# Mandarin for Work: A 14-Day Speaking Plan for the Office You introduce yourself to the team, chat at the coffee machine, say a line in a meeting and turn down a request kindly. For learners starting from zero who work with Mandarin-speaking colleagues. Source: https://www.saymei.app/resources/downloads/mandarin-for-work-14-day-speaking-plan ## At a glance - Level: Beginner · HSK 1 - Format: Workbook · PDF · 16 pages · US Letter (prints on A4) - Price: Free · free with a saymei account · updated Nov 4, 2026 ## Download Free with a SayMei account, on the workbook's page: https://www.saymei.app/resources/downloads/mandarin-for-work-14-day-speaking-plan. SayMei emails a copy too. ## A line from the workbook 辛苦了！ (Xīnkǔ le!) — Thanks for all your hard work! ## By the end you can - Introduce yourself to the team on your first day. Say your name with 我是新来的, ask the team to bear with you, and use 我是新来的 on its own whenever you're lost. 大家好，我是新来的林浩。 (Dàjiā hǎo, wǒ shì xīn lái de Lín Hào.): Hi, everyone. I'm Lin Hao, I'm new here. - Greet colleagues every day and ask for a hand. Answer greetings like 吃了吗？ with a short reply and 你呢？, leave with 我先走了, and make a request sound small with verb + 一下. 不好意思，可以帮我一下吗？ (Bù hǎoyìsi, kěyǐ bāng wǒ yíxià ma?): Sorry, could you give me a hand? - Go to lunch and make small talk at the coffee machine. Suggest lunch with 吧, agree where and when, and ask yes-or-no questions like 忙不忙？ without 吗. 一起吃午饭吧？ (Yìqǐ chī wǔfàn ba?): Shall we have lunch together? - Say a little in a meeting and ask someone to repeat. Join in with 我可以说一下吗？ and 我同意, give an opinion with 我觉得, and check a time or name with 你是说…吗？ 不好意思，可以再说一遍吗？ (Bù hǎoyìsi, kěyǐ zài shuō yí biàn ma?): Sorry, could you say that again? - Give a quick update and find a time to meet. Say what's finished with verb + 完了 and what's still going with 还在 + verb, then agree a time, starting your reply with 那. 还在做，明天下午给你。 (Hái zài zuò, míngtiān xiàwǔ gěi nǐ.): Still working on it. I'll give it to you tomorrow afternoon. - Say no politely and thank a colleague. Soften a no with 不太 and offer another time, then praise someone's work with verb + 得 and thank them with 辛苦了. 真不好意思，今天不太方便。 (Zhēn bù hǎoyìsi, jīntiān bú tài fāngbiàn.): I'm really sorry, today isn't a good day. - Chat about the weekend, ask for a day off and say goodbye. Tell your weekend with 挺…的, ask for leave with 请 + length + 假, and wish a colleague well with 祝你. 我下周五想请一天假。 (Wǒ xià zhōuwǔ xiǎng qǐng yì tiān jià.): I'd like to take next Friday off. ## What's inside - Day 1: Introduce Yourself to the Team - Day 2: Greet Colleagues Every Day - Day 3: Ask a Colleague for Help - Day 4: Lunch with Colleagues - Day 5: Small Talk at the Coffee Machine - Day 6: Say a Little in a Meeting - Day 7: Ask Someone to Repeat - Day 8: Give a Quick Update on Your Work - Day 9: Find a Time to Meet - Day 10: Say No Politely - Day 11: Thank and Praise a Colleague - Day 12: How Was Your Weekend? - Day 13: Ask for a Day Off - Day 14: Say Goodbye to a Colleague ## How to use this book Fourteen days, one page a day. Play the day's audio and say each line in the pause, read the exchange twice, then say the first line without looking. Use it at the office the same week. - Days 1–3: Your first days on the team. Introduce yourself, greet colleagues morning and evening, and ask for a hand with 一下. - Days 4–7: Lunch, coffee and meetings. Suggest lunch with 吧, make coffee-break small talk, say a line in a meeting and ask someone to repeat a time or name. - Days 8–11: Getting work done together. Give an update with 做完了 and 还在做, find a time to meet, say no kindly and thank a colleague with 辛苦了. - Days 12–14: Weekends, time off and goodbyes. Ask about the weekend, ask your manager for a day off, and say goodbye to a colleague who is moving on. - After Day 14: Run through all fourteen days. Say each day's first line aloud once, then pick one to use at work this week. ## Who it's for Adult beginners who work with Mandarin-speaking colleagues and want the spoken Chinese of everyday office life: greetings, lunch, coffee breaks, meetings, updates, polite noes and thank-yous. Before you start: Nothing. Every line has characters, pinyin and English, the free audio reads each one with a pause to say it back, and from Day 3 every page brings back something from an earlier day. ## What do the fourteen days cover? One page a day, each a short exchange with a note on one point to reuse. Day 1 starts with 我是新来的 on your first morning, then come greetings, lunch, coffee breaks, meetings, updates with 做完了 and 还在做, saying no, thanking with 辛苦了, a day off and, on Day 14, a goodbye to a colleague who is moving on. ## Do I need any Chinese to start? No. Every line has characters, pinyin and English, and from Day 3 every page brings back something from an earlier day, so the first lines stay fresh. ## How should I use each page? Play the day's audio and say each line in the pause, read the exchange twice, then say the first line without looking. Try it at the office the same week. After Day 14, say each day's first line aloud once and pick one to use that week. ## Is there audio? Yes, free on the book's page on saymei.app: one track for each day, with every Chinese line followed by a pause to say it back. The QR code on page 2 opens it. ## What if I can't follow what a colleague says? Day 7 is for that. Ask 可以再说一遍吗？ to hear it again, check the key word with 你是说…吗？, and ask 可以说慢一点儿吗？ to slow things down. ## Does it cover client meetings, business dinners or work emails? No. This book is the everyday talk with your own team. For client meetings and business dinners, see Business Chinese Phrases. For written messages, see Chinese Work Emails & Messages. ## 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. Version 2026-11, updated Nov 4, 2026.