Traveling to Asia may be difficult due to the language barrier, learn to speak a few basic phases in Chinese on travel related conversation will make travelling much more pleasant and your reduce stress level.

Before we go into the travel conversation in Chinese, a friendly smile and politeness is the universal language. Let’s start with:

Please: 請 (Qǐng), Thank you: 謝謝 (Xiè xiè), Sorry: 對不起 (Duì bù qǐ). Listen here, and the writing below.

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We gathered a few topics on travel related conversation, for you to learn some useful conversations you’ll need in your trip:

1. Airport, in-flight and asking for directions.
2. Accommodation.
3. Shopping and order food.

1. Airport, in-flight and asking for directions.

Airport:
Check-in counter – 值機櫃台 (Zhí jī guì tái)
Check-in bags – 托運行李 (Tuō yùn xíng lǐ)
Oversize bags – 大件行李 (Dà jiàn xíng lǐ)
Over weight – 超重 (Chāo zhòng)
Fragile – 易碎品 (Yì suì pǐn)
Window seat – 靠窗位置 (Kào chuāng wèi zhì)
aisle seat – 走道位置 (Zǒu dào wèi zhì)
Flight delay – 飛機晚点 (Fēi jī wǎn diǎn)
Boarding gate – 登機門 (Dēng jī mén)
Passport – 護照 (Hù zhào)
Travel visa – 觀光簽證 (Guān guāng qiān zhèng)
Business and working visa – 商務簽證 (Shāng wù qiān zhèng)
Passing through – 過境 (Guò jìng)
Return ticket – 回程機票 (Huí chéng jī piào)

These will be helpful when asking for directions and looking for places:
Here & There – 這裡 & 那裡 (Zhè lǐ & nà lǐ)
This & That – 這個 & 那個 (Zhè ge & nà gè)
Where is location – location 在哪裡? (Zài nǎ lǐ?)
I’m going to location. – 我要去 location。(Wǒ yào qù…)
I’m looking for location. – 我在找 location。(Wǒ zài zhǎo…)
Can you tell me the way to location? – 請問去 location 怎麼走? (Qǐng wèn qù … zěn me zǒu?)
How long will it take to get to location? – 請問到 location 要多長時間? (Qǐng wèn dào … yào duō cháng shí jiān?)
Go straight – 直走 (Zhí zǒu)
Turn left – 左拐 (Zuǒ guǎi)
Turn right – 右拐 (Yòu guǎi)
Bus – 公交車 (Gōng jiāo chē)
Metro/subway – 地鐵 (Dì tiě)
Speed train – 高鐵 (Gāo tiě)
Train – 火車 (Huǒ chē)

2. Accommodation.

I want to book single/double room – 我要訂個單/雙人房 (Wǒ yào dìng gè dān/shuāng rén fáng).
Does it include breakfast? – 有含早餐嗎? (Yǒu hán zǎo cān ma?)
Do you offer airport shuttle service? – 請問有機場接送服務嗎? (Qǐng wèn yǒu jī chǎng jiē sòng fú wù ma?)
What is check-out time? – 請問退房時間幾點? (Qǐng wèn tuì fáng shí jiān jǐ diǎn?)
I’d like to cancel my reservation. – 我要取消我的預定。 (Wǒ yào qǔ xiāo wǒ de yù dìng.)
I have a reservation, I’d like to check-in – 我已預定，我要登記入住。 (Wǒ yǐ yù dìng, wǒ yào dēng jì rù zhù.)
What time is breakfast served? – 請問幾點供應早餐? (Qǐng wèn jǐ diǎn gōng yìng zǎo cān?)
Where is the restaurant? – 請問餐廳在哪裡? (Qǐng wèn cān tīng zài nǎ lǐ? )
Which floor is my room? – 請問房間在幾樓? (Qǐng wèn fáng jiān zài jǐ lóu?)
Where is the elevator? – 請問電梯在哪裡? (Qǐng wèn diàn tī zài nǎ lǐ?)
What is the Wifi login details? – 請問 Wifi 網路登入資料是甚麼? (Qǐng wèn Wifi wǎng lù dēng rù zī liào shì shén me?)

3. Shopping and order food.

Ordering and buying food:
I’d like to reserve a table for 3 for 7pm. – 我要預定三人的餐位，晚上七點。 (Wǒ yào yù dìng sān rén de cān wèi, wǎn shàng qī diǎn.)
I want smoking/non-smoking seats – 我要抽菸區 / 非抽菸區座位。 (Wǒ yào chōu yān qū / fēi chōu yān qū zuòwèi.)
Is Wifi available? – 有 Wifi 網路嗎? (Yǒu Wifi wǎng lù ma?)
Please give me food. – 請給我… (Qǐng gěi wǒ)
Vegetarian – 素食 (Sù shí)
Fish – 魚 (Yú)
Seafood – 海鮮 (Hǎi xiān)
Stack – 牛排 (Niú pái)
Port – 豬肉 (Zhū ròu)
Chicken – 雞肉 (Jī ròu)
Duck – 鴨肉 (Yā ròu)
Steam bun – 包子 (Bāo zi)
Dumplings – 餃子 (Jiǎo zi)
Rice / Noodles – 飯 / 麵條 (Fàn / miàn tiáo)
Juice / Tea / Softdrinks – 果汁(Guǒ zhī) 茶(Chá) 軟飲(Ruǎn yǐn)
Wine / Beer / Whisky – 葡萄酒(Pú táo jiǔ) 啤酒(Pí jiǔ) 威士忌(Wēi shì jì)
Where is the toilet? – 請問廁所在哪裡? (Qǐng wèn cè suǒ zài nǎ lǐ?)
Bill please. – 買單. (Mǎi dān)
Pack this for take away please. – 這些幫我打包，謝謝。(Zhè xiē bāng wǒ dǎ bāo, xiè xiè.)

Let’s learn the numbers and money. This always helps for shopping.
How much is this? – 這個多少錢? (Zhè ge duō shǎo qián?)
May I have a look? – 我能看一下嗎? (Wǒ néng kàn yī xià ma?)
Numbers 1-10 – 一二三四五六七八九十 (Yī èr sān sì wǔ liù qī bā jiǔ shí)
Hundred – 百 (bǎi)
Thousand – 千 (qiān)
Can I pay by card – 我能刷卡嗎? (Wǒ néng shuā kǎ ma?)
Cash – 現金 (Xiàn jīn)

This week we attained a convention and share Mandarin Chinese with the public by offering Calligraphy experience. It was such a blast and we are so overwhelm by the passion and enthusiastic the general public in Durban shown. So we’ll talk about the basic of Chinese calligraphy in our next week’s topic.

See you next week for: Chinese Calligraphy: The art of Chinese writing