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小悦这件外套我昨天才买,今天穿上却太小了。袖子短,手也抬不高。我拿着衣服回到店里,心里想:中文该怎么说,才能请店员帮我换一件?

I bought this jacket only yesterday, but it is too small when I put it on today. The sleeves are short, and I can hardly raise my arms. I carried it back to the shop and thought: What should I say in Chinese to ask the clerk to exchange it for me?

小悦先记住一句话:“这件有大一点的吗?”如果尺码不合适,还可以问:“可以换一下吗?”今天我就带你跟着我,从进店到换好衣服,练这两句话。

First, remember this: Do you have this in a larger size? If the size does not fit, you can also ask: Could I exchange it? Today, follow me from entering the shop to getting the right jacket, and practice these two phrases.

小悦我是小悦,在杭州开甜品店。最近早上有点凉,我想买一件轻一点的外套。昨天下午关店以后,我走进家附近的一家服装店。店里有很多颜色,我很快看中一件浅蓝色的。

I am Xiaoyue, and I run a dessert shop in Hangzhou. Mornings have been a little cool lately, so I wanted a light jacket. After closing my shop yesterday afternoon, I walked into a clothing store near my home. There were many colors in the store, and a light-blue one caught my eye.

小悦我平时穿中号,就请店员拿中号给我。她说店里有中号,也有大号。我当时有点着急,还要回去照顾小花,就没有试穿。我付了钱,把衣服和小票一起放进袋子里。

I usually wear a medium, so I asked the clerk for a medium. She said they had both medium and large. I was in a hurry and had to get home to care for Xiaohua, so I did not try it on. I paid, then put the jacket and receipt into the bag.

小悦今天早上,我准备出门买做蛋糕的东西。我穿上新外套,对着镜子看了看。颜色很好看,可是肩膀很紧。我一抬手,袖子就往上跑。这件衣服我喜欢,但这个尺码真的不合适。

This morning, I was about to go out to buy supplies for my cakes. I put on the new jacket and looked in the mirror. The color was lovely, but the shoulders were tight. As soon as I raised my arms, the sleeves slid up. I liked the jacket, but the size really did not fit.

小悦我先找到了昨天的小票,又看了一眼衣服上的牌子。牌子还在,衣服也没有穿出去。我把衣服放回袋子,带着小票去了那家店。我想先问能不能换大一点的,不急着说要退钱。

First, I found yesterday's receipt and checked the tag on the jacket. The tag was still attached, and I had not worn the jacket outside. I put it back in the bag and went to the store with the receipt. I wanted to ask for a larger size first, without rushing to ask for a refund.

小悦进门后,昨天那位店员认出了我。我说:“你好,我昨天在这里买了这件外套。”然后我把衣服拿给她看,接着说:“我回家试了一下,发现太小了。”这样,她马上知道我为什么又来了。

When I entered, yesterday's clerk recognized me. I said: Hello, I bought this jacket here yesterday. Then I showed her the jacket and added: I tried it on at home and found it too small. That way, she immediately knew why I had come back.

小悦店员问我:“你想换别的颜色吗?”我摇摇头,说:“颜色我很喜欢,只是尺码不合适。这件有大一点的吗?”她明白了,去后面帮我找。你也可以把“大一点”换成“小一点”,意思就变了。

The clerk asked: Would you like a different color? I shook my head and said: I really like the color, but the size does not fit. Do you have this in a larger size? She understood and went to look in the back. You can also replace larger with smaller, and the meaning changes.

小悦她拿来一件同样颜色的大号外套。我先没有说“就要这件”,而是问:“我可以试一下吗?”店员带我到试衣间。我穿上大号,站在镜子前,抬了抬手。肩膀不紧了,袖子也正好。

She brought out a large jacket in the same color. Before saying I will take it, I asked: May I try it on? The clerk showed me to the fitting room. I put on the large, stood before the mirror, and raised my arms. The shoulders were no longer tight, and the sleeves were just right.

小悦我走出来,笑着说:“这件很合适,可以帮我换一下吗?”店员先看衣服上的牌子,再看我的小票。她说这件衣服可以换,因为我带了小票,衣服也还没有穿出门。

I came out smiling and said: This one fits well. Could you exchange it for me? The clerk first checked the tag on the jacket and then looked at my receipt. She said I could exchange this jacket because I had brought the receipt and had not worn the jacket outside.

小悦我问:“换这件,要再付钱吗?”她告诉我,两件外套的价格一样,不用再付钱。我说:“太好了,谢谢你。”店员把新外套放进袋子,把旧的那件留下,还给了我一张新的小票。

I asked: Do I need to pay anything extra to exchange it? She told me the two jackets cost the same, so I did not need to pay more. I said: Great, thank you. The clerk put the new jacket into the bag, kept the old one, and gave me a new receipt.

小悦出店以前,我又看了一眼袋子里的衣服。颜色对,尺码也对。我知道,下次买衣服最好先试穿。少花几分钟,后面可能就不用再跑一趟。可是买错了,也可以好好把问题说清楚。

Before leaving the store, I looked at the jacket in the bag once more. The color was right, and the size was right. I know I should try clothes on before buying them next time. Spending a few extra minutes then might save me another trip later. But if I buy the wrong size, I can still explain the problem clearly.

小悦现在我们再练一次。如果衣服太小,你可以说:“这件太小了,有大一点的吗?”如果衣服太大,就说:“这件太大了,有小一点的吗?”先说问题,再说你想要什么,店员更容易帮你。

Now let us practice once more. If a jacket is too small, you can say: This is too small. Do you have a larger one? If it is too big, say: This is too big. Do you have a smaller one? State the problem first, then say what you want, and the clerk can help you more easily.

小悦第二句是:“可以帮我换一下吗?”“换”是把手里这件交回去,拿另一件。要是你不想要这件衣服了,可以问:“可以退吗?”不过每家店的办法可能不一样,先问清楚比较好。

The second phrase is: Could you exchange it for me? Exchange means handing back this one and taking another. If you no longer want the item, you can ask: Can I return it? But each store may have a different policy, so it is best to ask first.

小悦最后别忘了带小票,也先问一句:“要再付钱吗?”今天我换的大号和中号价格一样,所以不用加钱。如果价格不同,店员会告诉你。这几个短句,在买鞋子或者买别的东西时也能用。

Finally, remember your receipt, and also ask: Do I need to pay more? The large and medium jackets today cost the same, so I did not have to pay extra. If the prices differ, the clerk will tell you. These short phrases also work when buying shoes or other things.

小悦轮到你练习了:昨天买的衣服太小,今天你走进店里,你会怎么说?试着说:“这件太小了,有大一点的吗?可以帮我换一下吗?”说慢一点也没关系。把问题说清楚,你就能买到合适的衣服。

Your turn to practice: the clothes you bought yesterday are too small. You walk into the store today. What will you say? Try saying: This is too small. Do you have a larger one? Could you exchange it for me? It is fine to speak slowly. Explain the problem clearly, and you can get clothes that fit.

Adapted reading

Adapted from a Simply Natural Chinese YouTube episode into a complete three-line website reading. This is not a word-for-word transcript.

The reading may differ from the original video or audio.

Words to take with you

Useful words

尺码

chǐ mǎ

clothing size

这件外套的尺码不合适。

The size of this jacket does not fit.

外套

wài tào

jacket

早上有点凉,我穿一件外套。

It is cool this morning, so I wear a jacket.

中号

zhōng hào

medium size

我平时穿中号。

I usually wear a medium.

大号

dà hào

large size

这件大号比较合适。

This large size fits better.

试穿

shì chuān

try on clothes

买衣服以前最好试穿。

It is best to try clothes on before buying.

试衣间

shì yī jiān

fitting room

我去试衣间试一下。

I will try it on in the fitting room.

小票

xiǎo piào

receipt

请把小票带来。

Please bring the receipt.

店员

diàn yuán

store clerk

店员帮我找大一点的。

The clerk helps me find a larger one.

合适

hé shì

fit; suitable

这件衣服很合适。

This jacket fits well.

换

huàn

exchange; change

可以帮我换一下吗?

Could you exchange it for me?

退

tuì

return; refund

如果不想要,可以先问能不能退。

If you do not want it, ask whether it can be returned.

价格

jià gé

price

两件外套的价格一样。

The two jackets cost the same.

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