How to Say 'I Should Get Going' and 'Let's Catch Up Soon' in Mandarin Chinese
Learn to exit a conversation politely in Mandarin with phrases like 我得走了 (wǒ děi zǒu le) and 改天再聊 (gǎitiān zài liáo), giving a reason and making a soft future plan.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
In Mandarin, leaving a conversation gracefully often means signaling that you need to go, giving a brief reason, and offering a future catch-up. This lesson teaches you exactly how to do that. You will learn phrases like 我得走了 (wǒ děi zǒu le) 'I should get going' and 改天再聊 (gǎitiān zài liáo) 'let's catch up another day.' These expressions differ from a simple goodbye because they focus on exiting the current interaction, not just ending the relationship. You will also learn how to add a reason, such as 我还有事 (wǒ hái yǒu shì) 'I still have things to do,' and how to respond when someone says these to you. By the end, you will be able to leave a chat politely and set up a future meeting without sounding abrupt.
By the end, you can…
- say 'I should get going' in Mandarin and give a simple reason.
- suggest catching up soon using 改天再聊 or 下次再聊.
- respond appropriately when someone says they need to leave.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
我得走了。
I should get going.
wǒ děi zǒu le
Use when you need to leave a conversation or a place. 得 (děi) means 'need to' and softens the statement.
改天再聊。
Let's catch up another day.
gǎitiān zài liáo
A friendly way to end a chat and suggest talking again soon. 改天 (gǎitiān) means 'another day.'
我还有事。
I still have things to do.
wǒ hái yǒu shì
A common reason for leaving. It is vague but polite. You can add 先走 (xiān zǒu) 'leave first' to be extra polite.
下次再聊。
Let's talk again next time.
xià cì zài liáo
Similar to 改天再聊, but 下次 (xià cì) means 'next time.' Use when you expect to meet again.
你先忙。
You go ahead and be busy.
nǐ xiān máng
Said to someone who seems busy, as a polite way to end the conversation and let them go.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
A common pattern for leaving is: [Reason] + 我得走了 (wǒ děi zǒu le). For example, 我还有事，我得走了。 (wǒ hái yǒu shì, wǒ děi zǒu le.) 'I have things to do, I should get going.' You can also reverse the order: 我得走了，我还有事。 (wǒ děi zǒu le, wǒ hái yǒu shì.) Both are fine. To suggest a future catch-up, add 改天再聊 (gǎitiān zài liáo) or 下次再聊 (xià cì zài liáo) after the reason. For example, 我得走了，改天再聊。 (wǒ děi zǒu le, gǎitiān zài liáo.) 'I should get going, let's catch up another day.' Notice that 再 (zài) means 'again' and 聊 (liáo) means 'chat.'
When to use it
Use these phrases when you are in a conversation—face-to-face, on the phone, or in a chat—and you need to leave before the other person expects. They are appropriate with friends, classmates, and colleagues. For example, if a friend calls and you are busy, you can say, 我还有事，先走了，改天再聊。 (wǒ hái yǒu shì, xiān zǒu le, gǎitiān zài liáo.) 'I have things to do, I'm leaving first, let's catch up another day.' If you are the one staying, you can respond with 好，你先忙。 (hǎo, nǐ xiān máng.) 'Okay, you go ahead.' Avoid using these phrases when you are simply ending a phone call without a reason; in that case, a simple 再见 (zàijiàn) 'goodbye' is enough.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
不好意思，我得走了。
Sorry, I should get going.bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ děi zǒu le好的，你先忙。
Okay, you go ahead and be busy.hǎo de, nǐ xiān máng改天再聊。
Let's catch up another day.gǎitiān zài liáo好，下次再聊。
Okay, let's talk again next time.hǎo, xià cì zài liáoA little context goes a long way
In Mandarin-speaking contexts, leaving a conversation often involves giving a reason, even a vague one like 有事 (yǒu shì) 'have things to do.' This shows respect for the other person's time and maintains harmony. Directly saying 'I want to leave' without a reason can sound abrupt. Also, 改天再聊 (gǎitiān zài liáo) is often a polite formula; it may not always lead to a specific plan, but it keeps the relationship warm. If you want to make a real plan, you can say 改天我们一起吃饭。 (gǎitiān wǒmen yìqǐ chīfàn.) 'Let's eat together another day.'
One thing to watch for
Using 再见 (zàijiàn) alone when you need to leave a conversation early, which can sound like you are ending the relationship or being abrupt.
Try this instead: Instead, give a reason and suggest a future catch-up: 我还有事，得走了，改天再聊。 (wǒ hái yǒu shì, děi zǒu le, gǎitiān zài liáo.) 'I have things to do, I should go, let's catch up another day.' This softens the exit and shows you value the connection.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you say 'I should get going' in Mandarin?
Show a sample answer
我得走了。 (wǒ děi zǒu le)
This is the most common way. 得 (děi) means 'need to,' and 走了 (zǒu le) indicates the action of leaving. You could also say 我得走了，再见。 (wǒ děi zǒu le, zàijiàn) but adding a reason is more polite.
2What phrase can you add to suggest catching up soon?
Show a sample answer
改天再聊。 (gǎitiān zài liáo) or 下次再聊。 (xià cì zài liáo)
Both mean 'let's catch up another day/next time.' 改天 is slightly more general, while 下次 implies a next time. Either works in most casual situations.
3If someone says 我得走了, how can you respond politely?
Show a sample answer
好的，你先忙。 (hǎo de, nǐ xiān máng)
This means 'Okay, you go ahead and be busy.' It acknowledges their need to leave and is polite. You could also say 好，改天再聊。 (hǎo, gǎitiān zài liáo) 'Okay, let's catch up another day.'
To exit a conversation politely in Mandarin, say 我得走了 (wǒ děi zǒu le) with a brief reason like 我还有事 (wǒ hái yǒu shì), and add 改天再聊 (gǎitiān zài liáo) to keep the connection warm.
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