Lesson 028 Revision of Time and Shopping

If you are not satisfied with the price, you could say “太贵了。能不能便宜点儿？”. 

Yajie: Perfect Chinese your way，in only five minutes a day. Welcome to Chinese Studio on China Radio International. I’m Yajie.
Cam: And I’m Cam. We have reached the end of the week once again.
Yajie: So it’s the right time for us to review what we have learned during this week.
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************** Sentences in the Week
This week we learned expressions for telling the time and shopping: 请问现在几点？快八点了. 这个多少钱？三块, 太贵了，能不能便宜点儿 ?All in today’s Chinese Studio.
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Yajie: 现在几点？What time is it now?
Cam: 现在几点？(xianzai ji dian?)
Yajie: 现在 means now.
Cam: 现在(xianzai)
Yajie: 几 is a question word meaning how many, 几, j-i, the third tone.
Cam: 几 (ji)
Yajie: 几点 together means "what time?"
Cam: 几点 (ji dian)
Yajie: 现在几点？(xianzai ji dian?)
Cam: 现在几点？(xianzai ji dian?)
Yajie: 快八点了。It means nearly eight o’clock. Here 快 means nearly. 快, k-u-a-i, the fourth tone.
Cam: 快八点了(kuai ba dian le).
Conversations
Yajie: 元、角、分 are  the units of money.
Cam: 元(yuan), 角(jiao), 分(fen).
Yajie: one元(yuan) equals ten角(jiao), and one角(jiao) equals ten 分(fen).
Cam: And I also learned that元 is also called 块(kuai) in Chinese. For example 六块 (liu kuai).
Yajie: Yes,you are right. In oral Chinese， people prefer to say块.
Cam: 块(kuai). And Yajie, jiao is often referred to as mao.
Conversations
Yajie: “这个多少钱” means how much is it? 这个means this. 这个. Or zhèige. 
Cam: 这个(zhèige).
Yajie: 多少is how much. 多, d-u-o, the first tone; 少,s-h-a-o, the third tone. In fact 多means “many or much”, and 少 means “few or little”. But together it means “how much or how many”?
Cam: 多少 (duoshao).
Yajie: 钱 is money., q-i-a-n, the second tone.
Cam: 钱 (qian).
Conversations
Yajie: If you are not satisfied with the price, you could say “太贵了。能不能便宜点儿？”. That’s too expensive. Could it be a little bit cheaper? 太贵了。
Cam: 太贵了(tai gui le).
Yajie: 能不能? (néng bu néng) 能means could, 能不能means “Could it be?”
Cam: 能不能? (néng bu néng)
Yajie: 便宜 means cheap. 便宜(pianyi).
Cam: 便宜(pianyi).
Yajie: 点儿is short for 一点儿, meaning a little bit.
Cam: 一点儿(yi dianr).
Yajie: 便宜点儿.
Cam: 便宜 (pianyi dianr).
Yajie: 能不能便宜点儿? (néng bu néng pianyi dianr)
Cam: 能不能便宜点儿? (néng bu néng pianyi dianr)
Conversations
************** Sentences in the Week
This week we learned the expressions for telling the time and shopping: 请问现在几点？快八点了. 这个多少钱？ 三块.太贵了，能不能便宜点儿？***************
Yajie: OK, that's it for this week.  Have fun trying these new words while you are out shopping! Don't forget you can win a CRI gift by answering our question of the day.  In Chinese, tell us how to say “How much is it?” Send your answer to Chinese@crifm.com.
Cam: You can also send us questions or comments to Chinese@crifm.com.  That’s Chinese@crifm.com.  Or you can visit us on our website at en.chinabroadcast.cn. Click learn Chinese, where you can enjoy other free Chinese-learning programs.
Cam: 下周见(xia zhou jian)!
Yajie:下周见

