Shanghainese phrases – Here you will find the most common phrases in Shanghainese with translation. | Free & useful
Shanghainese phrases are short expressions or idioms often used in speech to be polite, express gratitude, greet or say goodbye or simply to have a pleasant conversation.
They are an important part of Shanghainese culture and can be useful in different situations, both in private and business life.
Shanghainese phrases you should know
OUR TIP: If you want to learn these phrases interactively, we recommend the free language course demo from 17-Minute-Language, where you can learn Shanghainese phrases and dialogues today.
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Greet someone in Shanghainese
If you want to greet someone in Shanghainese, it’s actually quite easy:
| English | Shanghainese | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome! | 欢迎侬! | [ɦuɛ̃˦˧ ɲoŋ˦] |
| Good day to you! | 侬好日脚! | [noŋ˨˦ ho˨˧ ʐiʔ˨˦ tɕiak˦] |
| Good morning to you! | 侬早上好! | [noŋ˨˦ tso˨˧ zɑ̃˨ ho˨˧] |
| Good evening! | 侬夜里好! | [noŋ˨˦ jɛ˨˧ li˨˧ ho˨˧] |
| Good to see you. | 看到侬欢喜。 | [kʰɑ̃˦ to˦ noŋ˦ ɦuɛ̃˦ ɕi˨] |
| I’m glad to see you. | 看到侬我欢喜。 | [kʰɑ̃˦ to˦ noŋ˦ ŋu˨˦ ɦuɛ̃˦ ɕi˨] |
If you are greeted in Shanghainese, the best way to respond is as follows:
| English | Shanghainese | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Have a nice day too! | 侬日脚也好过! | [noŋ˨˦ ʐiʔ˨˦ tɕiak˦ jɛ˨˧ ho˨˧ kuɤ˨] |
| Thanks, it’s nice to see you too. | 谢谢，看到侬也欢喜。 | [zɑ˨˧ zɑ˨˧, kʰɑ̃˦ to˦ noŋ˦ jɛ˨˧ ɦuɛ̃˦ ɕi˨] |
How is my dialogue partner?
As in any other country, it is polite to start by asking where the person you are talking to is located. Here’s how you do it:
| English | Shanghainese | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| How are you doing? | 侬近来好伐? | [noŋ˨˦ tɕiŋ˦ lɛ˨ ho˨˧ vaʔ˨] |
| Are you doing well? | 侬身体好伐? | [noŋ˨˦ səŋ˦ tʰi˨ ho˨˧ vaʔ˨] |
If you are asked how you feel, you can answer with the following phrases:
| English | Shanghainese | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Thank you for asking, I am fine. | 谢谢侬关心，我好额。 | [zɑ˨˧ zɑ˨˧ noŋ˦ kuɛ˦ ɕin˦, ŋu˨˦ ho˨˧ ɦɛʔ˦] |
| Thank you, I am fine. | 谢谢，我好额。 | [zɑ˨˧ zɑ˨˧, ŋu˨˦ ho˨˧ ɦɛʔ˦] |
| Thank you, I am not doing so well. | 谢谢，我勿大好。 | [zɑ˨˧ zɑ˨˧, ŋu˨˦ vəʔ˦ dɑ˨˧ ho˨˧] |
| Thanks, I’m fine. How are you doing? | 谢谢，我好额。侬近来好伐？ | [zɑ˨˧ zɑ˨˧, ŋu˨˦ ho˨˧ ɦɛʔ˦. noŋ˨˦ tɕiŋ˦ lɛ˨ ho˨˧ vaʔ˨] |
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How do I say goodbye to someone in Shanghainese?
