# How to say I speak a little Chinese URL: https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/say/i-speak-a-little-chinese/ Updated: 2026-11-05 I speak a little Chinese is 只会一点点 (zhǐ huì yì dián diǎn). It means “I can only do a tiny bit”. You will use it a lot. People often ask foreigners 你会说中文吗 (nǐ huì shuō zhōng wén ma, can you speak Chinese)? And they often say your Chinese is good after one sentence. This is the modest answer to both. ## The phrase **只会一点点** (zhǐ huì yì dián diǎn): Only a tiny bit | Word | Pinyin | Meaning | | --- | --- | --- | | 只 | zhǐ | only | | 会 | huì | can | | 一点点 | yì dián diǎn | a tiny bit | Pinyin is written the way the words are said, tone changes included, the same as in the game. ### What it means 只会一点点 (zhǐ huì yì dián diǎn) means “I can only do a tiny bit”. 只 (zhǐ) is “only”. 会 (huì) is “can”, for skills you have learned. 一点点 (yì dián diǎn) is “a tiny bit”. When the topic is Chinese, it means “I only speak a little”. It is also the polite answer when someone praises your Chinese. People expect you to be modest about your skills. They usually answer by praising you again. ### How to say it Say zhǐ huì yì dián diǎn. zhǐ dips. huì falls. Then yì falls, dián rises and diǎn dips. Two of these syllables change: - 一 (yī, one) is yī on its own. Before a dipping tone it becomes yì. - 点 (diǎn, a bit) dips on its own. When two dipping tones come together, the first one rises. So the first diǎn becomes dián. ## When to use it ### When someone asks if you speak Chinese Cashiers, drivers and older people often start with 你会说中文吗 (nǐ huì shuō zhōng wén ma, can you speak Chinese)? 只会一点点 (zhǐ huì yì dián diǎn) answers it and lets them keep talking, slowly. ### When someone says your Chinese is good After one or two sentences, many people say 你的中文真好 (nǐ de zhōng wén zhēn hǎo, your Chinese is really good)! 只会一点点 (zhǐ huì yì dián diǎn) is the modest reply. 谢谢 (xiè xie, thank you) also works. ### For other skills 一点点 (yì dián diǎn) works for any skill. If someone asks if you can use chopsticks, 只会一点点 (zhǐ huì yì dián diǎn) is a fine answer. ## Other ways to say it Shorter answers from the game. - **一点点** (yì dián diǎn): a tiny bit - When: The short answer. Fine when someone asks quickly. - **我是外国人** (wǒ shì wài guó rén): I'm a foreigner - When: Useful when someone asks for a Chinese ID card, or is surprised you do not understand. - **谢谢** (xiè xie): Thank you - When: The simple answer to praise. ## What people say back - **只会一点点** (zhǐ huì yì dián diǎn): Only a tiny bit - When: The convenience store cashier asks 你会说中文吗 (nǐ huì shuō zhōng wén ma)? while your lunch is in the microwave. - They may say: **说得很好啊！** (shuō de hěn hǎo a!): You speak it really well! (She praises you anyway.) - **只会一点点** (zhǐ huì yì dián diǎn): Only a tiny bit - When: A driver says 你中文不错啊 (nǐ zhōng wén bú cuò a, your Chinese is not bad)! - They may say: **一点点？说得很好了！** (yì dián diǎn? shuō de hěn hǎo le!): A tiny bit? You speak very well! (He says you speak well.) - **只会一点点** (zhǐ huì yì dián diǎn): Only a tiny bit - When: At an evening dance in a square, a dancer asks if you can speak Chinese. - They may say: **说得很好啊！** (shuō de hěn hǎo a!): You speak it really well! ## Common mistakes ### No changes in “a tiny bit” yī diǎn diǎn sounds slow and careful. Say yì dián diǎn: falling, rising, then low. ### Using “can” for “know” 会 (huì) is for skills you have learned, like speaking a language or swimming. To say you know a fact, use 知道 (zhī dào, know). ### Taking the praise too seriously People praise any foreigner who tries a few words. They mean it kindly. Answer and keep going. ## Where it comes up in the game ### The park You first put 只会一点点 (zhǐ huì yì dián diǎn) together in the park, word by word. A chess player or a group of dancers ask if you can play or dance with them. ### The convenience store While the microwave runs, the cashier asks 你会说中文吗 (nǐ huì shuō zhōng wén ma)? You answer 只会一点点 (zhǐ huì yì dián diǎn), and she says you speak well. ### A ride across town and an evening dance A ride-hailing driver says your Chinese is not bad. You choose a modest answer or a thank-you. At a square dance, the dancers ask the same questions, then teach you the steps. ## Questions ### How do you say I speak a little Chinese? I speak a little Chinese is 只会一点点 (zhǐ huì yì dián diǎn). Word for word it means “I can only do a tiny bit”. It is the usual answer when someone asks if you speak Chinese. ### How do you ask can you speak Chinese in Chinese? Can you speak Chinese in Chinese is 你会说中文吗 (nǐ huì shuō zhōng wén ma)? 会 (huì) means “can”, 说 (shuō) means “speak” and 中文 (zhōng wén) means “Chinese”. ### Why do two syllables change in 一点点? Two syllables change in 一点点 (yì dián diǎn). 一 (yī, one) becomes yì before a dipping tone. Then the two diǎn come together, so the first one rises to dián. The result is yì dián diǎn. ### How do I respond when someone says my Chinese is good? Answer modestly with 只会一点点 (zhǐ huì yì dián diǎn, only a tiny bit), or just say 谢谢 (xiè xie, thank you). Both are normal in China. ### Why do Chinese people say my Chinese is good after one word? Praising a foreigner’s Chinese is a common, friendly reaction in China. People like that you are trying. It is a way to start a conversation and says little about your level. ### What is the difference between 会 and 知道? 会 (huì) means “can”, for a skill you learned, like speaking Chinese. 知道 (zhī dào) means “know”, for a fact. 我会说中文 (wǒ huì shuō zhōng wén) is “I can speak Chinese”. 我知道 (wǒ zhī dào) is “I know”. ## Related pages - [How to say thank you in Chinese](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/say/thank-you-in-chinese/): The word for thanks, how its soft second syllable sounds, when to use it, and what people say back. - [How to say I don’t understand in Chinese](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/say/i-dont-understand-in-chinese/): How to say “I don’t understand, please slow down”, and what people do when you say it. - [How to say hello in Chinese](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/say/hello-in-chinese/): The everyday greeting, why its first syllable rises, and the greetings people use in the morning, in the evening and with older people. - [For heritage speakers who understand Chinese but don’t speak it](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/for/heritage-speakers-chinese/): You follow the family conversation in Chinese but answer in English. This page is about practising the answers.