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A first meeting

• You meet a new classmate. Start with one useful word: hello你好nǐ hǎo — hello.

• Listen, then repeat. Pinyin is a guide to sound: nǐ hǎo. You do not need to memorise every character today.

• Before you start: No Mandarin is required. Notice whether a situation calls for greeting, thanking, apologising or leaving; those are different social actions.

Three more useful phrases

• to thank谢谢xiè xiè xièxie — thank you; not不bùpolite客气kè qì bú kèqi — you’re welcome. The second syllable of to thank谢谢xiè xiè is light.
• I'm sorry对不起duì bù qǐ duìbuqǐ — sorry; goodbye再见zài jiàn zàijiàn — goodbye. Learn these as whole phrases.

Choose by the situation

• A classmate lends you a pen: to thank谢谢xiè xiè. They reply: not不bùpolite客气kè qì. A compliment can also be answered with to thank谢谢xiè xiè.
• You bump into someone: I'm sorry对不起duì bù qǐ. You leave: goodbye再见zài jiàn. hello你好nǐ hǎo is not limited to one time of day.

Work through a decision: When someone hands you the pen you needed, to thank谢谢xiè xiè acknowledges their help. If they reply not不bùpolite客气kè qì, they are responding to your thanks. Identify who received help before choosing the phrase.

Compare a near miss: not不bùpolite客气kè qì is a natural response to thanks, but it does not replace to thank谢谢xiè xiè when you are the one receiving help. I'm sorry对不起duì bù qǐ apologises; it would fit bumping into someone, not simply borrowing their pen.

Try listening before reading

• Play this phrase and choose its meaning in the practice.
• Replay as often as you need. If playback is unavailable, read the phrases aloud; that is reading practice rather than a listening check.

Use it with someone

• Without looking, greet a classmate, thank them for a pen, and say goodbye. Alone? Say both parts of the example, then change the situation.
• Tomorrow, recall the three phrases before reopening this page. If one is missing, listen and repeat it again.

Later recall: Tomorrow, recall a greeting, thanks and farewell before reopening the page. Change who lends the pen and explain which person says to thank谢谢xiè xiè. A few days later, contrast receiving help with bumping into someone; revisit “Choose by the situation” if the phrases become mixed.

Next: say your name. For sound practice, visit Chinese Foundations.