Leo wants to shop for some Chinese gifts for his friends and relations, and Dani brings him to the Silk Market in the centre of Beijing to have a look for presents. There is a subway stop very close to the Silk Market and they travel there on the subway. Leo is soon enquiring from the market sellers for the best price for a silk scarf in Chinese. But now Leo realises he will have to drastically improve his haggling abilities. The Chinese vendors reject his statement that the price is too high, and are quick to claim that the quality is excellent.
Dani teaches Leo the most common Mandarin Chinese arguments heard from market sellers when bargaining at Chinese markets. Leo learns Chinese phrases that will be useful when trying to reduce the price for something when shopping in China. If you find that you are not getting the price you want, a good backup tactic is to start walking away. Once Leo agrees the price, the Chinese vendors quickly move on to trying to sell him something else!
There are many markets all over China that are similar in nature to the Silk Market in Beijing. These markets typically specialise in popular items that visitors to China are interested in buying. While these markets often contain a lot of fake brands, there is also good quality genuine items available. The Silk Market has a floor dedicated to tailors, and tourists to China often take the opportunity to get a very good quality suit tailor made for a competitive price.
About our Lessons
Dani, a native Mandarin Chinese speaker from Beijing, guides you through your trip in China. Dani will help you learn Chinese words and phrases that you need to know as you encounter real life situations while in China. You will also learn interesting and useful lessons about Chinese culture and values along the way. Our lessons are designed to help you learn Chinese online without the need to download or install any software. You can start to learn Chinese free by availing of our 10 free lessons.