Hosting a successful yard sale means making all potential customers feel welcome and able to communicate with you. In many neighborhoods across America, you might encounter shoppers who speak Spanish or Chinese as their primary language. Learning a few key phrases can help you connect with these customers, create a more inclusive atmosphere, and potentially increase your sales. Below are essential yard sale phrases in English, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese, along with pronunciation guides to help you communicate effectively.
Welcoming Phrases
Pricing and Negotiation
Shopping Experience
Closing the Sale
Special Offers
Tips for Using These Phrases
Welcoming Phrases
English: "Welcome to our yard sale!"
Spanish: "¡Bienvenido a nuestra venta de garaje!"
Pronunciation: bee-en-veh-NEE-doh ah noo-EHS-trah VEN-tah deh gah-RAH-heh
Chinese: "欢迎来到我们的院子售卖会！" (Huānyíng lái dào wǒmen de yuànzi shòumài huì!)
Pronunciation: hwan-ying lai dao wo-men duh yuan-zuh show-my hway
We love using Google Translate to help us communicate with others who speak a different language. It is free to use and you can hear how it should sound in the other language.
You can also use translation apps on your smart phone or use a language translator device.
Pricing and Negotiation
English: "How much is this?"
Spanish: "¿Cuánto cuesta esto?"
Pronunciation: KWAN-toh KWES-tah ES-toh
Chinese: "这个多少钱？" (Zhège duōshǎo qián?)
Pronunciation: jay-guh dwoh-shao chyen
English: "The price is $5."
Spanish: "El precio es cinco dólares."
Pronunciation: el PREH-see-oh es SINK-oh DOH-lah-res
Chinese: "价格是五美元。" (Jiàgé shì wǔ měiyuán.)
Pronunciation: jyah-guh shih woo may-yuan
English: "Would you take $3?"
Spanish: "¿Aceptaría tres dólares?"
Pronunciation: ah-sep-tah-REE-ah trays DOH-lah-res
Chinese: "你能接受三美元吗？" (Nǐ néng jiēshòu sān měiyuán ma?)
Pronunciation: nee nung jyeh-show san may-yuan ma
English: "I can do $4."
Spanish: "Puedo aceptar cuatro dólares."
Pronunciation: PWEH-doh ah-sep-TAR KWAT-roh DOH-lah-res
Chinese: "我可以四美元成交。" (Wǒ kěyǐ sì měiyuán chéngjiāo.)
Pronunciation: woh kuh-yee suh may-yuan chung-jyao
Shopping Experience
English: "Feel free to look around."
Spanish: "Siéntase libre de mirar alrededor."
Pronunciation: see-EN-tah-seh LEE-breh deh mee-RAR al-reh-deh-DOR
Chinese: "请随便看看。" (Qǐng suíbiàn kàn kan.)
Pronunciation: ching sway-byen kan kan
English: "Let me know if you have any questions."
Spanish: "Avíseme si tiene alguna pregunta."
Pronunciation: ah-VEE-seh-meh see tee-EN-eh al-GOO-nah preh-GUN-tah
Chinese: "如果你有问题，请告诉我。" (Rúguǒ nǐ yǒu wèntí, qǐng gàosu wǒ.)
Pronunciation: roo-gwoh nee yo when-tee, ching gao-soo woh
English: "Would you like a bag?"
Spanish: "¿Le gustaría una bolsa?"
Pronunciation: leh goo-stah-REE-ah OO-nah BOL-sah
Chinese: "你需要袋子吗？" (Nǐ xūyào dàizi ma?)
Pronunciation: nee shoo-yao die-zuh ma
Closing the Sale
English: "Thank you for your purchase!"
Spanish: "¡Gracias por su compra!"
Pronunciation: GRAH-see-ahs por soo COM-prah
Chinese: "谢谢惠顾！" (Xièxie huìgù!)
Pronunciation: shyeh-shyeh hway-goo
English: "Have a nice day!"
Spanish: "¡Que tenga un buen día!"
Pronunciation: keh TENG-gah oon BWEN DEE-ah
Chinese: "祝你有美好的一天！" (Zhù nǐ yǒu měihǎo de yītiān!)
Pronunciation: joo nee yo may-hao duh ee-tyen
Special Offers
English: "Everything on this table is half price."
Spanish: "Todo en esta mesa está a mitad de precio."
Pronunciation: TOH-doh en ES-tah MEH-sah es-TAH ah mee-TAHD deh PREH-see-oh
Chinese: "这张桌子上的所有东西都半价。" (Zhè zhāng zhuōzi shàng de suǒyǒu dōngxī dōu bànjià.)
Pronunciation: jay jahng jwoh-zuh shang duh swoh-yo dong-she doh ban-jyah
English: "Buy two, get one free."
Spanish: "Compre dos, lleve uno gratis."
Pronunciation: KOM-preh dohs, YEH-veh OO-noh GRAH-tees
Chinese: "买二送一。" (Mǎi èr sòng yī.)
Pronunciation: my arr song ee
Tips for Using These Phrases
-
Keep it simple: Use basic sentence structures and speak clearly and slowly.
-
Have a translation card: Consider printing this list and keeping it handy during your sale.
-
Use visual aids: Point to items and show prices on a calculator or written down to avoid confusion.
-
Learn numbers first: If you only have time to learn a few phrases, focus on numbers 1-10 in each language.
-
Be patient and smile: A friendly attitude transcends language barriers and creates a welcoming atmosphere.
By making the effort to communicate with customers in their preferred language, you're not only potentially increasing your sales but also creating a more inclusive community experience. Even if your pronunciation isn't perfect, most shoppers will appreciate your effort to connect across language differences.
