Learn the key pattern to ask for something at a store
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| Let’s take a closer look at how Ben asks for an item without knowing its name. |
| Do you remember how Ben Lee says, |
| "Give me that, please." |
| 请给我那个。 (Qǐng gěi wǒ nèige.) |
| First is 请 (qǐng), “please.” 请. 请. |
| Here it’s a polite word used at the beginning of a request. |
| Next is 给我 (gěi wǒ), "give me." 给我. |
| First is 给, "to give." 给. 给. |
| After that is 我, translating as "me," in this context. 我. 我. |
| Together, the first part of the sentence is 请给我. "please give me." 请给我. |
| Pronunciation note: when there are three third tones in a row, the first two change to the second tone. Listen to the pronunciation again. 请给我 (Qǐng gěi wǒ). 请给我 (Qǐng gěi wǒ) |
| Last is 那个 (nèige), translating as "that." 那个. 那个. |
| Translation note: 那个 could also translate as “that one,” as the second character is 个 (gè), which is a universal measure word. 个. 个. |
| Pronunciation note: 那 (nèi) can be pronounced as nà or nèi. Nèi is more colloquial, and what is used here. |
| All together, 请给我那个。 (Qǐng gěi wǒ nèige.) Literally, "Please give me that," or in more natural English, “Give me that, please.” |
| 请给我那个。 (Qǐng gěi wǒ nèige.) |
| Do you remember how the shopkeeper says, |
| "Okay. Here you go." |
| 好。给您。 (Hǎo. Gěi nín.) |
| First is 好 (hǎo), literally, “good,” but translates as "okay," in this context. 好. 好。 |
| Next is 给您 (Gěi nín), translating as, "Here you go." 给您 (Gěi nín). |
| First is 给 (gěi), "to give." 给. |
| Next is 您 (nín), the polite form of "you." 您. 您. |
| As the clerk is talking to a customer, he uses 您 to show respect. |
| In more casual cases, you may hear the more colloquial form of you, 你 (nǐ). |
| Together 给您 literally means "give you," but in this case, it translates as "Here you go." 给您. |
| All together, the clerk responds with 好。给您。(Hǎo. Gěi nín.) "Okay. Here you go." |
| 好。给您。 (Hǎo. Gěi nín.) |
| The pattern is |
| 请给我 (Qǐng gěi wǒ) {ITEM}. |
| "Give me {ITEM}, please." |
| 请给我 (Qǐng gěi wǒ) {ITEM}. |
| To use this pattern, simply replace the {ITEM} placeholder with the thing you want. |
| Imagine you'd like some water. 水 (shuǐ). 水. 水. |
| Say |
| "Give me some water, please." |
| Ready? |
| 请给我水。(Qǐng gěi wǒ shuǐ.) |
| "Give me some water, please." |
| 请给我水。(Qǐng gěi wǒ shuǐ.) |
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