You already know a handful of beginner Mandarin phrases for greeting friends, introducing yourself, and asking basic personal questions. This session helps you move those same phrases into workplace situations where the stakes feel a little higher: a coworker you pass in the morning, a new team member you meet for the first time, and a colleague you want to know better without sounding intrusive. You will practise choosing between casual and neutral options, keeping your introduction short and clear, and asking one question at a time so the other person has room to answer. The goal is not perfect grammar but a calm, complete exchange you can actually finish.
Preparing your short work introduction
Before you speak, decide on three pieces of information you are willing to share: your name, where you are from, and one interest or task. The supplied phrases give you the building blocks: 我叫 Alex (wǒ jiào Alex) for your name, 我是加拿大人 (wǒ shì Jiānádà rén) for origin, and 我喜欢徒步 (wǒ xǐhuan túbù) for an interest. Say them in that order and stop. A common beginner mistake is to keep adding clauses until the sentence collapses. Three short sentences are easier for you to pronounce and easier for your listener to follow. If you want a slightly more formal tone, replace 我是加拿大人 with 我来自加拿大 (wǒ láizì Jiānádà), which the lesson notes as a little more formal and common in introductions and written bios. Practise the whole block aloud five times until the tones feel automatic rather than deliberate. Record yourself once and listen for whether each sentence ends cleanly instead of trailing off.
Handling the question you did not expect
The harder turn in a work conversation is usually not your own introduction but the question that comes back at you. A colleague may ask 你做什么工作？ (nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò) or 你从哪里来？ (nǐ cóng nǎlǐ lái), and your prepared answer may not fit. When that happens, slow down rather than speed up. You can buy a moment with a short repeat of the question, then answer with the pattern you know: 我是老师 (wǒ shì lǎoshī) for a job, or 我从北京来 (wǒ cóng Běijīng lái) for origin. If you genuinely cannot answer, saying 我不太清楚 (wǒ bú tài qīngchu) is more useful than silence, and you can follow with a question back. The lesson also warns that 你多大 (nǐ duō dà) is fine among peers but can feel direct with someone much older; if you are asked your age and want to redirect, answer briefly and then ask about their work instead. Keep your tone level and your sentences short, and the exchange will stay comfortable.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
嗨
Hi / Hey
hāi (first tone)
早
Morning
zǎo (third tone)
最近怎么样？
How have you been lately? / What's up?
zuì jìn zěn me yàng? (zuì: fourth tone; jìn: fourth tone; zěn: third tone; me: neutral; yàng: fourth tone)
好久不见！
Long time no see!
hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn! (hǎo: third tone; jiǔ: third tone; bú: second tone (bù before fourth tone); jiàn: fourth tone)
我叫 Alex。
I'm Alex. / My name is Alex.
wǒ jiào Alex
我是加拿大人。
I'm Canadian. / I'm from Canada.
wǒ shì Jiānádà rén
我来自加拿大。
I come from Canada.
wǒ láizì Jiānádà
我喜欢徒步。
I love hiking. / I like hiking.
wǒ xǐhuan túbù
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
嗨！最近怎么样？
Hey! How have you been lately?还行，你呢？
Not bad, and you?挺忙的。明天有考试。
Pretty busy. I have an exam tomorrow.加油！
Good luck! / You can do it!Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Morning greeting at the office kitchen
It is 8 a.m. You are making tea in the shared kitchen. A coworker you have greeted before walks in. You want to acknowledge them warmly but you are not close friends, so you avoid the most casual options.
Your task: Say a short morning greeting aloud, then add one line about your day using a phrase you already know. Aim for two sentences total, no more. If you use 早 (zǎo), keep your voice friendly rather than flat.
First meeting with a new team member
A new colleague joins your team. You are introduced in a small meeting room with two other people present. You have about thirty seconds before the group moves on to the agenda.
Your task: Introduce yourself aloud using your name, your origin, and one interest, in that order. Keep it to three short sentences. Then ask the new colleague one question about themselves.
Getting to know a colleague after a meeting
A meeting has just ended. You and a colleague from another department are walking out together. You have chatted briefly before but never about anything personal. You would like to know a little more without making it feel like an interview.
Your task: Say one sentence about yourself first, then ask one personal question from the supplied set. Choose the question that fits the situation best and say it aloud with a polite opening.
Common questions
Can I use 嗨 (hāi) with coworkers in a workplace?
The lesson marks 嗨 as very casual, borrowed from English, and best for close friends or peers. With coworkers you do not know well, a neutral option is safer. 早 (zǎo) works in the morning among classmates and coworkers, and 你好 (nǐ hǎo) is neutral and safe when you are unsure.
What should I do if I do not understand a question at work?
Slow down and use what you have. Repeating the question back, or saying 我不太清楚 (wǒ bú tài qīngchu), keeps the conversation going better than silence. You can also answer the part you understood and then ask a question of your own to shift the focus.
Sources and further reading
- chinese: greet friends casuallyChecked September 2026
- chinese: introduce yourself sociallyChecked September 2026
- chinese: ask basic personal questionsChecked September 2026
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