你会说中文吗?
nǐ huì shuō zhōngwén ma?
Do you speak chinese · trad. 你會說中文嗎?
你会说中文吗? is the most common and polite way to ask someone if they are able to speak Mandarin Chinese. It's a direct and useful question when you need to find a Chinese speaker.
What does 你会说中文吗? (nǐ huì shuō zhōngwén ma?) mean?
你会说中文吗? (nǐ huì shuō zhōngwén ma?) means “do you speak Chinese” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “you can speak Chinese question_particle.”
When to use it
Neutral and polite. The verb 会 (huì) implies 'can' or 'are able to.' You can also use 汉语 (hànyǔ) instead of 中文 (zhōngwén) for 'Chinese language.' To ask if someone *understands* Chinese, you could say 你懂中文吗? (nǐ dǒng zhōngwén ma?). Common replies are 会 (huì, 'yes, I can') or 不会 (bù huì, 'no, I can't').
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “Nee HWEY shwor JOONG-wun mah?” The '吗' (ma) is a neutral tone particle that turns a statement into a question.
Other ways to say it
- 你会说汉语吗?nǐ huì shuō hànyǔ ma?Do you speak Chinese? (using 汉语)
- 你懂中文吗?nǐ dǒng zhōngwén ma?Do you understand Chinese?
Examples
你好，请问你会说中文吗？
nǐhǎo, qǐngwèn nǐ huì shuō zhōngwén ma?
Hello, excuse me, do you speak Chinese?
对不起，我只会说一点点中文。
duìbuqǐ, wǒ zhǐ huì shuō yīdiǎndiǎn zhōngwén.
Sorry, I can only speak a little Chinese.
你们这里有人会说中文吗？
nǐmen zhèlǐ yǒurén huì shuō zhōngwén ma?
Does anyone here speak Chinese?
Pro tip: Both 中文 (zhōngwén) and 汉语 (hànyǔ) refer to the Chinese language, specifically Mandarin. 中文 is more general and widely understood, while 汉语 often emphasizes the spoken language of the Han people. They are often interchangeable in daily conversation.
Related phrases
你会说英语吗 · Do you speak english你会说... · Do you speak你好，我叫 · Hello my name
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