Traditional Chinese - Meeting New People

請叫我___

Qǐng jiào wǒ ___.

Please call me ___.

Meaning: Please call me ___.

When to use: Use this when you want to tell someone your preferred name or nickname.

Tip: Do not translate word-for-word as “please shout me.” 叫 (jiào) here means “to call someone by a name.”

你住這附近嗎

Nǐ zhù zhè fùjìn ma?

Do you live around here?

Meaning: Do you live around here?

When to use: Use this after a little small talk when you are casually asking whether someone lives nearby.

我住這附近

Wǒ zhù zhè fùjìn.

I live near here.

Meaning: I live near here.

When to use: Use this to say you live close to the current place.

我是為了___來的。

Wǒ shì wèile ___ lái de.

I'm here for ___.

Meaning: I'm here for ___.

When to use: Use this to explain the reason, purpose, class, event, or person that brought you here.

Tip: Keep 來的 (lái de) at the end of this pattern. It helps frame the sentence as explaining why you came.

你是做什麼工作的？

Nǐ shì zuò shénme gōngzuò de?

What do you do?

Meaning: What do you do?

When to use: Use this to ask about someone’s job or main work in a friendly conversation.

Tip: This asks about work. If the person is a student or not working, they may answer with their main activity instead.

你是第一次來這裡嗎？

Nǐ shì dì yī cì lái zhèlǐ ma?

Is this your first time here?

Meaning: Is this your first time here?

When to use: Use this at a place, event, class, or gathering to ask if someone has been there before.

我們保持聯絡

Wǒmen bǎochí liánluò.

Let's keep in touch.

Meaning: Let's keep in touch.

When to use: Use this near the end of a friendly conversation when you want to stay connected.

你怎麼會來這裡？

Nǐ zěnme huì lái zhèlǐ?

What brings you here?

Meaning: What brings you here?

When to use: Use this as a friendly way to ask why someone came to a place or event.

Tip: Use a warm tone. With a sharp tone, this can sound like “Why are you here?” in a suspicious way.

我是___的朋友。

Wǒ shì ___ de péngyǒu.

I'm a friend of ___.

Meaning: I'm a friend of ___.

When to use: Use this to explain your connection to another person at a party, event, or gathering.