100 English and Chinese Conversation Topics (with Pinyin)

carlgene on 29/06/2010 — 18 Comments
My role at Global Hearts has expanded lately, which is very cool. They provide
unique, bilingual tours of Melbourne for international students from all over the
world. Their goal is to bridge the existing communication gap between
international students and locals, a very worthwhile ambition. They also run a
very awesomeChinese and English language exchange group which meets
Thursday and Saturday afternoons in Melbourne city. I love attending because
it’s very informal and you get to meet new people from all over the world each
week. Anyway, what the group is missing is a comprehensive list of English and
Chinese conversation topics to keep everyone inspired and talking smoothly. So I
have come up with a list of 100 English conversation topics, complete with
Chinese translations and pinyin for convenience. The Chinese translations were
carefully crafted by me and proofread by my friend Bo – thanks mate! I provide
the full list here for everyone – I hope you all find it useful. This can also be used
as preparation for the IELTS speaking exam or even the HSK.

A-Level (Beginner)
A001     What’s your name?    你叫什么名字？
Nǐ jiào shénme míngzì?
A002     Where were you born?    你在哪儿出生的？
Nǐ zài nǎ r chūshēng de?
A003     Where is your hometown?    你的家乡在哪儿？
Nǐ de jiāxiāng zài nǎ r?
A004     What do you like to eat?    你平时喜欢吃什么？
Nǐ píngshí xǐhuan chī shénme?
A005     What do you like to drink?    你平时喜欢喝什么？
Nǐ píngshí xǐhuan hē shénme?
A006     How old are you?    你多大了？
Nǐ duōdà le?
A007    What do you study?    你学什么的？
Nǐ xué shénme de?
A008    Where do you work?    你在哪儿工作？
Nǐ zài nǎ r gōngzuò?
A009    What did you do today?    你今天做了些什么？
Nǐ jīntiān zuò le xiē shénme?
A010    What kind of music do you like?    你喜欢什么样的音乐？
Nǐ xǐhuan shénmeyàng de yīnyuè?
A011    What animal would you most like to be?     你最想成为哪种动物？
Nǐ zuì xiǎ ng chéngwéi nǎ zhǒ ng dòngwù?
A012    What languages do you speak?    你都会说哪种语言？
Nǐ dōu huì shuō nǎ zhǒ ng yǔ yán?
A013     How long have you lived in this city?    你在这个城市住了多久了？
Nǐ zài zhège chéngshì zhù le duōjiǔ le?
A014    How many people are in your family?    你家有几口人？
Nǐ jiā yǒ u jǐ kǒ u rén?
A015    Have you been to Sydney?    你去过悉尼吗？
Nǐ qù guò Xīní ma?
A016    Do you have a best friend? Who is s/he?    你有最好的朋友吗？他或她是
谁？
Nǐ yǒ u zuìhǎ o de péngyǒ u ma? Tā huò tā shì sheí?
A017    Do you prefer summer or winter?    夏天和冬天，你更喜欢哪一个？
Xiàtiān hé dōngtiān, nǐ gèng xǐhuan nǎ yīgè?
A018    What do you do on the weekend?    你周末喜欢做些什么呢？
Nǐ zhōumò xǐhuan zuò xiē shénme ne?
A019    What hobbies do you have?    你有什么爱好？
Nǐ yǒ u shénme àihào?
A020    What sports do you like?    你都喜欢哪种体育项目？
Nǐ dōu xǐhuan nǎ zhǒ ng tǐyù xiàngmù?
A021     What is your favourite food?    你最喜欢的食物是什么？
Nǐ zuì xǐhuan de shíwù shì shénme?
A022    What do you normally have for breakfast?     你早饭平时都吃些什么？
Nǐ zǎ ofàn píngshí dōu chī xiē shénme?
A023    How do you get to work or university?    你平时上班或上学都怎么走？
Nǐ píngshí shàngbān huò shàngxué dōu zěnme zǒ u?
A024    What do you do on holidays?    你放假都做些什么？
Nǐ fàngjià dōu zuò xiē shénme?
A025     What’s your favourite film?    你最喜欢的电影是什么？
Nǐ zuì xǐhuan de diànyǐng shì shénme?
A026    What is your greatest wish?    你最大的愿望是什么？
Nǐ zuìdà de yuànwàng shì shénme?
A027    Are you married or single?    你结婚了还是单身？
Nǐ jiéhūn le háishì dānshēn?
A028    Do you drive or take public transport?    你开车还是做公交？
Nǐ kāichē háishì zuò gōngjiāo?
A029    What do you like to do in your spare time?     你平时喜欢做些什么？
Nǐ píngshí xǐhuan zuò xiē shénme?
A030    What’s your favourite TV show?    你最喜欢的电视剧是什么？
Nǐ zuì xǐhuan de diànshìjù shì shénme?
