How to Ask When Check-out Is in Mandarin Chinese
Learn to ask 'What time is check-out?' in Mandarin, understand hotel check-out policies, and use time expressions to confirm deadlines politely.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
Knowing how to ask about check-out time is essential when staying in a Chinese-speaking hotel. In this lesson you will learn the key phrase 退房 (tuì fáng), which literally means 'check out' or 'leave the room', and how to combine it with time words to ask and answer questions about deadlines. You will also learn how to confirm whether a late check-out is possible and how to respond when a staff member tells you the time. This lesson focuses only on check-out; it complements lessons on check-in by giving you the other half of the hotel conversation. All examples use simplified Chinese and pinyin with tone marks.
By the end, you can…
- ask 'What time is check-out?' in Mandarin.
- understand and say common check-out times such as 12 noon or 2 p.m.
- ask whether a late check-out is possible.
- confirm a check-out time politely with hotel staff.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
退房
check out (leave the hotel room)
tuì fáng
The core noun/verb for check-out. Use it in questions and answers about leaving the room. Note: 退房 is a verb-object compound (退 'exit' + 房 'room'), so it behaves like a verb, not a noun.
退房时间是几点？
What time is check-out?
Tuì fáng shí jiān shì jǐ diǎn?
The most direct and common way to ask the check-out time. 几点 means 'what time'. Note: 时间 (shí jiān) is pronounced with first tone on both syllables.
退房时间是中午十二点。
Check-out time is 12 noon.
Tuì fáng shí jiān shì zhōng wǔ shí èr diǎn.
A typical answer. 中午 means 'noon', 十二点 means 'twelve o'clock'. Note: 中午 (zhōng wǔ) is the standard word for noon; 下午十二点 is not used.
可以晚一点退房吗？
Can I check out a little later?
Kě yǐ wǎn yī diǎn tuì fáng ma?
Use this to ask for a late check-out. 晚一点 means 'a little later'. Note: 可以 (kě yǐ) is pronounced with third tone on both syllables.
好的，谢谢。
Okay, thank you.
Hǎo de, xiè xie.
A polite response after hearing the check-out time or an answer to your request. Note: 谢谢 is often pronounced xiè xie with a neutral second syllable in natural speech.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The key pattern is 退房时间是几点？ (Tuì fáng shí jiān shì jǐ diǎn?). Here 退房时间 means 'check-out time', 是 means 'is', and 几点 means 'what time'. To answer, replace 几点 with a time: 退房时间是上午十一点 (Tuì fáng shí jiān shì shàng wǔ shí yī diǎn) — 'Check-out time is 11 a.m.' Chinese time words come before the hour: 上午 (shàng wǔ, morning), 中午 (zhōng wǔ, noon), 下午 (xià wǔ, afternoon). For example, 下午两点 (xià wǔ liǎng diǎn) means '2 p.m.' Note that 两点 (liǎng diǎn) is used for 'two o'clock', not 二点. Also note that 时间 (shí jiān) is pronounced with first tone on both syllables.
When to use it
Use 退房时间是几点？ when you need the official deadline, for example at check-in or the night before you leave. If you want to stay longer, ask 可以晚一点退房吗？ (Kě yǐ wǎn yī diǎn tuì fáng ma?) — 'Can I check out a little later?' If the answer is yes, staff may say 可以 (kě yǐ) or give a new time, such as 可以，下午一点 (Kě yǐ, xià wǔ yī diǎn) — 'Yes, 1 p.m.' If the answer is no, they may say 不好意思，不可以 (Bù hǎo yì si, bù kě yǐ) — 'Sorry, that's not possible.' Always listen for 点 (diǎn, o'clock) to catch the time. Note: 可以 is pronounced with third tone on both syllables.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
请问，退房时间是几点？
Excuse me, what time is check-out?Qǐng wèn, tuì fáng shí jiān shì jǐ diǎn?退房时间是中午十二点。
Check-out time is 12 noon.Tuì fáng shí jiān shì zhōng wǔ shí èr diǎn.可以晚一点退房吗？
Can I check out a little later?Kě yǐ wǎn yī diǎn tuì fáng ma?可以，下午两点以前。
Yes, before 2 p.m.Kě yǐ, xià wǔ liǎng diǎn yǐ qián.A little context goes a long way
In mainland China, standard check-out is often 12 noon, but some hotels allow 2 p.m. or charge extra for late check-out. Politeness matters: start with 请问 (qǐng wèn, 'may I ask') when approaching the front desk. A request with 吗 (ma) is neutral and polite; adding 不好意思 (bù hǎo yì si, 'excuse me/sorry') softens a request further. Staff may use 以前 (yǐ qián, 'before') to give a deadline, so listen for it. Note: 以前 (yǐ qián) literally means 'before' in time; in this context it indicates a deadline.
One thing to watch for
Saying 退房是几点？ without 时间, or using 二点 for two o'clock.
Try this instead: Use 退房时间是几点？ (Tuì fáng shí jiān shì jǐ diǎn?) for clarity, and say 两点 (liǎng diǎn) for 'two o'clock', not 二点. For example: 退房时间是下午两点 (Tuì fáng shí jiān shì xià wǔ liǎng diǎn) — 'Check-out time is 2 p.m.' Note: 时间 is pronounced shí jiān with first tone on both syllables.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'What time is check-out?' in Mandarin?
Show a sample answer
退房时间是几点？ (Tuì fáng shí jiān shì jǐ diǎn?)
This uses 退房时间 (check-out time) + 是 (is) + 几点 (what time). 退房是几点 is understandable in context but less precise; adding 时间 is clearer. Note: 时间 is pronounced shí jiān with first tone on both syllables.
2A hotel says 退房时间是中午十二点。 What time is check-out?
Show a sample answer
12 noon.
中午 (zhōng wǔ) means 'noon' and 十二点 (shí èr diǎn) means 'twelve o'clock'. If the hotel said 下午十二点, that would be unusual; 中午 is the standard word for noon. Note: 中午 is pronounced zhōng wǔ with first tone on both syllables.
3How do you ask 'Can I check out a little later?'
Show a sample answer
可以晚一点退房吗？ (Kě yǐ wǎn yī diǎn tuì fáng ma?)
可以 (kě yǐ) means 'can/may', 晚一点 (wǎn yī diǎn) means 'a little later', and 吗 (ma) makes it a yes/no question. You could also say 能不能晚一点退房？ (Néng bù néng wǎn yī diǎn tuì fáng?), which is equally polite. Note: 可以 is pronounced with third tone on both syllables.
Remember the key question 退房时间是几点？ (Tuì fáng shí jiān shì jǐ diǎn?) and the polite request 可以晚一点退房吗？ (Kě yǐ wǎn yī diǎn tuì fáng ma?). Listen for 点 (diǎn) and time-of-day words like 中午 and 下午 to catch the deadline. Note: 时间 is pronounced shí jiān with first tone on both syllables.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s Chinese into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr