HSK 2 · Story · 215 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/how-to-order-coffee-in-chinese

四杯咖啡

How to order coffee in Chinese (and get four)

Name: ________________ Date: ________

今天jīntiān是shì我wǒ在zài北京běijīng的de第一dìyī天tiān，我wǒ很hěn想xiǎng喝hē咖啡kāfēi。

在zài路上lùshang，我wǒ说shuō了le很hěn多次duōcì：“我wǒ要yào一yì杯bēi咖啡kāfēi……”

到dào我wǒ了le。我wǒ说shuō：“你好níhǎo，我wǒ要yào一yì杯bēi咖啡kāfēi。”

一个yígè女孩儿nǚháir笑xiào着zhe问wèn：“热rè的de还是háishi冰bīng的de？”

我wǒ不bù知道zhīdào她tā在zài说shuō什么shénme。我wǒ说shuō：“是shì。”

她tā问wèn：“两liǎng个gè都dōu要yào？”我wǒ说shuō：“是shì，是shì。”

“要yào大dà的de还是háishi小xiǎo的de？”我wǒ还是háishi说shuō：“是shì。”

“要yào牛奶niúnǎi吗ma？”这个zhège我wǒ知道zhīdào！“要yào！”

过guò了le一会儿yíhuìr，她tā给gěi了le我wǒ四sì杯bēi：有yǒu热rè的de，有yǒu冰bīng的de，有yǒu大dà的de，也yě有yǒu小xiǎo的de。都dōu有yǒu牛奶niúnǎi。

“一百二十yìbǎi-èrshí块kuài。”

我wǒ看kàn着zhe四sì杯bēi咖啡kāfēi，不bù知道zhīdào说shuō什么shénme。后边hòubian的de三sān个gè人rén都dōu笑xiào了le。

我wǒ说shuō：“我wǒ请qǐng你们nǐmen喝hē咖啡kāfēi！”

那天nàtiān，我wǒ喝hē了le一yì杯bēi咖啡kāfēi，也yě认识rènshi了le三sān个gè中国zhōngguó朋友péngyǒu。

第二天dì’èrtiān，我wǒ又yòu去qù了le。我wǒ说shuō：“我wǒ要yào一yì杯bēi热rè的de，小xiǎo的de。”女孩儿nǚháir笑xiào了le：“今天jīntiān只zhǐ喝hē一yì杯bēi吗ma？”

Key words

It was my first day in Beijing, and I really wanted a coffee.

All the way there I kept saying, “One coffee, please…”

Then it was my turn. I said, “Hello, one coffee, please.”

A girl behind the counter smiled and asked, “Hot or iced?”

I had no idea what she was saying. So I said, “Yes.”

She asked, “Both?” I said, “Yes, yes.”

“Large or small?” Again I said, “Yes.”

“Milk?” That one I knew! “Yes!”

A minute later she handed me four cups: hot ones, iced ones, large ones and small ones. All with milk.

“That's a hundred and twenty yuan.”

I stared at the four coffees and didn't know what to say. The three people behind me burst out laughing.

I said, “They're on me!”

That day I drank one coffee and made three Chinese friends.

The next day I went back. I said, “One hot, small, please.” The girl smiled. “Only one today?”