Introducing yourself in a new language can be both exciting and challenging. Taiwanese Hokkien, also simply known as Taiwanese, is a language spoken by the Hoklo people in Taiwan. It is a rich and expressive language with a unique phonology. If you’re interested in learning how to introduce yourself in Taiwanese Hokkien, this article will guide you through simple essential phrases and expressions to make a memorable first impression.
Hello in Taiwanese Hokkien
In Taiwanese Hokkien, the most common way to say “hello” is by using the phrase “你好” (ㄌㄧˋ ㄏㄜˋ). This phrase is similar to the Mandarin Chinese greeting “你好” (ㄋㄧˇ ㄏㄠˇ). It’s a versatile greeting that can be used in both formal and informal settings. When meeting someone for the first time, a simple and friendly “你好” will suffice.
However, “你好” is not the sole way to greet someone in Taiwanese Hokkien. One sentence that you will frequently hear is “你食飽未?” (ㄌㄧˋ ㄐㄧㄚㆷ˙ ㄅㄚˋ ㆠㄨㆤ˫ ?), which literally means “Have you eaten?”
For a more comprehensive list of greetings in Taiwanese Hokkien, please refer to the following article:
Introduce Your Name in Taiwanese Hokkien
Now that you’ve exchanged greetings, it’s time to introduce yourself by sharing your name. In Taiwanese Hokkien, you can say “我叫 …” (ㆣㄨㄚˋ ㄍㄧㄜ˪) to mean “I’m called … .” After this phrase, you can add your name.
More ways to introduce your name
| Taiwanese | Bopomo | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我叫 (做) | ㆣㄨㄚˋ ㄍㄧㄜ˪ (ㄗㄜ˪) | I’m called … |
| 我是 | ㆣㄨㄚˋ ㄒㄧ˫ | I’m … |
| 我姓 | ㆣㄨㄚˋ ㄒㆪ˪ | My last name is … |
| 我的名是 | ㆣㄨㄚˋ ㆤˊ ㄇㄧㄚˊ ㄒㄧ˫ | My name is … |
| 請問 | ㄑㄧㆩˋ ㄇㆭ˫ | May I ask … |
| 你叫 (做) 啥物名? | ㄌㄧˋ ㄍㄧㄜ˪ (ㄗㄜ˪) ㄒㄧㆩˋ ㄇㄧㆷ˙ ㄇㄧㄚˊ ? | What is your name? |
To inquire about someone’s name in Taiwanese Hokkien, you can use the question “你叫啥物名?” (ㄌㄧˋ ㄍㄧㄜ˪ ㄒㄧㆩˋㄇㄧㆷ˙ ㄇㄧㄚˊ ?). Since you may not be familiar with the person (given that you don’t even know their name), it’s a good practice to add the polite expression “請問” (ㄑㄧㆩˋ ㄇㆭ˫) before the question, similar to the custom in Mandarin Chinese.
Pronounce your Chinese name in Taiwanese
Now you might wonder how to pronounce your Chinese name in Taiwanese. If you don’t have a Taiwanese friend to help you, there are two websites that can be helpful.
- The first one is the online dictionary of Taiwan’s Ministry of Education. There, you can look for each character of your name separately to get their Taiwanese pronunciation. Note that many characters have multiple pronunciations, so when it’s the case, make sure you take the pronunciation that has “姓氏” in its definition.
- The second website is iTaigi. There, you can type your first and last name, and you’ll get an audio with the Taiwanese pronunciation. However, it won’t provide the written spelling in either Bopomo or Taiwanese Romanization.
For example, my name in Taiwanese is:
| 林杰安 | ㄌㄧㆬˊ ㄍㄧㄚㄉ˙ ㄢ |
|---|
Nice to Meet You in Taiwanese Hokkien
After introducing yourself, it’s courteous to express that it’s nice to meet the other person. In Taiwanese Hokkien, you can say “真歡喜佮你熟似” (ㄐㄧㄣ ㄏㄨㆩ ㄏㄧˋ ㄍㄚㆷ ㄌㄧˋ ㄒㄧㄍ˙ ㄙㄞ˫), which translates to “I’m so glad I know you.”
Only a handful of foreigners take the initiative to learn even a basic greeting in Taiwanese Hokkien. Therefore, by mastering these simple introductory phrases, you will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression on the local population.
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