nǐhǎo, wǒ shì lǐléi.

It is written nǐ hǎo in pinyin.

A useful pronunciation tip: although both syllables are written with the third tone, 你好 is usually pronounced more like ní hǎo in real speech. That is because when one third tone comes before another third tone, the first one changes to a second tone. This is called third-tone sandhi.

A rough English approximation is nee how, but the tones still matter.

李雷 is Lǐ Léi.

• Lǐ = third tone
• Léi = second tone

A rough approximation is lee + lay, but with Chinese tones:

• Lǐ dips down and then rises
• Léi rises

Since this is a name, listening to native audio is especially helpful.

是 is the verb used here to link 我 and 李雷. In this sentence, it works like English am/is/are in a sentence of identity:

我 是 李雷
= I am Li Lei

So here, 是 is introducing who the speaker is.

No. This is a very important difference between English and Mandarin.

Mandarin uses 是 mainly for identifying or equating one thing with another.

For example:

• 我是老师 = I am a teacher
• 他是李雷 = He is Li Lei

But with adjectives, Mandarin usually does not use 是:

• 我很好 = I am fine
• not 我是很好

And with location, Mandarin usually uses 在, not 是:

• 我在北京 = I am in Beijing
• not 我是北京

So 是 is not a general all-purpose to be.

Because Mandarin often follows a basic Subject + Verb + Complement/Object order, similar to English.

Here:

• 我 = subject
• 是 = verb
• 李雷 = the noun phrase that identifies the subject

So the structure is very straightforward: I + am + Li Lei

Because 李雷 is the information that tells us who the speaker is. After 是, Mandarin puts the noun or noun phrase that identifies the subject.

So:

• 我是李雷 = I am Li Lei
• 她是老师 = She is a teacher

This is the normal pattern with 是.

Yes. In a typical Chinese name, the family name comes first, and the given name comes after it.

So in 李雷:

• 李 = family name
• 雷 = given name

This is the normal Chinese order. English usually does the opposite, but Mandarin keeps the Chinese order.

No. Normal written Chinese usually does not put spaces between words.

So in real writing, this sentence would normally appear as:

你好，我是李雷。

The extra spaces in learner materials are often just there to make the parts easier to see.

Chinese uses its own standard punctuation shapes, which are usually full-width so they fit neatly with Chinese characters.

In this sentence:

• ， = comma
• 。 = period/full stop

They work like English punctuation, but they look different and take up the same kind of square space as Chinese characters.

Yes, absolutely.

我叫李雷 means I am called Li Lei or more naturally My name is Li Lei. It is very common when introducing yourself.

我是李雷 also works, but it sounds a little more like I am Li Lei, identifying yourself.

In many situations, 我叫李雷 feels slightly more natural for a first introduction.

你好 is polite, correct, and safe, especially with strangers, in service situations, or in more formal contexts.

However, in everyday life, it can sometimes sound a little neutral or textbook-like if used with close friends. Native speakers may also greet people in other ways depending on the situation.

So:

• 你好 = always acceptable
• but not always the most natural choice in every casual situation

Yes. 您好 is the more polite and respectful version of 你好.

Use 您好 when speaking to:

• older people
• customers
• teachers
• bosses
• anyone you want to address respectfully

Here:

• 你 = you
• 您 = polite/respectful you

So:

• 你好 = normal hello
• 您好 = polite hello