Traditional Chinese course

Lesson 224 of 240

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A polite complaint in Traditional Chinese

At the 7-Eleven on Banyan Lane, Maya's order comes out wrong. She stays firm and kind: she raises the issue, names the mismatch, and asks for a fix without sounding angry.

Learn six lines for a polite complaint: how to start, how to check, how to ask someone to handle it, and how to request an explanation.

You will use them at the counter with a clerk, while A-Li waits nearby. His soy milk at breakfast is still unfinished; this scene does not explain that.

By the end of this lesson

Complain at a shop politely and ask staff to fix it.

  • 不好意思，我想反應一件事Excuse me, I'd like to raise something.
  • 這個跟我點的不一樣This isn't what I ordered.
  • 可以幫我處理一下嗎？Can you handle this for me?
  • 我不是要抱怨，只是想確認I'm not complaining, just checking.
  • 希望可以改善I hope it can be improved.
  • 麻煩給我一個說法Please give me an explanation.

Scene — a wrong order

Evening light hits the 7-Eleven on Banyan Lane. Maya has a bag of the wrong item in her hands.

The clerk is busy at the microwave, and A-Li stands by the drinks with two stools' worth of space in the aisle.

She will raise the mistake clearly and stay polite. Nobody here is solving a fortune, and A-Li's breakfast drink is a different story.

Evening light fills a Taipei convenience store on a banyan lane as Maya stands with a plastic bag of the wrong item, a clerk works the microwave, and A-Li occupies two stools by the drinks.

Learn — a polite complaint

These six lines help you complain without sounding harsh. Listen, then say each one.

Notice how Taiwan Mandarin softens a request with 一下 and starts with 不好意思.

  1. Maya steps toward the counter with one hand raised politely and the wrong bag in the other, while A-Li sits on two stools by the drinks.

    不好意思，我想反應一件事

    Excuse me, I'd like to raise something.

    When to use it: Use this to open a shop problem without sounding angry.

    反映 reports an issue; 反應 means a reaction, not a report.

    Say it: 一 takes a rising tone before the fourth-tone syllable 件.

  2. Maya lifts the convenience-store bag to show the clerk that the contents are not what was ordered.

    這個跟我點的不一樣

    This isn't what I ordered.

    When to use it: Use this when the item in your hand is not your order.

    跟…不一樣 compares this item with what you ordered.

  3. Maya holds the wrong bag out across the counter toward the clerk, asking with posture for the clerk to take care of it.

    可以幫我處理一下嗎？

    Can you handle this for me?

    When to use it: Use this to ask staff to fix the problem for you.

    一下 after the verb softens the request so it does not sound sharp.

  4. Maya stands with open calming hands beside the bag on the counter, making clear this is a check rather than a scolding, while A-Li watches from two stools.

    我不是要抱怨，只是想確認

    I'm not complaining, just checking.

    When to use it: Use this to soften the moment when you only want to check.

    不是要…只是想… rejects a harsh reading and states your real aim.

  5. Maya clasps both hands at the chest and leans forward with hope toward the clerk at the microwave.

    希望可以改善

    I hope it can be improved.

    When to use it: Use this after a fix, when you want the shop to do better next time.

    可以 here is about a possible change, not asking permission.

  6. Maya waits at the counter with one palm open toward the clerk, calm and firm, while A-Li sits on two stools in the aisle.

    麻煩給我一個說法

    Please give me an explanation.

    When to use it: Use this when you need a clear account of what went wrong.

    說法 here is an account of what happened, not a speaking style.

Story — at the 7-Eleven

Maya is at the 7-Eleven with the wrong order. Listen to how she stays firm and kind at the counter.

A-Li is in the aisle. He does not take over, and the fortune slip stays out of this errand.

  1. Clerk歡迎光臨，要加熱嗎？Welcome, would you like it heated?
  2. Maya好，謝謝。Yes, thanks.
  3. Clerk來，給你。Here you go.
  4. Maya不好意思，我想反應一件事。Excuse me, I'd like to raise something.
  5. Clerk怎麼了？What's wrong?
  6. Maya這個跟我點的不一樣。This isn't what I ordered.
  7. The clerk looks inside the bag.
  8. Clerk這樣喔，我對一下。Oh, I'll check it.
  9. Maya我不是要抱怨，只是想確認。I'm not complaining, just checking.
  10. Clerk不好意思，真的拿錯了。Sorry, we did grab the wrong one.
  11. Maya可以幫我處理一下嗎？Can you handle this for me?
  12. Clerk好，我馬上幫你換。Okay, I'll exchange it for you right away.
  13. Maya麻煩給我一個說法。Please give me an explanation.
  14. Clerk是我們看錯口味了。We read the flavor wrong.
  15. Maya希望可以改善。I hope it can be improved.
  16. Clerk好喔，我們會注意。Okay, we'll be more careful.
  17. A-Li你講得很清楚。You put that very clearly.
  18. Maya謝謝。Thank you.

Practice — ask for a fix

Work through eleven short tasks on raising a problem and asking for a fix. Pick the line that fits each moment.

Read why an option is wrong, then say the right line out loud.

0 of 11 done

  1. What does it mean?

    不好意思，我想反應一件事

  2. What do you say?

    Which sentence directly states that this item is not what you ordered?

  3. What did you hear?

  4. What did you hear?

  5. Build the line

    I hope it can be improved.

    Tap the words in order.

  6. Swap the word

    You want a clear account of the mistake, not just any answer.

    麻煩給我一個____

  7. Pick the reply

    Clerk says:

    對，拿錯了。要我怎麼幫你？

    Yes, we grabbed the wrong one. How can I help you?

    And you reply with:

  8. Match the pairs

    Traditional Chinese

    不好意思，我想反應一件事Drop the English here
    這個跟我點的不一樣Drop the English here
    希望可以改善Drop the English here
    麻煩給我一個說法Drop the English here

    English

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

  9. What do you say?

    Get the clerk's attention with a short excuse-me only. Do not name the wrong item yet.

  10. What do you say?

    You have the wrong item and want to know if the shop will exchange it.

  11. Pick the reply

    Clerk says:

    已經幫你換好了。

    I've already exchanged it for you.

    And you reply with:

Say it — your complaint

You play Maya at the 7-Eleven. The clerk has given you the wrong item. Listen to each cue, then speak.

Tap the microphone. You can replay the clerk before your turn.

  1. Maya is at the counter with the wrong item in the bag.
  2. Maya (you)Raise the issue politely with the clerk.

    不好意思，我想反應一件事

    Excuse me, I'd like to raise something.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

Traditional ChineseEnglish
不好意思，我想反應一件事Excuse me, I'd like to raise something.
這個跟我點的不一樣This isn't what I ordered.
可以幫我處理一下嗎？Can you handle this for me?
我不是要抱怨，只是想確認I'm not complaining, just checking.
希望可以改善I hope it can be improved.
麻煩給我一個說法Please give me an explanation.
Next: lesson 225The repair argument

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Today's polite complaint lines are in Yak Cards with more shop phrases for a firm, kind request.

Review a few complaint cards before your next errand so the wording stays calm.

Open Yak Cards