5-Day Mandarin Starter Challenge: Speak Your First Useful Phrases
Welcome to the 5-Day Mandarin Starter Challenge! In just a few minutes each day, you’ll learn useful Mandarin phrases you can say right away. No prior experience is needed.
Each day includes a practical phrase, a simple pronunciation tip, and a quick challenge. By Day 5, you’ll be ready to greet someone, introduce yourself, and use a few polite everyday expressions.
How to use the audio: Each recording says the Mandarin phrase slowly, then at a normal conversational speed, gives its English meaning, and repeats the phrase naturally. The transcript includes characters and pinyin so you can follow along. Replay the audio as many times as you need, then complete the quick challenge aloud.
Day 1: Say Hello
Today’s phrase: 你好 (nǐ hǎo) — Hello
Transcript: 你好 (nǐ hǎo). 你好 (ní hǎo). Hello. Listen and repeat: 你好 (ní hǎo).
What are tones? In Mandarin, the pitch pattern of a syllable helps determine its meaning. These pitch patterns are called tones. The marks over the vowels in pinyin show which tone to use.
For guided practice with Mandarin tones and pronunciation, learn more about the Beginner Mandarin Foundations class.
Pronunciation note: As a rough starting point, 你好 (nǐ hǎo) sounds like “nee how.” Say the two syllables clearly and smoothly, and copy the audio instead of relying only on the English approximation. In natural speech, the first third tone changes, so 你 (nǐ) sounds more like ní, while the written pinyin remains nǐ hǎo.
Quick challenge: Say 你好 (nǐ hǎo) aloud five times. Then use it to greet someone—or even your reflection.
Day 2: Introduce Yourself
Today’s phrase: 我叫… (wǒ jiào…) — My name is…
Transcript: 我叫 Anna. Wǒ jiào Anna. My name is Anna. 我叫 David. Wǒ jiào David. My name is David. Now say your own name: 我叫… Wǒ jiào…
Pronunciation note: Wǒ means “I,” and jiào means “am called.” Wǒ rhymes roughly with the English word “saw”; let your voice dip. Say jiào approximately like “jee-ow” as one smooth syllable, with your voice falling sharply.
Want a Chinese name? Beginner Mandarin Foundations includes guidance on understanding Chinese names and choosing one that fits you. Learn more about the Beginner Mandarin Foundations class.
Quick challenge: Say “Wǒ jiào…” followed by your name five times. Then introduce yourself to someone—or practice in front of a mirror.
Day 3: Say Thank You
Today’s phrase: 谢谢 (xièxie) — Thank you
Transcript: 谢谢 (xièxie). 谢谢 (xièxie). Thank you. Listen and repeat: 谢谢 (xièxie).
Pronunciation note: 谢 (xiè) begins with a sound close to “sh.” Blend “she” and “yeh” into one smooth syllable, with your voice falling. In 谢谢 (xièxie), say the second xie more lightly. Copy the recording for the most accurate pronunciation.
Quick challenge: Say 谢谢 (xièxie) aloud five times. Then use it the next time someone helps you or gives you something.
Day 4: Say You’re Welcome
Today’s phrase: 不客气 (bú kèqi) — You’re welcome
Transcript: 不客气 (bú kèqi). 不客气 (bú kèqi). You’re welcome. Listen and repeat: 不客气 (bú kèqi).
Pronunciation note: 不 (bú) sounds roughly like “boo,” and 客气 (kèqi) roughly like “kuh-chee.” Say the phrase smoothly, with your voice rising on 不(bú) and falling on 客 (kè).
不 is normally written bù with a falling fourth tone. Before another fourth-tone syllable, as in 不客气, it changes in speech to the rising second tone bú.
Quick challenge: Say 不客气 (bú kèqi) aloud five times. Then practice this exchange: one person says 谢谢 (xièxie), and you reply 不客气 (bú kèqi).
Day 5: Say Goodbye
Today’s phrase: 再见 (zàijiàn) — Goodbye
Transcript: 再见 (zàijiàn). 再见 (zàijiàn). Goodbye. Listen and repeat: 再见 (zàijiàn).
Pronunciation note: 再 (zài) sounds roughly like “dz-eye,” and 见 (jiàn) roughly like “jee-en.” Say the phrase smoothly, with your voice falling on both syllables.
Quick challenge: Say 再见 (zàijiàn) aloud five times. Then use it the next time you say goodbye to someone.
Ready to keep learning? Build a strong foundation in pronunciation, pinyin, tones, useful conversation, and Chinese names with the Beginner Mandarin Foundations class.