Traditional Chinese course

Lesson 227 of 240

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Accepting a complaint in Traditional Chinese

Auntie Lin puts you behind the counter for a busy morning at Banyan Breakfast. A customer comes back with the wrong order, and you have to take the complaint.

Learn six formal lines for a sincere apology, taking the blame, fixing the order at once, and offering the replacement on the house.

A-Li sits at the back with his soy milk still unfinished. The fortune slip stays in the till; this morning is only about the order.

By the end of this lesson

Receive a wrong-order complaint, apologise formally, take the blame, and put it right.

  • 真的很抱歉造成您的不便I'm very sorry for the inconvenience.
  • 我們馬上為您處理We'll handle it for you right away.
  • 這是我們的疏忽This was our oversight.
  • 我幫您換一份I'll replace it for you.
  • 下次不會再發生了It won't happen again.
  • 這份算我們的This one's on us.

Scene — a wrong plate

Saturday morning at Banyan Breakfast is packed. Auntie Lin asks Maya to stand behind the counter and take orders while she fries egg pancakes.

A regular comes back holding a plate that is not what they asked for. A-Li watches from two stools, soy milk still full. Nobody opens the fortune slip.

A packed Saturday-morning breakfast shop with Maya behind the counter, Auntie Lin frying egg pancakes, a regular returning with the wrong plate, and A-Li the yak watching from stools beside a full soy-milk cup.

Learn — taking the complaint

These six lines help you receive a complaint at the counter. Listen, then say each one out loud.

Notice 您: it is rare in daily chat, but natural when you apologise to a customer.

  1. Maya behind the counter bows in apology toward the regular who still holds the mismatched plate of turnip cake.

    真的很抱歉造成您的不便

    I'm very sorry for the inconvenience.

    When to use it: Use this after a customer has already been put out.

    您 is the polite you for a customer in a formal apology.

  2. Maya reaches across the counter to take charge of the wrong order while the regular holds the plate out.

    我們馬上為您處理

    We'll handle it for you right away.

    When to use it: Say this as soon as you accept the complaint, before you fix it.

    為您 marks that the action is done for the customer.

    Say it: 為 means “for you” here and is second tone.

  3. Maya owns the mistake with a hand on the chest while the regular points at the turnip cake on the plate.

    這是我們的疏忽

    This was our oversight.

    When to use it: Use this to own the mistake instead of arguing.

    疏忽 is a noun for a slip; 是 links it to the shop.

  4. Maya takes the wrong plate from the regular to replace it while Auntie Lin starts a fresh egg pancake.

    我幫您換一份

    I'll replace it for you.

    When to use it: Offer this when the food itself is wrong and needs replacing.

    一份 is the measure word for one serving of a dish.

    Say it: Before a falling fourth-tone word, 一 rises to a second tone.

  5. Maya faces the regular with a firm nod and a steady raised palm, promising by posture that the mix-up will not be repeated.

    下次不會再發生了

    It won't happen again.

    When to use it: Use this to close the apology after you have started the fix.

    再 plus 不 means the same thing will not happen another time.

  6. Maya slides a complimentary fresh egg pancake to the regular and gently turns a closed wallet back.

    這份算我們的

    This one's on us.

    When to use it: Waive the charge after you replace the wrong order.

    算我們的 means the shop covers this serving, not a random gift.

Story — Maya behind the counter

Listen as Maya covers the counter and a customer returns a wrong plate. She apologises, takes the blame, and puts it right.

Auntie Lin stays close. A-Li's soy milk is still untouched.

  1. Auntie Lin美女，今天你幫我顧櫃台。Beautiful, you watch the counter for me today.
  2. Maya好喔。Okay.
  3. A customer comes back holding the wrong plate.
  4. Customer小姐，不好意思。Excuse me, miss.
  5. Maya您好，怎麼了？Hello — what's wrong?
  6. Customer我點的是蛋餅，不是這個。I ordered an egg pancake, not this.
  7. Maya真的很抱歉造成您的不便。I'm very sorry for the inconvenience.
  8. Customer這個是蘿蔔糕。This is turnip cake.
  9. Maya這是我們的疏忽。This was our oversight.
  10. Auntie Lin瑪雅，你幫她換一份。Maya, replace a serving for her.
  11. Maya我們馬上為您處理。We'll handle it for you right away.
  12. Maya我幫您換一份。I'll replace it for you.
  13. Customer謝謝。Thank you.
  14. Maya這份算我們的。This one's on us.
  15. Customer真的嗎？不用啦。Really? You don't have to.
  16. Maya下次不會再發生了。It won't happen again.
  17. Customer沒關係。It's okay.
  18. Auntie Lin小姐，請坐一下。Miss, please sit for a moment.
  19. A-Li換一份就好了。Replacing one serving is enough.
  20. Auntie Lin阿犛，你那杯豆漿還在。A-Li, that cup of soy milk of yours is still there.
  21. A-Li我知道，還沒喝完。I know, I still haven't finished it.

Practice — fix the order

Try nine short exercises on these apology and fix-it lines. Pick the line that fits each moment at the counter.

After each answer, read why the others fail, then say the right line again.

0 of 9 done

  1. What does it mean?

    真的很抱歉造成您的不便

  2. What do you say?

    The customer is still holding the wrong plate. Promise to deal with it immediately.

  3. Fill the gap

    This was our oversight.

    這是我們的____

  4. Build the line

    I'll replace it for you.

    Tap the words in order.

  5. What did you hear?

  6. Swap the word

    The customer reaches for a wallet after the replacement. Tell them the shop will cover this serving.

    這份算____的

  7. What do you say?

    Auntie Lin takes the fryer so you can help the customer. Thank her.

  8. Pick the reply

    Auntie Lin says:

    不好意思，讓你一個人顧。

    Sorry to leave you on your own.

    And you reply with:

  9. What does it mean?

    不好意思

Say it — your apology

You play Maya behind the counter. A customer has the wrong plate, and you have to take the complaint in person.

Tap the microphone to speak. You can replay the other person's line before your turn.

  1. A customer returns a plate that is not the egg pancake.
  2. Customer這不是我點的。This isn't what I ordered.
  3. Maya (you)Apologise formally for the inconvenience.

    真的很抱歉造成您的不便

    I'm very sorry for the inconvenience.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

Traditional ChineseEnglish
真的很抱歉造成您的不便I'm very sorry for the inconvenience.
我們馬上為您處理We'll handle it for you right away.
這是我們的疏忽This was our oversight.
我幫您換一份I'll replace it for you.
下次不會再發生了It won't happen again.
這份算我們的This one's on us.
Next: lesson 228Helping a newcomer

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Today's complaint lines are in Yak Cards with more useful phrases for shops and service.

Review a few shop-apology cards each day so the formal lines come easily.

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