How to Ask Where the Swimming Pool Is in Mandarin Chinese
Learn to ask 'Where is the swimming pool?' in Mandarin, understand opening hours, and use polite follow-up questions at a public pool. Includes pinyin, tones, and a sample dialogue.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
In this lesson, you will learn to ask where a public swimming pool is in Mandarin Chinese, and how to ask about its opening hours. The key question is 游泳池在哪里？ (Yóuyǒngchí zài nǎlǐ?), which means 'Where is the swimming pool?' You will also learn to ask 几点开门？ (Jǐ diǎn kāimén?) and 几点关门？ (Jǐ diǎn guānmén?) to find out when the pool opens and closes. These phrases work in mainland China and other Mandarin-speaking areas. We use simplified Chinese characters and pinyin with tone marks. By the end, you can locate a pool and check its hours politely.
By the end, you can…
- ask where a public swimming pool is in Mandarin.
- ask what time the pool opens and closes.
- understand and respond to simple answers about location and hours.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
游泳池在哪里？
Where is the swimming pool?
Yóuyǒngchí zài nǎlǐ?
The most direct way to ask for the pool's location. Use it when you are nearby and need directions.
请问，游泳池在哪儿？
Excuse me, where is the swimming pool?
Qǐngwèn, yóuyǒngchí zài nǎr?
Polite and common in northern China; 哪儿 (nǎr) is the colloquial form of 哪里 (nǎlǐ).
游泳池几点开门？
What time does the swimming pool open?
Yóuyǒngchí jǐ diǎn kāimén?
Use 开门 (kāimén) for 'open' when asking about a facility's starting time.
游泳池几点关门？
What time does the swimming pool close?
Yóuyǒngchí jǐ diǎn guānmén?
Use 关门 (guānmén) for 'close' when asking about a facility's closing time.
今天开门吗？
Is it open today?
Jīntiān kāimén ma?
Add 吗 (ma) to make a yes/no question. Useful for holidays or maintenance days.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To ask where something is, use [place] + 在哪里？ (zài nǎlǐ?). For example, 游泳池在哪里？ (Yóuyǒngchí zài nǎlǐ?) means 'Where is the swimming pool?' You can replace 游泳池 with other places: 地铁站在哪里？ (Dìtiězhàn zài nǎlǐ?) 'Where is the subway station?' To ask about opening hours, use [place] + 几点 + 开门/关门？ (jǐ diǎn kāimén/guānmén?). For example, 游泳池几点开门？ (Yóuyǒngchí jǐ diǎn kāimén?) 'What time does the pool open?' The word 几点 (jǐ diǎn) means 'what time' and works for both questions.
When to use it
Use 游泳池在哪里？ when you are already in the area and need to find the pool. If you want to be more polite, start with 请问 (qǐngwèn) 'excuse me'. In northern China, people often say 在哪儿？ (zài nǎr?) instead of 在哪里？ (zài nǎlǐ?). Both are correct. When asking about hours, 几点开门？ is for opening time, and 几点关门？ is for closing time. If you want to know if it is open today, ask 今天开门吗？ (Jīntiān kāimén ma?). The answer might be 今天不开门 (Jīntiān bù kāimén) 'It is not open today.'
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
请问，游泳池在哪里？
Excuse me, where is the swimming pool?Qǐngwèn, yóuyǒngchí zài nǎlǐ?一直走，然后左转。
Go straight, then turn left.Yìzhí zǒu, ránhòu zuǒ zhuǎn.谢谢！游泳池几点开门？
Thank you! What time does the swimming pool open?Xièxie! Yóuyǒngchí jǐ diǎn kāimén?早上八点开门，晚上九点关门。
It opens at 8 a.m. and closes at 9 p.m.Zǎoshang bā diǎn kāimén, wǎnshang jiǔ diǎn guānmén.A little context goes a long way
In mainland China, public pools often have separate sessions and may require a health check or swimming cap. Hours can change on holidays, so it is polite to ask 今天开门吗？ (Jīntiān kāimén ma?) before going. Using 请问 (qǐngwèn) at the start makes your question more polite, especially with strangers.
One thing to watch for
Using 哪里 (nǎlǐ) when you mean 'where' but placing it incorrectly, such as saying 游泳池在哪个？ (Yóuyǒngchí zài nǎge?)
Try this instead: Use 在哪里 (zài nǎlǐ) or 在哪儿 (zài nǎr) as a fixed phrase. Say 游泳池在哪里？ (Yóuyǒngchí zài nǎlǐ?) not 游泳池在哪个？ The word 哪个 (nǎge) means 'which one' and needs a noun after it, like 哪个游泳池？ (nǎge yóuyǒngchí?) 'which swimming pool?'
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'Where is the swimming pool?' in Mandarin?
Show a sample answer
游泳池在哪里？
This uses the pattern [place] + 在哪里. You can also say 游泳池在哪儿？ (Yóuyǒngchí zài nǎr?) in northern China.
2What does 游泳池几点开门？ mean?
Show a sample answer
What time does the swimming pool open?
几点 (jǐ diǎn) means 'what time', and 开门 (kāimén) means 'open'. For closing time, use 关门 (guānmén).
3How would you ask if the pool is open today?
Show a sample answer
今天开门吗？
Add 吗 (ma) to a statement to make a yes/no question. You can also say 今天游泳池开门吗？ (Jīntiān yóuyǒngchí kāimén ma?) for clarity.
Remember the two key questions: 游泳池在哪里？ (Yóuyǒngchí zài nǎlǐ?) for location, and 游泳池几点开门/关门？ (Yóuyǒngchí jǐ diǎn kāimén/guānmén?) for hours. Add 请问 (qǐngwèn) to be polite.
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