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Business Chinese LV.1 — Day 1 — Office Lobby — First-Day Check-In

Panpan
On your first day, you walk into the lobby, greet the receptionist, give your name and department, and wait for HR to come get you. This lesson covers the simple phrases you need in those first few minutes.

Conversations

1 Greeting the receptionist for the first time

New Employee
你好！
Nǐ hǎo!
Hello!
Receptionist
你好，请问有什么可以帮您？
Nǐ hǎo, qǐngwèn yǒu shénme kěyǐ bāng nín?
Hello, how can I help you?
New Employee
我是新来的员工。
Wǒ shì xīn lái de yuángōng.
I'm a new employee.
Receptionist
好的，欢迎您！
Hǎo de, huānyíng nín!
Great, welcome!

2 Stating your name and that today is your first day

Receptionist
请问您叫什么名字？
Qǐngwèn nín jiào shénme míngzì?
What's your name, please?
New Employee
我叫李娜。今天是我第一天上班。
Wǒ jiào Lǐ Nà. Jīntiān shì wǒ dì-yī tiān shàngbān.
My name is Li Na. Today is my first day at work.
Receptionist
好的，李娜，欢迎加入我们公司。
Hǎo de, Lǐ Nà, huānyíng jiārù wǒmen gōngsī.
Okay, Li Na, welcome to our company.
New Employee
谢谢！
Xièxie!
Thank you!

3 Receptionist asks which department; you answer simply

Receptionist
您是哪个部门的？
Nín shì nǎge bùmén de?
Which department are you joining?
New Employee
我是市场部的。
Wǒ shì shìchǎng bù de.
I'm in the Marketing department.
Receptionist
好，我知道了。
Hǎo, wǒ zhīdào le.
Okay, got it.

4 Being asked to wait while HR is called

Receptionist
请稍等，我打电话给人事部。
Qǐng shāo děng, wǒ dǎ diànhuà gěi rénshì bù.
Please wait a moment, I'll call HR.
New Employee
好的，谢谢。
Hǎo de, xièxie.
Okay, thank you.
Receptionist
您可以坐在这里等。
Nín kěyǐ zuò zài zhèlǐ děng.
You can sit here and wait.
New Employee
好的。
Hǎo de.
Okay.

5 HR arrives, greets you, and confirms your name and start date

HR
您好，我是人事部的王经理。您是李娜吗？
Nín hǎo, wǒ shì rénshì bù de Wáng jīnglǐ. Nín shì Lǐ Nà ma?
Hello, I'm Manager Wang from HR. Are you Li Na?
New Employee
是的，我是。
Shì de, wǒ shì.
Yes, I am.
HR
今天是您入职的第一天，对吗？
Jīntiān shì nín rùzhí de dì-yī tiān, duì ma?
Today is your first day, correct?
New Employee
对，没错。
Duì, méi cuò.
Yes, that's right.

6 Being handed a badge/ID and told basic instructions

HR
这是您的工作证，请每天都戴着。
Zhè shì nín de gōngzuò zhèng, qǐng měitiān dōu dàizhe.
This is your work badge, please wear it every day.
New Employee
好的，我知道了。
Hǎo de, wǒ zhīdào le.
Okay, understood.
HR
出入公司都需要刷卡。
Chūrù gōngsī dōu xūyào shuākǎ.
You need to scan it entering and leaving.
New Employee
明白了，谢谢。
Míngbai le, xièxie.
Got it, thank you.

7 Asking a simple question before heading up

New Employee
请问，洗手间在哪儿？
Qǐngwèn, xǐshǒujiān zài nǎr?
Excuse me, where's the restroom?
HR
洗手间在电梯旁边。
Xǐshǒujiān zài diàntī pángbiān.
The restroom is next to the elevator.
New Employee
电梯在哪儿？
Diàntī zài nǎr?
Where's the elevator?
HR
就在前面，我带您去。
Jiù zài qiánmiàn, wǒ dài nín qù.
Right up ahead, I'll take you there.

8 Saying goodbye and thank you to the receptionist

New Employee
谢谢您的帮助，再见！
Xièxie nín de bāngzhù, zàijiàn!
Thank you for your help, goodbye!
Receptionist
不客气，祝您第一天顺利！
Bú kèqi, zhù nín dì-yī tiān shùnlì!
You're welcome, good luck on your first day!
New Employee
谢谢！
Xièxie!
Thank you!

Today's Grammar

Key pattern: 我是...的 ("I am...") states who you are or which department you belong to, and 今天是我第一天上班 ("today is my first day at work") is an opening line that works in many first-day situations.

我是新来的员工。
Wǒ shì xīn lái de yuángōng.
I'm a new employee.
今天是我第一天上班。
Jīntiān shì wǒ dì-yī tiān shàngbān.
Today is my first day at work.
您是哪个部门的？
Nín shì nǎge bùmén de?
Which department are you in?
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