你会说中文吗?
nǐ huì shuō zhōng wén 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.
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 hàn yǔ ma ?Do you speak Chinese? (using 汉语)
- 你懂中文吗?nǐ dǒng zhōng wén ma ?Do you understand Chinese?
- 你说中文吗?nǐ shuō zhōng wén ma ?Do you speak Chinese? (more about current action/habit)
Examples
你好，请问你会说中文吗？
nǐ hǎo ， qǐng wèn nǐ huì shuō zhōng wén ma ？
Hello, excuse me, do you speak Chinese?
对不起，我只会说一点点中文。
duì bù qǐ ， wǒ zhī huì shuō yì diǎn diǎn zhòng wén 。
Sorry, I can only speak a little Chinese.
你们这里有人会说中文吗？
nǐ men zhè lǐ yǒu rén huì shuō zhōng wén 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
我爱你 · I love you爱 · Love我想你 · I miss you
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