What to say when someone asks you in Chinese how to buy a train ticket
At a station's ticket machines, a traveler suddenly speaks to you in Chinese. They seem unable to buy a ticket. What will you do?
The labels "Natural", "Gets across" and "Off track" and the one-line reasons are also written by AI as a rough guide. They are not guaranteed to be correct.
The people, their names and personalities, the scenes, directions, shop layouts and dishes are made up for practice. They are not real people, and they do not match real places.
Exchange 1 of 4
They
你好，能帮我一下吗？我不知道怎么买票。
Nǐ hǎo, néng bāng wǒ yíxià ma? Wǒ bù zhīdào zěnme mǎi piào.
Hello. Could you help me? I don't know how to buy a ticket.
The first line changes a little with each person
- 小丽 嗨，能帮个忙吗？这台机器我看不懂，不知道怎么买票。
Hāi, néng bāng ge máng ma? Zhè tái jīqì wǒ kàn bu dǒng, bù zhīdào zěnme mǎi piào.
Hi, can you give me a hand? I can't figure out this machine, and I don't know how to buy a ticket. - 小静 不好意思，打扰您一下。这台售票机我试了好几次，还是不会买票。
Bù hǎoyìsi, dǎrǎo nín yíxià. Zhè tái shòupiàojī wǒ shì le hǎo jǐ cì, háishi bú huì mǎi piào.
Excuse me, sorry to bother you. I have tried this ticket machine several times, but I still can't buy a ticket. - 小乐 你好！哈哈，这台机器的按钮好多啊！你能教我怎么买票吗？
Nǐ hǎo! Hāhā, zhè tái jīqì de ànniǔ hǎo duō a! Nǐ néng jiāo wǒ zěnme mǎi piào ma?
Hello! Haha, this machine has so many buttons! Can you show me how to buy a ticket? - 小梅 你好！我想自己买票，可是不知道怎么买。你能教教我吗？
Nǐ hǎo! Wǒ xiǎng zìjǐ mǎi piào, kěshì bù zhīdào zěnme mǎi. Nǐ néng jiāojiao wǒ ma?
Hello! I want to buy a ticket by myself, but I don't know how. Could you show me?
Example replies and how they sound
电车很快。
Diànchē hěn kuài.
The train is very fast.
Off track This does not answer the question. They need help buying a ticket.
当然可以。你想去哪儿？
Dāngrán kěyǐ. Nǐ xiǎng qù nǎr?
Of course. Where do you want to go?
Natural This sounds natural. Asking the destination first makes it easier to help.
行。去哪儿？
Xíng. Qù nǎr?
OK. Where?
Gets across This works, but it sounds a little blunt. The full sentence "你想去哪儿？" is more polite.
Exchange 2 of 4
They
我要去上野。怎么知道票价呢？
Wǒ yào qù Shàngyě. Zěnme zhīdào piàojià ne?
I'm going to Ueno. How do I know the fare?
Example replies and how they sound
票价写在机器上面的线路图上。
Piàojià xiě zài jīqì shàngmian de xiànlùtú shang.
The fare is on the route map above the machine.
Natural This sounds natural. "写在…上" means "is written on ...".
线路图。在上面。
Xiànlùtú. Zài shàngmian.
Route map. Up there.
Gets across This works, but it is only words. It gets across if you point. A full sentence is more polite.
上野是个好地方。
Shàngyě shì ge hǎo dìfang.
Ueno is a nice place.
Off track This does not answer the question. They asked how to find the fare.
Exchange 3 of 4
They
看到了。需要换乘吗？
Kàndào le. Xūyào huànchéng ma?
I see it. Do I need to change trains?
Example replies and how they sound
我不知道。你问站务员吧。
Wǒ bù zhīdào. Nǐ wèn zhànwùyuán ba.
I don't know. Ask the station staff.
Gets across This works, but it sounds a little cold. "我们去问问…吧" shows that you will help.
不用，我不换钱。
Búyòng, wǒ bú huàn qián.
No, I'm not changing money.
Off track This does not answer the question. "换乘" means "change trains". It is not about "换钱" (changing money).
我也不太清楚，我们去问问站务员吧。
Wǒ yě bú tài qīngchu, wǒmen qù wènwen zhànwùyuán ba.
I'm not sure either, so let's go and ask the station staff.
Natural This sounds natural. When you don't know, it is kind to say so and suggest what to do next.
Exchange 4 of 4
They
好主意。谢谢你帮我！
Hǎo zhǔyi. Xièxie nǐ bāng wǒ!
Good idea. Thank you for helping me!
Example replies and how they sound
没关系。
Méi guānxi.
It's all right.
Gets across This works, but "没关系" is usually a reply to an apology. "不客气" is clearer as a reply to thanks.
不客气。祝你旅途愉快！
Bú kèqi. Zhù nǐ lǚtú yúkuài!
You're welcome. Have a nice trip!
Natural This sounds natural. "祝你旅途愉快" is something you say to a traveler.
我很好，谢谢。
Wǒ hěn hǎo, xièxie.
I'm fine, thank you.
Off track This is not a reply to thanks. "我很好，谢谢" is a reply to "你好吗？"
The closing line
They
再次感谢。再见！
Zàicì gǎnxiè. Zàijiàn!
Thanks again. Goodbye!
Useful phrases for this scene
- 你想去哪儿？
Nǐ xiǎng qù nǎr?
Where do you want to go? - 票价写在机器上面的线路图上。
Piàojià xiě zài jīqì shàngmian de xiànlùtú shang.
The fare is on the route map above the machine. - 我们去问问站务员吧。
Wǒmen qù wènwen zhànwùyuán ba.
Let's go and ask the station staff. - 请说慢一点，好吗？
Qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎn, hǎo ma?
Could you speak a little more slowly, please?
The lines, the pinyin, the notes and the English translations were written by AI. They have not been checked by a native Chinese speaker. The notes and the explanations of the names were compared with a dictionary by AI, but they have not been checked by a native Chinese speaker or a specialist.
The people, their names and personalities, the scenes, directions, shop layouts and dishes are made up for practice. They are not real people, and they do not match real places.
The pinyin has tone marks. "一" and "不" are written with the tones they take in speech (after tone change). Neutral-tone syllables have no mark. No person has checked that the pinyin matches the audio.
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