Hey! 12 Mandarin Interjections For You!
Is there a way to measure how much a new language is a part of you, or maybe, how much you have accepted that language into your system? I don’t know about you, but for me, when there is a need for some interjection and I spout it out in a foreign language, it is an indication that the language no longer feels that foreign to me anymore.
If you want to make your Mandarin conversations (and your Mandarin learning) more interesting, you’ve got to pick up some Mandarin interjections. Here’s 12 of some of my favourites. I’m sure you’ve heard some of these! (Remember that all the recordings have a slow version!)
天啊这么贵
Tiān a, zhème guì, wǒ zěnme mǎideqǐ?
天啊，这么贵，我怎么买得起？
Goodness! It’s so expensive, I wouldn’t be able to afford it!
我的天啊这么乱
Wǒ de tiān a, zhème luàn!
我的天啊，这么乱！
Goodness! It’s so messy!
吓死我了
Mā ya, nǐ xià sǐ wǒ le!
妈呀，你吓死我了！
Oh my god you gave me a shock!
这是什么东西
Wǒ de mā ya, zhè shì shénme dōngxi?
我的妈呀，这是什么东西？
Goodness, what’s this?
啊我懂了
À, wǒ dǒng le!
啊，我懂了！
Oh, I got it!
啊你不是黄老师吗
À, nǐ búshì Huáng lǎoshī ma?
啊，你不是黄老师吗？
Oh, aren’t you Teacher Huang?
Used when pressing for further details or expressing surprise, dismay, doubt. (Note that this is in the 2nd tone.)
啊这么难看
Á, zhème nánkàn?
啊，这么难看？
Eh, so ugly!
啊我一个人去啊
Á, wǒ yí ge rén qù a?
啊，我一个人去啊？
Eh, I’m going alone?
Used to express acknowledgement or agreement to something.
嗯知道了
Èng, zhīdào le.
嗯，知道了。
Ok, got it/ alright.
嗯我马上就好
Èng, wǒ mǎshàng jiù hǎo.
嗯，我马上就好。
Ok, I’ll be ready in a jiffy.
Used to express surprise.
你怎么还在
Yí, nǐ zěnme hái zài?
咦，你怎么还在？
Why, you’re still here!
怎么这么奇怪
Yí, zhè bùfen zěnme zhème qíguài?
咦？这部分怎么这么奇怪？
Why, this part is so weird!
Used to call someone’s attention.
喂这是我的不许动
Wèi, zhè shì wǒ de, bù xǔ dòng.
喂，这是我的，不许动。
Hey, this is mine. Hands off.
喂快点儿
Wèi, nǐ kuài diǎnr!
喂，你快点儿！
Hey, hurry up!
哦我这就去
Ò, wǒ zhè jiù qù.
哦，我这就去。
Ok, I’ll go straight away.
哦好的
Ò, hǎo de.
哦，好的。
Ok, sure.
哦是这样吗
Ó? Shì zhèyàng ma?
哦？是这样吗？
Oh, is that so?
哦真的吗
Ó, zhēn de ma?
哦，真的吗？
Oh, really?
Used to express pain, surprise.
哎哟疼死我了
Āiyo téng sǐ wǒ la!
哎哟，疼死我啦！
Ouch, the pain’s killing me!
哎哟太难了
Āiyo zhè tài nán le!
哎哟，这太难了！
Ugh this is too tough!
哎哟来不及了
Āiyo láibují le!
哎哟，来不及了！
Oh dear, I’m not going to make it in time!
Used to express impatience, discontent, pain, surprise.
入乡随俗嘛
Āiya, rù xiāng suí sú ma, rénjia zěnme zuò nǐ jiù zěnme zuò.
哎呀，入乡随俗嘛，人家怎么做你就怎么做。
Oh well, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Just do it like they do.
哎呀年纪大了
Āiya, niánjì dà le, jìbuzhù zhème duō!
哎呀，年纪大了，记不住这么多！
Oh my, age is catching up on me. I can’t remember so much!
哎呀忘了打电话
Āiya, wǒ wàng le gěi tā dǎ diànhuà!
哎呀，我忘了给他打电话！
Oh dear, I forgot to give him a call!
Used to express discontent, annoyance.
让你去就去
Zhēnshi! Ràng nǐ qù jiù qù!
真是！让你去就去！
Jeez! Just go as you’re told!
这么多废话干嘛
Zhème duō fèihuà gànmá? Zhēnshi!
这么多废话干吗？真是！
Stop spouting all that nonsense! Jeez!
Before we end, here’s an exciting piece of news for all my readers.
In my next post and YouTube video, I will be giving away a gift, to everybody! So do keep a lookout for the next lesson. Subscribe to my newsletter and my YouTube channel, so that you don’t miss anything. Meanwhile, don’t forget to listen out for the expressions in this lesson, and use them when you have a chance!
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