Beginner confidence essential
Learn what to say in Chinese when you speak only a little Mandarin, need English, or want someone to repeat something more clearly.
When an exchange breaks down, asking for English is only one possible repair. A noisy number needs repetition, unfamiliar vocabulary may need explanation, and an address may be easier to show in writing. Choose a request that identifies the detail you need.
请再说一遍。
Please say it again.
是十四号柜台，不是四号。
It's counter fourteen, not counter four.
十四号 identifies counter 14. 不是四号 explicitly rejects the possible mishearing of counter 4.
好的，十四号柜台。
Okay, counter fourteen.
Practice this reply in the trainer你会说英语吗
Do you speak English?
我不会说英语，不过我可以把地址写下来。
I don't speak English, but I can write down the address.
不过 introduces an alternative. 把地址写下来 means write down the address.
好，麻烦您写下来。
Okay, could you write it down for me, please?
Practice this reply in the trainerYou can use these repairs while knowing very little Mandarin. Recover the detail you need, confirm it, and continue the exchange. If the situation involves important medical, legal, or other consequential instructions, obtain suitable professional language support.
phrases to hear, say, and use today
The learner asks for the missing number, then repeats it to confirm.
bù hǎo yì si, jǐ hào guì tái? wǒ méi tīng qīng.
Sorry, which counter? I didn't hear clearly.
shí sì hào, bú shì sì hào.
Fourteen, not four.
shí sì hào, xiè xie.
Fourteen, thank you.
duì, jiù zài qián mian.
Yes, just ahead.
The other person cannot offer English but can offer a written address. The exchange recovers information without pretending that English must be available.
nǐ huì shuō yīng yǔ ma?
Do you speak English?
bú huì, nǐ shì wèn dì zhǐ ma?
No. Are you asking about the address?
duì, kě yǐ xiě xià lai ma?
Yes. Could you write it down?
kě yǐ, wǒ xiě zài zhè lǐ.
Of course. I'll write it here.
This sets a modest language expectation. Follow it with the specific help you need.
A yes-or-no question about the other person's ability. Be ready for 我不会 and an alternative way to communicate.
Use when speed is the obstacle. Slower speech may not solve an unfamiliar word, so identify that word if it remains unclear.
Ask for a repetition, especially after noise or distraction. Confirm the detail with its label when you hear it again.
Useful for an address, name, or number. Ask for explanation too if you cannot read or interpret the written answer.
没听清 says you did not hear clearly. 听不懂 says you cannot understand what you hear. A louder or slower repetition may solve the first issue but not the second. To identify the exact gap, point to a written word or ask 这个词是什么意思, what does this word mean. Ask specifically for the counter number or time when that is the detail you missed.
请再说一遍 asks for another repetition. 请说慢一点 asks for slower speech. 再 means again; 慢 means slow. They are different operations, even though you may need both. If the speaker repeats a number, read it back with the label: 十四号柜台, counter fourteen. A correction such as 不是四号 is as important as the first number.
你会说英语吗 asks whether the other person can speak English. If you hear 我不会说英语, try asking for a written address, a map, or help from another person. Point to the particular number, name, or destination you need. Someone with limited English may still be able to show you that information. For a place name, 可以给我看一下吗 asks to see it. That gives you a label you can match to the destination on your screen.
可以写下来吗 asks for writing. For an address, a written form helps you compare it with a map or show someone else. For a phone number, it reduces a sound-confusion problem. Ask for an explanation if the written text remains difficult to understand. Do not treat a saved screenshot as proof that an important instruction has been communicated accurately.
bú shì sì hào, shì shí sì hào.
Not number four, number fourteen.
不是 rejects the first number. Keep the corrected number, not the first recognizable digit.
wǒ kě yǐ gěi nǐ xiě xià lai.
I can write it down for you.
Accept the offered written form when that helps with the detail you missed.
nǐ shì wèn dì zhǐ ma?
Are you asking about the address?
The other person is checking your intention. Confirm or correct it before receiving a longer answer.
A correction: four is rejected and fourteen is the intended number.
Ask what the particular word means or request a written form and explanation. Repetition alone may not solve unfamiliar vocabulary.
No. Pointing, writing, or suitable language support may still help. Ask for the option relevant to your immediate detail.
Say 你会说英语吗？
Say 我只会说一点中文.
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