Use these core words to create your first simple sentences in Mandarin Chinese. Read the word, the translation and see the example sentences to see how the words are used. Have fun!
Hint: The marks above the vowels in the Pinyin denote the tones of each word. These are important and can change the meaning of the word if pronounced differently. To hear how these tones sound and practice them, check out this video by Harbin Mandarin here.
Social Words
yes 是（的） shì (de）
no/not 不 bù
thank you 谢谢 xiè xiè
please 请 qǐng
hello 你好 nǐ hǎo
good-bye 再见 zài jiàn
Pronouns
I/me 我 wǒ
my 我的 wǒde
you 你 nǐ
it 它 tā
he 他 tā
she 她 tā
we 我们 wǒ men
they 他们 tā men
Question Words
what 什么 shén me
when 什么时候 shén me shí hou
where 在哪里 zài nǎ lǐ
who 谁 shuí
why 为什么 wèi shén me
how 怎么 zěn me
(marker for yes/no questions) - 吗 ma
Verbs
be/is/am/are/was/were 是 shì
do/make 做 zuò
can/will 会 huì
have 有 yǒu
go 去 qù
stop 停 tíng
look 看 kàn
open 开 kāi
close 关 guān
eat 吃 chī
drink 喝 hē
help 帮助 bāng zhù
want 想 xiǎng
need 需要 xū yào
say 说 shuō
know 知道 zhī dào
come 来 lái
read 读 dú
like 喜欢 xǐ huan
think/feel 觉得 jué de
work 工作 gōng zuò
play 玩 wán
give 给 gěi
wait 等 děng
Descriptive words
more 更 gèng
one 一 yī
big 大 dà
little 小 xiǎo
fast 快 kuài
slow 慢 màn
same 相同 xiāng tóng
different 不同 bù tóng
pretty 漂亮 piào liang
red 红色 hóng sè
blue 蓝色 lán sè
yellow 黄色 huáng sè
good 好 hǎo
new 新 xīn
old 老 lǎo
happy 开心 kāi xīn
sad 伤心 shāng xīn
very 很 hěn
Prepositions
at 在 zài
on top/last 上 shàng
under/next 下 xià
Determiners
this 这个 zhè ge
that 那个 nà ge
some 一些 yì xiē
all 都 dōu
Conjunctions
and 和 hé
but 但是 dàn shì
Adverbs
now 现在 xiàn zài
here 这里 zhè lǐ
there 那里 nà lǐ
Sentences:
你好吗？ How are you?
我很好。 I’m good.
我想去玩。 I want to go play.
你现在需要工作。 You need to work now.
它在哪里？Where is it?
它在那里。It is there.
他喜欢等吗？ Does he like to wait?
他不喜欢。 He does not.
你是谁？ Who are you？
什么时候我们去吃? When are we going to eat?
你想喝什么？ What do you want to drink?
请给我那个。 Please give me that.
都是红色的。 All are red.
我不知道。 I don’t know.
谢谢！再见！ Thank you! Goodbye!
Have fun making your own sentences and share your sentences with us on Instagram! Tag us @languagetvclub. Or send us an email at info@polyglotstation.com.
If you're way past the core words phase, think about joining us for Mandarin TV Club. I'd love to see you there!
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