Chinese phrasebook
Buying a Bus Ticket in Chinese
Practise buying a long-distance bus ticket in China. Say where you are going, choose a return ticket, a time and a seat, and pay by card.
Situation: A long-distance bus station in China. Your goal: Buy a return bus ticket to Hangzhou.
The whole conversation, line by line
Tap to hear a line. Ticket clerk speaks first; the bold lines are what you can say. To see the lines in your own language, choose it in the language menu at the top.
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Ticket clerk
下午好。您去哪儿？
xià wǔ hǎo. nín qù nǎr?
Good afternoon. Where are you going?
You
下午好。我要买一张去杭州的票。
xià wǔ hǎo. wǒ yào mǎi yī zhāng qù háng zhōu de piào.
Good afternoon. I'd like a ticket to Hangzhou.
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Ticket clerk
单程还是往返？
dān chéng hái shì wǎng fǎn?
One way or return?
You
往返，谢谢。
wǎng fǎn, xiè xiè.
Return, please.
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Ticket clerk
您要哪天的？
nín yào nǎ tiān de?
When do you want it for?
You
明天上午，可以吗？
míng tiān shàng wǔ, kě yǐ ma?
For tomorrow morning, if possible.
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Ticket clerk
有一班九点的，还有一班十一点的。您选哪班？
yǒu yī bān jiǔ diǎn de, hái yǒu yī bān shí yì diǎn de. nín xuǎn nǎ bān?
There's a bus at nine and another at eleven. Which do you prefer?
You
要九点的，谢谢。
yào jiǔ diǎn de, xiè xiè.
The nine o'clock one, please.
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Ticket clerk
好的。往返票三十二块。您要靠窗的座位还是靠过道的？
hǎo de. wǎng fǎn piào sān shí èr kuài. nín yào kào chuāng de zuò wèi hái shì kào guò dào de?
Very good. The return ticket costs thirty-two yuan. Do you want a window or an aisle seat?
You
靠窗的，谢谢。
kào chuāng de, xiè xiè.
Window, please.
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Ticket clerk
好的。您是付现金还是刷卡？
hǎo de. nín shì fù xiàn jīn hái shì shuā kǎ?
Perfect. Are you going to pay in cash or by card?
You
刷卡，谢谢。
shuā kǎ, xiè xiè.
By card, please.
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Ticket clerk
这是您的票。车在四号口发车。一路平安！
zhè shì nín de piào. chē zài sì hào kǒu fā chē. yí lù píng ān!
Here's your ticket. The bus leaves from bay four. Have a good trip!
You
非常感谢。回头见！
fēi cháng gǎn xiè. huí tóu jiàn!
Thank you very much. See you later!
Now say it for real.
Play this scene as a conversation: the other person speaks, you pick the right reply, and every wrong one comes with a hint. Free on the web.