Simplified Chinese course

Lesson 223 of 240

New here? This is lesson 223 of a free 240-lesson Simplified Chinese course.

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Persuade someone in Simplified Chinese

Maya wants Auntie Lin to add oat milk at Banyan Breakfast. Lin worries that regulars will not like it, and A-Li keeps sipping his unfinished soy milk.

Learn how to make a case, answer an objection, and ask for a decision. You will open with a polite pitch, list benefits, and lower the risk of trying.

Then practise the lines and play Maya as she talks Lin into one small test.

By the end of this lesson

Make a case, answer objections, and ask someone for a decision.

  • 我想说服你试试看I'd like to persuade you to try.
  • 与其等，不如现在做Rather than wait, do it now.
  • 这样做有三个好处There are three benefits to doing this.
  • 你的顾虑我明白I understand your concerns.
  • 试一次也没什么损失There's not much to lose by trying it once.
  • 你觉得呢？What do you think?

Scene — oat milk at breakfast

Late morning at Banyan Breakfast. Maya stands at the counter with a carton idea, while Auntie Lin wipes the till and watches the regulars.

A-Li sits on two stools with soy milk he still has not finished. Maya wants Lin to try oat milk, not to settle any fortune.

Late-morning Banyan Breakfast with Maya at the counter holding a carton, Auntie Lin wiping the till, and A-Li the yak on two stools with unfinished soy milk.

Learn — lines for a pitch

These six lines help you pitch an idea without sounding pushy. Listen, then say each one out loud.

Notice how you name the worry first, then list benefits and ask what they think.

  1. Maya leans over the counter and offers a carton to Auntie Lin, who has paused mid-wipe at the till.

    我想说服你试试看

    I'd like to persuade you to try.

    When to use it: Open a polite pitch when you want someone to try your idea.

    说服 is to talk someone into a choice, and 试试看 keeps the ask small.

  2. Maya steps closer and sweeps one hand forward while holding a carton, urging Auntie Lin to act now.

    与其等，不如现在做

    Rather than wait, do it now.

    When to use it: Use this to reject delay and push for action now.

    与其 names the weaker option, and 不如 names the better one.

  3. Maya tucks the carton in one elbow and counts benefits on her fingers while Auntie Lin leans in over the counter.

    这样做有三个好处

    There are three benefits to doing this.

    When to use it: Say this before you list reasons that support the plan.

    个 is the measure word, so benefits are counted as 三个好处.

  4. Maya sets the carton down and turns an open palm toward Auntie Lin, who rests a worried hand on the soy-milk urn.

    你的顾虑我明白

    I understand your concerns.

    When to use it: Say this after an objection, before you answer the worry.

    The worry 你的顾虑 comes first, then 我明白 shows you heard it.

  5. Maya shrugs and tips the carton as a low-stakes offer while Auntie Lin considers and A-Li the yak turns to an unfinished cup.

    试一次也没什么损失

    There's not much to lose by trying it once.

    When to use it: Use this to lower the risk when someone still hesitates.

    也没什么 means there is hardly any downside, which softens the claim.

    Say it: 么 in 没什么 is a light neutral tone.

  6. Maya faces Auntie Lin with both palms open and her head tilted, waiting, while Auntie Lin holds a clean cup and looks back.

    你觉得呢？

    What do you think?

    When to use it: Ask this at the end of a pitch when you want a decision.

    呢 invites their view; it is not a yes-no 吗 question.

    Say it: 呢 is a light neutral tone after 觉得.

Story — talking Lin into a trial

Listen as Maya tries to talk Auntie Lin into oat milk. Lin has real worries about taste and leftover stock.

A-Li stays at the back table with his soy milk still unfinished.

