Simplified Chinese - Lesson 5 of 156: Politeness

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

请___

Qǐng ___.

Please, ___ .

Meaning: Please, ___ .

When to use: Put 请 before a verb to make a short polite request (e.g., 请坐。Please sit.). Use it for quick, friendly commands or offers.

Tip: Beginners sometimes put 请 at the end (e.g., *坐请). Remember 请 goes before the action.

请坐

Qǐng zuò.

Please sit.

请看这个

Qǐng kàn zhège.

Please look at this.

谢谢

Xièxie.

Thank you.

Meaning: Thank you.

When to use: Use 谢谢 to show thanks for a small favor, service, or kindness.

谢谢你的帮助

Xièxie nǐ de bāngzhù.

Thanks for your help.

谢谢，我收到了。

Xièxie, wǒ shōu dào le.

Thanks, I received it.

不客气

Bú kèqi.

You're welcome.

Meaning: You're welcome.

When to use: Say 不客气 after someone thanks you. It's the standard polite reply.

— 谢谢你！ — 不客气。

— Xièxie nǐ! — Bú kèqi.

— Thank you! — You're welcome.

服务员说：不客气，欢迎下次光临。

Fúwùyuán shuō: Bú kèqi, huānyíng xià cì guānglín.

The server says: You're welcome, please come again.

不好意思

Bù hǎoyìsi.

Excuse me.

Meaning: Excuse me.

When to use: Use 不好意思 to get someone's attention, gently interrupt, or offer a soft apology for a small mistake.

Tip: Don't always use 对不起 instead — 不好意思 is softer for small interruptions.

不好意思，我可以问你一个问题吗？

Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ kěyǐ wèn nǐ yí ge wèntí ma?

Excuse me, may I ask you a question?

不好意思，能让一下吗？

Bù hǎoyìsi, néng ràng yí xià ma?

Excuse me, could you make room?

对不起

Duìbuqǐ.

Sorry.

Meaning: Sorry.

When to use: Use 对不起 for a clear apology. It's a straightforward way to say sorry for mistakes or problems.

对不起，我来晚了。

Duìbuqǐ, wǒ lái wǎn le.

Sorry, I'm late.

对不起，这是我的错。

Duìbuqǐ, zhè shì wǒ de cuò.

Sorry, this is my fault.

可以请你___吗？

Kěyǐ qǐng nǐ ___ ma?

Could you ___, please?

Meaning: Could you ___, please?

When to use: Use 可以请你___吗？ to make a polite spoken request. For extra formality, replace 你 with 您.

可以请你帮我拍照吗？

Kěyǐ qǐng nǐ bāng wǒ pāizhào ma?

Could you take a photo of me, please?

可以请你等我一下吗？

Kěyǐ qǐng nǐ děng wǒ yí xià ma?

Could you wait for me a moment, please?

请你再说一遍，好吗？

Qǐng nǐ zài shuō yí biàn, hǎo ma?

Can you say that again, please?

Meaning: Can you say that again, please?

When to use: Use 请你再说一遍，好吗？ when you didn't hear or understand and need someone to repeat.

对不起，我没听清，请你再说一遍，好吗？

Duìbuqǐ, wǒ méi tīng qīng, qǐng nǐ zài shuō yí biàn, hǎo ma?

Sorry, I didn't hear clearly, could you say that again, please?

在电话里：请你再说一遍，好吗？

Zài diànhuà lǐ: Qǐng nǐ zài shuō yí biàn, hǎo ma?

On the phone: Can you say that again, please?

请帮帮我

Qǐng bāngbang wǒ.

Please help me.

Meaning: Please help me.

When to use: Use 请帮帮我 when you need help quickly and politely from someone nearby.

请帮帮我，我的包不见了。

Qǐng bāngbang wǒ, wǒ de bāo bùjiàn le.

Please help me, my bag is missing.

车坏了，请帮帮我一下。

Chē huài le, qǐng bāngbang wǒ yí xià.

The car broke down, please help me a bit.

不好意思，我不行。

Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ bùxíng.

Sorry, I can't.

Meaning: Sorry, I can't.

When to use: Use 不好意思，我不行。 to gently refuse or explain you can't do something; it's softer than 我不能.

Tip: Beginners sometimes use 我不能 (I cannot) which sounds more direct; 不好意思，我不行 is softer.

有人邀请你加班，你说：不好意思，我不行。

Yǒu rén yāoqǐng nǐ jiābān, nǐ shuō: Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ bùxíng.

Someone invites you to work overtime; you say: Sorry, I can't.

对方求助但你帮不了，最好说：不好意思，我不行。

Duìfāng qiúzhù dàn nǐ bāng bù liǎo, zuì hǎo shuō: Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ bùxíng.

If someone asks for help you can't give, say: Sorry, I can't.

你真好

Nǐ zhēn hǎo.

That's very kind of you.

Meaning: That's very kind of you.

When to use: Say 你真好 to warmly acknowledge someone's kindness after they help you.

你帮我拿东西，真是太谢谢了，你真好！

Nǐ bāng wǒ ná dōngxi, zhēnshì tài xièxie le, nǐ zhēn hǎo!

You helped me carry things — thank you, you're so kind!

他给你座位，你说：你真好。

Tā gěi nǐ zuòwèi, nǐ shuō: Nǐ zhēn hǎo.

He gave you a seat; you say: That's very kind of you.

没事

Méishì.

It's okay.

Meaning: It’s okay.

When to use: Use 没事 to reassure someone after a small mistake or to say there's no problem.

— 对不起，弄坏了杯子。 — 没事。

— Duìbuqǐ, nòng huài le bēizi. — Méishì.

— Sorry, I broke the cup. — It's okay.

你迟到了，他回答：没事，我们还没开始。

Nǐ chídào le, tā huídá: Méishì, wǒmen hái méi kāishǐ.

You arrived late; he replies: It's okay, we haven't started yet.

请吧

Qǐng ba.

Go ahead.

Meaning: Go ahead.

When to use: Use 请吧 when you give permission or invite someone to proceed in a polite, concise way.

A：我可以开始吗？ B：请吧。

A: Wǒ kěyǐ kāishǐ ma? B: Qǐng ba.

A: May I start? B: Go ahead.

请慢用，大家先吃，您请吧。

Qǐng màn yòng, dàjiā xiān chī, nín qǐng ba.

Please enjoy the meal; everyone start first — please go ahead.

您先请

Nín xiān qǐng.

After you.

Meaning: After you.

When to use: Use 您先请 to politely let someone go first. With friends you can use 你先请.

门口排队时，你对年长者说：您先请。

Ménkǒu páiduì shí, nǐ duì niánzhǎng zhě shuō: Nín xiān qǐng.

In line at the door, you say to an elder: After you.

进门时：您先请，我收拾一下就好。

Jìn mén shí: Nín xiān qǐng, wǒ shōushí yí xià jiù hǎo.

At the entrance: After you, I'll tidy up in a moment.

Simplified Chinese - Politeness

1. Reading + Listening Practice

2. Conversational Listening Practice

3. Guided Practice

How do you say 'Thank you' in Mandarin?

Which phrase politely asks someone to repeat themselves?

What's a typical polite reply to '谢谢'?

Which phrase gently refuses by saying 'Sorry, I can't'?

You would say 不好意思，对不起. It's a short apology after bumping someone.

Say 不好意思，我不行 to give a gentle refusal.

Start with 不好意思 to get attention politely before asking for repetition.

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice