Learning a new language can be an exciting yet challenging endeavor, especially when it comes to Mandarin Chinese. As a beginner, or A1 level learner, you need to focus on building a strong foundation. This involves learning essential vocabulary that will help you navigate simple conversations, understand basic texts, and begin to appreciate the language’s unique characteristics. In this article, we will explore key Chinese words that A1 level learners should know. These words will cover various categories, including greetings, numbers, common verbs, and everyday nouns.

Greetings and Basic Phrases

When starting to learn Chinese, one of the first areas to focus on is greetings and basic phrases. These are the building blocks of everyday conversations.

你好 (nǐ hǎo) – Hello: This is the most common way to greet someone in Mandarin. It’s equivalent to saying “hello” in English.

谢谢 (xiè xie) – Thank you: Knowing how to express gratitude is essential. “谢谢” is a simple and polite way to say thank you.

对不起 (duì bù qǐ) – Sorry: Apologizing is another basic yet crucial part of daily interactions. “对不起” is used to say “sorry.”

再见 (zài jiàn) – Goodbye: This word is used when parting ways. It literally means “see you again.”

请 (qǐng) – Please: Adding “请” before a request makes it more polite. For instance, “请坐” (qǐng zuò) means “please sit.”

是 (shì) – Yes/To be: This is the verb “to be” and is also used to affirmatively answer yes/no questions.

不是 (bù shì) – No/Not to be: This negates the verb “to be” and is used to say “no” or “is not.”

Numbers

Understanding numbers is fundamental as they are used in various contexts such as telling time, counting, and handling money. Below are the numbers from 1 to 10.

一 (yī) – One

二 (èr) – Two

三 (sān) – Three

四 (sì) – Four

五 (wǔ) – Five

六 (liù) – Six

七 (qī) – Seven

八 (bā) – Eight

九 (jiǔ) – Nine

十 (shí) – Ten

Once you master these, you can start combining them to form larger numbers. For example, 11 is “十一” (shí yī), 20 is “二十” (èr shí), and so on.

Common Verbs

Verbs are action words that are essential for forming sentences. Below are some of the most commonly used verbs in Mandarin Chinese.

吃 (chī) – To eat: This verb is useful in various contexts, especially when discussing food.

喝 (hē) – To drink: This is another essential verb, particularly in social settings.

去 (qù) – To go: “去” is used to indicate movement or travel to a place.

来 (lái) – To come: This verb is often used in conjunction with “去.”

看 (kàn) – To see/To watch: This verb can be used for both seeing and watching, such as watching TV.

听 (tīng) – To listen: This verb is used for listening, whether it’s music, a conversation, or instructions.

说 (shuō) – To speak: “说” is used for speaking or saying something.

读 (dú) – To read: This verb is used when reading books, articles, or any written material.

写 (xiě) – To write: This is the verb for writing, whether it’s a letter, email, or essay.

Everyday Nouns

Nouns are words that represent people, places, or things. Here are some basic nouns that you will find useful.

人 (rén) – Person: This is a general term for a person.

家 (jiā) – Home/Family: This noun can refer to both your home and your family.

学校 (xué xiào) – School: This is the word for school, an essential term for students.

书 (shū) – Book: This noun is useful when talking about reading and studying.

水 (shuǐ) – Water: A basic yet important word, especially when asking for a drink.

食物 (shí wù) – Food: This is a general term for food.

朋友 (péng yǒu) – Friend: A word you will use often in social contexts.

老师 (lǎo shī) – Teacher: An important term for anyone in a learning environment.

学生 (xué shēng) – Student: This noun is used to describe someone who is studying.

猫 (māo) – Cat: A common household pet.

狗 (gǒu) – Dog: Another common household pet.

Time and Date

Understanding how to express time and date is crucial for making plans and scheduling activities.

今天 (jīn tiān) – Today: This word is used to refer to the current day.

明天 (míng tiān) – Tomorrow: This word is used to refer to the next day.

昨天 (zuó tiān) – Yesterday: This word is used to refer to the previous day.

星期 (xīng qī) – Week: This word is used to refer to the week. For example, “星期一” (xīng qī yī) means Monday.

月 (yuè) – Month: This word is used to refer to the month. For example, “一月” (yī yuè) means January.

年 (nián) – Year: This word is used to refer to the year. For example, “今年” (jīn nián) means this year.

小时 (xiǎo shí) – Hour: This word is used to refer to an hour.

分钟 (fēn zhōng) – Minute: This word is used to refer to a minute.

秒 (miǎo) – Second: This word is used to refer to a second.

Directions

Knowing how to ask for and understand directions can be very helpful, especially when traveling.

左 (zuǒ) – Left: This word is used to indicate the left direction.

右 (yòu) – Right: This word is used to indicate the right direction.

前 (qián) – Front: This word is used to indicate the front direction.

后 (hòu) – Back: This word is used to indicate the back direction.

上 (shàng) – Up: This word is used to indicate the upward direction.

