Chinese · Elementary (A2) · Chapter 7 of 12
Clothes and shopping
买衣服Mǎi yīfu
Buy, try on, exchange and return clothes in Chinese: measure words for clothes, sizes, 试试 and a first look at the 把 pattern.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Count clothes with 件 (jiàn), 条 (tiáo) and 双 (shuāng)
- Ask for another size and say if something fits
- Exchange or return something
- Use 把 (bǎ) in simple requests
Listen
At a department store in Chongqing, Hu Xiaoling brings back a shirt she bought for her husband. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Hu Xiaoling
你好，我上个星期在这儿买了这件衬衫，想换一下。
Nǐ hǎo, wǒ shàng ge xīngqī zài zhèr mǎile zhè jiàn chènshān, xiǎng huàn yíxià.
Hello, I bought this shirt here last week and I'd like to exchange it.
Assistant
好的。请问为什么要换呢？
Hǎo de. Qǐngwèn wèishénme yào huàn ne?
Of course. May I ask why you'd like to exchange it?
Hu Xiaoling
我丈夫穿太小了。有大一号的吗？
Wǒ zhàngfu chuān tài xiǎo le. Yǒu dà yí hào de ma?
It's too small for my husband. Do you have one a size bigger?
Assistant
这件是四十号的。您看，这件四十一号的怎么样？
Zhè jiàn shì sìshí hào de. Nín kàn, zhè jiàn sìshíyī hào de zěnmeyàng?
This one is a size 40. Have a look: how about this one in a 41?
Hu Xiaoling
颜色一样吗？
Yánsè yíyàng ma?
Is it the same colour?
Assistant
一样，都是白色的。如果不合适，您也可以退。
Yíyàng, dōu shì báisè de. Rúguǒ bù héshì, nín yě kěyǐ tuì.
Yes, they're both white. If it doesn't fit, you can also return it.
Hu Xiaoling
好，我换这件。还有，这条裤子我想退。
Hǎo, wǒ huàn zhè jiàn. Háiyǒu, zhè tiáo kùzi wǒ xiǎng tuì.
OK, I'll take this one instead. Also, I'd like to return these trousers.
Assistant
可以。麻烦您把小票给我。
Kěyǐ. Máfan nín bǎ xiǎopiào gěi wǒ.
That's fine. Could you give me the receipt, please?
Hu Xiaoling
给您。我还想看看鞋。这双有三十八号的吗？
Gěi nín. Wǒ hái xiǎng kànkan xié. Zhè shuāng yǒu sānshíbā hào de ma?
Here you are. I'd also like to look at some shoes. Do you have this pair in a 38?
Assistant
有，您试试。合适不合适？
Yǒu, nín shìshi. Héshì bu héshì?
Yes, try them on. Do they fit?
Hu Xiaoling
很合适。多少钱？
Hěn héshì. Duōshao qián?
They fit well. How much are they?
Assistant
三百九十九。您穿这双鞋很好看。
Sānbǎi jiǔshíjiǔ. Nín chuān zhè shuāng xié hěn hǎokàn.
399. They look very nice on you.
Understand
件, 条, 双: counting clothes
(yīfu) means “clothes”, as in the chapter title (mǎi yīfu), buying clothes. Clothes have their own measure words. (jiàn) is for clothes you wear on the top half, like shirts, jackets and jumpers. (tiáo) is for long, narrow things: trousers, skirts, towels. (shuāng) is for pairs: shoes, socks, chopsticks.
Use them after a number or after (zhè) and (nà): (zhè jiàn), this one (shirt); (nà tiáo), that one (trousers). When it's clear what you mean, you can leave out the noun and add (de): (sìshíyī hào de), a size 41 one; (báisè de), a white one.
| Measure word | Used for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (jiàn) | tops, jackets | (yí jiàn chènshān), a shirt |
| (tiáo) | trousers, skirts | (liǎng tiáo kùzi), two pairs of trousers |
| (shuāng) | pairs | (yì shuāng xié), a pair of shoes |
Try it on: 试试, sizes and fit
Saying a verb twice makes it sound light and casual: “have a go, just a bit”. (shìshi), try it on; (kànkan), have a look. The second syllable is said with the neutral tone.
Sizes are number + (hào): (sìshí hào), size 40. (dà yí hào) is one size bigger and (xiǎo yí hào) one size smaller. Ask (Héshì bu héshì?) or (Héshì ma?), does it fit? (chuān), to wear, is used for clothes and shoes: (wǒ zhàngfu chuān tài xiǎo le), it's too small for my husband (, zhàngfu), literally “my husband wears it, too small”.
- 我可以试试吗？Wǒ kěyǐ shìshi ma?Can I try it on?
- 有小一号的吗？Yǒu xiǎo yí hào de ma?Do you have one a size smaller?
- 这条裤子不合适。Zhè tiáo kùzi bù héshì.These trousers don't fit.
把 (bǎ): doing something to a thing
(bǎ) moves a specific thing in front of the verb, to say what you do with it: (bǎ xiǎopiào gěi wǒ), give me the receipt. The pattern is 把 + thing + verb + something more, such as a person or (yíxià): (bǎ zhè jiàn huàn yíxià), change this one.
You never need 把 to be understood: (gěi wǒ xiǎopiào) is also correct. But Chinese speakers use 把 all the time in requests, so it's good to recognise it. There's more on 把 in chapter 11.
- 请把这件衬衫换一下。Qǐng bǎ zhè jiàn chènshān huàn yíxià.Please change this shirt for me.
- 麻烦您把小票给我。Máfan nín bǎ xiǎopiào gěi wǒ.Could you give me the receipt, please?
More in the grammar: Measure words · Comparisons: 比, 没有, 一样 · Doubling words: 看看, 试试, 高高兴兴 · The 把 construction
New words
- 件jiànmeasure word for tops and jackets · (yí jiàn yīfu), an item of clothing
- 衬衫chènshānshirt
- 换huànto change, to exchange · (huàn yíxià), to exchange (it)
- 穿chuānto wear, to put on · (wǒ zhàngfu), my husband; (wǒ zhàngfu chuān tài xiǎo le), it's too small for my husband
- 大一号dà yí hàoone size bigger · (xiǎo yí hào), one size smaller
- 号hàosize · (sìshí hào), size 40. You know 号 from dates: it also means “number”.
- 退tuìto return (something you bought)
- 条tiáomeasure word for trousers, skirts and long things
- 裤子kùzitrousers · (yì tiáo kùzi), a pair of trousers
- 小票xiǎopiàoreceipt (from a shop)
- 双shuāngpair (measure word)
- 鞋xiéshoe, shoes · (yì shuāng xié), a pair of shoes
- 试试shìshito try (on) · (shì), to try, said twice to sound light
- 合适héshìto fit; suitable · (Héshì bu héshì?), does it fit?
Practise
1.Which measure word goes with (kùzi), trousers?
2.Match the clothes with their measure words.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
3.The shoes are too big. What do you ask?
4.Put the words in order: could you give me the receipt, please?
Tap the words below in the right order.Could you give me the receipt, please?
5.Put the words in order, starting with (wǒ): I'd like to return these trousers.
Tap the words below in the right order.I'd like to return these trousers.
0 of 5 exercises done.
Say it out loud
我可以试试吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ shìshi ma?
Can I try it on?
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.