I can add someone on WeChat, ask for the Wi-Fi password, send a message, and agree on how to pay: by QR code, by card, or in cash.
Staying in touch and paying: 微信, 上网, 扫码
Staying in touch and paying: 微信, 上网, 扫码
In China almost everything is done on the phone: people chat and pay in 微信 (Wēixìn, WeChat). To someone you've just met you say: 我可以加你的微信吗？(Wǒ kěyǐ jiā nǐ de Wēixìn ma?) — “Can I add you on WeChat?”
There are two words for “online”. 上网 (shàngwǎng) is the verb “to go online”. 网上 (wǎngshang) is the place “online, on the internet”; it goes with 在 before the verb: 在网上买 (zài wǎngshang mǎi) — “to buy online”. Password — 密码 (mìmǎ): Wi-Fi密码 (Wi-Fi mìmǎ).
To send — 发 (fā): 发短信 (fā duǎnxìn) — a text (SMS), 发邮件 (fā yóujiàn) — an email.
Ways to pay: 扫码 (sǎomǎ) — by QR code, 刷卡 (shuākǎ) — by card, 付现金 (fù xiànjīn) — in cash. What you pay with goes before the verb, with the word 用 (yòng) — as in 坐地铁去 (zuò dìtiě qù): first “with what”, then “what I do”: 用手机付 (yòng shǒujī fù). English “pay with my phone” puts it at the end. Ask permission with 可以: 这儿可以扫码吗？(Zhèr kěyǐ sǎomǎ ma?)
Common mistakes:
• ×付用手机 (×fù yòng shǒujī) → 用手机付 (yòng shǒujī fù)
• ×在上网买 (×zài shàngwǎng mǎi) → 在网上买 (zài wǎngshang mǎi)
Staying in touch and paying
On the left, what to do; on the right, how to say it in Chinese.
| What to do | In Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| add someone on WeChat | 加微信 | jiā Wēixìn |
| go online | 上网 | shàngwǎng |
| online | 在网上 | zài wǎngshang |
| password | 密码 | mìmǎ |
| send an SMS | 发短信 | fā duǎnxìn |
| send an email | 发邮件 | fā yóujiàn |
| pay by QR code | 扫码 | sǎomǎ |
| pay by card | 刷卡 | shuākǎ |
| pay in cash | 付现金 | fù xiànjīn |
| pay by phone | 用手机付 | yòng shǒujī fù |
Lesson notes
Staying in touch and paying: 微信, 上网, 扫码
In China almost everything is done on the phone: people chat and pay in 微信 (Wēixìn, WeChat). To someone you've just met you say: 我可以加你的微信吗？(Wǒ kěyǐ jiā nǐ de Wēixìn ma?) — “Can I add you on WeChat?”
There are two words for “online”. 上网 (shàngwǎng) is the verb “to go online”. 网上 (wǎngshang) is the place “online, on the internet”; it goes with 在 before the verb: 在网上买 (zài wǎngshang mǎi) — “to buy online”. Password — 密码 (mìmǎ): Wi-Fi密码 (Wi-Fi mìmǎ).
To send — 发 (fā): 发短信 (fā duǎnxìn) — a text (SMS), 发邮件 (fā yóujiàn) — an email.
Ways to pay: 扫码 (sǎomǎ) — by QR code, 刷卡 (shuākǎ) — by card, 付现金 (fù xiànjīn) — in cash. What you pay with goes before the verb, with the word 用 (yòng) — as in 坐地铁去 (zuò dìtiě qù): first “with what”, then “what I do”: 用手机付 (yòng shǒujī fù). English “pay with my phone” puts it at the end. Ask permission with 可以: 这儿可以扫码吗？(Zhèr kěyǐ sǎomǎ ma?)
Common mistakes:
• ×付用手机 (×fù yòng shǒujī) → 用手机付 (yòng shǒujī fù)
• ×在上网买 (×zài shàngwǎng mǎi) → 在网上买 (zài wǎngshang mǎi)