In this workshop you will speak Chinese to handle a simple taxi situation. You will greet the other person, say you want a taxi, say where you want to go, and ask how long the car will take. You will also listen to a short recorded exchange and choose the correct reply. The recordings give you the exact lines to say, so you can practice both roles without inventing new Chinese.
What each recorded line means
Before you speak, read the meaning of each line you will use. «您好，我要叫一辆出租车。» is a greeting plus a request: you greet the other person and say you want to call a taxi. «好的。您要去哪里？» is the other person's reply: they agree and ask where you want to go. «我要去火车站。车多久能到？» answers that question and then asks how long the car will take. «大概十分钟。» gives the time: about ten minutes. «请问，出租车站在哪里？» is a different way to ask for the taxi stand when you are looking for it yourself. «我要叫一辆出租车。» is a short way to say you want to call a taxi. «车多久能到？» asks how long until the car arrives. «我要去火车站。» states your destination: the train station.
How to practice the exchange
The recorded exchange has two roles. One person greets and asks for a taxi, then says where they want to go and asks how long the car will take. The other person agrees, asks for the destination, and gives the time. When you practice, keep the order the same: greeting and request first, then the reply, then the destination and time question, then the time answer. If you swap roles, you only change who reads which part; the order of the conversation stays the same. You can play both roles with the audio, but there is no automatic assessment, so check your own speaking against the recorded lines.
Asking for the taxi stand
Sometimes you are not calling a taxi; you are looking for the place where taxis wait. «请问，出租车站在哪里？» is the line for that situation: you stop someone politely and ask where the taxi stand is. This is different from «我要叫一辆出租车。», where you say you want to call a taxi. Use «请问，出租车站在哪里？» when you need to find the stand, and use «我要叫一辆出租车。» or «您好，我要叫一辆出租车。» when you want someone to call a taxi for you. «车多久能到？» is useful after you have asked for a taxi, when you want to know how long the car will take.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
我要去火车站。
I want to go to the train station.
wǒ yào qù huǒ chē zhàn
请问，出租车站在哪里？
Excuse me, where is the taxi stand?
qǐng wèn, chū zū chē zhàn zài nǎ lǐ
我要叫一辆出租车。
I want to call a taxi.
wǒ yào jiào yí liàng chū zū chē
车多久能到？
How long until the car arrives?
chē duō jiǔ néng dào
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
您好，我要叫一辆出租车。
Hello, I want to call a taxi.好的。您要去哪里？
OK. Where do you want to go?我要去火车站。车多久能到？
I want to go to the train station. How long until the car arrives?大概十分钟。
About ten minutes.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided taxi request
Imagine you are at a hotel and you want the staff to call a taxi for you. You will speak first, then listen to the staff reply.
Your task: Say the greeting and request line «您好，我要叫一辆出租车。». Then listen to the staff reply «好的。您要去哪里？». Answer with your destination and your time question using «我要去火车站。车多久能到？». Then listen to the time answer «大概十分钟。».
Choose the right reply
You hear someone say «好的。您要去哪里？». You need to choose the best answer from the lines you have learned.
Your task: Read the three choices and pick the one that fits. Choice A: «我要去火车站。车多久能到？». Choice B: «请问，出租车站在哪里？». Choice C: «我要叫一辆出租车。». Say your choice out loud, then say the full line.
Recall the exchange with correct roles
Work with a partner or the audio. One person is the customer, the other is the staff member. You will recall the whole exchange from memory.
Your task: The customer starts with «您好，我要叫一辆出租车。». The staff member replies with «好的。您要去哪里？». The customer answers with «我要去火车站。车多久能到？». The staff member finishes with «大概十分钟。». Say your role's lines without reading if you can.
Common questions
What is the difference between «请问，出租车站在哪里？» and «我要叫一辆出租车。»?
«请问，出租车站在哪里？» is for when you are looking for the taxi stand and want to ask where it is. «我要叫一辆出租车。» is for when you want to call a taxi. Use «请问，出租车站在哪里？» to find the place, and use «我要叫一辆出租车。» or «您好，我要叫一辆出租车。» to ask someone to call a taxi for you.
Can I practice alone without a partner?
Yes. You can play both roles with the audio. Say the customer lines «您好，我要叫一辆出租车。» and «我要去火车站。车多久能到？», then say the staff lines «好的。您要去哪里？» and «大概十分钟。». There is no automatic assessment, so listen to the recordings and compare your speaking with them.
Sources and further reading
- chinese: ask for a taxiChecked September 2026
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