你吃了吗？

Learning Chinese: How to Say "Have You Eaten?" in Chinese

Chinese Characters: 你吃了吗？
Pinyin: Nǐ chī le ma?
Pronunciation: ni3 chi1 le5 ma5
English Translation: Have you eaten?

Usage:

"你吃了吗？(Nǐ chī le ma?)" is a common Chinese phrase used to ask someone if they have eaten. It is a polite way to show concern and care for someone's well-being.

Example:

Chinese: 你吃了吗？
Pinyin: Nǐ chī le ma?
English: Have you eaten?
Response: 吃了 (chī le) - Yes, I have eaten. / 没吃 (méi chī) - No, I haven't eaten.

Variations:

There are a few variations of "你吃了吗？(Nǐ chī le ma?)" that you may hear:

吃了没？(Chī le méi?) - A more informal way to ask if someone has eaten.
吃饭了吗？(Chī fàn le ma?) - Literally means "Have you eaten rice?", but it is also used to ask if someone has eaten in general.
Tips for Learning:

Practice saying "你吃了吗？(Nǐ chī le ma?)" out loud to improve your pronunciation.
Listen to native Chinese speakers asking if someone has eaten to get a sense of the natural rhythm and intonation.
Use "你吃了吗？(Nǐ chī le ma?)" in your daily conversations to practice using it in context.

Additional Notes:

"你吃了吗？(Nǐ chī le ma?)" is typically used in informal settings, such as among friends, family, or colleagues.
In more formal settings, you may want to use a more polite phrase, such as "您吃饭了吗？(Nín chī fàn le ma?)".
It is considered impolite to not respond to "你吃了吗？(Nǐ chī le ma?)" when asked.