1. Is it under warranty?
有保修期吗?
Under warranty是指“在保修期间”。 购买电视、冰箱之类的东西都有保修期(warranty),表示在一定时间内出故障的话,将给予免费修理的一种承诺。
——At a service station——
A: What's wrong with my car?
B: There's a problem with the radiator.
A: Oh, yeah? Is it under warranty?
B: I think so.
——在汽车维修站——
A: 我的车哪里出问题了?
B: 冷却器有问题。
A: 哦,是吗?在保修范围吧?
B: 我想是吧。
2. It will cost you an arm and a leg.
这会让你花很多钱。
这句话照字面解释是“这会让你花掉一双胳膊和一条腿”,听起来真是可怕。其实这句话的意思是指“非常贵”。
A: How much do you think it will cost to repair this car?
B: It will cost you an arm and a leg.
A: Pardon me?
B: I mean it will cost you a bundle.
A: Oh, I see.
A: 修理这辆车,你看需要多少钱?
B: 大概需要一双胳膊和一条腿。
A: 你说什么?
B: 我的意思是要花很多钱。A: 噢,我知道了。
3. Can you break this?
这钱你能换开吗?
请对方换零钱时,可以说Can you break this? 或者Can I have change for this? 如果对方嫌麻烦,不愿意换零钱给你,就用could 代替can,在句尾加上please。语气就会变得非常客气恭维,提高换零钱的成功率。
A: Can you break a $100 bill?
B: Sorry I can't.
A: Could I have change for this one, then? I want to make a phone call.
B: Surely.
A: 一百元大钞你换得开吗?
B: 对不起,我没办法。
A:这一张换得开吗?我打电话用。
B: 没问题。
4. I can't tell fake from real.
真假难辨。
Tell A from B是“分辨A和B”的意思。“我分不清真假。”这句话,除了I can't tell fake from real, 还可以说成I can't distinguish between fake and real。
A: Your money tested fake.
B: You mean this is funny money? You gotta be kidding.
A: No, I'm not kidding. My machine says it's a counterfeit bill. These days they make fake money so well that you can't tell fake from real just by looking at them.
A: 你的钱经检验是假钞。
B: 你是说这是假钞?你在开玩笑吧。
A: 不,我不是开玩笑。我的机器显示这是伪钞。最近伪钞近乎真钞,用肉眼是难辨真伪的。
5. It's selling like hot cakes.
这很热卖。
我们称销售情况很好为“畅销”或“俏卖”,用英语表达是sell like hot cakes(或hot dogs), 也就是说“销路就像刚出炉的蛋糕,很抢手”。如果东西很热,就是畅销商品,英文是hot item或者hot number。
A: Have you read The Bridge of Madison County?
B: No. What kind of book is it?
A: It's a short novel that's selling like hot cakes in the United States.
B: Really? I think I'll read it.
A: 你读过《廊桥遗梦》吗?
B: 没有。是本什么样的书呢?
A: 是短篇小说,在美国非常畅销。
B: 真的?我想我该读一读了。
6. Don't be penny wise and pound foolish.
不要因小失大。
与“便宜没好货”意思相近的英语,就是penny wise and pound foolish,意思是“小处节约,大处浪费 ”,也就是“因小失大”。
A: Never buy that no-name brand gas for your car.
B: Why? It's cheaper.
A:I know, but don't be penny wise and pound foolish. The cheap gas will ruin your car's engine in the long run.
B: Oh, yeah?
A: 绝对不要为你的车买那些没有品牌的汽油。
B: 为什么?便宜得多啊。
A: 我知道,但是不要因小失大。到头来廉价汽油会损坏汽车引擎。
B: 哦,是这样?
7. This is highway robbery!
这根本就是抢劫!
这是指物价哄抬过高的用语,相同意思的还有This is a rip-off,意思是“这是欺骗、敲竹杠。”也就是指物价太贵或者购买了劣质品。
A: Hey, look at these prices. Sixty-five dollars for a necktie? This is highway robbery!
B: You're right. What a rip-off! Let's go to some other place.
A: Ok. I know a place down the street that sells ties for half the price this place does.
A: 喂,你看看这些标价,一条领带65美元?简直和强盗没两样。
B: 是啊,简直是敲竹杠!到别的地方看看吧。
A: 好吧。我知道这条街上有一个地方卖的领带价格是这里的一半。
8. I think I'll shop around.
我逛逛。
在美国,即使是同样的东西,只要去逛逛其他百货公司,就可能买到比较便宜的折价品。为了买到物美价廉的东西而到处逛,美国人称为shop around.
A: You got a brand-new car. How much did you pay for it?
B: $17,500.
A: That much? Did you shop around?
B: Yes. I called five dealers and this dealer in Chinatown offered the lowest price.
A: 你买新车了,花了多少钱?
B: 17,500美元。
A: 那么贵呀?你打听过价钱吗?
A: 有啊,我打电话给五家经销店,只有唐人街的经销店叫价最便宜。
9. Will that be all?
就这些吗?
美国人说的Will that be all? 意思是“这是全部吗?”也就是在询问“还要别的东西吗?”回答时,只要说Yes或者That's it就行了。
A: Will that be all?
B: That's it.
A: Cash or charge?
B: Cash.
A: All right. That will be $25.56.
A: 就这些吗?
B: 就这些。
A: 付现还是刷卡?
B: 付现。
A: 好的,总共是25.56美元。
10. It's dirt cheap.
好便宜。
美国人用dirt cheap 来形容价钱很便宜,意思是像土一样便宜。very cheap也是“很便宜”的意思,但是说dirt cheap,会让人觉得更便宜。
A: Do you have any plans for this weekend?
B: I think I'll take my wife to Las Vegas. Hotel rooms are dirt cheap in the city these days.
A: Really?
B: Yeah. Look at this ad. Only $30 for a double room. The price includes show tickets and buffet breakfast for two!
A: 这个周末你有什么计划吗?
B: 我想带太太去拉斯维加斯。最近,拉斯维加斯的住宿费非常便宜。
A: 是吗?
B: 是啊,看看这个广告,双人房才30美元。这个价钱还包括两个人看表演的门票和自助式早餐。