Numbers and prices in Chinese
Count to a thousand, ask the price, and understand what the cashier tells you. A Chengdu wet market at eight in the morning. Prices are shouted, not written, so listen for the numbers.
Key phrases
The 6 phrases this lesson is built around, with the words that make them up. Tap ▶ to listen, or the turtle to hear it slowly.
-
多少钱？
Duōshao qián?
How much is it?
- 多少Duōshao
- 钱qián
-
二十五块。
Èrshíwǔ kuài.
That's 25 yuan.
- 二十五Èrshíwǔ
- 块kuài
-
太贵了。
Tài guì le.
That's too expensive.
- 太Tài
- 贵guì
- 了le
-
能便宜一点吗？
Néng piányi yìdiǎn ma?
Could you make it a bit cheaper?
- 能Néng
- 便宜piányi
- 一点yìdiǎn
- 吗ma
-
我要两个。
Wǒ yào liǎng ge.
I'll take two.
- 我Wǒ
- 要yào
- 两liǎng
- 个ge
-
一共多少钱？
Yígòng duōshao qián?
How much altogether?
- 一共Yígòng
- 多少duōshao
- 钱qián
More phrases for this situation
Every other phrase from the lesson: 9 in all.
-
一、二、三、四、五。
Yī, èr, sān, sì, wǔ.
One, two, three, four, five.
-
六、七、八、九、十。
Liù, qī, bā, jiǔ, shí.
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
-
两个。
Liǎng ge.
Two (of something) — use 两 when counting things
-
一百。
Yìbǎi.
One hundred
-
一千。
Yìqiān.
One thousand
-
一百八十块。
Yìbǎi bāshí kuài.
That's 180 yuan.
-
块就是元。
Kuài jiù shì yuán.
Kuài is the everyday word for yuan
-
找您五块。
Zhǎo nín wǔ kuài.
Here's 5 yuan in change.
-
十四，四十。
Shísì, sìshí.
14 and 40 — easy to mix up!
What you’ll hear, and how to answer
Staff won’t follow your script. These are things they are likely to say here, with a reply that works.
-
Staff
一个三十块。Yí ge sānshí kuài.
Thirty yuan each.
You
能便宜一点吗？Néng piányi yìdiǎn ma?
Could you make it a bit cheaper?
-
Staff
那就二十五块吧。Nà jiù èrshíwǔ kuài ba.
Twenty-five, then.
You
我要两个。Wǒ yào liǎng ge.
I'll take two.
Play the scene
A Chengdu wet market at eight in the morning. Prices are shouted, not written, so listen for the numbers.
-
Staff
来看看，今天的西瓜很甜！
Lái kànkan, jīntiān de xīguā hěn tián!
Come and look — today's watermelons are really sweet!
-
You
多少钱？
Duōshao qián?
How much is it?
What do you say?
-
Staff
一个三十块。
Yí ge sānshí kuài.
Thirty yuan each.
-
You
能便宜一点吗？
Néng piányi yìdiǎn ma?
Could you make it a bit cheaper?
What do you say?
-
Staff
那就二十五块吧。
Nà jiù èrshíwǔ kuài ba.
Twenty-five, then.
-
You
我要两个。
Wǒ yào liǎng ge.
I'll take two.
What do you say?
-
Staff
两个一共五十块。
Liǎng ge yígòng wǔshí kuài.
Two comes to fifty in total.
Scene complete. 很好！ (Hěn hǎo — very good!)
Culture tip
Say 两 for two things
When counting things, two is 两 (liǎng), not 二 (èr): 两个, 两块. Use 二 in phone numbers, in numbers like 二十, and when counting out loud.
Which is the right way to ask for two of something?
Show the answer
两个