Mandarin Chinese: Changing Your Travel Itinerary Politely
Learn to say you want to change your itinerary in Mandarin, ask what options are available, and adjust dates, transport, or hotels in a polite, natural conversation.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
This lesson teaches you to handle a very practical travel situation in Mandarin Chinese: changing an itinerary. You will learn the key sentence pattern 我想改一下…… (wǒ xiǎng gǎi yí xià...), which means 'I'd like to change...' and is followed by the thing you want to change. You will also learn how to ask 可以吗？(kěyǐ ma?) 'Is that possible?', how to ask about fees or price differences, and how to check whether a new time or route is available. The focus is on polite, clear requests that work at a hotel front desk, a train station, or a travel agency. All examples use simplified Chinese characters and pinyin with tone marks.
By the end, you can…
- say I want to change my itinerary and name the specific part I want to change.
- ask whether a change is possible and what options are available.
- ask about extra fees or price differences when changing a booking.
- confirm a new date, time, or route in a polite conversation.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
我想改一下我的行程。
I'd like to change my itinerary.
wǒ xiǎng gǎi yí xià wǒ de xíngchéng
The core sentence. 改一下 (gǎi yí xià) softens the request, like 'change it a bit'. Use 我的行程 for the whole itinerary; use 我的预订 (wǒ de yùdìng) for a specific booking.
可以改吗？
Can it be changed? / Is that possible?
kěyǐ gǎi ma?
A simple yes/no question. Add 吗 (ma) at the end of a statement to make it a question. This is neutral and polite.
我想把日期改到五月十号。
I'd like to change the date to May 10th.
wǒ xiǎng bǎ rìqī gǎi dào wǔ yuè shí hào
The 把 (bǎ) structure puts the thing being changed before the verb: 把 + object + verb + 到 + new target. Dates use 月 (yuè) for month and 号 (hào) for day in spoken Chinese.
需要另外收费吗？
Is there an extra charge?
xūyào lìngwài shōufèi ma?
Use this to ask about fees. 另外 (lìngwài) means 'in addition' or 'separately'. A common answer is 不用 (bú yòng) 'no need' or 需要 (xūyào) 'yes, needed'.
还有别的选择吗？
Are there other options?
hái yǒu bié de xuǎnzé ma?
Useful when the first option does not work. 别的 (bié de) means 'other', and 选择 (xuǎnzé) means 'choice' or 'option'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern 我想把 + [thing] + 改到 + [new time/place] is the most useful structure for changing plans. For example, 我想把火车票改到明天下午 (wǒ xiǎng bǎ huǒchē piào gǎi dào míngtiān xiàwǔ) means 'I'd like to change the train ticket to tomorrow afternoon.' You can replace 火车票 with 酒店 (jiǔdiàn, hotel), 航班 (hángbān, flight), or 行程 (xíngchéng, itinerary). If you only want to ask whether a change is possible, use 可以改吗？(kěyǐ gǎi ma?). To ask about a fee, add 需要另外收费吗？(xūyào lìngwài shōufèi ma?). These three patterns cover most itinerary-change conversations.
When to use it
Use 我想改一下…… when you are speaking to staff at a hotel, station, or agency. It is polite but direct. If you need to be more formal, say 请问，可以改一下吗？(qǐngwèn, kěyǐ gǎi yí xià ma?) which means 'Excuse me, can it be changed?' Use 我想把……改到…… when you already know the new date or time. Use 还有别的选择吗？ when the first answer is no or too expensive. Avoid saying 我要改 (wǒ yào gǎi) to a service worker, because 要 can sound demanding; 我想 (wǒ xiǎng) is softer and more appropriate.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
你好，我想改一下我的行程。
Hello, I'd like to change my itinerary.nǐ hǎo, wǒ xiǎng gǎi yí xià wǒ de xíngchéng好的，您想改哪一部分？
Okay, which part would you like to change?hǎo de, nín xiǎng gǎi nǎ yí bùfen?我想把日期改到五月十号，可以吗？需要另外收费吗？
I'd like to change the date to May 10th. Is that possible? Is there an extra charge?wǒ xiǎng bǎ rìqī gǎi dào wǔ yuè shí hào, kěyǐ ma? xūyào lìngwài shōufèi ma?五月十号还有位置，不用另外收费。
There is still space on May 10th, and there is no extra charge.wǔ yuè shí hào hái yǒu wèizhi, bú yòng lìngwài shōufèiA little context goes a long way
In mainland China, service staff often use 您 (nín), the polite form of 'you', and may address you as 先生 (xiānsheng) or 女士 (nǚshì). Using 您 and 请问 (qǐngwèn, 'may I ask') makes your request sound respectful. At hotels and stations, changes are usually handled at the front desk or service counter, not by phone, so be ready to show your booking number or ID. Politeness is shown more by tone and choice of 我想 than by long apologies.
One thing to watch for
Saying 我要改我的行程 (wǒ yào gǎi wǒ de xíngchéng) to a service worker.
Try this instead: Use 我想改一下我的行程 (wǒ xiǎng gǎi yí xià wǒ de xíngchéng). 要 can sound like a demand, while 想 expresses a wish and 一下 softens the request. If you need to be extra polite, add 请问 (qǐngwèn) at the beginning.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I'd like to change my itinerary' in Mandarin?
Show a sample answer
我想改一下我的行程。 (wǒ xiǎng gǎi yí xià wǒ de xíngchéng)
This uses 我想 (I'd like), 改一下 (change a bit), and 我的行程 (my itinerary). You can also say 我想改一下我的预订 if you mean a specific booking.
2You want to change your hotel booking to June 3rd. What sentence can you use?
Show a sample answer
我想把酒店预订改到六月三号。 (wǒ xiǎng bǎ jiǔdiàn yùdìng gǎi dào liù yuè sān hào)
The 把 structure places 酒店预订 before the verb 改到. 六月三号 means June 3rd. You could also say 我想改到六月三号 for a shorter version.
3How do you ask whether there is an extra charge for a change?
Show a sample answer
需要另外收费吗？ (xūyào lìngwài shōufèi ma?)
This asks 'Is there an extra charge?' A polite alternative is 请问，需要另外收费吗？ Adding 请问 makes it more formal.
Use 我想改一下…… to start, 把……改到…… to name the new date or time, and 需要另外收费吗？ to check fees. Keep your tone polite with 我想 and 请问.
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