To go shopping in Chinese - Lesson 23

This online Mandarin Chinese lesson focuses mainly on the  "watch", "try" and "advise" during a shopping session. 

Contents of this lesson

1. Vocabulary

2. Grammar

3. Dialogues

4. Exercises

1. Vocabulary

Going further

1. Find more color vocabulary here.
2. Learn new vocabulary about objects or clothing with our online picture book.

2. Grammar

A. Sentences with -的 ‹ de ›

We had already seen that the particle 的 ‹ de › could be used to mark ownership / possession when placed between two nouns and can also be used to modify a noun with an adjective.

In this lesson we will see that 的 ‹ de › can also be placed at the end of a sentence or word.

• 这 件 衣服 是 大卫 的 。 ‹ Zhè jiàn yīfú shì Dàwèi de. › (= 大卫 的 衣服 ‹ Dàwèi de yīfú ›)
  This garment is the one belonging to David.
• 这 件 便宜 的 很 好看 。 ‹ Zhè jiàn piányí de hěn hǎokàn. › (= 便宜 的 衣服 ‹ piányí de yīfú ›)
  This cheap one (garment) is nice.
• 我 换 一 件 小 的。 ‹ Wǒ huàn yī jiàn xiǎo de. › (= 小 的 衣服 ‹ xiǎo de yīfú ›)
  I changed it for a smaller one (clothes).

B. Sentences with 有点儿 ‹ yǒudiǎnr ›

有点儿 ‹ yǒudiǎnr › is used to describe the imperfect state of a thing. It is used in the same way when we say in English, for example "a bit (too) large", "a bit (too) far," ..

• 有点儿 贵。 ‹ Yǒudiǎnr guì. ›
  It is a bit expensive.
• 这 件 衣服 有点儿 大。 ‹ Zhè jiàn yīfú yǒudiǎnr dà. ›
  These clothes are a bit too big.
• 我 家 离 学校 有点儿 远 。 ‹ Wǒ jiā lí xuéxiào yǒudiǎnr yuǎn. ›
  My house is a bit far from my school.

C. Reduplication of verbs

Reduplication of monosyllabic verbs can be done in the form AA or A 一 A.

The one of the polysyllabic verbs is done in the ABAB form only

Some verbs in Chinese can be reduplicated to suggest:

- A short and quick action :

• 你 看看 ！ ‹ Nǐ kànkan! ›
  Look !

- An attempt or a try:

• 他 试试 这 件 衣服 。 ‹ Tā shìshi zhè jiàn yīfú. ›
  He tries a garment.
• 我 找一找 她 。 ‹ Wǒ zhǎo yī zhǎo tā. ›
  I look for her.

- A laid back / relaxing action:

• 我 周末 去 北京 玩儿玩儿。 ‹ Wǒ zhōumò qù Běijīng wánrwánr. ›
  This weekend, I'm going to Beijing to have fun.

3. Dialogues

Dialogue N° 1

Try to understand this little Chinese dialogue by yourself.

- 这件衣服怎么样？ ‹ Zhè jiàn yīfú zěnmeyàng? ›
- 颜色很好看，但是有一点小。 ‹ Yánsè hěn hǎokàn, dànshì yǒu yīdiǎn xiǎo. ›

Dialogue N° 2

- (售货员：) 您买点儿什么？ ‹ (Shòuhuòyuán:) Nín mǎi diǎnr shénme? ›
- 我先看一看······ 冬天来了，我想买一顶帽子。 ‹ Wǒ xiān kàn yī kàn... Dōngtiān lái le, wǒ xiǎng mǎi yī dǐng màozi. ›
- 这顶怎么样？ ‹ Zhè dǐng zěnmeyàng? ›
- 有点儿贵······ ‹ Yǒudiǎnr guì... ›
- 看看，我们这儿有便宜的，款式也不错。 ‹ Kànkan, wǒmen zhèr yǒu piányí de, kuǎnshì yě bùcuò. ›
- 这些帽子确实好看······我最喜欢这款式的。有红色的，大一点的吗？ ‹ Zhè xiē màozi quèshí hǎokàn... Wǒ zuì xǐhuan zhè kuǎnshì de. Yǒu hóngsè de, dà yīdiǎn de ma? ›
- 有。这款式的50块钱一顶。 ‹ Yǒu. Zhè kuǎnshì de 50 kuài qián yī dǐng. ›

