Chinese words by topic
The essential beginner vocabulary, grouped the way you actually use it. Every word has tone-coloured pinyin and native audio - tap to hear it. No sign-up.
Counting in Mandarin is refreshingly regular: once you know 1-10, you can build every number up to 99 by combining them. Tap any number to hear it, and notice how 一 (yī) shifts tone depending on what follows it.
Family words are some of the first you'll use in Chinese. Tap each one to hear it. Note that close family often drops the possessive 的 - 我妈妈 (my mum), not 我的妈妈.
From 吃 (chī, to eat) to 茶 (chá, tea), these are the words you'll reach for at every meal. Tap to hear each one, then practise ordering with the example sentences.
Time words come early in a Chinese sentence - before the verb, not after. Tap each word to hear it, then see how 今天 (today) and 明天 (tomorrow) slot into a sentence.
The polite essentials - hello, thank you, sorry, goodbye. Tap each to hear it. Watch the tone change in 你好: two third tones in a row, so it sounds like ní hǎo.
Chinese verbs don't conjugate - 吃 (chī) is 'eat', 'eats', 'ate', and 'eating'. Tap to hear each one. Negate any verb by putting 不 (bù) in front of it.
Describing words in Chinese don't take 是 (to be) - you link them with 很 (hěn). Tap to hear each adjective, then say 我很好 (wǒ hěn hǎo) = 'I'm good'.
Chinese question words stay where the answer would go - no reordering the sentence. Tap each to hear it, then ask 你叫什么? (nǐ jiào shénme?) = 'what are you called?'.
Want phrases instead of single words? See how to say common things in Chinese or take the free Mandarin tone test.