我会说一点中文
wǒ huì shuō yīdiǎn zhōngwén
I speak a little chinese · trad. 我會說一點中文
我会说一点中文 (wǒ huì shuō yìdiǎn zhōngwén) is a humble and polite way to say “I speak a little Chinese.” It's often used to manage expectations when starting a conversation in Mandarin, and native speakers will often respond with encouragement.
What does 我会说一点中文 (wǒ huì shuō yīdiǎn zhōngwén) mean?
我会说一点中文 (wǒ huì shuō yīdiǎn zhōngwén) means “I speak a little Chinese” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “I can speak a little Chinese.”
When to use it
Neutral and polite. It's a good phrase to use when you want to show effort but also acknowledge your current skill level. Native speakers often reply with compliments like “你的中文很好！” (nǐ de zhōngwén hěn hǎo!, “Your Chinese is very good!”).
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “wuh HWAY shwor ee-DYEN jong-WEN.” The tone of 一 (yī) changes to a rising tone when followed by a falling tone.
Other ways to say it
- 我只会说一点中文wǒ zhǐ huì shuō yīdiǎn zhōngwénI can only speak a little Chinese
- 我的中文不好wǒ de zhōngwén bù hǎoMy Chinese is not good
- 我懂一点中文wǒ dǒng yīdiǎn zhōngwénI understand a little Chinese
Examples
你好，我会说一点中文。
nǐ hǎo, wǒ huì shuō yīdiǎn zhōngwén.
Hello, I speak a little Chinese.
请说慢一点，我会说一点中文。
qǐng shuō màn yīdiǎn, wǒ huì shuō yīdiǎn zhōngwén.
Please speak a bit slower, I speak a little Chinese.
虽然我会说一点中文，但我还需要多练习。
suīrán wǒ huì shuō yīdiǎn zhōngwén, dàn wǒ hái xūyào duō liànxí.
Although I speak a little Chinese, I still need to practice more.
Pro tip: Using 一点 (yìdiǎn) to describe your Chinese level is a humble way to invite encouragement, rather than implying you speak very little.
Related phrases
我没听清 · I didn't catch that请说慢一点 · Please speak more slowly这个用中文怎么说？ · How do you say this in chinese
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