How to Ask If a Store Has a Specific Item

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Lesson Transcript

Welcome to Can-Do Chinese by ChineseClass101.com.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to ask if a store has something in Chinese.

For example, "Is there any salt?" is

有盐吗？(Yǒu yán ma?)

Jason Xu is at a small grocery store and wants to buy some salt.

He gets the clerk's attention and asks if the store has some salt.

Before you hear the conversation, let's preview some of its key components.

盐 (yán)

"salt"

盐

这里 (zhèlǐ)

"here"

这里

Listen to the conversation. Focus on Jason 's question.

Ready?

你好。有盐吗？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu yán ma?)

有。在这里。(Yǒu. Zài zhèlǐ.)

Once more with the English translation.

你好。有盐吗？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu yán ma?)

"Hello. Is there any salt?"

有。在这里。(Yǒu. Zài zhèlǐ.)

"Yes. It's here."

Let’s break down the conversation.

Do you remember how Jason asks,

"Hello. Is there any salt?"

你好。有盐吗？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu yán ma?)

First is 你好 (Nǐhǎo). "Hello." 你好 . 你好.

In this case, the speaker uses this greeting to get the clerk's attention.

Next is 有 (yǒu), translating as “there is,” in this case. 有 . 有。

Translation note, 有 (yǒu) can also translate as “to have.”

After that is 盐 (yán), "salt" 盐 . 盐。

Together, 有盐 (yǒu yán ) literally means "there is salt."

Last is the question marker 吗 (ma). 吗 . 吗.

吗 (ma) turns a statement into a yes-or-no question.

Together, 有盐吗 (Yǒu yán ma), literally, “there is salt?” but translates as, "Is there any salt?" 有盐吗

Translation note, this phrase can also translate as “Do [you] have any salt?”

All together, 你好。有盐吗？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu yán ma?) "Hello. Is there any salt?"

你好。有盐吗？(Nǐhǎo. Yǒu yán ma?)

Let’s take a closer look at the response.

Do you remember how the shop clerk says,

“Yes, it’s here.”

有。在这里。(Yǒu. Zài zhèlǐ.)

The first part of the response is 有 (yǒu), which translates as “yes,” in this context, as it answers the yes-or-no question containing the verb 有.

有盐吗？”Is there any salt?”

有。 ”Yes, [there is salt].”

To answer a yes-or-no question in Chinese, always echo the verb or adjective that’s used in the question. In this case, 有.

After this is 在这里 (Zài zhèlǐ) translating as, "It’s here." 在这里 . 在这里。

This phrase has two parts:

First is 在 (zài) meaning "at." It’s used to locate things in this context. 在 . 在。

Next is 这里 (zhèlǐ), "here." 这里 . 这里。

Together, 在这里 (zài zhèlǐ) literally means "at here," but translates as "It’s here." 在这里。

Note, the subject is omitted as it’s understood from the context.

All together, 有。在这里。(Yǒu. Zài zhèlǐ.) "Yes (there is), it’s here."

有。在这里。(Yǒu. Zài zhèlǐ.)

The pattern is:

你好。有 (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu ) ITEM 吗？ (ma?)　

"Hello. Is there any {ITEM}?"

你好。有 (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu ) ITEM} 吗？ (ma?)

To use this pattern, simply replace {ITEM} with something you’re looking for.

Imagine you’re looking for milk. 牛奶 (niúnǎi)。牛奶 . 牛奶。

Say, “Hello. Is there any milk?”

Ready?

你好。有牛奶吗？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu niúnǎi ma?)

"Is there any milk?"

你好。有牛奶吗？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu niúnǎi ma?)

Besides using 你好 (nǐhǎo), another polite way to get someone's attention and start asking a question is to use 请问 (qǐngwèn).

请问 (qǐngwèn) literally means "Please ask," but translates as "May I ask…" or "Excuse me," when asking a question. 请问 . 请问

For example,

请问有盐吗？ (Qǐngwèn yǒu yán ma?)

"Excuse me, is there any salt?"

In most cases, Chinese doesn't make a distinction between singular and plural nouns. You'll use the same pattern when you're looking for salt, an apple, or a dozen apples.

For example, 有苹果吗？ (Yǒu píngguǒ ma?) can translate as “Are there any apples?” Or “Is there an apple?” depending on the context.

The English translation may alternate between singular and plural, but the Chinese pattern remains the same.

Again, the key pattern is:

你好。有 (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu ) ITEM 吗？ (ma?)　

"Hello. Is there any {ITEM}?"

你好。有 (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu ) ITEM} 吗？ (ma?)

Let’s look at some more examples.

Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.

你好。有盐吗？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu yán ma?)

“Hello. Is there any salt?”

你好。有盐吗？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu yán ma?)

你好。有牛奶吗？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu niúnǎi ma?)

“Hello. Is there any milk?”

你好。有牛奶吗？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu niúnǎi ma?)

你好。有苹果吗？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu píngguǒ ma?)

