hundredwords

What will people in Taiwan ask you when they want to chat?

Expect to hear 你從哪裡來？ (nǐ cóng nǎlǐ lái, "Where are you from?"). Useful things to say: 我從英國來。 (wǒ cóng Yīngguó lái, "I'm from the UK") and 沒有啦，一點點。 (méiyǒu la, yìdiǎndiǎn, "Not really, just a little").

The whole conversation: Making friends

People in Taiwan love to chat with visitors. Expect to be asked where you are from, and to be praised for two words of Chinese.

  1. You hear
    你從哪裡來？ nǐ cóng nǎlǐ lái Where are you from?
  2. You say
    我從英國來。 wǒ cóng Yīngguó lái I'm from the UK.
  3. You hear
    你的中文很好耶！ nǐ de Zhōngwén hěn hǎo ye Your Chinese is really good!

    You will hear this after your first few words. Answer modestly, like the next line.

  4. You say
    沒有啦，一點點。 méiyǒu la, yìdiǎndiǎn Not really, just a little.
  5. You say
    台灣很漂亮。 Táiwān hěn piàoliang Taiwan is beautiful.
  6. You hear
    加個LINE吧！ jiā ge LINE ba Let's add each other on LINE!

    Taiwan runs on LINE, not WhatsApp. Install it before you fly.

  7. You hear
    乾杯！ gānbēi Cheers!
  8. You say
    掰掰！ bāibāi Bye!

    Everyone says 掰掰. 再見 sounds like a textbook.

Is this what people really say here?

Questions about this scene

What will people in Taiwan ask you when they want to chat?

Expect to hear 你從哪裡來？ (nǐ cóng nǎlǐ lái, "Where are you from?"). Useful things to say: 我從英國來。 (wǒ cóng Yīngguó lái, "I'm from the UK") and 沒有啦，一點點。 (méiyǒu la, yìdiǎndiǎn, "Not really, just a little").

What does "你從哪裡來？" mean in Mandarin (Taiwan)?

It means "Where are you from?". It is pronounced nǐ cóng nǎlǐ lái. A natural reply is 我從英國來。 (wǒ cóng Yīngguó lái), "I'm from the UK".