Lesson 027 Bargaining

Today we’ll learn expressions for bargaining, and they are: 太贵了，能不能便宜点儿？ 

Yajie: Perfect Chinese your way, in only five minutes a day. Welcome to our Chinese Studio. 早上好 everybody, I’m Yajie.
Cam: And I’m Cam. 早上好(zǎoshang hǎo). What shall we learn today?
Yajie: Last time we learned some expressions when shopping. 元(yuan), 角(jiao), 分(fen).
Cam: 元(yuan), 角(jiao), 分(fen). I also remember 块 (kuai) and 毛 (mao), like六块(liu kuai) and 一毛(yi mao)..
Yajie: Right. 六块(liu kuai) is six yuan ，and一毛(yi mao) is 0.1 yuan.
Cam: OK. Then if I want to buy something, I can ask the seller in Chinese “这个多少钱？” (zhège duōshao qián?) How much is it? Right?
Yajie: Exactly. 这个多少钱？How much is it? If you are not satisfied with the price, In China, you can begin bargaining, and that is what we are going to learn today.
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***************Key words of the day
Today we’ll learn expressions for bargaining, and they are: 太贵了，能不能便宜点儿？That’s too expensive. Could it be a little bit cheaper? All in today’s Chinese Studio.
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Yajie: When you visit a market in China, you may hear the salesperson asking you “您好，您想买什么？”Hello! Can I help you?
Cam: “您好，您想买什么？” (nín hǎo, nín xiǎng mǎi shénme?)
Yajie: 想 means “want to”. 想, x-i-a-n-g, the third tone. 想(xiǎng).
Cam: 想(xiǎng).
Yajie: 买means buy. 买, m-a-i, also the third tone. 买(mǎi).
Cam: 买(mǎi).
Yajie: 什么 (shenme) means what.
Cam: 什么 (shenme).
Yajie: “您想买什么？” (nín xiǎng mǎi shénme?) What do you want to buy? What would you like to buy?
Cam: “您想买什么？” (nín xiǎng mǎi shénme?)

Conversation:
Yajie: If you are not satisfied with the price, you can say “太贵了。能不能便宜点儿？”. That’s too expensive. Could it be a little bit cheaper?
Cam: 太贵了(tai gui le). Tai means “too” t-o-o and gui le means expensive.  Tai gui le.  Too expensive.
Yajie: 能不能? (néng bu néng) 能means could,  能不能means “Could it be”?
Cam: 能不能? (néng bu néng)
Yajie: 便宜 means cheap. 便宜(pianyi).
Cam: 便宜(pianyi).
Yajie: 点儿is short for 一点儿, meaning a little bit.
Cam: 一点儿(yi dianr).
Yajie: 便宜点儿.
Cam: 便宜点儿 (pianyi dianr).
Yajie: 能不能便宜点儿? (néng bu néng pianyi dianr)
Cam: 能不能便宜点儿? (néng bu néng pianyi dianr)
Yajie: Well, in recent years there are more and more supermarkets and department stores with fixed prices in China. As a result, there are fewer and fewer opportunities for true bargaining.
Conversations:
***************Key words reminder
Today we’ve learned some bargaining expressions, and they are: 太贵了，能不能便宜点儿？That’s too expensive. Could it be a little bit cheaper?
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Yajie: Ok, That’s it for this edition of Chinese Studio.  Our question of the day is
: In Chinese, how do you begin bargaining when you are not satisfied with the price. Please tell us in an email. You may win a CRI special prize.
Cam: You can send us your answer along with any questions or comments to Chinese@crifm.com.  That’s Chinese@crifm.com.  Or you can visit us on our website at en.chinabroadcast.cn. Click learn Chinese, where you can enjoy other free Chinese-learning programs.
Yajie: Well, class is over. 再见!
Cam: 再见!

Lesson 026 Money and Shopping

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. 

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.
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************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。　
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Yajie: That’s all for today.  Next time you are buying something in China, make sure you practice these new phrases.  You can also win a CRI gift by answering the question of the day: How do you say “how much is it” in Chinese?
Cam: You can send us your answer along with questions or comments to Chinese@crifm.com.  That’s Chinese@crifm.com.  Or you can visit us on our website at en.chinabroadcast.cn. Click learn Chinese, where you can enjoy other free Chinese-learning programs.
Yajie: Well class is over. 再见!
Cam: 再见!

