Is the chinese (mandarin) to english voice translator free?

Yes, free for up to 30 minutes a day. The limit exists to prevent abuse. It needs a free Owaa account, which takes a moment to create.

Can I call someone in China who speaks Chinese (Mandarin)?

Yes. Owaa translates a real phone call both ways. A call to China costs $1.25 per minute, and new accounts can claim 10 free minutes once. You can also call the hotline, +1 833 988 4455.

What is the difference between Face-to-Face and Listen for Chinese (Mandarin)?

Face-to-Face is two-way, for two people in the same room: each speaks their own language and hears the other in theirs. Listen is one-way: it translates a talk, a broadcast or a speaker into English.

Does this work for Cantonese?

No. These pages are for Mandarin Chinese only. Cantonese is a separate spoken language, and a Cantonese speaker will not be understood in the Mandarin setting linked here.

Simplified or Traditional characters?

The voice translator works on speech, so the written form matters less than the spoken language. The phrases on this page are shown in Simplified characters with pinyin.

How do I say Chinese names correctly?

Chinese names are family name first. If a name matters, such as on a form, spell it with letters or show it written.

Voice translator

Chinese (Mandarin) to English voice translator

Someone is speaking Chinese (Mandarin) and you need to follow it in English. Open the translator, pick Chinese (Mandarin) for them and English for you, and take turns: they speak Chinese (Mandarin), you hear English, and your English reaches them in Chinese (Mandarin).

Translate Chinese (Mandarin) to English Hear a talk in English

Face-to-Face and Listen are free for up to 30 minutes a day. Sign in with a free Owaa account to use it.

How to use it

01
Open it with the pair chosen
The button above opens Face-to-Face with Chinese (Mandarin) for you and English for the other person already selected. If you are not signed in, you are taken through sign-in and brought back.
02
Take turns
One person speaks at a time. Wait until the translation finishes playing before you speak, because anything said while it plays is not heard.
03
Hear each other
Each of you hears the other in your own language through the same device. Major pairs such as English with Chinese, Spanish or Japanese are strongest; for anything important, repeat the key detail back.

Need the other direction? English to Chinese (Mandarin) voice translator.

Useful Chinese (Mandarin) phrases

Common Chinese (Mandarin) phrases and their English meaning
Chinese (Mandarin)	Pinyin	English
你好。	Nǐ hǎo.	Hello.
谢谢。	Xièxie.	Thank you.
我听不懂。	Wǒ tīng bu dǒng.	I don't understand.
请说慢一点。	Qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎn.	Please speak a little more slowly.
洗手间在哪里？	Xǐshǒujiān zài nǎlǐ?	Where is the bathroom?
多少钱？	Duōshao qián?	How much is it?
我需要看医生。	Wǒ xūyào kàn yīshēng.	I need to see a doctor.
对不起。	Duìbuqǐ.	Excuse me. / Sorry.

Everyday phrases for reading or saying aloud. They are a reference, not a substitute for the translator in a real conversation.

Chinese (Mandarin): varieties and dialects

These pages are for Mandarin, the standard spoken Chinese of mainland China and Taiwan (Putonghua / Guoyu). Cantonese, spoken in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau, is a different spoken language that Mandarin speakers cannot understand by ear, and these pages do not cover it: a Cantonese speaker will not be understood by a Mandarin setting.

Mainland China writes Simplified characters, as in the phrases above; Taiwan and Hong Kong write Traditional characters. The spoken Mandarin is the same, and the pinyin shown here is the same for both.

Politeness and formality in a translated conversation

Chinese has a polite “you” (您 nín) used for elders, customers and officials, next to the everyday 你 nǐ. Using the polite form with someone older is a small sign of respect.
Chinese names put the family name first (Wang Fang is Ms. Wang). On English forms, ask which part the form calls the “last name”.

Common situations with Chinese (Mandarin) speakers

At the doctor

Say the body part and the symptom in separate short sentences. Note that many Chinese speakers describe temperature in Celsius, so say “38 degrees” only if you also say Celsius.

With a landlord

Dates in China are written year, month, day. Say dates out loud with the month name to avoid month and day being swapped.

At your child’s school

Ask for school notices to be read out in short pieces; long announcements lose detail when translated in one go.

At the bank

Say large numbers digit by digit or in small groups; Chinese counts in units of ten thousand (万), so a figure can be misheard if it is not repeated.

General conversation tips only, not legal or medical advice. For anything with legal, medical or financial consequences, use a qualified human interpreter.

Call someone who speaks Chinese (Mandarin)

Owaa also translates a real phone call both ways, to any number, with no app for the person you call. A call to China, the main country for Chinese (Mandarin), costs $1.25 per minute. New accounts can claim 10 free minutes once.

Calling China: rate and dialing Phone call translator

Questions

Is the chinese (mandarin) to english voice translator free?: Yes, free for up to 30 minutes a day. The limit exists to prevent abuse. It needs a free Owaa account, which takes a moment to create.
Can I call someone in China who speaks Chinese (Mandarin)?: Yes. Owaa translates a real phone call both ways. A call to China costs $1.25 per minute, and new accounts can claim 10 free minutes once. You can also call the hotline, +1 833 988 4455.
What is the difference between Face-to-Face and Listen for Chinese (Mandarin)?: Face-to-Face is two-way, for two people in the same room: each speaks their own language and hears the other in theirs. Listen is one-way: it translates a talk, a broadcast or a speaker into English.
Does this work for Cantonese?: No. These pages are for Mandarin Chinese only. Cantonese is a separate spoken language, and a Cantonese speaker will not be understood in the Mandarin setting linked here.
Simplified or Traditional characters?: The voice translator works on speech, so the written form matters less than the spoken language. The phrases on this page are shown in Simplified characters with pinyin.
How do I say Chinese names correctly?: Chinese names are family name first. If a name matters, such as on a form, spell it with letters or show it written.