Lesson 026 Money and Shopping

Cam: Perfect Chinese your way, in only five minutes a day. Welcome to Chinese Studio, I’m Cam. 早上好, Yajie.
Yajie: 早上好(zǎoshang hǎo), Cam. Last time we learned how to say some words related to time. Cam, do you remember how to say “what time is it now?” in Chinese?
Cam: I sure do. It’s现在几点？(xianzai ji dian?)
Yajie: Then how do you say half past six in Chinese?
Cam: It’s六点半(liu dian ban).
Yajie: Today I will teach you what to say when you are shopping.
Cam: I definitely need that.  I always want to buy some street food, but I never know what it is, or how to ask the price.  How do you say “how much is it” in Chinese?
Yajie: Let’s find out in today’s Key words of the day.

************Key words of the day
Today we’ll learn some expressions when you buy something.元、角、分. 这个多少钱？How much is it? 三块, three yuan. All in today’s Chinese Studio. 　
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Yajie: Chinese currency is called Renminbi.  It is composed of 元、角, 分.
Cam: 元(yuan), 角(jiao), 分(fen).
Yajie: one元(yuan) equals ten角(jiao), and one角(jiao) equals10分(fen).
Cam: I heard that元 is also called 块(kuai) in Chinese. For example 六块 (liu kuai).
Yajie: Yes. You are right. And in colloquial Chinese, 角(jiao) is also called毛(mao).

Conversations:

Yajie: From the conversations you may hear “这个多少钱” ？
Cam: What does that mean?
Yajie: “这个多少钱” means how much is it? 这个means this in English. 这个. Or you can say zhèige. 
Cam: 这个(zhèige).
Yajie: 多少means how much. 多, d-u-o, the first tone; 少,s-h-a-o, the third tone. Literally, 多means “many or much”, 少 means “few or little”. But together it means “how much… ? or how many…?”
Cam: 多少 (duoshao).
Yajie: 钱 means money. 钱, q-i-a-n, the second tone. It’s the generic term for currency or money.
Cam: 钱 (qian).

Conversations:

Cam: So Yajie, If I want to buy some apples, how do I say“How much are these apples?”
Yajie: Good question. In Chinese “How much are these apples？” is pingguo duo sha chan？
Cam: 苹果多少钱 (píngguǒ duōshao qián)？
Yajie: 苹果 is apple.
Cam: 苹果 (píngguǒ)  So I can say pingguo duōshao qián？
Yajie: Great! pingguo duōshao qián？

Cam:  So Yajie, what would the answer be?
Yajie:  Well, let’s say the apples cost 3 yuan per half a kilogram.  In Chinese, this is:  pingguo san kuai qian yi jin. San kuai means three yuan.  Yi jin means half a kilogram.
Cam:  So the apples cost three yuan for a half a kilogram.  Pingguo san kuai qian yi jin.

Conversations:

************ Key words Reminder
Today we’ve learned the expressions when you buy something. 元、角、分. 您好，请问苹果多少钱？三块钱一斤。