Beginner Lesson 19.1 – Ask and Answer Price

Grammar 1: Money in Chinese · HSK 1

qián 钱 money

One thing about qián 钱 money is that the Measure Word 块 for money in Chinese is usually only used for Chinese RMB. For other currencies, we don't use 块. For example, one RMB is yí kuàiqián 一块钱, but one US dollar is yì měiyuán 一美元, with no 块 between the number 一 and 美元 US dollar.

Grammar 2: Ask How Much in Chinese· HSK 1

duōshao 多少 is used to ask how many or how much in Chinese. The structure is like so:

多少 + (Measure Word) ^②  + Noun

For example:

• duōshao ge píngguǒ
  多少个苹果
  how many apples
• duōshao wèi xiānsheng
  多少位先生
  how many gentlemen
• duōshao kuài qián / duōshao qián
  多少块钱 / 多少钱
  how much money
• duōshao bù shǒujī
  多少部手机
  how many cellphones
• duōshao kuài shǒubiǎo
  多少块手表
  how many wristwatches

NOTES: ② In some situations, the Measure Word can be omitted just like 多少钱=多少块钱 when asking how much money in Chinese.

Grammar 3: Ask and Answer Price in Chinese· HSK 1

duōshao qián 多少钱 is used to ask price in Chinese. And if you want to answer the price, you can just say:

something + number + 块 + (钱)

Here are some example sentences that ask and answer price in Chinese:

Q: zhège píngguǒ duōshao qián
      这个苹果多少钱？
      how much is this apple
A: zhège píngguǒ liǎng kuài qián
      这个苹果两块钱。
      this apple is 2 RMB

Q: zhèbù shǒujī duōshao qián
      这部手机多少钱？
      how much is this cellphone
A: zhèbù shǒujī jiǔbǎi jiǔshíjiǔ kuài qián
      这部手机九百九十九块钱。
      this cellphone is 999 RMB

Q: zhèkuài shǒubiǎo duōshaoqián
      这块手表多少钱？
      how much is this wristwatch
A: zhèkuài shǒubiǎo wǔbǎi qīshí kuài qián 
      这块手表五百七十块钱。
      this wristwatch is 570 RMB

However, when answering price in Chinese, the 钱 at the end of the sentence can be omitted. For example:

Q: zhège píngguǒ duōshao qián
      这个苹果多少钱？
      how much is this apple
A: zhège píngguǒ liǎng kuài
      这个苹果两块钱。
      this apple is 2 RMB

Q: zhèbù shǒujī duōshao qián
      这部手机多少钱？
      how much is this cellphone
A: zhèbù shǒujī jiǔbǎi jiǔshíjiǔ kuài
      这部手机九百九十九块钱。
      this cellphone is 999 RMB

Q: zhèkuài shǒubiǎo duōshaoqián
      这块手表多少钱？
      how much is this wristwatch
A: zhèkuài shǒubiǎo wǔbǎi qīshí kuài
      这块手表五百七十块钱。
      this wristwatch is 570 RMB

Also remember the Question Word 几 refers to "an uncertain number that is roughly under 10"? So if you know it's a small price but not sure what number exactly, we can ask how much in Chinese with 几 as well, with this structure:

几 + 块 + 钱 ?

For example:

Q: zhège píngguǒ jǐ kuài qián
      这个苹果几块钱？
      how much is this apple
A: zhège píngguǒ liǎng kuài (qián) 
      这个苹果两块(钱)。
      this apple is 2 RMB

Grammar 4: Two RMB in Chinese  二 VS. 两 (III) · HSK 1

When saying money in Chinese, the price "two RMB" is special. Do we use 二 or 两? The answer is liǎng 两. So we say liǎngkuài 两块, instead of 二块.

So far we've learned three situations where 两 should be used instead of 二.

• 2 o'clock - telling time
• 2 of something - telling the quantity
• 2 RMB - telling the price - this lesson