Module 3: Working with Foreign Colleagues

Language Focus

Language Focus 6 : Useful vocabulary and phrases

The dialog contains many phrases that can be useful in conversations between traders and customers.

 

How much is _______________?
How much is this?
Could you give us a discount?
I’m sorry, but the silver price is fixed.
I might be able to deduct a certain percentage.
What percentage discount could you offer?
I could offer ten percent, if you bought ….
Do you take credit cards?
No, I’m sorry. It has to be cash.
Can we get them engraved?
I will _________________ free of charge, if you wish.
As you wish.
Here you are. (handing something)

 

What’s the interest in the ____________? (Why are you interested?)
It sounds promising. = it might be good/possible
It’s a bit over. = a little bit more than
What did you have in mind? = What are you thinking or considering?
silverware n. = items made of silver
weigh v. = to check or measure how heavy something is
genuine adj. = real (not a fake or copy)
exchange rate = the amount that the banks will give in local currency for foreign currency
coughs up v. = pays the money (informal idiom)
engrave v. = write onto metal by scratching the letters/words/numbers


Discussion

Have you ever bought things at Chatuchak?
What kind of bartering have you experienced?
Do you think the visitors got a good deal?
Was the trader an honest one?
Would you have handled this situation in a similar way? (as traders or buyers)
How might you have done it differently?
Do you have any suggestions or questions about other possible language to use?

 

Part 2

Audio ClipNow listen again and choose the correct answers to these questions:

 


Discussion

Can you summarize the problems that the guest encountered on his visit to the hotel?
Has anything like this ever happened to you?
Was each problem resolved to his satisfaction?
What would you have done?