Dialogues

1. 哪儿有大的书店？Nǎr yǒu dà de shūdiàn?
Where is a big bookstore?
na2er means where.
you3 literally means have.
da4 de means big.
shu1，book.
dian4, here it means a shop selling books.
shu1dian4 is bookstore.

　

2. 我要买本字典。Wǒ yào mǎi běn zìdiǎn.
I want to buy a dictionary.
wo2 yao4 means I'd like to do something.
mai3 means to buy.
ben3 is the measure word for book, here it's short for yi2 ben3, which means one.
zi4dian3, dictionary.
　

3. 我想买本北京导游手册。Wǒ xiǎng mǎi běn Běijīng dǎoyóu shǒucè.
I'd like a guide book for Beijing.
wo2 xiang3 means I'd like to do something.
mai3 means to buy.
ben3 is a measure word for books.
dao3you2 means guide.
shou3ce4 means a brochure.
　

4. 请问英文小说在几层卖？Qǐngwèn Yīngwén xiǎoshuō zài jǐ céng mài?
Please may I ask where the English language novels are?
The bookstore is really large, and there are several floors. How do you ask them where the English language novels are? 
You may ask: Qing3 wen4 ying1 wen2 xiao3 shuo1 zai4 ji3 ceng2 mai4? 
Qing3 wen4, please may I ask.
ying1wen2 means English language. 
xiao3shuo1, novels. 
zai4 means on which floor. 
ji3 ceng2 means which floor. 
mai4, to sell.