Lesson 025 Time

现在几点？What time is it now? There is another way of asking the time. It’s 您知道现在几点了吗？ 

 

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 week we learned holiday greetings and also how to wish somebody a happy birthday. Let’s have a quick review, ok?
Cam: Ok. Happy Birthday is祝你生日快乐(zhù nǐ shēng rì kuài lè).
Yajie: And how do you say “I wish you good health!” in Chinese?
Cam: Well, it’s祝你身体健康！(zhù nǐ shēntǐ jiànkāng).
Yajie: And what about “All the best”?
Cam: 祝你万事如意! (zhù nǐ wàn shì rúyì!)
Yajie: Well, this week we’ll learn words about time. Let’s check our key words of the day!
Key words of the day:现在几点？六点半。All in today’s Chinese Studio.
Yajie: 现在几点？What time is it now?
Cam: 现在几点？(xianzai ji dian?)
Yajie: 现在 means now.
Cam: 现在(xianzai)
Yajie: 几 is a question word meaning how many, or what? 几, j-i, the third tone.
Cam: 几 (ji)
Yajie: 几点 together means what time?
Cam: 几点 (ji dian)
Yajie: 现在几点？(xianzai ji dian?)
Cam: 现在几点？(xianzai ji dian?)
Conversations
Yajie: From the conversations you can see that there is “请问” in the question. As we said before 请问 shows the politeness in asking a question.  It means, “May I ask…”
Cam: 请问 (qing wen).
Yajie: 请问现在几点？(qing wen xianzai ji dian?)
Cam: 请问现在几点？(qing wen xianzai ji dian?
Yajie: 快八点了。
Cam: What does that mean?
Yajie: It means nearly eight o’clock. Here快 le means nearly. 快, k-u-a-i, the fourth tone.
Cam: 快 (kuai).
Yajie: 快八点了(kuai ba dian le).
Cam: 快八点了(kuai ba dian le).
Conversations:
****************Key words Reminder
现在几点？ 六点半。All in today’s Chinese Studio.
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Yajie: Well, there is another way of asking the time. It’s 您知道现在几点了吗？It means “Do you know what time it is now?”
Cam: 您知道现在几点了吗？(nin zhi dao xianzai ji dian le me)
Yajie: 知道means know. 知, zhi, the first tone, and 道, dao, the fourth tone. Together it’s 知道 (zhidao).
Cam: 知道 (zhidao). 您 is the polite form of 你 (ni), right?
Yajie: Right. And 吗 is a question mark.
Cam: 吗
Yajie: 您知道现在几点了吗？
Cam: 您知道现在几点了吗？ (nin zhidao xianzai ji dian le ma)
Yajie: Good.
Cam: Yajie, how do you say half past eight in Chinese?
Yajie:. First, do you still remember how to say 30 in Chinese?
Cam: Yes, it’s san shi.
Yajie: So, 8:30 is ba dian san shi fen.
Cam: ba dian san shi fen.
Yajie: Exactly. But you could also say, Ba Dian Ban. Ban means half. So 8:30 is half way to 9.
Cam: Ba Dian Ban. How do I get more exact time, such as: 8:17
Yajie: Again, Cam, how do you say 17 in Chinese?
Cam: Shi qi.
Yajie: Good, so 8:17 is ba dian shi qi fen. Here I want to tell you that “fen” means minute in Chinese. How do you say 10:15?
Cam: it’s shi dian shi wu fen.
Yajie: Right, but you can also say Shi dian yi ke. Yi ke means a quarter , but it can only be used in when referring to time.
Yajie: That’s all for today. Now if you need to ask for the time in Chinese, you will know how to do it!  You can also win a CRI gift by answering today’s question of the day: How do you say half past eight in Chinese?
Cam: That should be easy! Just make a sentence. You can send us questions or comments to Chinese@crifm.com.  That’s Chinese@crifm.com.  Or you can visit us on our website at en.chinabroadcast.cn. Click learn Chinese, where you can enjoy other free Chinese-learning programs.
Yajie: Well class is over. 再见!
Cam: 再见!