我不会说中文
wǒ bú huì shuō Zhōngwén
I dont speak · trad. 我不會說中文
我不会说中文 (wǒ bú huì shuō Zhōngwén) means "I cannot speak Chinese." It is a direct and polite way to express your inability to speak the language, commonly used when interacting with Chinese speakers or in situations where language is a barrier.
What does 我不会说中文 (wǒ bú huì shuō Zhōngwén) mean?
我不会说中文 (wǒ bú huì shuō Zhōngwén) means “I dont speak” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “I cannot speak Chinese.”
When to use it
Neutral and polite. If you can speak a little, you might say 我会说一点中文 (wǒ huì shuō yīdiǎn Zhōngwén), meaning "I can speak a little Chinese." This phrase is a common and appropriate reply when asked if you speak Chinese.
How to pronounce it
Sounds like "WOO boo HWAY shwor JONG-wun." The character 不 (bù) changes from a fourth tone to a second tone (bú) when followed by another fourth tone, like 会 (huì).
Other ways to say it
- 我不太会说wǒ bú tài huì shuōI don't speak very well (implies some limited ability)
- 我不说话wǒ bù shuōhuàI'm not speaking / I don't talk (referring to the act of talking)
Examples
对不起，我不会说中文。
Duìbuqǐ, wǒ bú huì shuō Zhōngwén.
Sorry, I don't speak Chinese.
我不会说中文，你能说英语吗？
Wǒ bú huì shuō Zhōngwén, nǐ néng shuō yīngyǔ ma?
I don't speak Chinese, can you speak English?
虽然我不会说中文，但我正在努力学习。
Suīrán wǒ bú huì shuō Zhōngwén, dàn wǒ zhèngzài nǔlìxuéxí.
Although I don't speak Chinese, I am trying hard to learn.
Pro tip: Pay attention to the tone change of 不 (bù). When it precedes a fourth tone character, its tone changes to a second tone. So, it's pronounced "bú huì," not "bù huì."
Related phrases
过来 · Come here你好，你今天过得好吗？ · Hello how are you today你好，亲爱的 · Hello love
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