  1. Auntie Lin美女，来啦！今天还是老样子吗？Hey, beautiful! The usual today?
  2. Maya阿姨，我想说服你试试看燕麦奶。Auntie, I'd like to persuade you to try oat milk.
  3. Auntie Lin燕麦奶？店里豆浆不是有了吗？Oat milk? We already have soy milk, don't we?
  4. Maya你的顾虑我明白。I understand your concerns.
  5. Auntie Lin客人万一觉得怪，怎么办？What if customers find it weird?
  6. Maya这样做有三个好处。There are three benefits to doing this.
  7. Auntie Lin哪三个？你讲清楚一点。Which three? Spell them out a bit.
  8. Maya有人不喝牛奶，口感比较顺，也可以加在红茶里。Some people skip cow's milk, the taste is smoother, and it also works in black tea.
  9. A-Li豆浆我还没喝完。I still haven't finished my soy milk.
  10. Auntie Lin阿犛你喝你的。进货万一卖不掉呢？A-Li, you drink yours. What if the stock doesn't sell?
  11. Maya试一次也没什么损失。There's not much to lose by trying it once.
  12. Auntie Lin那我再看看，下个月再说吧。Then I'll look again; let's talk next month.
  13. Maya与其等，不如现在做。Rather than wait, do it now.
  14. Auntie Lin现在就订？我连哪一家都还没问。Order right now? I haven't even asked a supplier yet.
  15. Maya你可以试试看，先买一小盒就好。You can give it a try; just buy a small carton first.
  16. Auntie Lin你觉得值得吗？Do you think it's worth it?
  17. Maya我觉得这是个好主意。你觉得呢？I think it's a good idea. What do you think?
  18. Auntie Lin好啦，我周末先买一盒回来试。All right, I'll buy a carton this weekend and try it.
  19. Maya好喔，谢谢阿姨！Great, thanks, Auntie!
  20. A-Li那豆浆还是留给我。Then leave the soy milk for me.

Practice — make your case

Work through short tasks that reuse the pitch. Match meanings, fill gaps, and pick the line that fits.

After each answer, read why the other options fail, then say the line again.

0 of 11 done

  1. What does it mean?

    我想说服你试试看

  2. What do you say?

    Auntie Lin worries that regulars will hate oat milk. Show you heard her worry.

  3. Fill the gap

    Rather than wait, do it now.

    ____等，不如现在做

  4. What did you hear?

  5. Build the line

    There's not much to lose by trying it once.

    Tap the words in order.

  6. Pick the reply

    Auntie Lin says:

    你觉得燕麦奶这个主意怎么样？

    What do you think of the oat milk idea?

    And you reply with:

  7. Swap the word

    You want Auntie Lin to try oat milk. Pick the word that means you are talking her into it.

    我想____你试试看

  8. Match the pairs

    Simplified Chinese

    与其等，不如现在做Drop the English here
    这样做有三个好处Drop the English here
    你的顾虑我明白Drop the English here
    你觉得呢？Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Simplified Chinese, or tap one and then the other.

  9. What do you say?

    Auntie Lin will not order a full case yet. Tell her she can give a small trial a go.

  10. What does it mean?

    你觉得值得吗？

  11. Build the line

    I think it's a good idea.

    Tap the words in order.

Say it — your pitch

You play Maya at the counter. Listen to Auntie Lin, then say the pitch out loud.

Tap the microphone for each turn. You can replay her line before you answer.

  1. Maya brings up oat milk at the Banyan Breakfast counter.
  2. Maya (you)Open by asking Auntie Lin to let you talk her into a trial.

    我想说服你试试看

    I'd like to persuade you to try.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

Simplified ChineseEnglish
我想说服你试试看I'd like to persuade you to try.
与其等，不如现在做Rather than wait, do it now.
这样做有三个好处There are three benefits to doing this.
你的顾虑我明白I understand your concerns.
试一次也没什么损失There's not much to lose by trying it once.
你觉得呢？What do you think?
Next: lesson 224A polite complaint

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Today's pitch lines are in Yak Cards with more phrases for making a case.

Review a few persuasion cards each day so the pitch comes easily.

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