In this workshop you practice a short, realistic shop exchange in Chinese. You will ask for a bottle of water, choose between mineral and sparkling water, ask how much it costs, and understand the answer. The dialogue is short, so you can focus on clear pronunciation and on responding to what the other person actually says. You can play both roles with the audio, but there is no automatic assessment, so use the answer keys to check yourself.
Asking for water and choosing a type
Start with the simplest request. «请给我一瓶水。» means "A bottle of water, please." This is a polite, general request and works when you do not need to name a specific type. If you want to be more specific, «我要一瓶矿泉水。» means "I want a bottle of mineral water." Here the speaker names mineral water directly. When you are not sure what is available, you can ask a question instead: «有气泡水吗？» means "Do you have sparkling water?" Notice that this is a yes-or-no question about availability, not a request to buy. In a shop, the person serving you may then ask which type you want, as in «好的。你要矿泉水还是气泡水？», which means "Okay. Do you want mineral water or sparkling water?" Listen for the two choices and answer with the one you want.
Asking the price and understanding the answer
Once you have chosen your water, ask the price. «多少钱？» means "How much is it?" You can use this short question in many shops. In the recorded exchange, the customer says «我要矿泉水。多少钱？», which means "I want mineral water. How much is it?" This combines the choice and the price question in one turn. The person serving you answers with the price and a closing courtesy: «三块。谢谢！» means "Three yuan. Thank you!" Listen for the number and the word for yuan. When you hear the price, you can pay and say thank you. If you are practicing alone, read the customer lines aloud, then play the audio and check whether your question matches the reply.
Putting the exchange together
A full, polite exchange can begin with a greeting and a request. «你好，请给我一瓶水。» means "Hello, a bottle of water, please." The person serving you may reply with a choice question, as in «好的。你要矿泉水还是气泡水？». You then state your choice and ask the price, as in «我要矿泉水。多少钱？». Finally, you hear the price and a thank-you, as in «三块。谢谢！». Keep the order: greet and request, answer the choice question, ask the price, then respond to the price. Do not begin with the price question before the other person has offered a choice, and do not answer a choice question with a different request. Practicing this order helps you sound natural and keeps the conversation easy to follow.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
请给我一瓶水。
A bottle of water, please.
qǐng gěi wǒ yì píng shuǐ
我要一瓶矿泉水。
I want a bottle of mineral water.
wǒ yào yì píng kuàngquánshuǐ
有气泡水吗？
Do you have sparkling water?
yǒu qìpàoshuǐ ma
多少钱？
How much is it?
duōshao qián
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
你好，请给我一瓶水。
Hello, a bottle of water, please.好的。你要矿泉水还是气泡水？
Okay. Do you want mineral water or sparkling water?我要矿泉水。多少钱？
I want mineral water. How much is it?三块。谢谢！
Three yuan. Thank you!Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided shop exchange
You are the customer in a small shop. The shopkeeper greets you and asks which type of water you want. Use the recorded lines to guide your speaking.
Your task: Read the customer part aloud. Start with «你好，请给我一瓶水。». When the shopkeeper asks the choice question, answer with «我要矿泉水。多少钱？». Then listen for the price reply and finish the exchange.
Choose the right reply
The shopkeeper asks you a choice question. You need to pick the reply that matches what you actually want.
Your task: The shopkeeper says «好的。你要矿泉水还是气泡水？», which means "Okay. Do you want mineral water or sparkling water?" You want mineral water. Choose the best reply: (a) «有气泡水吗？», (b) «我要矿泉水。多少钱？», or (c) «多少钱？». Then say your chosen line aloud.
Recall the exchange with correct roles
You will rebuild the recorded exchange from memory, keeping the correct roles and the correct order.
Your task: Without looking at the lines, say the customer's first line, then the shopkeeper's choice question, then the customer's choice and price question, then the shopkeeper's price and thank-you. Use the recordings to check yourself afterward.
Common questions
Can I use these lines if I only want sparkling water?
Yes. «有气泡水吗？» asks whether sparkling water is available, and «好的。你要矿泉水还是气泡水？» offers mineral water or sparkling water as a choice. If you want sparkling water, listen for the choice question and answer with the sparkling option. The recorded exchange uses mineral water, so use «我要矿泉水。多少钱？» as a model for stating your choice and asking the price.
Do I need to say the price question before the shopkeeper asks which type I want?
No. In the recorded exchange, the choice question comes first, as in «好的。你要矿泉水还是气泡水？», and the customer then states the choice and asks the price, as in «我要矿泉水。多少钱？». Keep that order: greet and request, answer the choice question, then ask the price. Following the recorded order keeps your turn aligned with the shopkeeper's question.
Sources and further reading
- chinese: buy a bottle of waterChecked September 2026
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