下 (xià) – Down: This word is used to indicate the downward direction.

Colors

Colors are another basic yet essential category of vocabulary. Here are some common colors:

红色 (hóng sè) – Red

蓝色 (lán sè) – Blue

绿色 (lǜ sè) – Green

黄色 (huáng sè) – Yellow

黑色 (hēi sè) – Black

白色 (bái sè) – White

灰色 (huī sè) – Gray

橙色 (chéng sè) – Orange

紫色 (zǐ sè) – Purple

Family Members

Talking about family is a common topic in any language. Here are some basic words for family members:

爸爸 (bà ba) – Father

妈妈 (mā ma) – Mother

哥哥 (gē ge) – Older brother

弟弟 (dì di) – Younger brother

姐姐 (jiě jie) – Older sister

妹妹 (mèi mei) – Younger sister

爷爷 (yé ye) – Grandfather (paternal)

奶奶 (nǎi nai) – Grandmother (paternal)

外公 (wài gōng) – Grandfather (maternal)

外婆 (wài pó) – Grandmother (maternal)

Common Adjectives

Adjectives help describe nouns and add detail to your conversations. Here are some common adjectives in Mandarin:

大 (dà) – Big

小 (xiǎo) – Small

好 (hǎo) – Good

坏 (huài) – Bad

高 (gāo) – Tall/High

矮 (ǎi) – Short/Low

长 (cháng) – Long

短 (duǎn) – Short

快 (kuài) – Fast

慢 (màn) – Slow

Useful Questions

Being able to ask questions is crucial for effective communication. Here are some useful question words and phrases:

什么 (shén me) – What: This is used to ask for information. For example, “这是什么?” (zhè shì shén me?) means “What is this?”

谁 (shuí/shéi) – Who: This is used to ask about people. For example, “他是谁?” (tā shì shuí?) means “Who is he?”

哪里 (nǎ lǐ) – Where: This is used to ask about locations. For example, “你在哪里?” (nǐ zài nǎ lǐ?) means “Where are you?”

什么时候 (shén me shí hòu) – When: This is used to ask about time. For example, “你什么时候来?” (nǐ shén me shí hòu lái?) means “When are you coming?”

为什么 (wèi shén me) – Why: This is used to ask for reasons. For example, “你为什么学中文?” (nǐ wèi shén me xué zhōng wén?) means “Why are you learning Chinese?”

怎么 (zěn me) – How: This is used to ask about the manner or method. For example, “你怎么去学校?” (nǐ zěn me qù xué xiào?) means “How do you go to school?”

多少 (duō shǎo) – How many/How much: This is used to ask about quantity. For example, “这个多少钱?” (zhè ge duō shǎo qián?) means “How much is this?”

Basic Conjunctions

Conjunctions are words that connect clauses or sentences. Here are some basic conjunctions in Mandarin:

和 (hé) – And: This is used to connect words or phrases. For example, “我和你” (wǒ hé nǐ) means “you and I.”

但是 (dàn shì) – But: This is used to introduce a contrast. For example, “我喜欢你，但是我不爱你。” (wǒ xǐ huan nǐ, dàn shì wǒ bù ài nǐ) means “I like you, but I don’t love you.”

因为 (yīn wèi) – Because: This is used to give a reason. For example, “我迟到了，因为我睡过头了。” (wǒ chí dào le, yīn wèi wǒ shuì guò tóu le) means “I was late because I overslept.”

所以 (suǒ yǐ) – Therefore/So: This is used to show a result. For example, “我生病了，所以我不能去上学。” (wǒ shēng bìng le, suǒ yǐ wǒ bù néng qù shàng xué) means “I am sick, so I can’t go to school.”

Basic Prepositions

Prepositions are used to show relationships between different elements in a sentence. Here are some basic prepositions in Mandarin:

在 (zài) – At/In/On: This is used to indicate location. For example, “我在家。” (wǒ zài jiā) means “I am at home.”

从 (cóng) – From: This is used to indicate the starting point. For example, “我从美国来。” (wǒ cóng měi guó lái) means “I come from the USA.”

到 (dào) – To/Until: This is used to indicate the end point. For example, “我们到北京了。” (wǒ men dào běi jīng le) means “We have arrived in Beijing.”

跟 (gēn) – With: This is used to indicate accompaniment. For example, “我跟你一起去。” (wǒ gēn nǐ yī qǐ qù) means “I will go with you.”

为了 (wèi le) – For: This is used to indicate purpose. For example, “为了你，我愿意做任何事。” (wèi le nǐ, wǒ yuàn yì zuò rèn hé shì) means “For you, I am willing to do anything.”

Conclusion

Mastering these A1 level Chinese words will give you a strong foundation to build upon as you continue your language learning journey. Remember that practice and repetition are key. Try to incorporate these words into your daily conversations and written exercises. As you become more comfortable with this vocabulary, you will find it easier to progress to more complex aspects of the Chinese language. Happy learning!