A031    Do you like shopping? Why or why not?     你喜欢购物吗？为什么？
Nǐ xǐhuan gòuwù ma? Wèishénme?
A032    What subjects did you study in school?    你在学校时都学了哪些科目？
Nǐ zài xuéxiào shí dōu xué le nǎ xiē kēmù?
A033    Do you prefer trains, trams or buses?    火车，电车和公共汽车，你更喜欢
哪一个？
Huǒ chē, diànchē hé gōnggòng qìchē, nǐ gèng xǐhuan nǎ yīgè?

B-Level (Intermediate)
B034     Do you often eat fast food? Why or why not?    你经常吃快餐吗？为什
么？
Nǐ jīngcháng chī kuàicān ma? Wèishénme?
B035    What is a major achievement in your life?    你生命中一项重要的成就是什
么？
Nǐ shēngmìng zhòng yī xiàng zhòngyào de chéngjiù shì shénme?
B036    Do you like karaoke? Why or why not?    你喜欢卡拉 OK 吗？为什么？
Nǐ xǐhuan kǎ lāOK ma? Wèishénme?
B037    What are the best ways to keep healthy?     保持健康的最好方法是什么？
Bǎ ochí jiànkāng de zuì hǎ o fāngfǎ shì shénme?
B038     What is the best way to make new friends?    结交新朋友的最好方法是什
么？
Jiéjiāo xīn péngyou de zuì hǎ o fāngfǎ shì shénme?
B039    What is the best holiday you’ve ever had?    你所度过最愉快的一个假期是
哪一个？
Nǐ suǒ dù guò zuì yúkuài de yīgè jiàqī shì nǎ yīgè?
B040    Do you think you are a “nerd”?    你觉得你是一个“宅男”或“宅女”吗？
Nǐ juéde nǐ shì yīgè “zháinán” huò “zháinǚ ” ma?
B041    What are some of the traditional foods in your home country?    你国家传
统的食物是什么？
Nǐ guójiā chuántǒ ng de shíwù shì shénme?
B042    Do you have an iPhone? Why or why not?     你有一部 iPhone 吗？为什
么？
Nǐ yǒ uyī bù iPhone ma? Wèishénme?
B043    Are you interested in politics? Why or why not?    你对政治感兴趣吗？为
什么？
Nǐ duì zhèngzhì gǎ nxìngqù ma? Wèishénme?
B044    What do you think about this city’s public transport system?    你觉得这个
城市的公共交通系统怎么样？
Nǐ juéde zhège chéngshì de gōnggòng jiāotōng xìtǒ ng zěnme yàng?
B045     Are you a fan of anime or other cartoons?    你是日本动漫或其他卡通的粉
丝吗？
Nǐ shì Rìběn dòngmàn huò qítā kǎ tōng de fěnsī ma?
B046    Are you a night owl or an early bird?    你是个夜猫子，还是早起者？
Nǐ shìgè yèmāozi, háishì zǎ oqǐ zhě?
B047    Do you see your family often?    你经常看望你的家人吗？
Nǐ jīngcháng kànwàng nǐ de jiārén ma?
B048    Do you like going to pubs and nightclubs?    你喜欢去酒吧和夜总会吗？
Nǐ xǐhuan qù jiǔ bā hé yèzǒ nghuì ma?
B049    Who is your favourite celebrity?    你最喜欢的名人是谁？
Nǐ zuì xǐhuan de míngrén shì sheí?
B050    What are your impressions of this city?    你对这座城市的印象怎么样？
Nǐ duì zhè zuò chéngshì de yìnxiàng zěnmeyàng?
B051    Is money important?    金钱重要吗？
Jīnqián zhòngyào ma?
B052    Do you like reading? What books do you like to read?    你喜欢看书吗？平
时都看些什么样的书？
Nǐ xǐhuan kà shū ma? Píngshí dōu kàn xiē shénme yàng de shū?
B053    What are your future goals?     你未来的目标是什么？
Nǐ wèilái de mùbiāo shì shénme?
B054    Do you celebrate Christmas?     你过圣诞节吗？
Nǐ guò shèngdànjié ma?
B055     What are some of your bad habits?    你都有哪些坏习惯？
Nǐ dōu yǒ u nǎ xiē huài xíguàn?
B056    What are the personalities of your parents and other family members?   
你的父母和其他家人的性格都是什么样的？
Nǐ de fùmǔ hé qítā jiārén de xìnggé dōu shì shénmeyàng de?
B057    Are you religious?    你信教吗？
Nǐ xìnjiào ma?
B058    How long have you been learning your second language?    你学习第二语
言多长时间了？
Nǐ xuéxí dì èr yǔ yán duō cháng shíjiān le?
B059    Do you have a good sense of direction?    你的方向感好吗？
Nǐ de fāngxiànggǎ n hǎ o ma?
