HOW DO I SAY THAT IN CHINESE? While we’re not going to be able to make you fluent in Mandarin (or Putonghua as it is locally known), we would like to give you an insight into this beautiful language. Mandarin is the dialect that all Chinese children learn at school and enables the 1.3 billion populace of China to speak to each other in a common language. In China, people refer to the language as Putonghua, which means common dialect in Chinese. Please note that as most people cannot pronounce the official phonetic translation of the characters into English, we’ve tried to give you an easier way of speaking at least some Chinese when in China!   Pin Yin How is that pronounced? Hello Ni Hao Knee How Goodbye Zai Jian Sigh Jen Thank you Xie Xie Cier cier You’re welcome Bu Ke Qi Boo Ker Chi What is your name? Ne Jiao Shen Me Ming Zi? Knee Jow Sh Muh Ming Ce? I am called… Wo Jiao War Jow How are you? Ni Hao Ma? Knee How Ma? I’m fine Wo Hen Hao War Hun How Not good Bu Hao Boo How No Bu Boo Yes/Correct Dui Dway I don’t understand Wo Bu Ming Bai War Boo Ming Buy Can you speak English Ni Hui Shuo Ying Yu Ma? Knee Way Shwor Ying Ewe Ma? Do you understand? Ni Ting Dong Ma? Knee Ting Dong Ma? I’m sorry Dui Bu Qi D Boo Chi I can’t speak very much Chinese? Wo Bu Hui Shuo Hen Duo De Putong Hua War Boo Way Shwor Hun Dwor De Poo Tong Hwar No problem Mei Wen Ti May When Tee I want to go to… Wo Xiang Qu War Sea-yang Chew Where’s the toilet? Xi Shou Jian Zai Na See Show Jen Sigh Nar How much does it cost? Duo Shao Qian Dwor Show Chen Too expensive Tai Gui Le Tai Gwhy Le Can I have a discount? Ni Ke Yi Gei Wo Pian Yi Yi Dian Ma Knee Ker Yee Gay War Pyen Yee Yee Dyen Ma? I want this one Wo Yao Zhe Ge War Yow Je Ger I don’t want it Wo Bu Yao War Boo Yow I’m hungry Wo e le War arrgh le Menu Cai Dan Sigh Dan Check / bill please Qing Jie Zhang Qing Gee Zhang Delicious Hen Hao Chi Hun How Cher I don’t like it Wo Bu Xihuan Chi War Boo See Hwan Cher I’d like to drink Wo Xiang He War Sea-yang Her Coca cola Ke Kou Ke Le Ker Kow Ker Le Tea Cha Char Coffee Ka Fei Car Fay (Cows) Milk Niu Nai Noy Nigh Sugar Bai Tang Buy Tang Beautiful Hen Piaoliang Hun Pyow Lee-ang Ugly Chou Cho Interesting You Qu Yo Chew Boring Wu Liao War Lee-ow