# Could I have a bag, please?



## yuechu

大家好！

I have a question about a fairly simple sentence in Chinese: "Could I have a bag, please?" (in a Chinese grocery store)
Actually, I know of many translations but I'm not sure which sentence is most commonly used by Chinese people. Would anyone know?
Thanks!


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## SimonTsai

請問我能要一個袋子嗎？


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## philchinamusical

@SimonTsai 's translation is correct, yet quite formal. Usually we'd say "（请）给我一个塑料袋/袋子，谢谢。"


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## SimonTsai

I sincerely did not realise that someone would find it formal. Maybe I am used to being formal, or courteous, or pretentious.

塑膠袋 is much commoner than 塑料袋 here.


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## philchinamusical

SimonTsai said:


> I sincerely did not realise that someone would find it formal


Sorry, I didn't make myself clear. I assume @yuechu is talking about how to express it in mainland Mandarin. And that's how we usually express it.

I'm sure what you said is very common in Taiwan and where you are living now. I've been to Taiwan before, and I found though it's not difficult for us to understand each other, the wording can be quite different. Like "塑胶" and "塑料", "软体" and "软件", "管道" and "渠道"...


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## yuechu

I am interested in how it is said in both regions, so thank you both for your help!


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## SimonTsai

yuechu said:


> I am interested in how it is said in both regions.


@philchinamusical's expression in post 2 would also be fine in Taiwan.

The difference between our expressions is mainly the degree of politeness: While both sound refined, mine is more courteous because it is a question in form rather than a sentence in the imperative.


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## philchinamusical

I agree with this a bit. When I was in Taiwan, I saw people say "thank you" to the bus driver when they took the rides, even they don't know each other. It's rarely seen here in mainland China. But if @yuechu do speak to the cashier or shop assistant here in that way, perhaps will get some friendly-weird look from them.


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## SimonTsai

philchinamusical said:


> When I was in Taiwan, I saw people say "thank you" to the bus driver when they took the rides, even they don't know each other.


Actually, in Taiwan, people used to saying 'Thank you' to bus drivers are not the majority: I myself usually simply nod or do nothing.


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## Skatinginbc

In Vancouver, the overwhelming majority of people say "thank you" to the bus driver when getting off the bus, so I feel socially obliged to do so and think it is considered rude if I don't.


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## philchinamusical

SimonTsai said:


> Actually, in Taiwan, people used to saying 'Thank you' to bus drivers is not the majority: I myself usually simply nod or do nothing.


Really? I spent only 5 days in Taiwan. Perhaps my memory is tricking me somehow...


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## SimonTsai

@philchinamusical, really.

And since this is not the topic, let us end the discussion.


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## yingmin

i dont think chinese people have a most common way to express this.
basically, we just say "我想要一个塑料袋，（谢谢）"  “（请）给我一个塑料袋，谢谢” "（请）给我一个袋子，谢谢" “一个袋子，谢谢”
as long as you get your message across, it doesnt matter which way to say.
by the way, in mainland china, we dont necessarily say THANK YOU or PLEASE.
You can simply just smile, and that would make you looks friendly.


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## brofeelgood

SimonTsai said:


> 請問我能要一個袋子嗎？


That's also what I'd say.

As for taking buses, I always greet the driver with 'Guten Morgen/Tag/Abend' when I board, but only when I do so at the front door. Otherwise (when you get in from the rear door, which is allowed), it's just a friendly wave... or mostly not.

When you get off the bus, it's usually through the rear door (you're supposed to), and unless you yell out like an imbecile, which is obviously rude, the driver's not going to notice, or even care.


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## yuechu

Oh, that's good to know that some Chinese people say it like that, because I'm used to using polite expressions because of English and French.
谢谢大家的帮助！


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## Skatinginbc

brofeelgood said:


> When you get off the bus, it's usually through the rear door (you're supposed to), and unless you yell out like an imbecile, which is obviously rude, the driver's not going to notice, or even care.


As stupid as it may seem, many Vancouverites literally "_yell out like an imbecile_" when they get off the bus through the rear door.


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## NewAmerica

The context is the key.

In mainland China you don't need to say anything, because the seller of a grocery store usually friendly puts the items you buy into a bag and then hands it to you. If s/he forgot it and you reminded her/him, s/he would be a bit embarrassed because s/he knows it is their responsibility. An expression 請問我能要一個袋子嗎？would sound sarcastic, making her/him feel that you're ridiculing her/him as if you criticize them that they don't serve you well.

So if you express that you want a bag, it would mean you want an extra bag. In that case, "来个袋子“ would be fine, no Please or Thank you is required. You'd better pay for it, because in big grocery stores (supermarkets) the law reqires people to pay for the bags (and why not small stores?), and because, you know, "Money talks, bullshit walks" is a nasty truth in mainland China, especially for these micro businessmen and businesswomen.


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## brofeelgood

Skatinginbc said:


> As stupid as it may seem, many Vancouverites literally "_yell out like an imbecile_" when they get off the bus through the rear door.


Vancouver just made my bucket list. This I've got to see.


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## philchinamusical

NewAmerica said:


> In mainland China you don't need to say anything, because the seller of a grocery store usually friendly puts the items you buy into a bag and then hands it to you


Sorry but I have to say this is something you would only see ten years ago. Because starting from June, 2008, China has released a law banning complimentary plastic bags in groceries, supermarkets. Nowadays, you'll have to pay RMB 0.2~0.7 for the plastic bags, depending on the size of the bag.

I am sure there are some small stores still providing complimentary ones, like the one near my apartment where I go to buy Pepsi. But it's not a common case, at least in big cities.

So what's happening now in the supermarket or most of the groceries, is that the cashiers will always ask you if you want plastic bags or not. If you say yes, then they will include the charge of the bags into the bills.


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## NewAmerica

philchinamusical said:


> Sorry but I have to say this is something you would only see ten years ago.



  Have you read through my post before posting yours?:



NewAmerica said:


> in big grocery stores (supermarkets) the law reqires people to pay for the bags (and why not small stores?),  .



   The above clearly points out that in supermarkets in mainland China the law requires people to pay for the bag. The cashier would sometimes ask whether you want a bag, if you nod or say yes, then a bag will be added to your items and be charged. Whether a cashier asks you or not, depends on the items you buy.

  Your reaction reminds me of the fact that you don't have a clear picture of what is a grocery store. Here's Wikipedia's entry for it. There are countless grocery stores operating in an area from 10-100 square meters in mainland China,  in which:



> you don't need to say anything, because the seller of a grocery store usually friendly puts the items you buy into a bag and then hands it to you. If s/he forgot it and you reminded her/him, s/he would be a bit embarrassed because s/he knows it is their responsibility. An expression 請問我能要一個袋子嗎？would sound sarcastic, making her/him feel that you're ridiculing her/him as if you criticize them that they don't serve you well.



   With an only 10-100 square meter operating area, some owners still love to label their stores as "supermarkets." In such mini-supermarkets, a bag is a free offer as I've said abvoe.


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## philchinamusical

@NewAmerica I see. Sorry for the misunderstanding.


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