Hello and thank you

Learn

Read each one out loud, following the pinyin. Say it a second time before you move on.

1. 你好

   nǐ hǎo

   hello

   Two third tones in a row are hard to say, so the first one rises instead. It is written nǐ hǎo but said ní hǎo.

2. 您好

   nín hǎo

   hello (polite)

   您 is the polite "you". Use it with older people, customers and anyone senior.

3. 谢谢

   xièxie

   thank you

4. 不客气

   bú kèqi

   you're welcome

   不 is usually bù, but it becomes bú in front of a fourth tone, as here.

5. 对不起

   duìbuqǐ

   sorry

6. 没关系

   méi guānxi

   that's OK, no problem

   The usual reply to 对不起.

7. 再见

   zàijiàn

   goodbye

   Literally "again see", as in "see you again".

Check yourself

What does each one mean? You can take the check again as often as you like.

Lesson done