🙋❓🗨️

How to Say ‘I'd like to ask you something.’ in Traditional Chinese

我想問你一下。

wǒ xiǎng wèn nǐ yī xià

[wo shyang wèn nǐ ee-shyah]

🇹🇼 In Taiwan: This is a polite, low-pressure way to catch a colleague's attention at their desk before raising something. It works with peers and bosses alike.

Phrase Breakdown

我想

wǒ xiǎng

I'd like to

我 (I) + 想 (want, would like). Both are third tone, so 我 rises: wó xiǎng.

Example

我想喝水。

I'd like to drink water.

Words in this phrase

我

wǒ

[wo]

I; me

The first-person pronoun used to talk about yourself.

Example

我想多了解你們公司的制度，所以先自我介紹。

I want to learn more about your company’s system, so I’ll introduce myself first.

想

xiǎng

[shyang]

want to; would like to

Used to express desire or intention to do something.

Example

我想多認識一些產業的人。

I want to get to know more people in the industry.

問你一下。

wèn nǐ yī xià

ask you something

問 (ask) + 你 (you) + 一下 (briefly).

Example

可以問你一下嗎？

Can I ask you something?

Words in this phrase

問

wèn

[wèn]

to ask

To ask a question or inquire about something.

Example

我可以問你一個問題嗎？

Can I ask you a question?

你

nǐ

[nǐ]

you

Refers to the person being spoken to.

Example

你今天看起來很高興。

You look happy today.

一下

yī xià

[ee-shyah]

a bit; briefly

一下 softens an action and often means 'for a moment' or 'a little bit.'

Example

我想跟你確認一下時間。

I want to confirm the time with you briefly.

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