Andrea: If you’re new to China, the first thing you’ll gonna do is to activate your cell phone. Whether it’s to call your family and let them know that you’ve arrived in one piece, or to let your friends know how great Beijing nightlife is, you’ll gonna want to get back in touch. Now, if you already have a GSM phone, you can unlock it and simply buy a local SIM card, if not, let’s put some mandarin into use. Buying a phone here is pretty easy, as it is China, it’s a product that can be found absolutely everywhere.

Now today I picked a mobile phone store as it’s nearby where I work. There are all different kinds of phones. So if you see one you like, there are some common questions you can ask. Let’s go to check it out.

(At mobile phone store)

Salesman: 您好。(Nínhǎo.)
Andrea: 您好，我想看看这款手机。(Nínhǎo, wǒxiǎnɡ kànkɑn zhèkuǎn shǒujī.)
Salesman: 好，给您。(Hǎo, ɡěinín.)
Andrea: 谢谢。(Xièxiè.)
Andrea: 这款手机能上网吗？(Zhèkuǎn shǒujī nénɡ shànɡwǎnɡmɑ?)
Salesman: 可以。这款手机能连接互联网。(Kéyǐ. Zhèkuǎn shǒujī nénɡ liánjiē hùliánwǎnɡ.)
Andrea: 好，我要了。(Hǎo, wǒ yàole.)
Salesman: 好的。(Hǎode.)

Salesman: 这是您的手机。(Zhèshì nínde shǒujī.)
Andrea: 谢谢。这款手机保修多长时间？(Xièxiè. Zhèkuǎn shǒujī bǎoxiū duōchánɡ shíjiān?)
Salesman: 保修期是一年。这是您的保修卡。(Bǎoxiūqī shì yìnián. Zhèshì nínde bǎoxiūkǎ.)
Andrea: 如果手机坏了，这里能保修吗？(Rúɡuǒ shǒujī huàile, zhèlǐ nénɡ bǎoxiūmɑ?)
Salesman: 可以，我们这里可以为您保修。(Kéyǐ, wǒmen zhèlǐ kéyǐ wéinín bǎoxiū.)
Andrea: 谢谢。(Xièxiè.)

Andrea: Here is one more important thing, make sure the serial code on the phone, which can be found by taking out the battery, matches the number on the side of the box. Everything looks ok? Go and complete your purchase, and hang on to that receipt. Now I’ll off to get a SIM card.

Langugae points:

Zhèkuǎn shǒujī nénɡ shànɡwǎnɡmɑ?
这款手机能上网吗？
Does this mobile phone have Internet access?

Zhèkuǎn shǒujī bǎoxiū duōchánɡ shíjiān?
这款手机保修多长时间？
What is the warranty on the phone?