.

  • 请确认一下是不是这辆车。

    Qǐng quèrèn yíxià shì bu shì zhè liàng chē.

    Please confirm whether this is the car.

  • 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

    您好，是尾号八八六的乘客吗？

    Nín hǎo, shì wěihào bā bā liù de chéngkè ma?

    Hello, are you the passenger whose number ends in 886?

    You

    这是我叫的车吗？

    Zhè shì wǒ jiào de chē ma?

    Is this the car I ordered?

  2. Staff

    有行李吗？后备箱开着。

    Yǒu xíngli ma? Hòubèixiāng kāizhe.

    Any luggage? The trunk is open.

    You

    我有一个行李箱。

    Wǒ yǒu yí ge xínglixiāng.

    I have one suitcase.

Play the scene

The ride-hailing pickup zone at Shanghai Hongqiao Station. Dozens of white cars, and only one of them is yours.

上海虹桥站 · Shanghai Hongqiao Station

  1. Staff

    您好，是尾号八八六的乘客吗？

    Nín hǎo, shì wěihào bā bā liù de chéngkè ma?

    Hello, are you the passenger whose number ends in 886?

  2. You

    这是我叫的车吗？

    Zhè shì wǒ jiào de chē ma?

    Is this the car I ordered?

  3. Staff

    对，就是这辆。几个人？

    Duì, jiù shì zhè liàng. Jǐ ge rén?

    Yes, this is the one. How many of you?

  4. You

    我们有两个人。

    Wǒmen yǒu liǎng ge rén.

    There are two of us.

  5. Staff

    有行李吗？后备箱开着。

    Yǒu xíngli ma? Hòubèixiāng kāizhe.

    Any luggage? The trunk is open.

  6. You

    我有一个行李箱。

    Wǒ yǒu yí ge xínglixiāng.

    I have one suitcase.

  7. Staff

    好，请系好安全带。

    Hǎo, qǐng jì hǎo ānquándài.

    OK, please fasten your seat belt.

  8. You

    目的地是这个地址。

    Mùdìdì shì zhège dìzhǐ.

    The destination is this address.

Culture tip

Check the license plate

Before getting in, compare the license plate with the app. If it does not match, do not get in.

How do you ask “What is the license plate number?”

Show the answer

车牌号是多少？

Go deeper

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

Key Taxi and Ride-Hailing Terms

打车 To get a taxi or request a ride. It can refer to hailing a taxi on the street or using a ride-hailing app.

您好，可以打车吗？ Nínhǎo, kěyǐ dǎchē ma? Hello, can I get a taxi?

载客 To take passengers. This is useful when asking whether a taxi is currently available.

您现在可以载客吗？ Nín xiànzài kěyǐ zàikè ma? Can you take passengers now?

上车 To get in a vehicle. Use 我可以上车吗？ before entering a taxi or ride-hailing car.

我可以上车吗？ Wǒ kěyǐ shàngchē ma? Can I get in?

司机 Driver. In ride-hailing situations, confirming the driver helps avoid getting into the wrong car.

请问您是司机吗？ Qǐngwèn nín shì sījī ma? Excuse me, are you the driver?

车牌号 License plate number. This is one of the most important things to check before getting into a ride-hailing car.

请问车牌号是多少？ Qǐngwèn chēpái hào shì duōshǎo? Excuse me, what is the license plate number?

后备箱 Trunk of a car. Use this when asking where to put luggage or suitcases.

行李可以放后备箱吗？ Xíngli kěyǐ fàng hòubèixiāng ma? Can I put my luggage in the trunk?

Getting-In Flow

Step 1: Ask if the car is available

For a street taxi, ask 可以打车吗？ or 您现在可以载客吗？ before getting in.

Step 2: Confirm the ride-hailing car

If using an app, confirm the car, license plate, driver name, and car color before entering.

Step 3: Handle luggage

Tell the driver how much luggage you have and ask whether you can put it in the trunk.

Step 4: Confirm passenger count

If there are several people, say 我们有两个人 or 我们有四个人，可以坐吗？

Step 5: Confirm destination before leaving

Before the ride starts, show the address and say 目的地是这个地址 or 请看一下这个地址.

Useful Taxi Patterns

可以……吗？ Use this to ask whether something is possible or allowed.

我可以上车吗？ Wǒ kěyǐ shàngchē ma? Can I get in?

这是……吗？ Use this to confirm identity, car, order, or location.

这是我叫的车吗？ Zhè shì wǒ jiào de chē ma? Is this the car I ordered?

请问……是多少？ Use this to ask for a number, such as license plate number, phone number, or fare.

请问车牌号是多少？ Qǐngwèn chēpái hào shì duōshǎo? Excuse me, what is the license plate number?

请确认一下…… Use this to ask someone to double-check something important.

请确认一下是不是这辆车。 Qǐng quèrèn yíxià shì bu shì zhè liàng chē. Please confirm whether this is the car.

Ride-Hailing Safety Tips

Check the license plate

Before getting in, compare the license plate with the app. If it does not match, do not get in.

Confirm driver and car

Confirm the driver name, car color, and car model if available. This is especially important at busy pickup points.

Confirm destination

Show the address before departure to make sure the driver knows exactly where to go.

Luggage and Passenger Tips

Suitcases and trunk

If you have large luggage, tell the driver before getting in. Some smaller cars may not have enough trunk space.

Passenger count

Say how many people are riding so the driver can confirm whether the car has enough seats.

Front passenger seat

Rules or driver preferences may vary. Ask 可以坐副驾驶吗？ before sitting in the front passenger seat.

Interactive Scenarios

Hailing a taxi

  • Traveler您好，可以打车吗？

    Nínhǎo, kěyǐ dǎchē ma?

    Hello, can I get a taxi?

  • Traveler您现在可以载客吗？

    Nín xiànzài kěyǐ zàikè ma?

    Can you take passengers now?

  • Traveler我可以上车吗？

    Wǒ kěyǐ shàngchē ma?

    Can I get in?

Confirming a ride-hailing car

  • Traveler这是我叫的车吗？

    Zhè shì wǒ jiào de chē ma?

    Is this the car I ordered?

  • Traveler车牌号对吗？

    Chēpái hào duì ma?

    Is the license plate number correct?

  • Traveler您的名字和订单上一样吗？

    Nín de míngzi hé dìngdān shàng yíyàng ma?

    Is your name the same as the one on the order?

Luggage and destination

  • Traveler我有一个行李箱。

    Wǒ yǒu yí ge xínglixiāng.

    I have one suitcase.

  • Traveler行李可以放后备箱吗？

    Xíngli kěyǐ fàng hòubèixiāng ma?

    Can I put my luggage in the trunk?

  • Traveler目的地是这个地址。

    Mùdìdì shì zhège dìzhǐ.

    The destination is this address.

Mini Quiz

How do you ask “Can I get in?”
  • 我可以上车吗？ ✓ Answer
  • 我可以下车吗？
  • 我可以买票吗？
Which phrase asks if this is the car you ordered?
  • 这是我叫的车吗？ ✓ Answer
  • 这是我买的票吗？
  • 这是我点的菜吗？
How do you ask “What is the license plate number?”
  • 车牌号是多少？ ✓ Answer
  • 房间号是多少？
  • 电话号码是多少？
Which phrase asks to put luggage in the trunk?
  • 行李可以放后备箱吗？ ✓ Answer
  • 行李可以放房间吗？
  • 行李可以寄存吗？

Related travel guides