Concept art: a traveler talks with a bookshop keeper
Concept art from VocaBound: Worlds

Looking around

MandarinPinyinEnglish
歡迎光臨！Huānyíng guānglín!Welcome!What staff call out when you walk in — no reply needed.
我只是看看Wǒ zhǐshì kànkanI'm just looking
有沒有……？Yǒu méiyǒu …?Do you have …?
有英文的嗎？Yǒu Yīngwén de ma?Do you have one in English?
可以試穿嗎？Kěyǐ shìchuān ma?Can I try it on?

Prices

MandarinPinyinEnglish
這個多少錢？Zhège duōshǎo qián?How much is this?
太貴了Tài guì leThat's too expensive
可以便宜一點嗎？Kěyǐ piányí yìdiǎn ma?Could it be a little cheaper?Fine at markets — not in chain stores, where prices are fixed.
我要買這個Wǒ yào mǎi zhègeI'll buy this

At the counter

MandarinPinyinEnglish
需要袋子嗎？Xūyào dàizi ma?Do you need a bag?Bags usually cost a small fee in Taiwan.
不用，謝謝Búyòng, xièxieNo need, thanks
發票fāpiàoreceipt

Try it: in a bookshop

  1. Clerk歡迎光臨！Huānyíng guānglín!Welcome!
  2. You請問，有沒有中文童書？Qǐngwèn, yǒu méiyǒu Zhōngwén tóngshū?Excuse me, do you have Chinese children's books?
  3. Clerk有，在那邊。Yǒu, zài nàbiān.Yes, over there.
  4. You這本多少錢？Zhè běn duōshǎo qián?How much is this one?
  5. Clerk兩百五十塊。Liǎngbǎi wǔshí kuài.NT$250.
  6. You好，我要買這本。Hǎo, wǒ yào mǎi zhè běn.OK, I'll buy this one.

Good to know

Children's books are a beginner's secret weapon

Simple sentences, pictures, and often 注音 (zhùyīn) pronunciation marks — Taiwan's phonetic alphabet — next to the characters.

Your receipt is a lottery ticket

Taiwan's receipts, 發票 (fāpiào), double as tickets in a government lottery drawn every two months. Keep them!

Measure words

Books use 本 (běn): 這本 (zhè běn) means “this book.” For most other things, 個 (ge) works.