B060    How do you spend your money?    你怎样来支配自己的花销？
Nǐ zěnyàng lái zhīpèi zìjǐ de huā xiao?
B061    Do you like to travel? What places have you been to?    你喜欢旅游吗？你
都去过哪些地方？
Nǐ xǐhuan lǚ yóu ma? Nǐ dōu qù guò nǎ xiē dìfang?
B062    What is your favourite item of clothing, and why?    说说你穿过的衣服
中，哪一件你最喜欢？为什么？
Shuō shuō nǐ chuān guò de yīfu zhōng, nǎ yī jiàn nǐ zuì xǐhuan? Wèishénme?
B063    Do you like surfing the web? What websites would you recommend?    你
喜欢上网吗？有哪些网站你可以推荐一下？
Nǐ xǐhuan shàngwǎ ng ma? Yǒ u nǎ xiē wǎ ngzhàn nǐ kěyǐ tuījiàn yīxià?
B064     Have you ever been in love?    你曾经恋爱过吗？
Nǐ céngjīng liàn’ài guò ma?
B065     What are some of the problems of tourism?    旅游业带来的问题是什么？
Lǚ yóuyè dàilái de wèntí shì shénme?
B066    Do you like to take risks? Why or why not?    你喜欢冒险吗？为什么？
Nǐ xǐhuan màoxiǎ n ma? Wèishénme?

C-Level (Advanced)
C067     Do you think advertising has a negative effect on society?     你觉得广告会
给社会带来负面影响吗？
Nǐ juéde guǎ nggào huì gěi shèhuì dàilái fùmiàn yǐngxiǎ ng ma?
C068    Do you think women should be allowed to fight in the front line?    你认为
应该允许妇女在前线战斗吗？
Nǐ rènwéi yīnggāi yǔ nxǔ fùnǚ zài qiánxiàn zhàndòu ma?
C069    Some people have suggested we should raise the legal drinking age in
Australia to 21. Do you think this a good idea?     有人建议我们应该把澳洲的法定
饮酒年龄提高到二十一岁。你认为这是一个好主意吗？
Yǒ urén jiànyì wǒ men yīnggāi bǎ Àozhōu de fǎ dìng yǐnjiǔ niánlíng tígāo dào èr shí
yī suì. Nǐ rènwéi zhè shì yīgè hǎ o zhǔ yì ma?
C070    Some governments have banned smoking in all public places. Do you
agree or disagree?    有些政府已经禁止在公共场所吸烟，你是否同意？
Yǒ uxiē zhèngfǔ yǐjīng jìnzhǐ zài gōnggòng chǎ ngsuǒ xīyān, nǐ shìfǒ u tóngyì?
C071    To what extent is the use of animals in scientific research acceptable?     在
什么限度内使用动物来做科学研究可以被接受？
Zài shénme xiàndù nèi shǐyòng dòngwù lái zuò kēxué yánjiū kěyǐ bèi jiēshòu?
C072    Are zoos cruel to wild animals?    动物园对于野生动物来讲是不是过于残
忍？
Dòngwùyuán duìyú yěshēng dòngwù lái jiǎ ng shì bùshì guòyú cánrěn?
C073    To what extent has the traditional male role changed in the last 20
years?     在过去的二十年中，传统的男性角色变化到了什么样的程度？
Zài guòqù de èr shí nián zhōng, chuántǒ ng de nánxìng juésè biànhuà dào le
shénmeyàng de chéngdù?
C074     Should money be spent on space exploration?    我们应该把钱花在空间探
索上吗？
Wǒ men yīnggāi bǎ qián huā zài kōngjiān tànsuǒ shàng ma?
C075    Should primary school students be taught sex education？    应该对小学生
进行性教育吗？
Yīnggāi duì xiǎ oxuéshēng jìnxíng xìngjiàoyù ma?
C076    What is the meaning of life?    人生的意义是什么？
Rénshēng de yìyì shì shénme?
C077     What does it mean to be happy? How does one find happiness?     幸福的
定义是什么？人们如何才能找到幸福？
Xìngfú de dìngyì shì shénme? Rénmen rúhé cáinéng zhǎ odào xìngfú?
C078    Euthanasia has been a controversial topic for many years. What are the
pros and cons to it being legalised?     “安乐死”多年以来一直是一个充满争议的话
题。使其合法化的优缺点各是什么？
“Ānlèsǐ” duōnián yǐlái yīzhí shì yīgè chōngmǎ n zhēngyì de huàtí. Shǐ qí héfǎ huà de
yōuquēdiǎ n gè shì shénme?
C079    In your opinion, under what conditions should abortion be acceptable, if
at all?     在你看来，如果可以的话，在什么条件下流产可以被接受？
Zài nǐ kàn lái, rúguǒ kěyǐ de huà, zài shénme tiáojiàn xià liúchǎ n kěyǐ bèi jiēshòu?
