Shopping, Prices and Payment

Shopping, Payment and Discounts

This group centers on everyday buying and selling situations: asking whether something is available, asking prices, trying on clothes, paying, asking for a discount, and ordering food at a restaurant. The following expressions need to be mastered.

• 有没有 (yǒu méiyǒu: whether there is or not) — used to ask whether a shop has a certain product. The seller answers 有的 (yǒu de: yes, there is) or 没有 (méiyǒu: no, there isn't). Example: 有没有蓝色的裤子？ (Do you have blue trousers?)
• 号 (hào: size, number) — used for clothing and shoe sizes. 大一号 / 小一号 mean one size bigger / one size smaller; 大号 / 中号 / 小号 mean large / medium / small size. When the size sought is sold out, the seller says 卖完了 (màiwán le: sold out) and 只剩… (zhǐ shèng…: only ... left). Example: 这件衣服有小号的吗？ (Does this piece of clothing come in a small size?)
• 仓库 (cāngkù: warehouse) — when the seller must go into the warehouse to find goods, the seller says 我去仓库看看 (I will go to the warehouse and take a look), and usually replies 有的，您稍等 (Yes, please wait a moment).
• 试穿 (shìchuān: try on) / 试一下 (try it once); 试衣间 (shìyījiān: fitting room). The answer to a question asking whether one may try something on is 当然可以 (dāngrán kěyǐ: of course you may).
• 付款 (fùkuǎn: pay), 刷卡 (shuākǎ: swipe a card), 扫码 (sǎomǎ: scan a code), 扫二维码 (sǎo èrwéimǎ: scan a QR code), 现金 (xiànjīn: cash), 用手机付款 (yòng shǒujī fùkuǎn: pay by phone). Questions in the form 可以…吗？ are answered with 可以 (kěyǐ: may) or 能 (néng: can), and then the payment method is stated.
• 打折 (dǎzhé: give a discount). 打八折 means 80% of the original price remains (20% off); 打九折 means 90% remains. 原价 (yuánjià: original price), 一共 (yígòng: altogether), 只要 (zhǐyào: only need, just cost). When several items are bought at the same time, the seller may offer a combined discount.
• 便宜一点 (piányi yìdiǎn: a little cheaper), 最低价 (zuìdījià: lowest price), 不能再少了 (bùnéng zài shǎo le: cannot go any lower). This is a polite way to refuse when a customer bargains.
• 怎么卖 (zěnme mài: how is it sold) is used to ask the price. 斤 (jīn: jin, about 500 grams) and 块 (kuài: yuan, the informal way of saying 元) often go with the pattern 数量 + 一斤 + 价格.
• 适合 (shìhé: suitable), 新到 (xīndào: newly arrived). 包装 (bāozhuāng: packaging), 免费 (miǎnfèi: free of charge).
• Types of bags: 购物袋 (gòuwùdài: shopping bag), 塑料袋 (sùliàodài: plastic bag), 纸袋 (zhǐdài: paper bag), 环保袋 (huánbǎodài: eco-friendly bag). 不用了 (bùyòng le: no longer needed) is a way to decline a bag. 只好 (zhǐhǎo: have no choice but to) + verb expresses doing something because there is no other option.
• 忘了带… (wàng le dài…: forgot to bring...) is a common reason that leads a buyer to change the payment method.
• 点菜 (diǎn cài: order dishes), 饮料 (yǐnliào: drinks), 果汁 (guǒzhī: fruit juice). 辣 (là: spicy), 辣椒 (làjiāo: chili), 少放点 (shǎo fàng diǎn: put in less), 重新做 (chóngxīn zuò: make again). 把…降一下 (bǎ… jiàng yíxià: lower ... a little) is a 把 construction that expresses adjusting the degree.
• 甜 (tián: sweet), 尝 (cháng: taste), 切开 (qiēkāi: cut open). When asking whether something is tasty or sweet, the seller may suggest cutting it open for a taste.
• 青菜 (qīngcài: leafy vegetables), 鱼 (yú: fish). 你看着买吧 (nǐ kànzhe mǎi ba: you decide what to buy) is a way of leaving the choice to the other person.
• 开门 / 关门 (kāimén / guānmén: open / close) are used for shops and banks. 还来得及 (hái láidejí: still have time) means there is still enough time to do something.

Receiving express deliveries

This topic covers asking and answering whether a parcel has arrived, how far its delivery has progressed, and how to collect it.