Saying goodbye to a friend or stranger in Shanghainese is not that difficult. Just use the following phrases:
| English | Shanghainese | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Goodbye! | 再会! | [tsɛ˦ ɦuɛ˨˧] |
| Take care of yourself! | 保重身体! | [po˦ tʂoŋ˨ səŋ˦ tʰi˨] |
| Goodbye | 勿打扰，走啦。 | [vəʔ˦ ta˨ ɲo˨, tsəʊ˨ la˦] |
| See you tomorrow | 明朝见! | [miŋ˨ dʑiɤ˨ tɕiɛ˨˧] |
| See you soon | 等一趟见! | [təŋ˨ iʔ˦ tɑ̃˦ tɕiɛ˨˧] |
| See you later | 一忽儿见! | [iʔ˦ ɦuʔ˦ ɦi˨ tɕiɛ˨˧] |
| Good night | 夜里好! | [jɛ˨˧ li˨˧ ho˨˧] |
| Sleep well | 困好一点! | [kʰuəŋ˦ ho˨˧ iʔ˦ tiɛ̃˨˧] |
| Talk to you later. | 过一歇再讲。 | [ku˨˧ iʔ˦ ɦiɛʔ˦ tsɛ˦ kɑ̃˨] |
| Nice to have met you! | 欢喜结识侬! | [ɦuɛ̃˦ ɕi˨ tɕiɛʔ˦ zɿʔ˦ noŋ˦] |
How do I introduce myself in Shanghainese?
When travelling in Shanghai, sooner or later you will come into contact with local people. Naturally, you’ll want to introduce yourself in Shanghainese and know who you’re talking to.
| English | Shanghainese | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| My name is Jonas. | 我叫Jonas。 | [ŋu˨˦ tɕiɔ˦ ˈjo.na.sɯ] |
| What is your name? | 侬叫啥名字? | [noŋ˨˦ tɕiɔ˦ zɑ˨ miŋ˨ tsɿʔ˦] |
| What is your surname? | 侬姓啥? | [noŋ˨˦ sɪŋ˦ zɑ˨] |
| What is your first name? | 侬叫啥名字? | [noŋ˨˦ tɕiɔ˦ zɑ˨ miŋ˨ tsɿʔ˦] |
| What is your surname? | 侬姓啥? | [noŋ˨˦ sɪŋ˦ zɑ˨] |
If you want to tell people where you come from, the following sentences are useful:
| English | Shanghainese | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Where do you come from? | 侬是从啥地方来个? | [noŋ˨˦ zɿ˨ tsõ˨ zɑ˨ ti˦ fɑ̃˦ lɛ˨ ɡəʔ˦] |
| I am from London. | 我是从伦敦来个。 | [ŋu˨˦ zɿ˨ tsõ˨ loŋ˨ døŋ˦ lɛ˨ ɡəʔ˦] |
| Are you from Birmingham? | 侬是从伯明翰来个伐? | [noŋ˨˦ zɿ˨ tsõ˨ pɔʔ˨ miŋ˨ ɦaŋ˦ lɛ˨ ɡəʔ˦ vaʔ˨] |
| No, I’m from Madrid. | 弗是，我是从马德里来个。 | [vəʔ˦ zɿ˨, ŋu˨˦ zɿ˨ tsõ˨ ma˨ təʔ˨ li˨ lɛ˨ ɡəʔ˦] |
| Great, I’m from Madrid too. | 好啊，我也是从马德里来个。 | [ho˨˧ a˦, ŋu˨˦ jɛ˨˧ zɿ˨ tsõ˨ ma˨ təʔ˨ li˨ lɛ˨ ɡəʔ˦] |
| Where do you live? | 侬住啥地方? | [noŋ˨˦ tʂy˨˧ zɑ˨ ti˦ fɑ̃˦] |
| I live in Berlin. | 我住勒柏林。 | [ŋu˨˦ tʂy˨˧ ləʔ˦ poʔ˨ lin˦] |
If you have problems with your Shanghainese, it is good to know which languages are still spoken:
