Invitations and Visits in Chinese

Ask about availability before making plans. A brief, concrete reply is warmer than a formal English-style invitation speech.

Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning
你周末有空吗？	Nǐ zhōumò yǒu kòng ma?	Are you free this weekend?
欢迎来我家。	Huānyíng lái wǒ jiā.	You’re welcome to come to my home.
谢谢你的招待。	Xièxie nǐ de zhāodài.	Thank you for hosting me.

Basic dialogue

Friend: 你周末有空吗？一起吃饭吧。
(Nǐ zhōumò yǒu kòng ma? Yìqǐ chīfàn ba.)
Learner: 有空。星期六晚上可以吗？
(Yǒu kòng. Xīngqīliù wǎnshang kěyǐ ma?)

Asking about a small gift

Learner: 谢谢你的邀请。我可以带点东西吗？
(Xièxie nǐ de yāoqǐng. Wǒ kěyǐ dài diǎn dōngxi ma?)
Friend: 不用，你来就好了。
(Bú yòng, nǐ lái jiù hǎo le.)

Takeaway

有空吗？ (Yǒu kòng ma?) is the natural first question before an invitation.
A refusal can be kind and short: 今天不太方便。下次吧。 (Jīntiān bú tài fāngbiàn. Xià cì ba.)

Make the invitation easy to accept or decline

Say what you are suggesting and leave room for the other person’s schedule: 你方便的话，我们一起吃个饭吧。 (Nǐ fāngbiàn dehuà, wǒmen yìqǐ chī ge fàn ba.) A clear time and a low-pressure tone work better than an elaborate invitation.

Related: formal occasions for ceremonies and hosts, and everyday conversation for casual invitations.

By the end of this chapter, you can say

你周末有空吗？ (Nǐ zhōumò yǒu kòng ma?)

Practical note for this chapter

Keep a daily exchange moving: small talk, plans, messages, shopping and visits. In this chapter, practice giving a short response and then checking what matters.

Use it in context

A: 这个周末一起吃饭吗？ (Zhège zhōumò yìqǐ chīfàn ma?)
B: 你周末有空吗？ (Nǐ zhōumò yǒu kòng ma?)

Phrase map for this chapter

Question or situation: 这个周末一起吃饭吗？ (Zhège zhōumò yìqǐ chīfàn ma?)
Central response: 你周末有空吗？ (Nǐ zhōumò yǒu kòng ma?)
Another natural way to say it: 我可以带点东西吗？ (Wǒ kěyǐ dài diǎn dōngxi ma?); Use this variation in a situation you genuinely expect to handle.
How to use it: Listen to the model once, then say it again with one detail from your own situation.

Turn the model into three conversation turns

1. Open the situation这个周末一起吃饭吗？ (Zhège zhōumò yìqǐ chīfàn ma?)
2. Say the central response你周末有空吗？ (Nǐ zhōumò yǒu kòng ma?)
3. Add an alternative我可以带点东西吗？ (Wǒ kěyǐ dài diǎn dōngxi ma?)

Before acting, check the point most likely to cause a misunderstanding. This dialogue is for practice. For important decisions, confirm official guidance as well.

A useful variation

Keep the same purpose, then change the person, time or place to make it your own.

我可以带点东西吗？ (Wǒ kěyǐ dài diǎn dōngxi ma?)

Use this variation in a situation you genuinely expect to handle.

Listen to the model once, then say it again with one detail from your own situation.

A common trap

For important details, do not decide from what you think you heard; check written information when needed.

邀请不是命令；先确认对方是否方便。 (Yāoqǐng bú shì mìnglìng; xiān quèrèn duìfang shìfǒu fāngbiàn.)

This dialogue is for practice. For important decisions, confirm official guidance as well.

Three-step practice

Open the situation in one short phrase
Say the central response
Add one detail of your own

Invitations and Visits in Chinese — Accept, Decline and Say Thanks