How to Say ‘Where did you buy it?’ in Traditional Chinese
你在哪裡買的？
nǐ zài nǎ lǐ mǎi de
[nǐ zài nǎlǐ my de]
💬 Usage Tip: 在 (zài) + place + verb + 的 (de) asks about something that already happened. You can swap the verb: 你在哪裡剪的？ "where did you get it cut?"
🇹🇼 In Taiwan: Following a compliment with this question is very natural in Taiwan. It turns the praise into friendly small talk, and people are usually happy to share where they shopped.
Phrase Breakdown
你在哪裡
nǐ zài nǎ lǐ
where you (did it)
在哪裡 (zài nǎlǐ) means 'at where.' In Chinese, the place comes before the verb.
你在哪裡工作？
Where do you work?
Words in this phrase
你
nǐ
[nǐ]
you
Refers to the person being spoken to.
你今天看起來很高興。
You look happy today.
在
zài
[zài]
at
A preposition used to indicate a point in time or a location.
我在等你。
I am waiting for you.
哪裡
nǎ lǐ
[nǎlǐ]
where
A question word used to inquire about a place or location.
你的家在哪裡？
Where is your home?
買的？
mǎi de
bought (it)?
買 (mǎi) means to buy. The 是…的 pattern asks about the details of a past action, and here 是 is left out.
這是你買的嗎？
Did you buy this?
Words in this phrase
買
mǎi
[my]
buy
Used when purchasing something.
我要買這個，麻煩你幫我拿。
I want to buy this one; please help me get it for me.
的
de
[de]
emphasis particle (shì...de construction)
Used at the end of a sentence to emphasize the place, time, or manner of a past action.
你是什麼時候來的？
When did you come?
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