| English | Shanghainese | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Do you speak English? | 侬讲英语伐? | [noŋ˨˦ kɑ̃˨˧ ɦin˦ ŋʏ˨ vaʔ˨] |
| Yes, I speak English. | 讲个，我讲英语。 | [kɑ̃˨˧ kəʔ˦, ŋu˨˦ kɑ̃˨˧ ɦin˦ ŋʏ˨] |
| Yes, I speak some English. | 讲个，我讲一点英语。 | [kɑ̃˨˧ kəʔ˦, ŋu˨˦ kɑ̃˨˧ iʔ˦ tiɛ̃˨ ɦin˦ ŋʏ˨] |
| No, I do not speak any English. | 弗讲，我勿讲英语。 | [vəʔ˦ kɑ̃˨˧, ŋu˨˦ vəʔ˦ kɑ̃˨˧ ɦin˦ ŋʏ˨] |
| I only speak English. | 我只讲英语。 | [ŋu˨˦ tsɿ˨˧ kɑ̃˨˧ ɦin˦ ŋʏ˨] |
| I understand some Shanghainese. | 我听得懂一点上海闲话。 | [ŋu˨˦ tʰiŋ˦ təʔ˨ tuŋ˨ iʔ˦ tiɛ̃˨ zɑ̃˨ ɦe˨ ɦiŋ˨ ɦuɛ˨] |
Useful sentences with ‘I am…’
The following sentences will help you orientate yourself in Shanghainese and express your wishes and concerns:
| English | Shanghainese | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| I am English. | 我是英国人。 | [ŋu˨˦ zɿ˨ ɦiŋ˦ kuʔ˦ ɲin˨] |
| I am injured. | 我伤着个。 | [ŋu˨˦ sɑ̃˦ dʒɔʔ˨ ɡəʔ˦] |
| I am here. | 我在这里。 | [ŋu˨˦ tsɛ˨ tsɿ˦ li˨] |
| I am hungry. | 我肚皮饿啦。 | [ŋu˨˦ du˨˧ pʰi˨ ŋo˦ la˦] |
| I am thirsty. | 我口渴啦。 | [ŋu˨˦ kʰəʔ˨ kʰoʔ˦ la˦] |
| I am a single person. | 我一个人。 | [ŋu˨˦ iʔ˦ kəʔ˨ ɲin˨] |
| I need help! | 我要帮忙! | [ŋu˨˦ ɦiau˦ pɑ̃˦ mɑ̃˨] |
| I am tired. | 我勒脱脱。 | [ŋu˨˦ ləʔ˦ tʰuʔ˦ tʰuʔ˦] |
| I am happy. | 我欢喜。 | [ŋu˨˦ ɦuɛ̃˦ ɕi˨] |
| I am sad. | 我伤心。 | [ŋu˨˦ sɑ̃˦ ɕin˦] |
| I am in love. | 我谈恋爱。 | [ŋu˨˦ dɑ̃˨˧ liɛ̃˦ ʔɛ˦] |
| I am ill. | 我发烧。 | [ŋu˨˦ faʔ˦ sɔ˦] |
| I am ready. | 我准备好啦。 | [ŋu˨˦ tsəŋ˨˧ pe˨ ho˨˧ la˦] |
| I am busy. | 我忙个脱脱。 | [ŋu˨˦ mɑ̃˨ ɡəʔ˦ tʰuʔ˦ tʰuʔ˦] |
| I am lost. | 我迷路啦。 | [ŋu˨˦ mi˨ luʔ˦ la˦] |
| I am a tourist. | 我是游客。 | [ŋu˨˦ zɿ˨ jəʔ˨ kʰəʔ˦] |
| I am new here. | 我刚来个。 | [ŋu˨˦ kɑ̃˦ lɛ˨ ɡəʔ˦] |
| I am confident. | 我有信心。 | [ŋu˨˦ jəʔ˨ ɕin˦ ɕin˦] |
| I am proud. | 我骄傲。 | [ŋu˨˦ tɕiɔ˦ ŋoʔ˦] |
| I am a teacher. | 我是老师。 | [ŋu˨˦ zɿ˨ lo˨˧ sɿ˦] |
| I am late. | 我来迟啦。 | [ŋu˨˦ lɛ˨ dʑi˨ la˦] |
| I am 30 years old. | 我三十岁。 | [ŋu˨˦ sɑ̃˦ zɿʔ˨ səʔ˦] |
| I am in a hurry. | 我急脱脱。 | [ŋu˨˦ tɕiʔ˨ tʰuʔ˦ tʰuʔ˦] |
| I am happy. | 我欢喜。 | [ŋu˨˦ ɦuɛ̃˦ ɕi˨] |
| I am surprised. | 我吓一跳。 | [ŋu˨˦ ɦiɛʔ˦ iʔ˦ tʰiɔʔ˦] |
| I am angry. | 我发脾气。 | [ŋu˨˦ faʔ˦ bɪ˨ tɕʰi˨] |
Apologising in Shanghainese
