If you can ask and answer basic questions in Chinese, you can handle a surprising number of real-life situations. Questions are the heart of conversation. Once you master a small set of common patterns, you can communicate with confidence even as a beginner.
In this guide, you’ll learn 25 essential Chinese questions and answers, with clear examples you can practice daily.
Why Questions Are So Important
Questions help you:
Start conversations
Keep conversations going
Learn more about others
Handle everyday situations
Instead of memorizing random vocabulary, learning useful question patterns gives you immediate speaking ability.
How to Use This Guide
Don’t try to memorize all 25 at once. Practice a few each day. Say them out loud. Switch roles and answer your own questions.
Now let’s begin.
Basic Personal Questions
1
你叫什么名字？(nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?) – What is your name?
我叫Anna (wǒ jiào Anna) – My name is Anna
2
你是哪国人？(nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?) – Where are you from?
我是美国人 (wǒ shì Měiguó rén) – I am American
3
你住在哪里？(nǐ zhù zài nǎlǐ?) – Where do you live?
我住在北京 (wǒ zhù zài Běijīng) – I live in Beijing
4
你做什么工作？(nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò?) – What do you do?
我是老师 (wǒ shì lǎoshī) – I am a teacher
5
你多大？(nǐ duō dà?) – How old are you?
我二十五岁 (wǒ èr shí wǔ suì) – I am 25 years old
Language and Learning Questions
6
你会说中文吗？(nǐ huì shuō Zhōngwén ma?) – Can you speak Chinese?
会一点 (huì yī diǎn) – A little
7
你会说英文吗？(nǐ huì shuō Yīngwén ma?) – Can you speak English?
会 (huì) – Yes
8
你学中文多久了？(nǐ xué Zhōngwén duō jiǔ le?) – How long have you studied Chinese?
我学了一年 (wǒ xué le yī nián) – I have studied for one year
9
你觉得中文难吗？(nǐ juéde Zhōngwén nán ma?) – Is Chinese difficult?
有一点难 (yǒu yī diǎn nán) – A little difficult
10
你喜欢学中文吗？(nǐ xǐhuān xué Zhōngwén ma?) – Do you like learning Chinese?
很喜欢 (hěn xǐhuān) – I like it a lot
Daily Life Questions
11
你每天做什么？(nǐ měi tiān zuò shénme?) – What do you do every day?
我工作 (wǒ gōngzuò) – I work
12
你几点起床？(nǐ jǐ diǎn qǐ chuáng?) – What time do you wake up?
我七点起床 (wǒ qī diǎn qǐ chuáng) – I wake up at 7
13
你吃了吗？(nǐ chī le ma?) – Have you eaten?
吃了 (chī le) – Yes, I have
14
你现在在做什么？(nǐ xiànzài zài zuò shénme?) – What are you doing now?
我在看书 (wǒ zài kàn shū) – I am reading
15
你周末做什么？(nǐ zhōumò zuò shénme?) – What do you do on weekends?
我看电影 (wǒ kàn diànyǐng) – I watch movies
Preferences and Opinions
16
你喜欢什么？(nǐ xǐhuān shénme?) – What do you like?
我喜欢音乐 (wǒ xǐhuān yīnyuè) – I like music
17
你喜欢喝咖啡吗？(nǐ xǐhuān hē kāfēi ma?) – Do you like coffee?
不太喜欢 (bú tài xǐhuān) – Not really
18
你喜欢吃什么？(nǐ xǐhuān chī shénme?) – What do you like to eat?
我喜欢吃面条 (wǒ xǐhuān chī miàntiáo) – I like noodles
19
你觉得这个怎么样？(nǐ juéde zhège zěnmeyàng?) – What do you think about this?
很好 (hěn hǎo) – Very good
20
你忙吗？(nǐ máng ma?) – Are you busy?
很忙 (hěn máng) – Very busy
Social and Conversation Questions
21
你在做什么工作？(nǐ zài zuò shénme gōngzuò?) – What are you working as?
我在公司工作 (wǒ zài gōng sī gōngzuò) – I work at a company
22
你在哪里学习？(nǐ zài nǎlǐ xuéxí?) – Where do you study?
我在学校学习 (wǒ zài xué xiào xuéxí) – I study at School (学校, xué xiào)
23
你常去哪里？(nǐ cháng qù nǎlǐ?) – Where do you often go?
我常去餐厅 (wǒ cháng qù cān tīng) – I often go to a Restaurant (餐厅, cān tīng)
24
你今天怎么样？(nǐ jīntiān zěnmeyàng?) – How are you today?
很好 (hěn hǎo) – Very good
25
你有时间吗？(nǐ yǒu shíjiān ma?) – Do you have time?
有 (yǒu) – Yes
How to Practice These Questions Effectively
Here are simple ways to turn these questions into real speaking skills:
Say each question out loud
Answer each question with your own information
Practice both roles
Repeat daily
Example practice:
你叫什么名字？
我叫John
你喜欢什么？
我喜欢运动
The more you repeat, the more natural it becomes.
Mini Practice Dialogue Using Multiple Questions
A: 你好！你叫什么名字？(nǐ hǎo! nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?) – Hello! What is your name?
B: 我叫Lisa。(wǒ jiào Lisa.) – My name is Lisa.
A: 你是哪国人？(nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?) – Where are you from?
B: 我是澳大利亚人。(wǒ shì Àodàlìyà rén.) – I am Australian.
A: 你会说中文吗？(nǐ huì shuō Zhōngwén ma?) – Can you speak Chinese?
B: 会一点。(huì yī diǎn.) – A little.
A: 你喜欢学中文吗？(nǐ xǐhuān xué Zhōngwén ma?) – Do you like learning Chinese?
B: 很喜欢！(hěn xǐhuān!) – I like it a lot!
Useful Places for Real-Life Questions
Practice asking questions in different places:
Cafe (咖啡店, kā fēi diàn)
Restaurant (餐厅, cān tīng)
Office (办公室, bàn gōng shì)
Airport (机场, jī chǎng)
Example:
你在咖啡店做什么？(nǐ zài kā fēi diàn zuò shénme?) – What are you doing at the cafe?
Tips to Sound More Natural
Keep your tone relaxed
Don’t worry about perfect grammar
Use short answers when needed
Add follow-up questions
Example:
你呢？(nǐ ne?) – And you?
This simple phrase makes your conversation more engaging.
New Words from This Blog Post
名字 (míngzi) – name
国家 (guójiā) – country
住 (zhù) – to live
工作 (gōngzuò) – work
岁 (suì) – years old
觉得 (juéde) – to feel or think
每天 (měi tiān) – every day
起床 (qǐ chuáng) – to wake up
现在 (xiànzài) – now
周末 (zhōumò) – weekend
音乐 (yīnyuè) – music
面条 (miàntiáo) – noodles
时间 (shíjiān) – time
常 (cháng) – often
问题 (wèntí) – question
