LessonsHSK 1 · Lesson 1
HSK 1 · Lesson 1 of 15
Hello and thank you
Greetings, the personal pronouns and the polite phrases you use every day. 20 words and 2 grammar points; tap the characters to hear them.
🔊 The sound in these lessons comes from your device’s own Mandarin voice, so it differs from device to device. Recorded audio will follow.
📚 Words
- Hán-Việt nhĩ hảo Hello — the standard greeting, used at any time of day with one person.
- Hán-Việt nhĩ The pronoun for the person you are talking to: you (one person).
- Hán-Việt ngã The pronoun for the speaker: I or me.
- Hán-Việt nâm A respectful 'you' for one person: used to someone older, a teacher, a customer or a stranger.
- Hán-Việt tha The pronoun for a male person already mentioned: he or him.
- Hán-Việt tha The pronoun for a female person already mentioned: she or her.
- Hán-Việt môn A plural ending: it turns pronouns such as 'I' into 'we', and can do the same for nouns that name people.
- Hán-Việt ngã môn The pronoun for the speaker together with others: we or us.
- Hán-Việt nhĩ môn 'You' when speaking to two or more people.
- Hán-Việt tha môn 'They' or 'them' for people: a group of men, or of men and women together.
- Hán-Việt tha môn 'They' or 'them' for a group made up only of women or girls.
- Hán-Việt tạ tạ Thank you, thanks — the everyday expression of gratitude.
- Hán-Việt bất khách khí You're welcome, don't mention it — the standard reply when someone thanks you.
- Hán-Việt đối bất khởi Sorry, I am sorry — the standard words of apology.
- Hán-Việt một quan hệ It doesn't matter, that's all right — what you say when someone apologises.
- Hán-Việt một sự A reply meaning 'it's nothing' or 'I'm fine': it waves away an apology, thanks or someone's worry.
- Hán-Việt tái kiến Goodbye, see you again — the standard thing to say when parting.
- Hán-Việt thỉnh Please, placed before a verb to make a request polite; as a full verb, to invite or to treat someone.
- Hán-Việt thỉnh vấn 'Excuse me, may I ask…': a polite opener before a question to someone you don't know.
- Hán-Việt uy 'Hello?' when you pick up or make a phone call, and 'hey!' to get someone's attention.
🧩 Grammar
Pronouns and the plural ending 们
Chinese has three basic pronouns: 我 (I, me), 你 (you) and 他 / 她 / 它 (he, she, it — all three are pronounced tā). They never change form: 我 is both "I" and "me". Add 们 (men, neutral tone) for the plural: 我们 "we, us", 你们 "you" (to several people), 他们 "they". To one person you respect — an older person, a teacher, a customer — say 您 instead of 你.
- We are students.
- Hello, everyone!
- Hello, teacher!
Being polite: 请, 请问 and the replies
请 (qǐng) before a verb means "please": 请坐 "please sit down", 请喝茶 "please have some tea". 请问 (literally "please ask") opens a question to a stranger, like "excuse me, …". The reply to 谢谢 is 不客气 ("you're welcome"); the reply to 对不起 is 没关系 or 没事 ("it doesn't matter").
- Please sit down.
- Excuse me, are you a teacher?
- Thank you! — You're welcome.
- Sorry! — That's all right.
🎯 Practice
The drill below uses only this lesson’s words. Switch the kind of drill:
Context clues Match the meaning Listen & type Fill the blank Put in order Hán-Việt bridge
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