Here’s how to apologise to a Shanghainese speaker:
| English | Shanghainese | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| I apologise. | 我赔不是。 | [ŋu˨˦ bɛ˨˧ bəʔ˨ zɿʔ˨] |
| Sorry, that was not the intention. | 对勿住，吾勿是故意个。 | [dy˦ vəʔ˨ tʂy˨, ŋu˨˦ vəʔ˦ zɿ˨ kuʔ˨ i˦ ɡəʔ˦] |
| Sorry, I did not do it on purpose. | 对勿住，我勿是故意做个。 | [dy˦ vəʔ˨ tʂy˨, ŋu˨˦ vəʔ˦ zɿ˨ kuʔ˨ i˦ tsu˨ ɡəʔ˦] |
| Sorry, that was very clumsy of me. | 对勿住，我手脚钝。 | [dy˦ vəʔ˨ tʂy˨, ŋu˨˦ sɤ˨ tɕiɔʔ˦ don˨] |
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Useful signs and notices in Shanghainese
Useful signs and messages in Shanghainese that you will often see.
| English | Shanghainese | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance | 入口 | [zəʔ˨ kʰəʔ˨] |
| Toilet | 厢房间 / 卫生间 | [sɦɑ̃˦ voŋ˨ tɕiɛ˦] / [wɛ˨˧ səŋ˦ tɕiɛ˦] |
| Exit | 出口 | [tsʰyʔ˨ kʰəʔ˨] |
| Attention! | 注意! | [tsu˨ i˦] |
| Police | 警察 | [kiŋ˨ tsʰaʔ˦] |
| Emergency services | 急救服务 | [tɕiʔ˦ kioʔ˦ vuʔ˦ ləʔ˨] |
| Fire brigade | 消防队 | [siau˨ fɑ̃˦ dy˦] |
| Passage forbidden. | 勿许通行。 | [vəʔ˦ ɕy˨ tʰoŋ˦ ɦiŋ˨] |
| Caution! | 小心! | [siau˨ ɕin˦] |
| This building is under video surveillance. | 该楼房有监控。 | [kɛ˦ lo˦ voŋ˨ jəʔ˨ tɕiɛ˦ kʰoŋ˦] |
Numbers to 25 in Shanghainese
Counting in Shanghainese is not that difficult. Here are the numbers in Shanghainese from 1 to 25.
| English | Shanghainese | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一 | [ʔiʔ˦] |
| 2 | 二 | [ni˨] |
| 3 | 三 | [sæ˦] |
| 4 | 四 | [sɿ˦] |
| 5 | 五 | [ŋ˨˦] |
| 6 | 六 | [loʔ˨] |
| 7 | 七 | [tɕʰiʔ˦] |
| 8 | 八 | [bæʔ˦] |
| 9 | 九 | [kɦɪʔ˨] |
| 10 | 十 | [zɿʔ˦] |
| 11 | 十一 | [zɿʔ˦ ʔiʔ˦] |
| 12 | 十二 | [zɿʔ˦ ni˨] |
| 13 | 十三 | [zɿʔ˦ sæ˦] |
| 14 | 十四 | [zɿʔ˦ sɿ˦] |
| 15 | 十五 | [zɿʔ˦ ŋ˨˦] |
| 16 | 十六 | [zɿʔ˦ loʔ˨] |
| 17 | 十七 | [zɿʔ˦ tɕʰiʔ˦] |
| 18 | 十八 | [zɿʔ˦ bæʔ˦] |
| 19 | 十九 | [zɿʔ˦ kɦɪʔ˨] |
| 20 | 二十 | [ni˨ zɿʔ˦] |
| 21 | 二十一 | [ni˨ zɿʔ˦ ʔiʔ˦] |
| 22 | 二十二 | [ni˨ zɿʔ˦ ni˨] |
| 23 | 二十三 | [ni˨ zɿʔ˦ sæ˦] |
| 24 | 二十四 | [ni˨ zɿʔ˦ sɿ˦] |
| 25 | 二十五 | [ni˨ zɿʔ˦ ŋ˨˦] |
The colours in Shanghainese
The most common colours in Shanghainese with phonetic transcription for pronunciation.