“Hello. Are there any apples?”

你好。有苹果吗？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu píngguǒ ma?)

你好。有酱油吗？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu jiàngyóu ma?)

“Hello. Is there any soy sauce?”

你好。有酱油吗？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu jiàngyóu ma?)

你好。有没有糖？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu méiyǒu táng?)

“Hello. Is there any sugar?”

你好。有没有糖？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu méiyǒu táng?)

Did you notice how the native speaker used a different pattern?

你好。有没有糖？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu méiyǒu táng?)

“Hello. Is there any sugar?”

The speaker uses 有没有 (yǒu méiyǒu).

有没有 (yǒu méiyǒu) means "have or not have," or "there is or there isn't," in this context. 有没有。

First is 有 (yǒu), “there is.” 有。

Next is 没有 (méiyǒu), “there isn’t.” 没有.

Together, 有没有 (yǒu méiyǒu), “there is or there isn’t.” 有没有.

Note, for this 有没有 (yǒu méiyǒu) pattern, you don't need the question marker 吗 at the end of the question.

After that is 糖 (táng), sugar." 糖. . 糖.

All together, 你好。有没有糖？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu méiyǒu táng?) literally, “Hello, is there or isn’t there any sugar,” but translates as "Hello. Is there any sugar?" 你好。有没有糖？

The pattern is

你好。有没有 (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu méiyǒu) ITEM？

"Hello. Is there ITEM?"

You should be aware of this pattern, but for this lesson, you won’t need it.

Let's review the new words.

牛奶。(niúnǎi)

“milk.”

牛奶 . 牛奶。

苹果。(píngguǒ)

“apple.”

苹果 . 苹果。

酱油。(jiàngyóu)

“soy sauce.”

酱油 . 酱油。

糖。 (táng)

“sugar.”

糖 . 糖。

Let's review.

Respond to the prompts by speaking aloud. Then repeat after the native speaker, focusing on pronunciation.

Ready?

Do you remember how to say, “Hello.”

你好 (nǐhǎo)

And how to say the question marking particle?

吗 (ma)

Do you remember how to say "salt"?

盐 (yán)

Do you remember how Jason Xu asks,

"Hello. Is there any salt?"

你好。有盐吗？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu yán ma?)

Do you remember how to say “here?”

这里 (zhèlǐ)

Do you remember how the clerk says,

"Yes, it's here."

有。在这里。(Yǒu. Zài zhèlǐ.)

Do you remember how to say "apple?"

苹果 (píngguǒ)

And how to say "soy sauce?"

酱油 (jiàngyóu)

Do you remember how to say "sugar?"

糖 (táng)

Let's practice.

Imagine you’re Anna Xu , and you’re at the grocery store. Get the shopkeeper’s attention, and ask if there is any sugar, or 糖 (táng).

Ready?

你好。有糖吗？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu táng ma?)

有。在这里。(Yǒu. Zài zhèlǐ.)

Listen again and repeat.

你好。有糖吗？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu táng ma?)

Now ask if there is any soy sauce, or 酱油 (jiàngyóu).

Ready?

你好。有酱油吗？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu jiàngyóu ma?)

有。在这里。(Yǒu. Zài zhèlǐ.)

Listen again and repeat.

你好。有酱油吗？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu jiàngyóu ma?)

Let’s try one more.

Imagine you’re Lisa Xu. Ask if there are any apples, or 苹果 (píngguǒ).

Ready?

你好。有苹果吗？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu píngguǒ ma?)

有。在这里。(Yǒu. Zài zhèlǐ.)

Listen again and repeat.

你好。有苹果吗？ (Nǐhǎo. Yǒu píngguǒ ma?)

In this lesson, you learned how to ask if a store has something. This plays an essential role in the larger skill of shopping at a grocery store. Let’s review.

Do you remember how to say "please?"

请 (qǐng)

And how to say "that?"

那个 (nèige)

Do you remember how to say, "Give me that, please?"

请给我那个。(Qǐng gěi wǒ nèige.)

Imagine you're Jack Jones , and you're at a grocery store, and you'd like to buy water.

Do you remember how to say "water" in Chinese?

水 (shuǐ)

Ask the clerk for water.

请给我水。(Qǐng gěi wǒ shuǐ.)

好。给您。(Hǎo. Gěi nín.)

Listen again and repeat.

请给我水。(Qǐng gěi wǒ shuǐ.)

You remembered that you also wanted to buy milk

Do you remember how to say "milk" in Chinese?

牛奶 (niúnǎi)

Now ask the clerk if the store has milk.

Ready?

有牛奶吗？(Yǒu niúnǎi ma?))

有。在这里。 (Yǒu. Zài zhèlǐ.)

Listen again and repeat.

有牛奶吗？(Yǒu niúnǎi ma?)

Well done! This is the end of this lesson.

In this lesson, you learned how to ask if a store has something, an essential skill for shopping at a grocery store.

Remember, these Can Do lessons are about learning practical language skills.

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