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Learn Mandarin for Travel
485+ essential phrases for traveling in China. Real conversation flows with phonetic pronunciation -- know what to say and what you'll hear back.
Essential Mandarin Phrases
The most useful words for your trip to China, with phonetic pronunciation.
多少钱
dwaw-shaow chyen
How much?
你好
nee how
Hello
谢谢
shyeh-shyeh
Thank you
一
yee
One (1)
救命
jyo-ming
Help!
二
ar
Two (2)
不
boo
No / Not
我
waw
I / Me
好
how
Good / OK
这个
juh-guh
This one
三
sahn
Three (3)
你
nee
You
四
suh
Four (4)
五
woo
Five (5)
我要
waw yow
I want / I'll take
...and 470 more phrases in the app.
Sample Conversation: Discovering and tasting at the market
TalkThere shows both sides of the conversation -- what you say and what they'll say back.
You
你好！这个是什么？
nee how juh-guh shuh shun-muh
Hello! What is this?
Them
juh shuh
They name the product proudly
这是龙眼！
juh shuh long-yen
It's longan!
You
哇，很好看！可以尝尝吗？
wah hun how-kahn kuh-yee chahng-chahng mah
Oh, it looks good! Can I taste?
Them
kuh-yee
They invite you to try it
可以，你尝尝
kuh-yee nee chahng-chahng
Yes, try it!
You
哇，太好吃了！多少钱？
wah tie hun how-chuh luh dwaw-shaow chyen
Wow, delicious! How much?
Them
shuh kwai
They give the price
十块三个
shuh kwai sahn guh
10 yuan for three
45 conversation flows available in the app.
Mandarin Phrases by Situation
Learn exactly what you'll need for each travel scenario in China.
Mandarin Day One Phrases
Greet, thank, ask the price, get by · 77 words, 7 conversations
Mandarin Social Phrases
Greetings, introductions, politeness · 153 words, 11 conversations
Mandarin Street talk Phrases
ProSwear words, slang, colorful expressions · 53 words, 4 conversations
Mandarin Market Phrases
Buy, negotiate, ask prices · 81 words, 5 conversations
Mandarin Restaurant Phrases
Order, dietary preferences, pay · 109 words, 5 conversations
Mandarin Transport Phrases
Taxis, directions, getting around · 73 words, 6 conversations
Mandarin Hotel Phrases
Check-in, requests, problems · 73 words, 4 conversations
Mandarin Emergency Phrases
Help, health, pharmacy · 68 words, 3 conversations
Why Learn Mandarin with TalkThere?
Conversation flows, not word lists
See both sides of real interactions in China -- what you say and what they say back.
Phonetic pronunciation
Every Mandarin phrase includes pronunciation written in English -- not IPA. Readable at a glance.
Organized by situation
485+ phrases sorted by where you'll use them: markets, restaurants, hotels, transport.
Works offline
No signal at the market? No problem. All phrases, audio, and conversations available without internet in China.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need to learn what they'll say back?
Because that's where conversations break down. You can memorize "how much is this?" in Mandarin, but when the vendor answers with a number, a counter-offer, and a question -- you're lost. TalkThere shows you the full back-and-forth so you can actually keep the conversation going in China.
How is this different from a phrasebook or Duolingo?
Phrasebooks give you one-liners with no context. Duolingo teaches you grammar you won't use at a market. TalkThere gives you 8 real travel situations with complete conversation flows -- what you say, what they say back, and what comes next. Organized by where you are, not by grammar level.
I can't read Mandarin script. Can I still use this?
Yes, that's the whole point. Every Mandarin phrase has phonetic pronunciation written in plain English -- not linguistic notation. You read it exactly like English and say it out loud. No need to learn the script before your trip.
Will it work without internet in China?
Yes. Add it to your home screen and everything works offline -- all phrases, audio, and conversations. No signal at the market? No problem.
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