Every new learner begins with short, clear sentences that show basic meaning in Mandarin. This guide gives you easy examples to speak and understand simple everyday ideas.
Vocabulary
Learn key nouns, verbs, and adjectives that appear in typical sentences, so you can swap in words you need. Each word is given with Hanzi, Pinyin, and English.
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 你 | nǐ | you | |
| 我 | wǒ | I / me | |
| 他 | tā | he / him | |
| 喜欢 | xǐhuān | to like | |
| 吃 | chī | to eat | |
| 喝 | hē | to drink | |
| 猫 | māo | cat | |
| 狗 | gǒu | dog | |
| 水 | shuǐ | water | |
| 茶 | chá | tea | |
| 饭 | fàn | rice / meal | |
| 苹果 | píngguǒ | apple | |
| 大 | dà | big | |
| 小 | xiǎo | small | |
| 好 | hǎo | good |
I see a dog.
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏠 家 | jiā | home | |
| 🍜 面 | miàn | noodles | |
| 🐉 龙 | lóng | dragon | |
| 🌳 树 | shù | tree | |
| 🚶♂️ 走 | zǒu | walk | |
| 🐦 飞 | fēi | fly | |
| ☀️ 天 | tiān | sky/day | |
| 🌧️ 雨 | yǔ | rain | |
| 🧑 人 | rén | person | |
| 🐶 狗 | gǒu | dog |
Sentence Structure
The basic word order in Mandarin is Subject + Verb + Object for sentences that describe actions or preferences. Adjectives usually come before nouns they describe. Time expressions go at the beginning or end for clarity.
Examples
| Hanzi Sentence | Pinyin Sentence | English Sentence | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐉 龙 飞 在 天 上。 | Lóng fēi zài tiān shàng. | The dragon flies in the sky. | |
| 🧑 人 走 在 路 上。 | Rén zǒu zài lù shàng. | The person walks on the road. | |
| 🐶 狗 在 树 下。 | Gǒu zài shù xià. | The dog is under the tree. | |
| ☀️ 天 很 亮。 | Tiān hěn liàng. | The sky is very bright. | |
| 🌧️ 雨 下 了。 | Yǔ xià le. | It started to rain. | |
| 🏠 家 有 很 多 人。 | Jiā yǒu hěn duō rén. | There are many people at home. | |
| 🍜 面 很 好 吃。 | Miàn hěn hǎo chī. | The noodles are very tasty. | |
| 🐦 飞 来 一 群 鸟。 | Fēi lái yī qún niǎo. | A flock of birds flew over. |
Questions
Yes/no questions are formed by adding ma 吗 at the end of a statement. Question words like shéi 谁 (who), shénme 什么 (what), nǎlǐ 哪里 (where), and jǐdiǎn 几点 (when/what time) replace the relevant part of the sentence. Short answers repeat the relevant word.
Useful Verbs
Focus on common everyday verbs like xǐhuān 喜欢 (to like), chī 吃 (to eat), hē 喝 (to drink), qù 去 (to go), and lái 来 (to come). These let you talk about actions, preferences, and movements in simple sentences.
Time Expressions
Time words such as jīntiān 今天 (today), zuótiān 昨天 (yesterday), míngtiān 明天 (tomorrow), and specific times like shídiǎn 十点 (ten o'clock) help situate actions and make sentences more precise. Place them at the start or end.
Summary
Begin with short Subject-Verb-Object sentences using common vocabulary. Use ma 吗 for yes/no questions and question words like shéi 谁 for details. Add time expressions to set when and practice swapping nouns and verbs to make your own sentences.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025