Contents
Introduction
Pronunciation guide
Basic grammar
1. The Basics
1.1 Personal details
1.2 Today or tomorrow?
1.3 What time is it?
1.4 One, two, three…
1.5 The weather
1.6 Here, there...
1.7 What does that sign say?
1.8 Legal holidays
2. Meet and Greet
2.1 Greetings
2.2 Asking a question
2.3 How to reply
2.4 Thank you
2.5 I’m sorry
2.6 What do you think?
3. Small Talk
3.1 Introductions
3.2 I beg your pardon?
3.3 Starting/ending a conversation
3.4 A chat about the weather
3.5 Hobbies
3.6 Invitations
3.7 Paying a compliment
3.8 Intimate comments/ questions
3.9 Congratulations and condolences
3.10 Arrangements
3.11 Being the host(ess)
3.12 Saying good-bye
4. Eating Out
4.1 At the restaurant
4.2 Ordering
4.3 The bill
4.4 Complaints
4.5 Paying a compliment
4.6 Requests
4.7 Drinks
4.8 The menu
5. Getting Around
5.1 Asking directions
5.1 Traffic signs
5.3 The car
5.4 The gas station
5.5 Breakdowns and repairs
5.6 Bicycles/mopeds
5.7 Renting a vehicle
5.8 Getting a lift
6. Arrival and Departure
6.1 General
6.2 Immigration and Customs
6.3 Luggage
6.4 Tickets
6.5 Information
6.6 Airports
6.7 Subways
6.8 Long-distance trains
6.9 Buses
6.10 Taxis
7. A Place to Stay
7.1 General
7.2 Hotels/hostels/budget accommodations
7.3 Requests
7.4 Complaints
7.5 Departure
8. Money Matters
8.1 Banks
8.2 Settling the bill
9. Mail, Phone and Internet
9.1 Mail
9.2 Telephone
9.3 Internet/email
10. Shopping
10.1 Shopping conversations
10.2 Food
10.3 Clothing and shoes
10.4 At the hairdresser
11. Tourist Activities
11.1 Sightseeing
11.2 Places of interest
11.3 Going out
11.4 Nightlife
11.5 Cultural Performances
11.6 Booking tickets
12. Sports Activities
12.1 Sporting questions
12.2 By the waterfront
12.3 In the snow
13. Health Matters
13.1 Calling a doctor
13.2 What’s wrong?
13.3 The consultation
13.4 Medications and prescriptions
13.5 At the dentist
14. Emergencies
14.1 Asking for help
14.2 Lost items
14.3 Accidents
14.4 Theft
14.5 Missing person
14.6 The police
ENGLISH-MANDARIN CHINESE DICTIONARY
Introduction
Welcome to the Tuttle Essential Language series, covering all of the most popular Asian languages. These books are basic guides to communicating in the language. They’re concise, accessible and easy to understand, and you’ll find them indispensable on your trip abroad to get you where you want to go, pay the right prices and do everything you’re planning to do.
Each guide is divided into 14 themed sections and starts with a pronunciation guide which explains the phonetic pronunciations of all the words and sentences you’ll need to know, and a basic grammar guide which will help you construct basic sentences in the language. At the end of this book is an extensive English–Mandarin Chinese dictionary.
Throughout the book you’ll come across boxes with a beside them. These are designed to help you if you can’t understand what your listener is saying to you. Hand the book over to them and encourage them to point to the appropriate answer to the question you are asking.
Other boxes in the book—this time without the symbol—give listings of themed words with their English translations beside them.
For extra clarity, we have put all phonetic pronunciations of the Mandarin Chinese terms in bold.
This book covers all