HSK 2 · Story · 216 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/chinese-shop-conversation-for-beginners

路口的小商店

Shopping in Chinese at the corner shop

Name: ________________ Date: ________

我wǒ是shì路口lùkǒu小xiǎo商店shāngdiàn的de老板láobǎn。谁shéi要yào什么shénme，我wǒ都dōu记得jìde。你nǐ还hái没méi说话shuōhuà，我wǒ就jiù拿ná好hǎo了le。

早上zǎoshang七qī点diǎn，一yí个gè小学生xiǎoxuéshēng来lái了le。我wǒ给gěi他tā一yí个gè面包miànbāo。

晚上wǎnshang六liù点diǎn，一个yígè老爷爷lǎoyéye来lái了le。我wǒ给gěi他tā一yì瓶píng牛奶niúnǎi。

天天tiāntiān都dōu一样yíyàng。小学生xiǎoxuéshēng问wèn我wǒ：“你nǐ怎么zěnme知道zhīdào我wǒ要yào什么shénme？”我wǒ笑xiào了le：“我wǒ天天tiāntiān看kàn，就jiù记住jìzhu了le。”

这zhè天tiān晚上wǎnshang六liù点diǎn，爷爷yéye来lái了le。我wǒ马上mǎshàng拿ná了le一yì瓶píng牛奶niúnǎi。

“今天jīntiān不bù买mǎi牛奶niúnǎi，”爷爷yéye说shuō，“我wǒ要yào一yí个gè蛋糕dàngāo。”

我wǒ看kàn着zhe他tā。爷爷yéye一yí个gè人rén住zhù。他tā买mǎi蛋糕dàngāo干gàn什么shénme？今天jīntiān是shì他tā的de生日shēngrì吗ma？他tā一yí个gè人rén过生日guòshēngrì？

我wǒ没有méiyǒu说话shuōhuà，拿ná了le一个yígè最zuì大dà的de蛋糕dàngāo。

“这个zhège送sòng您nín。生日快乐shēngrì-kuàilè，爷爷yéye！”

爷爷yéye笑xiào了le：“谢谢xièxie你nǐ！可是kěshì今天jīntiān不是búshì我wǒ的de生日shēngrì。”

“那nà是shì谁shéi的de生日shēngrì？”

“我wǒ的de猫māo。它tā今天jīntiān三sān岁suì了le！”

Key words

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
小	xiǎo	small; little
商店	shāngdiàn	store; shop
说话	shuōhuà	to speak; to talk
好	hǎo	good; nice
早上	zǎoshang	morning
七	qī	seven
点	diǎn	to point out; to bring up
小学生	xiǎoxuéshēng	elementary school student; pupil
来	lái	to come
面包	miànbāo	bread
晚上	wǎnshang	evening; night
六	liù	six

I run the little shop on the corner. I remember what everyone wants. Before you’ve said a word, I have it ready.

At seven in the morning, a schoolboy comes in. I hand him a bread roll.

At six in the evening, an old man comes in. I hand him a bottle of milk.

It’s the same every day. The schoolboy asks me, “How do you know what I want?” I smile. “I watch every day, so I remember.”

Then one evening at six, the old man comes in. Straight away, I pick up a bottle of milk.

“No milk today,” he says. “I’d like a cake.”

I look at him. He lives on his own. What does he want a cake for? Is it his birthday today? Is he spending his birthday alone?

I say nothing and pick out the biggest cake.

“This one’s on me. Happy birthday, Grandpa!”

He smiles. “Thank you! But it isn’t my birthday.”

“Then whose birthday is it?”

“My cat’s. She’s three today!”