Shops and hotels in Mandarin Chinese
Open, closed, a bag, the wifi password: the checkout and the front desk. Play the ten Mandarin Chinese words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Mandarin Chinese phrases in this lesson
- 有没有yoh-may-YOH
- Do you have...?
- 在哪里dzai NA-lee
- Where is...?
- 营业中ying-yeh-JONG
- Open
- 关门gwan-MUN
- Closed
- 要袋子吗yow DAI-dzuh ma
- A bag?
- 太贵了tai-GWAY-luh
- Too expensive
- 我有预订wo yoh yoo-DING
- I have a reservation
- 含早餐吗？han dzow-TSAN ma
- Is breakfast included?
- WiFi密码是什么？WAI-fai mee-MA shir SHUN-muh
- What's the wifi password?
- 可以...吗？kuh-YEE ... ma
- Can I...?
Literally "have not have", the standard question pattern: yǒu méiyǒu plus the thing, or plus a photo on your phone. The answer is 有 (have) or 没有 (have not).
Tack it after anything: 牛奶在哪里 (where is the milk?). The reply comes with pointing. In megamarkets like Walmart China, expect live fish tanks and a scale-weighing counter for produce.
The sign meaning "open for business".
Literally "shut door".
The checkout question, bags cost a few mao. Answer 要 (yow), want, or 不要 (boo-YOW), don't want. Echoing the verb is exactly how Chinese yes/no works, so this is grammar practice too.
The opening move of market bargaining, which is expected at tourist markets (never in supermarkets or malls). Counter at half the ask, meet in the middle, keep smiling: it is sport, not war.
Literally "is ... possible?": 可以坐这儿吗？ (kuh-YEE dzwo JER ma), can I sit here?