Lesson 090 - Shopping (2)

Cam:  Yajie, we are continuing with our lessons on shopping, one of your favourite things to do, I know.  Yesterday on Chinese Studio, we looked at buying a jacket, but it was too small!
YJ:  Right, Cam.  Today we are going to continue the lesson.  Let’s check key words of the day.

Key Words of the Day
I’m afraid this is too expensive. 太贵了。（tai4 gui4 le. ） Can I pay by credit card? 我能用信用卡吗？(wo3 neng2 yong4 xin4yong4ka3 ma?)／Can I pay by cheque? 我能用支票吗？(wo3 neng2 yong4 zhi1piao4 ma?) Can I use this coupon? 我能用优惠券吗？(wo3 neng2 yong4 you1hui4quan4 ma?) All in today’s Chinese Studio.

Cam:  Okay, so I found a jacket that fits.  I know how to ask the price… it’s duo shao qian.  And the shop-keeper told me it was 400 kuai!  That’s outrageouly expensive.  So how do I tell him that?
YJ: You can say太贵了。（tai4 gui4 le. ）
Cam: 太贵了。（tai4 gui4 le. ）
YJ: 太 (tai4) means too, or very.
Cam: 太 (tai4)
YJ: 贵 (gui4), g-u-i, the fourth tone, means expensive.
Cam: 贵 (gui4)
YJ: 太贵了。（tai4 gui4 le. ）I’m afraid this is too expensive.
Cam: 太贵了。（tai4 gui4 le. ）
YJ:  Then you can bargain with the seller. For example, you may say “能不能便宜点儿？(neng2bu4neng2 pian2yi dian3 er3?)”
Cam: 能不能便宜点儿？(neng2bu4neng2 pian2yi dian3 er3?)” I know what it means. It means “Could it be a little bit cheaper?”
YJ: Yes. 能不能便宜点儿？(neng2bu4neng2 pian2yi dian3 er3?) We’ve learned it before.
Cam: Ok. 便宜(pian2yi) means cheap. So this is going to be useful for me.

Conversation1:

Cam: Sometimes I don’t take money with me. I want to use a credit card or pay with a cheque. How do I ask if I can do that?
YJ: You can ask “我能用信用卡吗？(wo3 neng2 yong4 xin4yong4ka3 ma?)” Can I pay by credit card?
Cam: 我能用信用卡吗？(wo3 neng2 yong4 xin4yong4ka3 ma?)
YJ: 我 means (wo3), I. 能(neng2), can.
Cam: 我 (wo3). 能(neng2).
YJ: 用 (yong4), y-o-n-g, the fourth tone, to use.
Cam: 用(yong4).
YJ: xinyong, credit.
Cam: xinyong.
YJ: 卡(ka3), the third tone, meaning card. 
Cam: 卡(ka3)
YJ: 信用卡 (xin4yong4ka3), credit card.
Cam: 信用卡 (xin4yong4ka3).
YJ: 我能用信用卡吗？(wo3 neng2 yong4 xin4yong4ka3 ma?)?
Cam: 我能用信用卡吗？(wo3 neng2 yong4 xin4yong4ka3 ma?), Can I pay by credit card?
YJ: If you want to use cheque, you can say “我能用支票吗？(wo3 neng2 yong4 zhi1piao4 ma?)”
Cam: 我能用支票吗？(wo3 neng2 yong4 zhi1piao4 ma?)
YJ: 支票 (zhi1piao4), cheque.
Cam: 支票 (zhi1piao4).
YJ: “我能用支票吗？(wo3 neng2 yong4 zhi1piao4 ma?)”
Cam: “我能用支票吗？(wo3 neng2 yong4 zhi1piao4 ma?)” Can I pay by cheque?

Conversation2:

Cam: Yajie, what’s Chinese word for coupon?
YJ: It’s 优惠券 (you1hui4quan4)
Cam: OK. 优惠券 (you1hui4quan4). So “Can I use this coupon?” in Chinese should be 我能用优惠券吗？(wo3 neng2 yong4 you1hui4quan4 ma?). Right?
YJ: Yes. 我能用优惠券吗？(wo3 neng2 yong4 you1hui4quan4 ma?).
Cam: 我能用优惠券吗？(wo3 neng2 yong4 you1hui4quan4 ma?). Okay, can I use this coupon?

Conversation3:

Key Words Reminder
I’m afraid this is too expensive. 太贵了。（tai4 gui4 le. ） Can I pay by credit card? 我能用信用卡吗？(wo3 neng2 yong4 xin4yong4ka3 ma?)／Can I pay by cheque? 我能用支票吗？(wo3 neng2 yong4 zhi1piao4 ma?) Can I use this coupon? 我能用优惠券吗？(wo3 neng2 yong4 you1hui4quan4 ma?)