| English | Shanghainese | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Red in Shanghainese | 红色 | [ɦoŋ˨˧ səʔ˦] |
| Blue in Shanghainese | 蓝色 | [lɑ̃˨˧ səʔ˦] |
| Green in Shanghainese | 绿色 | [ly˨˧ səʔ˦] |
| Yellow in Shanghainese | 黄色 | [ɦuɑ̃˨˧ səʔ˦] |
| Black in Shanghainese | 黑色 | [ɦəʔ˦ səʔ˦] |
| White in Shanghainese | 白色 | [bæʔ˦ səʔ˦] |
| Orange in Shanghainese | 橙色 | [dzɑ̃˨˧ səʔ˦] |
| Purple in Shanghainese | 紫色 | [tsɿ˨˧ səʔ˦] |
| Brown in Shanghainese | 咖啡色 | [ka˦ fe˦ səʔ˦] |
| Pink in Shanghainese | 粉红色 | [fə̃˨˧ ɦoŋ˨˧ səʔ˦] |
Days of the week, months and seasons in Shanghainese
Of course, you will also need the days of the week in Shanghainese and the pronunciation of the months and seasons in dialogues and daily communication in Shanghainese.
| English | Shanghainese | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Monday in Shanghainese | 星期一 | [sin˦ tɕi˦ ʔiʔ˦] |
| Tuesday in Shanghainese | 星期二 | [sin˦ tɕi˦ ni˨] |
| Wednesday in Shanghainese | 星期三 | [sin˦ tɕi˦ sæ˦] |
| Thursday in Shanghainese | 星期四 | [sin˦ tɕi˦ sɿ˦] |
| Friday in Shanghainese | 星期五 | [sin˦ tɕi˦ ŋ˨˦] |
| Saturday in Shanghainese | 星期六 | [sin˦ tɕi˦ loʔ˨] |
| Sunday in Shanghainese | 星期天 | [sin˦ tɕi˦ tʰiŋ˦] |
| January in Shanghainese | 一月 | [ʔiʔ˦ ŋy˨] |
| February in Shanghainese | 二月 | [ni˨ ŋy˨] |
| March in Shanghainese | 三月 | [sæ˦ ŋy˨] |
| April in Shanghainese | 四月 | [sɿ˦ ŋy˨] |
| May in Shanghainese | 五月 | [ŋ˨˦ ŋy˨] |
| June in Shanghainese | 六月 | [loʔ˨ ŋy˨] |
| July in Shanghainese | 七月 | [tɕʰiʔ˦ ŋy˨] |
| August in Shanghainese | 八月 | [bæʔ˦ ŋy˨] |
| September in Shanghainese | 九月 | [kɦɪʔ˨ ŋy˨] |
| October in Shanghainese | 十月 | [zɿʔ˦ ŋy˨] |
| November in Shanghainese | 十一月 | [zɿʔ˦ ʔiʔ˦ ŋy˨] |
| December in Shanghainese | 十二月 | [zɿʔ˦ ni˨ ŋy˨] |
| Spring in Shanghainese | 春天 | [tsʰøŋ˦ tʰiŋ˦] |
| Summer in Shanghainese | 夏天 | [ɦa˨˧ tʰiŋ˦] |
| Autumn in Shanghainese | 秋天 | [tɕʰiɤ˦ tʰiŋ˦] |
| Winter in Shanghainese | 冬天 | [toŋ˦ tʰiŋ˦] |
OUR TIP: If you want to learn these Shanghainese phrases interactively, we recommend the free language course demo from 17-Minute-Language, where you can learn Shanghainese phrases and dialogues.
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More information about the Shanghainese Business Course.
Additional links
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- The different types of learners when learning languages
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