Traduction :

- (Seller:) What do you wish to buy?
- First, I have a look ... Winter is already here, I would like to buy a hat.
- How is this one?
- It's a bit expensive ...
- Look, here, we have cheap ones. Models are not bad either.
- These hats are nice indeed. I prefer this model. Are there red ones and a little bit bigger?
- Yes. This model is 50 yuan.

Dialogue N° 3

- 大卫，你看，那边有毛衣。天气越来越冷， 我想买一件。 ‹ Dàwèi, nǐ kàn, nà biān yǒu máoyī. Tiānqì yuè lái yuè lěng, wǒ xiǎng mǎi yī jiàn. ›
我们一起往里走看看吧。 ‹ Wǒmen yīqǐ wǎng lǐ zǒu kànkan ba. ›
- 行······这件怎么样？ ‹ Xíng... Zhè jiàn zěnmeyàng? ›
- 我不喜欢这个颜色。 ‹ Wǒ bù xǐhuan zhè ge yánsè. ›
- 你喜欢什么颜色的？ ‹ Nǐ xǐhuan shénme yánsè de? ›
- 绿色的。蓝色的也可以。 ‹ Lǜ sè de. Lán sè de yě kěyǐ. ›
- 这件呢，怎么样？ ‹ Zhè jiàn ne, zěnmeyàng? ›
- 颜色和款式都不错。我去试一试。 ‹ Yánsè hé kuǎnshì dōu bùcuò. Wǒ qù shì yī shì. ›
大卫，你看， 你觉得合适不合适？我觉得这件毛衣好舒服！ ‹ Dàwèi, nǐ kàn, nǐ juédé héshì bù héshì? Wǒ juédé zhè jiàn máoyī hǎo shūfú! ›
- 我觉得有点儿大。有没有小一点的？ ‹ Wǒ juédé yǒudiǎnr dà. Yǒu méiyǒu xiǎo yīdiǎn de? ›
- 有。我去换一件小一点的······ ‹ Yǒu. Wǒ qù huàn yī jiàn xiǎo yīdiǎn de... ›
- 王丽，这件大小很合适。我觉得非常好看！ ‹ Wáng Lì, zhè jiàn dàxiǎo hěn héshì. Wǒ juédé fēicháng hǎokàn! ›

Traduction :

- David, look, there are sweaters here. The weather is getting colder, I'd love to buy one. Let's get in together to take a look.
- Okay ... how is this one?
- I do not like this color.
- What colors do you like?
- Green; Blue would do too.
- And this one, what do you think?
- The color and model are not bad. I'm going to try. David, look, do you think it's fine? I think this sweater is very comfortable!
- I think it is a little bit big. Is there smaller one ?
- Yes. I will change for a smaller one ...
- Wang Li, this size suits you well. I am finding it really beautiful!

4. Exercises

A. Answer the questions according to previous dialogues:

1. 这红色的帽子多少钱一顶？
2. 王丽想买什么？
3. 王丽喜欢什么颜色？
4. 大卫觉得王丽试的毛衣大了还是小了？

B. Translate the following sentences in Chinese, using the term 有一点 :

1. This sweater is a bit expensive.
2. This shirt is a little bit short. (a shirt = 一件 衬衫 ‹ yī jiàn chènshān ›)
3. These pants are a little bit long. (pants = 一条 裤子 ‹ yī tiáo kùzi ›)
4. This skirt is a bit tight. (a skirt = 一条 裙子 ‹ yī tiáo qúnzi ›)
5. The winter here is a little bit cold.
6. The school is a little far away.