服务员，买单 Asking for the Bill in Chinese

昨天zuótiān中午zhōngwǔ，我wǒ和hé朋友péngyou去qù饭店fàndiàn吃chī了le很多hěn duō菜cài。

Yesterday at noon, my friend and I went to a restaurant and ate a lot of dishes.

吃chī完wán了le，我wǒ对duì服务员fúwùyuán说shuō：“服务员fúwùyuán，买单mǎidān！”

When we finished eating, I said to the waiter: "Waiter, the bill, please!"

服务员fúwùyuán说shuō：“一共yígòng九十八jiǔshíbā块kuài钱qián。”

The waiter said: "That's ninety-eight kuai in total."

朋友péngyou想xiǎng给gěi钱qián，我wǒ也yě想xiǎng给gěi钱qián。

My friend wanted to pay, and I wanted to pay too.

我wǒ说shuō：“上次shàngcì是shì你nǐ给gěi的de，这次zhècì我wǒ来lái！”

I said: "Last time you paid — this time it's on me!"

朋友péngyou笑xiào了le，说shuō：“好hǎo吧ba，下次xiàcì我wǒ请qǐng你nǐ！”

My friend laughed and said: "Alright, next time it's my treat!"

和hé朋友péngyou一起yìqǐ吃饭chīfàn，给gěi钱qián也yě很hěn快乐kuàilè。

When you eat with a good friend, even paying the bill feels happy.

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

买单mǎidānto pay the bill (at a restaurant)

一共yígòngin total; altogether

菜càidish; food

次cìtime; occasion

请qǐngto treat (someone to a meal)

给gěito give

Verb + 完 (+ 了)

完 (wán) after a verb means the action is finished, e.g. 做完 'finish doing', 吃完 'finish eating'.

吃完了，我对服务员说：“买单！” — When we finished eating, I said to the waiter: "The bill, please!"

上次 / 这次 / 下次

次 (cì) is the measure word for times or occasions: 上次 'last time', 这次 'this time', 下次 'next time', e.g. 下次再来.

上次是你给的，这次我来！ — Last time you paid; this time it's on me!

对 + person + 说

对 (duì) marks the person you speak to: 对某人说 'say to someone', e.g. 老师对我说.

我对服务员说：“服务员，买单！” — I said to the waiter: "Waiter, the bill, please!"

1. How much did the meal cost in total?

2. Who paid last time?

3. What does the friend promise to do next time?