How to Say Polite Phrases on Chinese Public Transport: Asking to Sit, Move, or Get Off
Learn Mandarin phrases for buses and trains: asking to sit, requesting someone move, saying excuse me, and thanking people in shared spaces.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
On crowded buses and subway cars in Chinese-speaking cities, a few polite phrases make shared space easier. This lesson teaches you how to ask to sit somewhere, ask someone to move, apologize for bumping, and thank people when they make room. You will use 请问 (qǐngwèn), 可以 (kěyǐ), and 不好意思 (bù hǎoyìsi) in natural patterns. The focus is public transport only: buses, subways, and trains. You will practice short, complete sentences that work in mainland China and Taiwan, with notes on small regional differences.
By the end, you can…
- ask politely whether I may sit in a specific seat on a bus or train.
- ask someone to move slightly so I can pass or sit down.
- apologize briefly when I bump into someone in a crowded car.
- thank someone who gives up a seat or makes room for me.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
请问，我可以坐这里吗？
Excuse me, may I sit here?
qǐngwèn, wǒ kěyǐ zuò zhèlǐ ma?
Use 请问 to open politely, then 可以…吗 to ask permission. Works for an empty seat next to someone on a bus or subway.
不好意思，借过一下。
Excuse me, let me pass.
bù hǎoyìsi, jiè guò yíxià.
Use when you need to move past someone in a narrow aisle. 借过 is the standard phrase for passing through.
麻烦您让一下，好吗？
Could you please move a little?
máfan nín ràng yíxià, hǎo ma?
Use 麻烦您 to soften a request to an older or unfamiliar person. 让一下 means move aside slightly.
不好意思，我踩到您了。
Sorry, I stepped on you.
bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ cǎi dào nín le.
Use after accidental contact in a crowded car. 您 is the polite form of 你 and is common with strangers.
谢谢您，您坐吧。
Thank you, you sit (please take the seat).
xièxie nín, nín zuò ba.
Use when someone offers you a seat but you want to decline politely, or when thanking someone who moved for you. 您坐吧 literally means 'you sit', i.e., 'please take the seat'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is 可以…吗？ (kěyǐ…ma?), which asks permission without sounding demanding. Put the action between 可以 and 吗: 我可以坐这里吗？ (May I sit here?), 我可以过去吗？ (May I pass?), 我可以放这里吗？ (May I put this here?). Add 请问 at the start for extra politeness with strangers: 请问，我可以坐这里吗？ To make a request softer, use 麻烦您…好吗？ (máfan nín…hǎo ma?), for example 麻烦您让一下，好吗？ This literally means 'May I trouble you to move a little?' and is very common on buses and subways.
When to use it
Use 请问 when you are about to ask a stranger a question, especially on a bus or train. Use 不好意思 when you bump, squeeze past, or interrupt briefly; it works like 'excuse me' or 'sorry' and does not require a long apology. Use 麻烦您 when you need someone to do something small for you, such as moving a bag or stepping aside. Use 谢谢 or 谢谢您 when someone gives up a seat or makes room. On Taiwan's MRT, 不好意思 is extremely common for passing; in mainland cities, 借过一下 is also frequent. In both regions, keep your voice low and your sentence short in a crowded car.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
请问，这个位子有人吗？
Excuse me, is this seat taken?qǐngwèn, zhège wèizi yǒu rén ma?没有，你可以坐。
No, you can sit.méiyǒu, nǐ kěyǐ zuò.谢谢您！不好意思，我的包有点大。
Thank you! Sorry, my bag is a bit big.xièxie nín! bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ de bāo yǒudiǎn dà.没关系，我往里面坐一点。
It's fine, I'll move in a little.méi guānxi, wǒ wǎng lǐmiàn zuò yìdiǎn.A little context goes a long way
Politeness on Chinese public transport often comes from brevity and a calm tone rather than long formulas. 您 (nín) shows respect to older or unfamiliar people, while 你 (nǐ) is fine with peers. 不好意思 is softer than 对不起 and is the usual choice for small accidents. In mainland cities, announcements may use 乘客 (chéngkè, passengers); in Taiwan, 旅客 (lǚkè) is also common. Offering a seat to elderly, pregnant, or disabled passengers is widely expected; if you are offered a seat, a simple 谢谢 is enough.
One thing to watch for
Saying 我可以坐吗？ without 这里 or a clear place, or using 对不起 for a small bump.
Try this instead: Be specific and use the right apology. Say 请问，我可以坐这里吗？ to ask about a seat, and 不好意思，借过一下。 when passing. 对不起 is stronger and better for a real mistake, such as stepping hard on someone's foot.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You are on a crowded subway and need to get past someone. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
不好意思，借过一下。
This uses 不好意思 for a brief apology and 借过一下 for passing. 麻烦您让一下，好吗？ is also acceptable if the person is blocking you and you want to be extra polite.
2You want to sit next to a stranger on a bus. Ask politely.
Show a sample answer
请问，我可以坐这里吗？
请问 opens politely, and 可以…吗 asks permission. 请问，这个位子有人吗？ is a valid alternative if you first want to check whether the seat is free.
3Someone stands up and offers you their seat. Give a short polite reply.
Show a sample answer
谢谢您，您坐吧。
This thanks the person and politely declines. If you accept, say 谢谢您！ instead. Both are appropriate; the choice depends on whether you want the seat. Note: 您坐吧 means 'you sit', i.e., 'please take the seat'.
On Chinese public transport, keep it short and soft: 请问 to ask, 不好意思 to pass or apologize, 麻烦您 to request, and 谢谢 to thank. These four phrases cover most shared-space situations.
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