Chinese for English speakers Townhall · Lesson 0

First greetings

Chinese greeting basics — 你好! (Hi!) — universal Chinese hello, suitable for any context.

Conversation

  1. Bolin Bolin

    你好！

    nǐ hǎo

    Hi!

    Tip: 你 <nǐ> = you 好 <hǎo> = good/ well

  2. Meera Meera

    你好！

    nǐ hǎo

    Hi!

  3. Bolin Bolin

    我是柏灵。

    Wǒ shì Bólíng。

    I am Bolin.

    Tip: 我 <wǒ> = I/ me 是 <shì> = to be

  4. Meera Meera

    我是蜜拉。

    wǒ shì Mìlā

    I am Meera.

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

What is 你好?

'Hello' (literally 'you good'). Universal greeting. Polite form: 您好. Both common.

Chinese tonal pronunciation?

你好 (nǐ hǎo): nǐ = 3rd tone (falling-rising), hǎo = 3rd tone. When two 3rd tones meet, first becomes 2nd tone.

Other Chinese greetings?

早上好 (good morning), 晚上好 (good evening), 大家好 (everyone hello), 好久不见 (long time no see).

Test yourself

Pick the English translation for each line from this lesson. Wrong answers are pulled from other Chinese lessons.

4 quick questions on what you just heard.

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