Making acquaintances in Chinese

  1. 您贵姓?Nín guì xìng?What is your family name? (very polite formula)
  2. 免贵姓…… Miǎn guì xìng... My surname is... (very polite answer: 免贵 miǎn guì, literally “spare the precious”, answers the 贵 guì of the question)
  3. 你姓什么?Nǐ xìng shénme?What is your family name?
  4. 我姓……Wǒ xìng... My family name is...
  5. 你叫什么名字?Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?What's your name?
  6. 我叫…… Wǒ jiào... My name is... (surname and given name, or given name only)
  7. 你多大了?Nǐ duō dà le?How old are you?
  8. 你几岁了? Nǐ jǐ suì le? How old are you? (for a child)
  9. 我……岁了。 Wǒ ... suì le. I am ... years old. (the number goes before 岁 suì)
  10. 你住哪儿?Nǐ zhù nǎr?Where do you live?
  11. 我住…… Wǒ zhù... I live in...
  12. 你做什么工作?Nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò?What do you do for work?
  13. 我是…… Wǒ shì... I am...
  14. 你是哪国人?Nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?What is your nationality?
  15. 我是法国人。Wǒ shì Fǎguó rén.I am French.

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