How to Say ‘I want’ in Simplified Chinese
我要
wǒ yào
[waw yaow]
🇨🇳 In China: 我要 is the normal, polite-enough way to order or buy in China. It doesn't come across as rude the way "I want" can in English.
Phrase Breakdown
我
wǒ
[waw]
I; me
The first-person pronoun used to refer to yourself.
我今天来买水果。
I came to buy fruit today.
要
yào
[yaow]
to want; to order
Used to express wanting something or placing an order.
我就要一杯埃塞俄比亚。
I’ll take a cup of Ethiopian coffee then.
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