刷卡 Paying by Card in Chinese

我wǒ和hé朋友péngyou去qù商店shāngdiàn买mǎi东西dōngxi，买mǎi了le很多hěn duō，要yào付fù三百sānbǎi多duō块kuài钱qián。

My friend and I went to the store to buy things; we bought a lot, and had to pay more than three hundred yuan.

我wǒ看kàn了le看kàn钱qián，发现fāxiàn不bú够gòu。

I looked at my money and realized it wasn't enough.

我wǒ问wèn服务员fúwùyuán：“可以kěyǐ刷卡shuākǎ吗ma？”

I asked the clerk: "Can I pay by card?"

服务员fúwùyuán说shuō：“这儿zhèr不bù能néng刷卡shuākǎ，你nǐ可以kěyǐ用yòng手机shǒujī付fù。”

The clerk said: "You can't pay by card here — you can pay with your phone."

我wǒ说shuō：“好hǎo，那nà我wǒ用yòng手机shǒujī付fù吧ba。”

I said: "Okay, then I'll pay with my phone."

我wǒ用yòng手机shǒujī付fù了le钱qián，很hěn快kuài就jiù付fù完wán了le。

I paid with my phone, and it was done very quickly.

朋友péngyou说shuō：“下次xià cì你nǐ钱qián不bú够gòu，我wǒ来lái帮bāng你nǐ付fù。”

My friend said: "Next time you're short on money, I'll help you pay."

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Key words 生词

刷卡shuākǎto pay by card

够gòuenough

手机shǒujīcell phone

付fùto pay

快kuàiquick; fast

下次xià cìnext time

可以 + verb + 吗？(May I...?)

可以 + verb + 吗 asks for permission — a common way to check what's allowed before you act.

可以刷卡吗？— Can I pay by card?

不够 (not enough)

不 + 够 says an amount falls short of what's needed, often used for money or time.

我看了看钱，发现不够。— I looked at my money and realized it wasn't enough.

用 + noun + verb (use something to...)

用 introduces the tool or method right before the verb it applies to.

我用手机付了钱。— I paid with my phone.

1. What does the narrator discover after looking at the money?

2. Where does the clerk say cards can't be used?

3. How does the narrator end up paying?

After this reading

I'm Fei, and I teach Mandarin one-on-one on Preply. Bring this text to a trial lesson — we'll fix your tones and turn it into a real conversation.