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而家有冇折呀？
ji4 gaa1 jau5 mou5 zit3 aa3?
ji4 gaa1 jau5 mou5 zit3 aa3?
Grammar and Vocabulary
In the Grammar and Vocabulary section, you will learn:
- Discounts
- The Modal Verb 會 wui5 (‘will’) IV (Polite Invitation)
- The Pronoun 所有 so2 jau5 (‘all’)
- Vocabulary List
54.1 Discounts
When expressing discounts in Cantonese, we indicate the percentage of the original price we need to pay after the deduction instead of the percentage deducted. For example, a 10% discount will be expressed as paying 90% of the original price, and a 20% discount will be expressed as paying 80% of the original price.
The classifier 折 zit3 means ‘10% of the original price’. To mean ‘10% off, 20 off, etc.’, we first work out the percentage of the original price (90%, 80%, etc.). Then, we put the tens place of the percentage of the original price before 折 zit3 (90%, 80%, etc.)
10% off → 90% of the original price
九折
gau2 zit3
(9 × 10% = 90%)
20% off → 80% of the original price
八折
baat3 zit3
(8 × 10% = 80%)
Note that 折 zit3 refer to 10% of the original price instead of 1% of the original price.
10% off → 90% of the original price
❌ 九十折
gau2 sap6 zit3
(90 × 10% = 900%, which will be a price increase!)
✔️ 九折
gau2 zit3
(9 × 10% = 90%)
20% off → 80% of the original price
❌ 八十折
baat3 sap6 zit3
(80 × 10% = 800%)
✔️ 八折
baat3 zit3
(8 × 10% = 80%)
If the ones digit of the percentage of the original price is not zero (95%, 88%, etc.)’, we add the digit before 折 zit3.
5% off → 95% of the original price
九五折
gau2 ng5 zit3
(9 × 10 % + 5% = 95%)
12% off → 88% of the original price
八八折
baat3 baat3 zit3
(8 × 10 % + 8 % = 8 8 %)
To mean ‘half price’, we can say 半價 bun3 gaa3 (literally ‘half + price’).
54.2 The Modal Verb 會 wui5 (‘will’) IV (Polite Invitation)
In Grammar and Vocabulary 23.3, we learned that the modal verb 會 wui5 means ‘will’. In Grammar and Vocabulary 36.4, we learned to form yes-no questions with 會 wui5.
We can use yes-no questions with 會 wui5 to make polite invitations. We often hear this type of invitation in shops when the shop assistant wants to encourage us to buy something, or in restaurants when the server wants to encourage us to order something. We respond to this type of invitation like other invitations.
| A: | 你會唔會揀多一件嘅？買三件有八五折喎。 nei5 wui5 m4 wui5 gaan2 do1 jat1 gin6 ge2? maai5 saam1 gin6 jau5 baat3 ng5 zit3 wo3. Will you choose one more [item]? For buying three [items], there is a 15% discount. |
| B: | → 好呀，噉我再睇下先。 hou2 aa3, ngo5 zoi3 tai2 haa5 sin1. Good. [= Okay.] Then, I will take a look again first. → 唔使喇，唔該。 m4 sai2 laa3, m4 goi1. I don’t need it. Thank you. |
54.3 The Pronoun 所有 so2 jau5 (‘all’)
The pronoun 所有 so2 jau5 means ‘all’. We can use 所有 so2 jau5 to refer to all the things in a context. We put the type of thing after 所有 so2 jau5.
所有產品
so2 jau5 caan2 ban2
all the products
所有鞋
so2 jau5 haai4
all the shoes
In Grammar and Vocabulary 53.8, we learned that the pronoun 全部 cyun4 bou6 also means ‘all’.
全部產品
cyun4 bou6 caan2 ban2
all the products
全部鞋
cyun4 bou6 haai4
all the shoes
全部 cyun4 bou6 and 所有 so2 jau5 are similar, but there are subtle differences in their meanings:
54.4 Vocabulary List
Communication
In the Communication section, you will learn:
- Asking About Prices and Discounts
- Checking Out at a Store 💸
Asking About Prices and Discounts
If we want to ask about the price of an item, we can say:
If we want to check if there are any discounts, we can ask:
When we ask about the price of an item, the shop assistant often mentions the discount to encourage us to buy the item.
The shop assistant will sometimes mention the original price to emphasize how much the item is cheaper now.
If we want to confirm a discount, we say:
Checking Out at a Store 💸
After we have selected our items, we need to go to the counter to check out. If we are not sure where the counter is, we can ask:
If a shop assistant is serving us, they will usually guide us to the counter.
When queuing at the counter, we need to pay attention to the shop assistant’s signal for the next customer.
The shop assistant will sometimes confirm the number of items with us first.
The shop assistant will sometimes take the last chance to tempt us into buying more.
Route A: Temptation failed
Route B: Temptation succeeded
A few moments later…
The shop assistant will sometimes ask us to check the items.
- We can put a question-like clause after the verb 睇 tai2 (‘to look’). We will learn more about it in later books.
If we want to check the items but the shop assistant doesn’t ask, we can say:
If there are no problems, we can say:
If there are some problems, we can say:
Hong Kong has plastic bag levy. Therefore, the shop assistant will sometimes ask if we need a bag before providing one.
If we want to use a coupon or a voucher, we can say:
After calculating the total, the shop assistant will say:
The shop assistant will then ask how we would like to pay.
If we want to check the payment methods available, we can ask:
If we’re not sure whether a payment method is accepted, we can ask:
Route A: Cash
A few moments later…
A few moments later…
Some shops may refuse to accept banknotes like $500 or $1000. The shop assistant will say:
Route B: Credit Card
If we need to tap our credit card on a payment terminal, the shop assistant will say:
The shop assistant will sometimes ask us to sign on a credit card receipt.
Route C: Octopus Card
After paying, the shop assistant will give us the receipt.
Before we leave, the shop assistant will often say: