6 Essential Questions to Invite Someone to Dinner in Chinese | Mandarin Phrases & Conversation Tips
In China inviting friends for a meal is a common way to connect and socialize Chinese people love gathering for a joyful get together on weekends or after work Learning how to invite your Chinese friends to dinner or an event in Mandarin will help you build stronger relationships and sound more natural in conversations.
Are You Available Today? | 6 Questions to Invite Someone to Dinner in Chinese
你今天有时间吗?
Nǐ jīntiān yǒu shíjiān ma?
Are you available today?
Friendship plays an important role in Chinese culture. Chinese people love to invite friends out for dinner a movie or other social gatherings especially on weekends. One of the simplest ways to ask someone out is by saying “你今天有时间吗?” (Nǐ jīntiān yǒu shíjiān ma?), which means “Are you available today?”
TIP:
The word “今天” (jīntiān, today) can be replaced with other time expressions.
EXAMPLE:
明天晚上你有时间吗?
Míngtiān wǎnshàng nǐ yǒu shíjiān ma?
Will you be available tomorrow evening?
Do You Have Time This Week? | 6 Questions to Invite Someone to Dinner in Chinese
你这周有空吗?
Nǐ zhè zhōu yǒu kòng ma?
Do you have time this week?
In the previous example we used “有时间” (yǒu shíjiān to have time). However there are different ways to express “being free” in Chinese. When inviting friends to dinner you can also ask:
你这周有空吗? Nǐ zhè zhōu yǒu kòng ma?, where:
周 (zhōu) = week
“空” (kòng) = free free time
TIP:
Another way to say “week” in Chinese is “星期” (xīngqī) however “周” (zhōu) cannot be used with a word unlike “星期” (xīngqī).
EXAMPLE:
三周
sān zhōu
three weeks
三个星期
sān gè xīngqī
three weeks
Would You Like to Have Dinner Together Tonight? | 6 Questions to Invite Someone to Dinner in Chinese
晚上一起吃饭吗?
Wǎnshàng yīqǐ chī fàn ma?
Would you like to have dinner together tonight?
Sometimes it’s best to get straight to the point when inviting friends. A direct question like “晚上一起吃饭吗?” (Wǎnshàng yīqǐ chī fàn ma?) makes it easy for them to decide.
“吃饭” (chī fàn) = to eat (literally “eat rice,” but commonly used for meals)
“一起” (yīqǐ) = together
TIP:
You can use this sentence pattern in different situations by replacing “吃饭” with another activity.
EXAMPLE:
明天一起看电影吗?
Míngtiān yīqǐ kàn diànyǐng ma?
Would you like to watch a movie together tomorrow?
星期五一起去商场吗？
Xīngqīwǔ yīqǐ qù shāngchǎng ma?
Shall we go to the shopping mall together on Friday?
Can We Do It on Saturday? | 6 Questions to Invite Someone to Dinner in Chinese
星期六可以吗?
Xīngqīliù kěyǐ ma?
Can we do it on Saturday?
When planning a dinner or an outing with friends, suggesting a specific date can help make scheduling easier. Instead of asking broadly, you can proactively propose a convenient day using this simple structure:
“星期六” (Xīngqīliù) = Saturday
“可以吗” (Kěyǐ ma?) = Is it OK? / Would that work?
TIP:
You can replace “星期六” with a different date to customize your invitation.
EXAMPLE:
六月二号可以吗?
Liù yuè èr hào kěyǐ ma?
Would June 2nd be OK?
FAQ | Inviting Someone to Dinner in Chinese
1. How do you ask someone to dinner in Chinese?
Ask “晚上一起吃饭吗?” (Wǎnshàng yīqǐ chī fàn ma?) – Would you like to have dinner together tonight?
2. How to ask someone is free to make plans in Chinese?
Ask “你今天有时间吗” (Nǐ jīntiān yǒu shíjiān ma) – Are you available today”
3. Difference between “有空” (yǒu kòng) and “有时间” (yǒu shíjiān)?
Both mean “to be free” but 有空 (yǒu kòng) is more casual and commonly used in daily conversation in China.
4. How suggest a specific day for dinner in Chinese?
ou can say “星期六可以吗?” (Xīngqīliù kěyǐ ma?) which means “Can we do it on Saturday?”
5. How do you ask someone to do something together in Chinese?
Use “一起” (yīqǐ) meaning “together”.
For example:
明天一起看电影吗? (Míngtiān yīqǐ kàn diànyǐng ma?) – Would you like to watch a movie together tomorrow?
We hope these Chinese phrases and questions will be helpful the next time you invite someone to dinner Mastering these expressions will make your conversations smoother and more natural!
Want to learn more useful Mandarin phrases? Check out our latest blog posts for more practical Chinese language tips and cultural insights! 🚀 5 Small Talk Phrases in Chinese
