Chinese phrasebook
Taking the Metro in Chinese
Practise using the metro in Beijing. Choose a ticket, buy a pass and find the right line and platform.
Situation: A metro station in Beijing. Your goal: Buy a ticket and take the right line to Tiananmen.
The whole conversation, line by line
Tap to hear a line. Station assistant speaks first; the bold lines are what you can say. To see the lines in your own language, choose it in the language menu at the top.
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Station assistant
下午好。需要帮忙买票吗？
xiàwǔ hǎo. xūyào bāngmáng mǎipiào ma?
Good afternoon. Do you need help with the ticket machine?
You
好的。我想去天安门，要买哪种票？
hǎo de. wǒ xiǎng qù Tiān'ānmén, yào mǎi nǎ zhǒng piào?
Yes, please. I want to go to Tiananmen. Which ticket do I need?
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Station assistant
单程票五块。还有一日票。
dānchéngpiào wǔ kuài. háiyǒu yí rì piào.
A single ticket is five yuan. There's also a day pass.
You
我要在这里待一天。一日票多少钱？
wǒ yào zài zhèlǐ dài yì tiān. yí rì piào duōshao qián?
I'll be here all day. How much is the day pass?
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Station assistant
一日票二十块。
yí rì piào èrshí kuài.
A day pass is twenty yuan.
You
那一日票更划算，我买一张。
nà yí rì piào gèng huásuàn, wǒ mǎi yì zhāng.
Then the pass is better. I'd like one, please.
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Station assistant
好的，把钱放进机器，拿好票卡。
hǎo de, bǎ qián fàngjìn jīqì, ná hǎo piào kǎ.
Fine. Put the money in the machine and take your card.
You
好了，谢谢。哪条线去天安门？
hǎo le, xièxie. nǎ tiáo xiàn qù Tiān'ānmén?
Done. Thank you. Which line goes to Tiananmen?
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Station assistant
坐一号线，往苹果园方向，五站。
zuò yī hào xiàn, wǎng Píngguǒyuán fāngxiàng, wǔ zhàn.
Take line one, towards Pingguoyuan. It's five stops.
You
一号线，往苹果园方向，五站。要换车吗？
yī hào xiàn, wǎng Píngguǒyuán fāngxiàng, wǔ zhàn. yào huàn chē ma?
Line one, towards Pingguoyuan, five stops. Do I have to change trains?
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Station assistant
不用换车，直达。每三分钟一班。
bú yòng huàn chē, zhídá. měi sān fēnzhōng yì bān.
No, it's direct. Trains come every three minutes.
You
太好了。我应该去哪个站台？
tài hǎo le. wǒ yīnggāi qù nǎ ge zhàntái?
Perfect. Which platform do I need?
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Station assistant
左边的站台。祝您旅途愉快！
zuǒbiān de zhàntái. zhù nín lǚtú yúkuài!
The platform on the left. Have a good journey!
You
谢谢你的帮助。再见！
xièxie nǐ de bāngzhù. zàijiàn!
Thanks for your help. See you later!
Now say it for real.
Play this scene as a conversation: the other person speaks, you pick the right reply, and every wrong one comes with a hint. Free on the web.