Mandarin A1: Essential Greetings and Polite Phrases You’ll Use Every Day

Want to say hello, thank you, and sorry in Mandarin without stress? This friendly guide gets you speaking right away. You’ll learn simple, natural greetings and polite phrases, how to use them, and what locals actually say. Practice is baked in—try the mini-exercises as you go!

Core greetings you’ll hear and use

These are the most common ways to greet people. Keep it simple, smile, and match your tone to the situation.

你好 nǐ hǎo
hello (neutral)
expression
你好！我是小王。
Hello! I’m Xiao Wang.
您好 nín hǎo
hello (polite/formal)
expression
您好，王老师。
Hello, Teacher Wang.
早上好 zǎoshang hǎo
good morning
expression
早上好！今天很冷。
Good morning! It’s cold today.
下午好 xiàwǔ hǎo
good afternoon
expression
下午好，大家。
Good afternoon, everyone.
晚上好 wǎnshang hǎo
good evening
expression
晚上好，欢迎回来。
Good evening, welcome back.
再见 zàijiàn
goodbye
expression
我先走了，再见！
I’m heading out—bye!
拜拜 bàibai
bye-bye (casual)
expression
明天见，拜拜！
See you tomorrow, bye!

Quick examples

Use these in daily encounters.

Mandarin
你好！
Hello!
Mandarin
您好，李先生。
Hello, Mr. Li.
Mandarin
晚上好。今天过得怎么样？
Good evening. How was your day?

Practice: put the mini-conversation in order

A simple greeting exchange—put the lines in the natural order.

💬 Greeting and introduction

Polite phrases: please, thanks, sorry

These little words make your Mandarin sound warm and respectful.

请 qǐng
please
particle
请坐。
Please sit.
请问 qǐngwèn
excuse me, may I ask…
expression
请问，地铁站在哪里？
Excuse me, where is the subway station?
谢谢 xièxie
thank you
expression
谢谢你的帮助。
Thank you for your help.
不客气 bú kèqi
you’re welcome
expression
A：谢谢！ B：不客气。
A: Thanks! B: You’re welcome.
不用谢 bú yòng xiè
no need to thank me
expression
不用谢，这是我应该做的。
No need to thank me; it’s what I should do.
对不起 duìbuqǐ
I’m sorry (stronger)
expression
对不起，我来晚了。
Sorry, I’m late.
不好意思 bù hǎo yìsi
excuse me / sorry (softer)
expression
不好意思，打扰一下。
Excuse me, sorry to bother you.
没关系 méi guānxi
it’s okay / no problem
expression
A：对不起。 B：没关系。
A: Sorry. B: It’s okay.

Word breakdowns (to help you remember)

Seeing the parts makes the meaning clearer.

不 not 客气 polite / formalities

不客气 literally means “no need for polite formalities” → you’re welcome.

对 toward / correct 不 not 起 to rise / stand up

对不起 originally suggests “can’t face up to (you)” → I’m sorry.

没 not / none 关系 relation

没关系 = “no relation/it doesn’t matter” → it’s okay.

请 please 问 ask

请问 = please ask → Excuse me, may I ask…

Practice: choose the best phrase for the situation

，老师。

A：谢谢！ B：。

我迟到了，。

Ask politely

Use 请 to soften requests, and 请问 to begin a question to a stranger or staff.

Mandarin
请给我一杯水。
Lit: Please give me one cup water.
Please give me a glass of water.
Mandarin
请问，厕所在哪里？
Excuse me, where is the restroom?
🔠 Put the words in order

Put the polite question in natural order

Cultural notes

  • Titles show respect. In school, say 王老师好 (Hello, Teacher Wang). In business, say 李经理好 (Hello, Manager Li). You can use 您好 plus their title.
  • Time-of-day greetings exist (早上好, 下午好, 晚上好), but 你好 is perfectly fine anytime.
  • After someone apologizes (对不起 / 不好意思), reply with 没关系 to reassure them.
  • 请问 is very common when approaching staff: 请问，排队在哪里？ (Excuse me, where is the line?)
  • Casual goodbyes often use 拜拜 with friends; 再见 is neutral and polite.
A：对不起。 B：不客气。 → A：对不起。 B：没关系。 不客气 replies to 谢谢. After an apology, say 没关系 (it’s okay).

More mini-examples to model

Copy, adapt, and use them today.

Mandarin
您好，张先生。我叫王明。
Hello, Mr. Zhang. My name is Wang Ming.
Mandarin
你好，第一次见面。很高兴认识你。
Hello, it’s our first time meeting. Nice to meet you.
Mandarin
不好意思，可以帮我一下吗？
Excuse me, could you help me a bit?
Mandarin
谢谢你的时间。再见！
Thank you for your time. Goodbye!

Quick check: greetings & politeness quiz

Choose the best option. Then read the explanation to learn why.

🧠 A1 Mandarin greetings & politeness

Wrap-up practice

  • Greet three people today: 你好, 您好, and (if it fits) 早上好.
  • Ask one polite question with 请问：请问，银行在哪里？
  • Use 谢谢 and reply 不客气 at least once.
  • If needed, try both apology types: 对不起 (strong), 不好意思 (soft), and reply 没关系.

Keep it simple and warm. Small phrases go a long way in Mandarin!

You’ve got this!

Start with 你好 and 您好, add 请问 and 谢谢, and you’re already able to greet, ask, and respond politely. Practice out loud, notice how locals reply, and enjoy the conversations you open with a smile.