Mandarin for Arrival Day: Greet, Ask Directions, Confirm Transport, and Check Prices
Learn five practical Mandarin phrases for your first day in a Chinese-speaking city: greet, ask directions, confirm transport, ask a price, and request repetition. Includes pinyin, dialogue, and printable practice.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
When you land in a Chinese-speaking city, the first hour often involves a handful of predictable exchanges: greeting someone, asking where to go, confirming which bus or train to take, checking how much something costs, and asking the other person to repeat what they said. This lesson gives you five reusable Mandarin sentences for exactly those moments. You will see the simplified characters, tone-marked pinyin, and a pronunciation guide. The focus is on speaking clearly and politely, not on memorizing every possible answer. By the end, you will be able to start an interaction, get the key information you need, and keep the conversation going even if you do not understand everything the first time.
By the end, you can…
- greet someone and ask a basic direction question in Mandarin.
- confirm transport, ask a price, and request repetition politely.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
你好，请问地铁站怎么走？
Hello, may I ask how to get to the subway station?
Nǐ hǎo, qǐng wèn dìtiě zhàn zěnme zǒu?
Use this to open politely with a stranger. 请问 (ching-wun) softens the question. 怎么走 (zen-muh zo) literally means 'how to walk/go', and works for nearby places.
我要去市中心，坐哪条线？
I want to go downtown; which line should I take?
Wǒ yào qù shìzhōngxīn, zuò nǎ tiáo xiàn?
Use this at a station or bus stop when you know your destination but not the route. 坐 (dzwaw) means 'take' for transport. 哪条线 (nah tyow shyen) asks 'which line'.
这个多少钱？
How much is this?
Zhège duōshao qián?
Point to the item or ticket you mean. 这个 (juh-guh) means 'this one'. 多少钱 (dwaw-shou chyen) is the standard price question. It does not ask about policies or fees beyond the item.
请再说一遍，好吗？
Could you say that again, please?
Qǐng zài shuō yí biàn, hǎo ma?
Use when you did not catch what someone said. 再说一遍 (dzai shwaw ee-byen) means 'say it one more time'. Adding 好吗 (how ma) makes it a polite request.
谢谢，麻烦你了。
Thank you, sorry to trouble you.
Xièxie, máfan nǐ le.
A warm way to close a short exchange. 麻烦你了 (mah-fan nee luh) thanks someone for their effort. It is common after asking for help.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
A very useful pattern for asking directions is 请问 + place + 怎么走？ (Qǐng wèn + place + zěnme zǒu?). For example, 请问火车站怎么走？ (Qǐng wèn huǒchē zhàn zěnme zǒu?) means 'May I ask how to get to the train station?' You can replace 火车站 with 地铁站 (dìtiě zhàn, subway station), 机场 (jīchǎng, airport), or 酒店 (jiǔdiàn, hotel). The pattern stays the same. Another pattern for transport is 我要去 + place + 坐哪条线？ (Wǒ yào qù + place + zuò nǎ tiáo xiàn?). For example, 我要去博物馆，坐哪条线？ (Wǒ yào qù bówùguǎn, zuò nǎ tiáo xiàn?) means 'I want to go to the museum; which line should I take?' These patterns let you ask real questions without knowing the answer in advance.
When to use it
Use 你好，请问… (Nǐ hǎo, qǐng wèn…) when you approach someone you do not know, such as a station attendant or a passerby. It is polite and signals that a question is coming. Use 这个多少钱？ (Zhège duōshao qián?) only when you are pointing at a specific item or ticket; it is not a general question about service charges. If you need the person to repeat, say 请再说一遍，好吗？ (Qǐng zài shuō yí biàn, hǎo ma?) rather than just 什么？ (shénme?), which can sound abrupt. When you finish, 谢谢，麻烦你了 (Xièxie, máfan nǐ le) is a natural close. In mainland China, 地铁 (dìtiě) is the common word for subway; in Taiwan, people often say 捷运 (jiéyùn). Both are correct in their regions.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
你好，请问地铁站怎么走？
Hello, may I ask how to get to the subway station?Nǐ hǎo, qǐng wèn dìtiě zhàn zěnme zǒu?一直走，然后左转。
Go straight, then turn left.Yìzhí zǒu, ránhòu zuǒ zhuǎn.我要去市中心，坐哪条线？
I want to go downtown; which line should I take?Wǒ yào qù shìzhōngxīn, zuò nǎ tiáo xiàn?坐二号线。
Take Line 2.Zuò èr hào xiàn.A little context goes a long way
In many Chinese-speaking contexts, a short greeting before a question is expected, especially with staff or strangers. 请问 (qǐng wèn) is a polite way to begin and is appropriate in both mainland China and Taiwan. Tones matter: 请问 uses a falling tone on 问 (wèn), while 怎么走 uses a third tone on 走 (zǒu). Do not worry about speaking perfectly; clear tones and a polite tone of voice usually help more than speed. When someone helps you, a simple 谢谢 (xièxie) is always welcome.
One thing to watch for
Saying 这个多少钱？ (juh-guh dwaw-shou chyen?) to ask about a service fee or a policy, such as baggage storage or a late checkout charge.
Try this instead: 这个多少钱？ is for a specific item or ticket you can point to. For a service or policy question, ask a staff member directly, for example 请问，这里怎么收费？ (Qǐng wèn, zhèlǐ zěnme shōufèi?) meaning 'May I ask, how do you charge here?' That keeps the question open and does not assume a price or policy.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You are at a subway station and want to ask how to get to the train station. What Mandarin sentence do you use?
Show a sample answer
请问火车站怎么走？
This uses the pattern 请问 + place + 怎么走？ (Qǐng wèn + place + zěnme zǒu?). 火车站 (huǒchē zhàn) means 'train station'. You could also say 请问，去火车站怎么走？ (Qǐng wèn, qù huǒchē zhàn zěnme zǒu?), which is equally correct.
2You did not hear the line number clearly. How do you politely ask the person to repeat?
Show a sample answer
请再说一遍，好吗？
This means 'Could you say that again, please?' 再说一遍 (zài shuō yí biàn) is 'say it one more time', and 好吗 (hǎo ma) makes it a polite request. Another valid option is 请再说一次，好吗？ (Qǐng zài shuō yí cì, hǎo ma?), which is slightly more formal.
3You are pointing at a bus ticket and want to know the price. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
这个多少钱？
This is the standard way to ask the price of a specific item you are indicating. 这个 (zhège) means 'this one', and 多少钱 (duōshao qián) means 'how much money'. If you are asking about a service rather than an item, use a more open question like 请问，怎么收费？ (Qǐng wèn, zěnme shōufèi?).
On arrival day, start with 你好，请问… (Nǐ hǎo, qǐng wèn…) to ask directions, use 我要去…坐哪条线？ (Wǒ yào qù… zuò nǎ tiáo xiàn?) to confirm transport, point and ask 这个多少钱？ (Zhège duōshao qián?) for a price, and keep 请再说一遍，好吗？ (Qǐng zài shuō yí biàn, hǎo ma?) ready when you need repetition. Close with 谢谢，麻烦你了 (Xièxie, máfan nǐ le).
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