Speaking Mandarin Chinese
Communicative Function Phrasebook
Most phrasebooks organise language by topic — food, travel, numbers. This phrasebook organises by communicative function: what you are trying to do with language. Greeting someone, apologising, making a suggestion, saying goodbye.
Why does this matter? Because in real conversation, you do not think "I need a word from the food category" — you think "I need to apologise" or "I need to suggest an alternative". Organising by function maps directly to how your brain reaches for language when speaking.
Greetings & Farewells
How to open and close conversations in Mandarin — from first introductions to parting words.
Emotions & Reactions
Express how you feel and respond to what others say — agreement, surprise, sympathy and more.
Social Situations
Navigate real-world social interactions — asking for help, giving compliments, handling misunderstandings.
Expressing Ideas
Share opinions, make suggestions, and discuss topics — the language of thinking and arguing.
Making Plans
Arrange meetings, discuss the future, talk about what has happened and what is about to happen.
About This Phrasebook
All phrases are given in three forms: Traditional/Simplified Chinese characters (汉字), Pīnyīn romanisation with tone marks, and English translation. Where phrases have regional or formal/informal variants, both are shown.
Phrases are sourced from contemporary spoken Mandarin as used in mainland China and Taiwan. Where usage differs significantly between regions, notes are included.
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