Free guide · 3 min read
Chinese for shopping
Pinyin help
Tone colours
Shopping in China ranges from fixed-price malls to markets where the first number is an opening bid. This page covers both, and says which phrase belongs where.
Browsing, asking prices, bargaining at a market and paying, in Mandarin you can use the same afternoon, at fixed-price malls and street markets alike.
Looking
我看看
wǒ kànkan
I'm just looking
Doubling a verb softens it: just have a look.
有别的颜色吗？
yǒu bié de yánsè ma?
do you have other colours?
有大一点儿的吗？
yǒu dà yìdiǎnr de ma?
is there a bigger one?
可以试试吗？
kěyǐ shìshi ma?
can I try it on?
Bargain where the price is not written
Markets and tourist stalls expect it. Shops with printed price tags, supermarkets and chains do not, and haggling there will only confuse people.
The price
这个多少钱？
zhège duōshao qián?
how much is this one?
太贵了
tài guì le
that's too expensive
便宜一点儿吧
piányi yìdiǎnr ba
a bit cheaper?
最低多少？
zuì dī duōshao?
what's your lowest price?
我再看看 is the polite exit
Saying you will look around first ends a negotiation without offence, and it is often the moment the price comes down.
Deciding
我要这个
wǒ yào zhège
I'll take this
我不要了
wǒ bú yào le
I don't want it after all
我再看看
wǒ zài kànkan
I'll look around first
可以退吗？
kěyǐ tuì ma?
can I return it?
Paying
可以扫码吗？
kěyǐ sǎo mǎ ma?
can I scan to pay?
可以刷卡吗？
kěyǐ shuā kǎ ma?
can I pay by card?
给我一个袋子
gěi wǒ yí gè dàizi
a bag, please
不用袋子
búyòng dàizi
no bag, thanks
Want to actually speak, not just survive?
The daily course builds these phrases into real conversation, one short lesson a day. Days 1 to 7 need no account, and a free account opens the rest of the first month.
The lesson this builds on: day 6 →