Questions about Shanghai, China?

Question

Do most people in Shanghai speak some English? (my mandarin is very bad)

Do the local Shanghai people speak Mandarin or a local dialect in day-to-day stuff? Is the local dialect very much like Mandarin or completely different?

Thanks!

Answer 1

they speak mandarin and a little bit of english, as long as you know how to ask how much something is or how to ask for directions you should be fine :]

Answer 2

It will be better to ask some young people who can speak english very well when you have to ask. In China, there are hundreds of dialets in cities. Local people will speak the local dialets in their cities. But visitors from other cities will speak mandarin. It won't be a problem to travel in Shanghai for language problem.

Learn more about Shanghai here:

http://www.chinatravel.com/shanghai/

Answer 3

All local residents must take English during their schooling.  But the English that they learn is mostly grammar.  Few people speak the language except in major hotels or restaurants.  The residents of Shanghai have their own local dialect, Shanghaiese, but there is little resemblence to Mandarin.  Mandarin, however, is widely spoken and it is the official language of the city.   Even though people do not speak English, you will have no difficulty in communicating.  Your contacts probably will not be with the average Shanghai resident.  I have lived here for five years and do not speak a word of any kind of Chinese.

Answer 4

Hi, I live in Shanghai coming from the States. The locals here do not speak English at all, only the young ones that are still in school or people in hotels and restaurants tailored for foreigners. Taxi drivers speak very little English if not at all. When I moved here, I had a very hard time getting around so I had to learn basic survival Mandarin.

The local residents here speak Shanghainese which is different from Mandarin, some words might be similar though. But almost all locals here can speak and understand Mandarin, so if you have the basics down, you'll be fine. What you can do is go out and get the Lonely Planet: Mandarin phrasebook, I have that, and carry it with me everywhere I go even after 6 months of Mandarin classes.

Answer 5

1. The vast majority does not speak English

2. There is a good chance that there is at least one helping English speaker nearby

3. Most people speak Mandarin in Shanghai

4. The local language is Shanghainese, but due to many outsiders I would estimate that less then 50% speak it.

Answer 6

my mum = a shanghainese so we visit shanghai pretty often. most of the shanghainese doesn't speak Eng at all unless they work in htl's or tourist's industry.

shanghainese hv their own dialect which quiet diff fr mandarin. but my mum stil can understand mandarin quiet well duno y.