💧🙏

How to Say ‘Some water, please.’ in Traditional Chinese

請給我一杯水。

qǐng gěi wǒ yī bēi shuǐ

[qǐng gay waw ee bēi shway]

🇹🇼 In Taiwan: Many casual eateries in Taiwan don't serve water at the table. There's often a self-serve water dispenser, so you may be pointed toward it.

Phrase Breakdown

請給我

qǐng gěi wǒ

please give me

請 (please) + 給 (give) + 我 (me) is a polite request. It sounds like qíng géi wǒ because of the 3rd-tone changes.

Example

請給我筷子。

Please give me chopsticks.

Words in this phrase

請

qǐng

[qǐng]

please

Used to make polite requests.

Example

請問你要喝什麼？

May I ask what you would like to drink?

給

gěi

[gay]

to give

Means to give something to someone.

Example

買完東西後，我說「可以給我發票嗎？」

After buying something, I say, "Can you give me a receipt?"

我

wǒ

[waw]

me; I

The pronoun for me or I, depending on the sentence.

Example

如果店員忘了，我會問「可以給我發票嗎？」

If the clerk forgets, I will ask, "Can you give me a receipt?"

一杯水。

yī bēi shuǐ

a glass of water

杯 is the measure word for drinks in cups or glasses. Say yì bēi.

Example

一杯水就好。

Just a glass of water is fine.

Words in this phrase

一

yī

[ee]

one; a/an

The number one; before a classifier or noun, it can mean one single item.

Example

一球就讓全場安靜了。

That one goal made the whole stadium go quiet.

杯

bēi

[bēi]

cup (measure word)

Measure word for drinks served in cups or glasses.

Example

我想喝一杯茶。

I want to drink a cup of tea.

水

shuǐ

[shway]

water

Used for drinking water; a basic and very common noun.

Example

我想喝水，請給我這個水杯。

I want to drink water; please give me this cup.

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