C080    Should students be required to wear a school uniform?    应该要求学生穿
校服吗？
Yīnggāi yāoqiú xuéshēng chuān xiàofú ma?
C081    Should the age to vote be reduced to 16?    法定的投票年龄应该被缩短至十
六岁吗？
Fǎ dìng de tóupiào niánlíng yīnggāi bèi suōduǎ nzhì shí liù suì ma?
C082    In what circumstances is patriotism justified?    在什么样的情况下，爱国
主义才算是合理？
Zài shénme yàng de qíngkuàng xià, àiguó zhǔ yì cái suàn shì hélǐ?
C083     Can politicians be trusted?    政治家可信吗？
Zhèngzhìjiā kě xìn ma?
C084     What characteristics should a great leader have?    一位伟大的领袖都需要
具备哪些特点？
Yī wèi wěidà de lǐngxiù dōu xūyào jùbèi nǎ xiē tèdiǎ n?
C085    What are the signs of teenage depression? How can teenage depression be
prevented or treated?    青少年抑郁都有哪些迹象？如何避免或者治疗青少年抑
郁？
Qīngshàonián yìyù dōu yǒ u nǎ xiē jīxiàng? Rúhé bìmiǎ n huòzhě zhìliáo
qīngshàonián yìyù?
C086     What are the advantages and potential dangers of cloning?     克隆技术的
优点和其潜在的危险都有哪些？
Kèlóng jìshù de yōudiǎ n hé qí qiánzài de wéixiǎ n dōu yǒ u nǎ xiē?
C087    Should the death penalty be abolished?     应该废除死刑吗？
Yīnggāi fèichú sǐxíng ma?
C088    What are your views on global warming and climate change?    你对全球
变暖和气候变化有什么看法？
Nǐ duì quánqiú biànnuǎ n hé qìhòu biànhuà yǒ u shénme kànfǎ ?
C089    Do you  play any musical instruments? If not, are there any you would
you like to play?    你会演奏哪种乐器？如果不会的话，那你希望自己能会演奏哪
种乐器？
Nǐ huì yǎ nzòu nǎ zhǒ ng yuèqì? Rúguǒ bù huì dehuà, nà nǐ xīwàng zìjǐ néng huì
yǎ nzòu nǎ zhǒ ng yuèqì?
C090    Can terrorism ever be justified?     恐怖主义从来都不合理吗？
Kǒ ngbù zhǔ yì cónglái dōu bù hélǐ ma?
C091    Does Hollywood have a negative influence on the world?     好莱坞会给世
界带来不良的影响吗？
Hǎ oláiwù huì gěi shìjiè dài lái bu liáng de yǐngxiǎ ng ma?
C092    Should junk food be banned in public schools?    应该在公立学校内禁止提
供垃圾食品吗？
Yīnggāi zài gōnglì xuéxiào nèi jìnzhǐ tígōng lājī shípǐn ma?
C093    Do you use social networking sites like Twitter or Facebook? Why or why
not?     你使用像 Twitter 或者 Facebook 这样的社交网站吗？为什么？
Nǐ shǐyòng xiàng Twitter huòzhě Facebook zhèyàng de shèjiāo wǎ ngzhàn ma?
Wèishénme?
C094    Do you think university students are under a lot of stress nowadays?     你
觉得当今大学生的压力是不是很大？
Nǐ juédé dàngjīn dàxuéshēng de yālì shì bù shì hěn dà?
C095    Do you think the government or the individual should pay for tuition
fees?    你觉得学费应该由政府还是个人来支付？
Nǐ juéde xuéfèi yīnggāi yóu zhèngfǔ háishì gèrén lái zhīfù?
C096    In your opinion, which invention most benefitted humanity?    在你看来，
哪一项发明给人类带来了最大的好处？
Zài nǐ kàn lái, nǎ yī xiàng fāmíng gěi rénlèi dài lái le zuìdà de hǎ ochù?
C097     Should suicides be reported in news media?    应该在媒体中报道关于自杀
的新闻吗？
Yīnggāi zài méitǐ zhōng bàodào guānyú zìshā de xīnwén ma?
C098    What kind of challenges do international students face studying at
universities in Australia?    你觉得在澳洲大学学习的国际学生将会面临哪些挑战？
Nǐ juéde zài Àozhōu dàxué xuéxí de guójì xuéshēng jiāng huì miànlín nǎ xiē
tiǎ ozhàn?
C099     What do you think about your country’s education system?     你觉得贵国
的教育系统如何？
Nǐ juéde guìguó de jiàoyù xìtǒ ng rúhé?
C100     What role does art play in modern societies?    在现代社会中，艺术起到
了怎样的作用？
Zài xiàndài shèhuì zhōng, yìshù qǐdào le zěnyàng de zuòyòng?