Saying Yes, No and 'I Don't Understand' in Mandarin
There is no plain 'yes' or 'no' in Mandarin. Instead you repeat the verb in the question: if someone asks 要吗? (do you want it?), you answer 要 (want) or 不要 (don't want). It sounds strange for the first day and then becomes obvious.
Below are the short answers that cover most travel situations, plus the rescue lines that keep a conversation from collapsing when it moves past what you have memorized.
Quick yes and no
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 是 | shì | yes / it is Answers a question about what something *is*. 你是游客吗？ — 是。 | |
| 对 | duì | right / correct Confirms what someone just said. 对 is one of the most-used words in conversation. | |
| 不是 | bú shì | no / it isn't The negation of 是. Note the tone: 不 shifts to bú before a fourth tone. | |
| 对，不对 | duì / bú duì | right / wrong Handy when a driver repeats your destination back and you want to confirm or correct it. | |
| 好 | hǎo | OK / fine Agrees to a suggestion. 好的 hǎo de softens it further. | |
| 可以 | kěyǐ | can do / that's fine Answers a permission question, e.g. 可以刷卡吗？ — 可以。 | |
| 不行 | bù xíng | no, that won't do Firmer than 不要. You will hear it from staff about rules and closing times. |
When you lose the thread
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 我不懂 | Wǒ bù dǒng | I don't understand Means 'I don't get it'. Use it when the words are clear but the meaning is not. | |
| 我听不懂 | Wǒ tīng bù dǒng | I don't understand what you're saying More specific: you cannot follow the speech. This is the one you will use most. | |
| 我不会说中文 | Wǒ bú huì shuō Zhōngwén | I don't speak Chinese Note 会 huì for a learned skill. Say it with a smile and people usually slow down. | |
| 你会说英语吗？ | Nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma? | Do you speak English? Ask before launching into English. Many younger staff in cities can help, especially in hotels. | |
| 请再说一遍 | Qǐng zài shuō yí biàn | Please say that again 遍 biàn is the measure word for 'a time' here, not 次 cì. | |
| 请说慢一点 | Qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎn | Please speak a little slower 一点 yìdiǎn means 'a bit'. Swap it in elsewhere: 便宜一点 — a little cheaper. | |
| 请写下来 | Qǐng xiě xiàlái | Please write it down Excellent for addresses. A Chinese character written on paper beats three attempts at a taxi. | |
| 你能帮我吗？ | Nǐ néng bāng wǒ ma? | Can you help me? 能 néng is about ability. 你能帮我吗？ is a direct, acceptable way to ask a stranger. |
The pattern behind it
If a question contains a verb, answer with that verb. 要吗? → 要. 有吗? → 有. 去吗? → 去. Negate by adding 不 in front. Learn the pattern once and you can answer questions you have never heard before.
Confirmation questions that end in 吗 are the easiest to handle, and they are everywhere: 有吗, 辣吗, 可以吗. Listen for the last syllable and mirror it back.