Chinese Phrase Flashcards: 96 Everyday Phrases to Print and Say

By the end you can

• Greet people, meet someone new and say goodbye. Say hello and good morning, ask a name, catch up with 好久不见！ and leave politely with 我先走了。
  很高兴认识你。 · Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ. · Nice to meet you.
• Thank people, say sorry and offer a seat or tea. Choose between 对不起 and 不好意思, thank someone warmly with 太谢谢你了！, and play host with 请坐 and 请喝茶.
  不好意思，我来晚了。 · Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ lái wǎn le. · Sorry I'm late.
• Ask what, where, when, who and why. Eight short questions you'll use every day, from 这是什么？ to 为什么？ and 可以吗？
  洗手间在哪儿？ · Xǐshǒujiān zài nǎr? · Where is the restroom?
• Order food, say what you don't eat and pay the bill. Ask for the menu, point and say 我要这个, ask for no chilli with 不要辣的, say you don't eat meat, and call for the bill.
  买单！ · Mǎidān! · The bill, please!
• Ask the price, bargain a little and find your way. React to a price with 太贵了！, ask for a bigger size, pay by phone, then ask for the station, take a taxi and ask where to get off.
  便宜一点儿吧。 · Piányi yìdiǎnr ba. · Can you make it a bit cheaper?
• Say how you feel and make plans. Say you're tired, hungry or a bit worried, react to good news with 太好了！, ask if someone is free and pick a time to meet.
  你明天有空吗？ · Nǐ míngtiān yǒu kòng ma? · Are you free tomorrow?
• Make small talk, ask for help and swap numbers. Ask where people are from and what they do, say you're lost or need a pharmacy, and add someone on WeChat.
  你学中文多久了？ · Nǐ xué Zhōngwén duō jiǔ le? · How long have you studied Chinese?
• Keep the chat going when you don't understand. Ask people to repeat or slow down, ask how to say something in Chinese, and keep a story going with 真的吗？ and 然后呢？
  请说慢一点儿。 · Qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎnr. · Please speak a little slower.
• Hold a two-line exchange. Every card has a likely reply in Chinese, so you learn what you'll hear back and can drill each phrase with a partner or in reverse.

What’s inside

• Hello and Goodbye: Hello and Goodbye
• Please, Thanks and Sorry: Please, Thanks and Sorry
• Questions You Need: Questions You Need
• Eating Out: Eating Out
• Shopping: Shopping
• Getting Around: Getting Around
• Feelings: Feelings
• Time and Plans: Time and Plans
• Small Talk: Small Talk
• Asking for Help: Asking for Help
• Phone and Messages: Phone and Messages
• Keep the Chat Going: Keep the Chat Going
• Ways to play: Five Ways to Drill the Cards Aloud

How to use this book

Twelve card pages, one topic a day, for 12 days. Read the English, say the phrase aloud, then check. Start each day with yesterday's Not yet pile and add one new topic. About ten minutes a day.

1. Before Day 1: Print and cut. Print the 12 card pages, cut out the 96 cards and keep each topic together. Open the free audio on this book's page.
2. Days 1–3: The basics. Hello and Goodbye; Please, Thanks and Sorry; Questions You Need. Sort each day's cards into Got it, Almost and Not yet.
3. Days 4–6: Out and about. Eating Out, Shopping and Getting Around. Say the phrase from the English, then play the audio and say it back in the pause.
4. Days 7–9: People. Feelings, Time and Plans, and Small Talk. Try Reply first: read the reply and say the phrase that comes before it.
5. Days 10–12: When you're stuck. Asking for Help, Phone and Messages, and Keep the Chat Going. Chain three cards into one short conversation.
6. Day 12 and after: All 96. Shuffle every card and say each one. Then keep a one-minute round going and try to beat yesterday's score.

Who it’s for

Adult total beginners who want a stock of everyday phrases ready to say: for a trip to China, a Chinese-speaking partner or colleagues, or small talk with friends. It suits learners who remember best by saying things out loud.

Before you start: Nothing. Every card has the English, the Chinese with pinyin and a likely reply, and the free audio reads every phrase and reply with a pause to say it back. You'll need a printer and scissors.

Frequently asked questions

What is on each card?

An English prompt, the phrase in Chinese characters with pinyin, and the reply you're likely to hear, such as 没关系！ after 对不起！ The book's rule: say the whole phrase out loud from the English first, and only then check the Chinese.

Which topics do the 96 phrases cover?

Twelve topics of eight phrases: Hello and Goodbye; Please, Thanks and Sorry; Questions You Need; Eating Out; Shopping; Getting Around; Feelings; Time and Plans; Small Talk; Asking for Help; Phone and Messages; and Keep the Chat Going.

How long does it take?

Twelve days, one topic a day, about ten minutes. Start each day with yesterday's Not yet pile, then add one new topic. On Day 12, shuffle all 96 cards and say every one.

What are the five ways to drill the cards?

Page 15 lists them: three piles (Got it, Almost and Not yet), a one-minute round to beat tomorrow, Reply first, where you say the phrase that comes before a reply, pair play with a partner, and Chain it, where three cards become one short conversation.

Is there audio?

Yes, free on this book's page. It reads every phrase and every reply, with a pause after each one for you to say it back.

Do I need a SayMei account?

Yes, to download the PDF, and the account is free: sign up with Google, Apple or your email address. With it we email you a copy of the workbook, keep every workbook you download on your account on all your devices, save your place in the free online practice, and you can practise speaking with Mei Lin, SayMei's AI tutor.

How do I print it?

The PDF is US Letter size. On A4 paper, choose "Fit to page" (or "Scale to fit") in the print dialog so nothing is cut off. Print the whole workbook or only the pages you need; colour looks best, and black and white works too.

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