Everyday Chinese

How to greet each other in Putonghua? How to order a cup of coffee or some dumplings in a restaurant?
Here are some situational conversations and basic knowledge we have prepared for you.
They are practical and easy to learn. You can click the links to listen to the vocabulary or the conversations.
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Shopping

Vocabulary
词汇
Cíhuì

要
yào
to want

买
mǎi
to buy

什么
shénme
what

想
xiǎng
would like to; to think

裙子
qúnzi
skirt or dress

能
néng
can, to be able to

试
shì
to try

试衣室
shì yī shì
fitting room

太
tài
too

小
xiǎo
small

大
dà
big

号（儿）
hàor
size

卖
mài
to sell

完
wán
finished, completed

双
shuāng
a pair

鞋
xié
shoe(s)

多少
duōshǎo
how much; how many

钱
qián
money

折扣
zhékòu
discount

黑色
hēisè
black

Notes: "卖完" means "sold out" or "out of stock".


对话
Duìhuà
Dialogue
對話一

请问你要买什么？
Qǐngwèn nǐ yào mǎi shénme?
What are you looking for? (May I help you?)

我想看看那条裙子。
Wó xiǎng kànkɑn nèi tiáo qúnzi.
I would like to take a look at that skirt.

好的 。
Hǎo de.
Sure. No problem.

能试试吗？
Néng shìshi mɑ?
May I try it on?

可以。试衣室在那边。
Kéyǐ. Shìyīshì zài nèibiānr.
Yes, certainly. The fitting room is over there.

太小了，有大号儿的吗？
Tài xiǎole, yǒu dàhào de mɑ?
It's too small, do you have a larger size?

对不起，卖完了。
Duìbuqǐ, màiwán le.
Sorry, the larger ones have all sold out.

好的，谢谢你。
Hǎo de, xièxie nǐ.
Ok, thank you.

對話二

请问这双鞋多少钱？
Qǐngwèn zhè shuāng xié duōshɑoqián?
Excuse me, how much is it for this pair of shoes?

三百九十九。
Sānbǎi jiǔshí jiǔ.
Three hundred ninety-nine.

有折扣吗？
Yǒu zhékòu mɑ?
Is there any discount?

对不起，没有。
Duìbuqǐ, méiyǒu.
Sorry, no discount.

我要一双三十六码的。
Wǒ yào yī shuāng sānshí liù mǎ de.
I want to buy a pair of shoes, size thirty-six.

黑色的吗?
Hēisè de mɑ?
Black?

是的。
Shì de.
Yes.

好的。
Hǎo de.
OK.

谢谢 。
Xièxie.
Thanks.


句型与替换
Jùxíng yǔ tìhuɑn
Sentence patterns and pr actice phrases

我想买
Wó xiáng mǎi
 书
shū
 。
.

I want to buy a book.

衣服
yīfu
clothing/ clothes

我想买衣服 。
Wó xiáng mǎi yīfu.
I want to buy clothing/ clothes.

裙子
qúnzi
skirt(s)

我想买裙子 。
Wó xiáng mǎi qúnzi.
I want to buy a skirt(s).

鞋
xié
shoe(s)

我想买鞋 。
Wó xiáng mǎi xié.
I want to buy a shoe(s).

裤子
kùzi
pants

我想买裤子 。
Wó xiáng mǎi kùzi.
I want to buy a pants.

帽子
màozi
hat(s)

我想买帽子 。
Wó xiáng mǎi màozi.
I want to buy a hat(s).

围巾
wéijīn
scarf (scarves)

我想买围巾。
Wó xiáng mǎi wéijīn.
I want to buy a scarf (scarves).

有
Yǒu
 黑色
hēisè
 的吗?
de mɑ?

Do you have it/them in black?

红色
hóngsè
red

有红色的吗?
Yǒu hóngsè de mɑ?
Do you have it/them in red?

黄色
huángsè
yellow

有黄色的吗?
Yǒu huángsè de mɑ?
Do you have it/them in yellow?

白色
báisè
white

有白色的吗?
Yǒu báisè de mɑ?
Do you have it/them in white?

蓝色
lánsè
blue

有蓝色的吗?
Yǒu lánsè de mɑ?
Do you have it/them in blue?

这
Zhè
衣服
yīfu
太
tài
大
dà
了。
le.

The clothes are too big.

裤子
kùzi
pants

这裤子太长了。
Zhè kùzi tài cháng le.
The pants are too long.

长
cháng
long

裙子
qúnzi
skirt

这裙子太紧了。
Zhè qúnzi tài jǐn le.
The skirt are too tight.

紧
jǐn
tight

围巾
wéijīn
scarf

这围巾太短了。
Zhè wéijīn tài duǎn le.
The scarf are too short.

短
duǎn
short