Welcome to our Chinese learning series – Ask Litao. In each video of this new series, we’re going to answer your questions about learning Chinese.

Today’s question is from a Tanzanian student, in the email she wrote, “Could you explain how to use the word 随便(suíbiàn)？谢谢(Xièxie)!”

随便(suíbiàn) is commonly used in daily Chinese, in today’s lesson I am going to introduce its three common uses.

1. 随便(suíbiàn) can be used alone in the situation that you want other people to make the choice or decision, and you will be ok in any case. For example, your friend asks you about what to eat for dinner:
我们晚饭吃什么？
Wǒmen wànfàn chī shénme?

You are not a picky eater, it makes no difference to you what food to eat. You want your friend to make the choice, and you will be ok with it, then you can say:
随便。
Suíbiàn.
Here it means everything is ok for me, or I will be ok with any choices you make.

Please notice that 随便(suíbiàn) could be seen as quite rude when you say it in an impatient tone. In this way you think that it’s a waste of time to ask you make a choice, you don’t care whatever to eat, and other people will feel offended for sure. So you should be careful about your tone when you say it.

To avoid misunderstanding and make yourself sound more polite, you can add something after 随便(suíbiàn), such as,
随便，听你的。
Suíbiàn, tīng nǐ de.
Listen to you, you’re the boss, you make the choice.

随便，你决定。
Suíbiàn, nǐ juédìng.
You decide, you make the decision.

随便，我都可以。
Suíbiàn, wǒ dōu kěyǐ.
I will be ok in any case.

2. We can use the pattern “随便(suíbiàn) + Verb” to let people do what they like, especially when you want to show your hospitality, or you want people feel more relaxed.
For example, you visit a Chinese friend’s home, you will probably hear they say:
随便坐。
Suíbiàn zuò.
Sit where you like.

随便吃。
Suíbiàn chī.
Eat whatever you like, help yourself.
They want you to make yourself at home.

One more example, there are some new books on your desk , and your colleague next to you wants to see what books you just bought, then you can tell him or her：
随便看。
Suíbiàn kàn.
Feel free to see. / See whatever you like.

3. 随便(suíbiàn) has a negative meaning.
If we say:
这个人很随便.
Zhè gè rén hěn suíbiàn.
Here 随便(suíbiàn) can be used to describe a person’s behavior, it means this person often does whatever he/she likes, and doesn’t care about other people’s feelings or any rules, we think this person is impolite. For example, going into other people’s room without permission, or always be late for work because of personal issues.

If you go for a job interview, one important advice is:
不要穿得太随便。
Bú yào chuān de tài suíbiàn.
It means don’t dress too casually, because there are still some dressing rules for a job interview, it’s not proper to wear whatever you like, such as wearing slippers, that would be 太随便(tài suíbiàn) in most workplaces.

Here is question for you:
A friend wants to know if it’s ok to ask you some questions about your personal life, and you think it’s no problem to ask any questions he/she wants to know.
So how do you say “Ask whatever you like, or feel free to ask” in Chinese?
Please leave you answer in the comments.

Welcome to our Chinese learning series – Ask Litao. In each video of this new series, we’re going to answer your questions about learning Chinese.

Today’s question is from a Tanzanian student, in the email she wrote, “Could you explain how to use the word 随便(suíbiàn)？谢谢(Xièxie)!”

随便(suíbiàn) is commonly used in daily Chinese, in today’s lesson I am going to introduce its three common uses.

1. 随便(suíbiàn) can be used alone in the situation that you want other people to make the choice or decision, and you will be ok in any case. For example, your friend asks you about what to eat for dinner:
我们晚饭吃什么？
Wǒmen wànfàn chī shénme?

You are not a picky eater, it makes no difference to you what food to eat. You want your friend to make the choice, and you will be ok with it, then you can say:
随便。
Suíbiàn.
Here it means everything is ok for me, or I will be ok with any choices you make.

Please notice that 随便(suíbiàn) could be seen as quite rude when you say it in an impatient tone. In this way you think that it’s a waste of time to ask you make a choice, you don’t care whatever to eat, and other people will feel offended for sure. So you should be careful about your tone when you say it.

To avoid misunderstanding and make yourself sound more polite, you can add something after 随便(suíbiàn), such as,
随便，听你的。
Suíbiàn, tīng nǐ de.
Listen to you, you’re the boss, you make the choice.

随便，你决定。
Suíbiàn, nǐ juédìng.
You decide, you make the decision.

随便，我都可以。
Suíbiàn, wǒ dōu kěyǐ.
I will be ok in any case.

2. We can use the pattern “随便(suíbiàn) + Verb” to let people do what they like, especially when you want to show your hospitality, or you want people feel more relaxed.
For example, you visit a Chinese friend’s home, you will probably hear they say:
随便坐。
Suíbiàn zuò.
Sit where you like.

随便吃。
Suíbiàn chī.
Eat whatever you like, help yourself.
They want you to make yourself at home.

One more example, there are some new books on your desk , and your colleague next to you wants to see what books you just bought, then you can tell him or her：
随便看。
Suíbiàn kàn.
Feel free to see. / See whatever you like.

3. 随便(suíbiàn) has a negative meaning.
If we say:
这个人很随便.
Zhè gè rén hěn suíbiàn.
Here 随便(suíbiàn) can be used to describe a person’s behavior, it means this person often does whatever he/she likes, and doesn’t care about other people’s feelings or any rules, we think this person is impolite. For example, going into other people’s room without permission, or always be late for work because of personal issues.

If you go for a job interview, one important advice is:
不要穿得太随便。
Bú yào chuān de tài suíbiàn.
It means don’t dress too casually, because there are still some dressing rules for a job interview, it’s not proper to wear whatever you like, such as wearing slippers, that would be 太随便(tài suíbiàn) in most workplaces.

Here is question for you:
A friend wants to know if it’s ok to ask you some questions about your personal life, and you think it’s no problem to ask any questions he/she wants to know.
So how do you say “Ask whatever you like, or feel free to ask” in Chinese?
Please leave you answer in the comments.