In this workshop you practice a short, realistic direction exchange in Mandarin. You will learn how to stop someone politely, ask where the station is, understand simple movement instructions, and ask the person to repeat if you miss something. The key phrases are short, so you can focus on clear tones and a calm, friendly voice. You will hear the same lines in two connected scenes: first a simple question and answer, then a longer answer with a check and a repeat request. Listen, repeat, and then try both roles out loud.
Starting the conversation politely
The safest way to begin is to use a polite opener before your question. In the recordings, the speaker says «请问，车站在哪里？». This means "Excuse me, where is the station?" The first part softens the request and shows respect; the second part asks for the location. Say it slowly at first, then a little faster. Keep your voice gentle and your tone even. When you practice, imagine you are stopping a friendly stranger on the street. You do not need to add extra words. This one line is enough to start the exchange, and the other person will usually answer with a short direction.
Understanding go straight and turn left or right
Direction answers in Mandarin are often very short. The first common instruction is «一直走。», which means "Go straight." It tells you to keep moving without turning. If a turn is needed, you may hear «往左拐。», which means "Turn left," or «往右拐。», which means "Turn right." Notice that the turning word comes after the direction. Listen carefully to the difference between left and right, because the tones are short and easy to mix up. In a longer answer, you may hear two instructions together, as in «一直走，然后往左拐。», which means "Go straight, then turn left." Practice each line alone before you join them.
Asking for a repeat and checking the final location
Real conversations are not always clear the first time. If you miss the directions, you can politely ask the person to say them again with «对不起，请再说一遍。», which means "Sorry, please say it again." This is useful and polite, and it keeps the conversation going. After the repeat, you may hear the full answer in «一直走，往左拐。车站在左边。», which means "Go straight, turn left. The station is on the left." Here the last part tells you the final location, not a new turn. To confirm, you can repeat the movement and ask, as in «一直走，往左拐，对吗？», which means "Go straight, turn left, right?" A simple confirmation follows in «对，在左边。», which means "Yes, it is on the left." This shows you understood and gives the other person a chance to correct you.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
请问，车站在哪里？
Excuse me, where is the station?
ching-wen, chuh-jahn dzai nah-lee
一直走。
Go straight.
ee-jr zoh
往左拐。
Turn left.
wahng dzwaw gwhy
往右拐。
Turn right.
wahng yoh gwhy
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
请问，车站在哪里？
Excuse me, where is the station?一直走，然后往左拐。
Go straight, then turn left.对不起，请再说一遍。
Sorry, please say it again.一直走，往左拐。车站在左边。
Go straight, turn left. The station is on the left.一直走，往左拐，对吗？
Go straight, turn left, right?对，在左边。
Yes, it is on the left.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided exchange: ask and answer
You will play both roles in a short direction exchange. Use the recording lines as your model. Speak clearly and pause between turns.
Your task: First, play the person asking. Say the polite question from «请问，车站在哪里？». Then play the person answering and give the simple instruction from «一直走。». Repeat the pair three times. On the last round, change your answer to the turning instruction from «往左拐。».
Reply comprehension: choose the correct meaning
Read or listen to the answer lines and decide what each one tells you to do. This is a meaning check, not a translation test.
Your task: Look at «一直走，然后往左拐。» and «一直走，往左拐。车站在左边。». For each line, decide: does it tell you to go straight and turn left, or to go straight and turn right? Then look at «对，在左边。» and decide whether the station is on the left or on the right. Say your choice out loud before you check.
Recall and role swap: repeat and confirm
In this task you practice asking for a repeat and then confirming the directions. You will use the longer exchange as your model.
Your task: Act out all six recorded turns in order. Questioner: «请问，车站在哪里？». Answerer: «一直走，然后往左拐。». Questioner: «对不起，请再说一遍。». Answerer: «一直走，往左拐。车站在左边。». Questioner: «一直走，往左拐，对吗？». Answerer: «对，在左边。». Then cover the text and repeat.
Common questions
What should I do if I do not understand the answer?
Use the polite repeat request from the recordings. It means "Sorry, please say it again." This is normal and polite. After the repeat, listen for the movement words and the final location. If you still feel unsure, you can repeat the directions back as a question to check, just as in the recording.
How can I tell the difference between a turn and a location?
A turn instruction tells you to change direction, as in the lines that mean "Turn left" or "Turn right." A location tells you where something is, as in the line that means "The station is on the left." Listen for the turning word in the turn instructions. In the location line, the station is described as being on a side, not as an action for you to take.
Sources and further reading
- chinese: ask for directionsChecked September 2026
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Take today's Chinese into a conversation with a Yapr AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr