(Shot of the entrance of the Silk Street Market)

Stephy: Whether it’s getting souvenirs for your friends or you need to find a warmer jacket, the silk market located in Beijing’s Chaoyang District should be a definite stop. Here the shopping mall holds 1,200 stalls on its seven floors and basement level. Let’s head on in.

Here at Beijing’s Silk Market or Xiushuijie, shoppers can exercise bargaining skills and choose from a myriad of products ranging from the basics, the unusual, to the most extravagant. In this maze of stalls and sea of goods, certainly everyone can find something.

(Different shots on “basics”, “unusual” and “extravagant”)

Stephy: Ready to buy? One rule, never settle on the first price. 

Stephy talks to a saleswoman: 你好,这个多少钱?(Nǐhǎo, zhèɡe duōshǎo qián?)
Saleswoman: 八十块。(Bāshí kuài.)
Stephy: 八十块。She said it is 80 yuan, that comes out to be about 12 US dollars, but we can do much better.

Stephy: Today, we’ll learn Chinese tips and phrases that will help you stretch your kuai, because bargaining here is like a sport. So…what are you up against? To start, shrewd vendors have learned to bargain in several languages.

(Vendors introduce their goods in different languages.) 

Saleswoman: Hello everybody, welcome to enjoy the Chinese traditional paintings…

Stephy: But you can handle that by following some tips from the savvy shopper. 

(Customers from different countires tell about their bargaining experiences.)

(Caption: 迪拜顾客介绍她们讨价还价经验。Customers from Dubai talk about their bargaining experience. )

Stephy: Chinese phrases will also help you name your price.

Customer: 你好,这个多少钱? (Nǐhǎo, zhèɡe duōshǎo qián?)

Saleswoman: 六百五十元。(Liùbǎi wǔshí yuán.)
Customer: 太贵了,便宜点儿。(Tài ɡuì le, piányi diánér.)

Saleswoman: 六百元。(Liùbǎi yuán.)
Customer: 最低多少钱?(Zuìdī duōshǎo qián?)

Language points:

Duōshǎo qián?
多少钱?
钱 money, the second tone,多少how much, together, 多少钱?How much money?

Tài ɡuì le
太贵了。
That’s too expensive. 贵 expensive, the fourth tone, 太 too much, the fourth tone, 了 a particle coming at the end of the sentence, there is no tone of this, together,
太贵了。That’s too expensive.
 

Piányi diánér.
便宜点儿。
A little cheaper. 便宜 cheap,the second tone and the light tone,点儿a little bit, together.
便宜点儿。A little cheaper.

Zuìdī duōshǎo qián?
最低多少钱?
The lowest. 最低 the lowest, the fourth tone and the first tone, 多少钱 how much money, altogether.
最低多少钱?The lowest.