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Most people who love to shop, love to find bargains. They find a certain sense of satisfaction in finding a good deal. In Hawaii, one of the best places to look for bargains is at the Swap Meet. Read this sample conversation:

Frank: Where can I buy some inexpensive but interesting gifts?
Bill: Well, have you been to the flea market at Aloha Stadium?

In the conversation above, Frank wanted to buy some inexpensive gifts. Another way to say inexpensive is "cheap". It could have two meanings. The first meaning is that it doesn't cost much and the second is that it is low quality. Low cost is not always the same thing as low quality . That's why bargain hunting is so fun.

Sometimes people might call the "flea market" something else. They might call it the "the swap meet." Now, read this conversation at the Swap Meet.

Frank: Look at these T-shirts.
Bill: Yeah, they're really cool.
Frank: What do you mean cool?
Bill: I mean they are nice.
Frank: Yeah, I think so. I wonder how much they cost.
Bill: Why don't you go ask that man over there?
Frank: Excuse me, how much is this T-shirt?
Vendor: Those are 3 for $12.
Frank: So that means they are $4 each. That's pretty inexpensive isn't it?
Michael: Yeah, that's a bargain.

In this conversation, the man wanted to know the price of the T-shirt. He was concerned about the prices. He said:

"I wonder how much they cost."


Most of the items at the swap meet are not marked so you will have to ask. For example:

"How much is this T-shirt?"

"How much does it cost?"

or

"What's the price of this T-shirt?"





Of course the swap meet has more items than T-shirts. They have all kinds of things like jewelry, shoes, food and knick knacks. Knick Knacks are small items that usually donユt have any practical value.
Read this conversation:

Frank: Wow, I really like these shorts.
Bill: Yeah, they're a nice color.
Frank: Excuse me. What are these shorts made of?
Vendor: It's right here on the tag. 50% polyester and 50% cotton.

If you want to know what kind of material the clothing is, you can check on the tag. If there isn't a tag on the item of clothing, you can always ask the seller:

"What is this made of?"


If you want to answer, you could say:

"They're 50% polyester and 50% cotton."


If you want to find out the quality of material, you can ask:

"Do you think it will last?"

or

"Will it last a long time?"


You could also ask:

"How long will it last?"


The answer to this question will depend on the quality and how often the item is used. Of course there are other shopping questions.Read this conversation and see if you can hear them:

Frank: Look at that camel hair coat?
Bill: I've never seen anything like it. It's beautiful.
Frank: Where was it made?
Bill: Let see. It says it was made in Iraq.
Frank: Is the coat washable?
Bill: Yes, but you have to dry clean it.

Did you hear those questions?

"Where was it made?"

"Is it washable?"


Another word that is commonly used is, "hand me down.""Hand me down" is usually an item of clothing that an older brother or sister has outgrown and they give it to the younger sibling.

Read this conversation:

Frank: I really like that shirt on you. Is it new?
Bill: No, it's actually a hand me down from my older brother.
Frank: Do you mind wearing second hand clothes?
Bill: No, I don't mind wearing used clothes as long as they're still in good condition.

 
Read these example sentences.

"I really like that shirt on you"

"It's actually a hand me down from my older brother."

"This shirt is a hand me down from my brother"

"I like second hand clothing stores"

"This shirt is used"












A second hand clothing store can also be a thrift shop. In these stores, you can bargain also, especially if you find a defective item. A defective item means there is something wrong with it.

Read this conversation:

Customer: I'd like to buy this shirt but it has a small hole in it.
Clerk: That's OK. You can put a patch on it.
Customer: Can I get a discount?
Clerk: It's already been marked down once. I can't mark it down any more.
Customer: You probably won't be able to sell this shirt at this price. How about two shirts for $6.
Clerk: I'm sorry, I can't do that. Take it or leave it.
Customer: I guess I'll take this shirt.

In this conversation, the customer tried to get a discount on the shirt because there was a small hole in it. Read these example sentences:

"I'd like to buy this one but it has a small hole in it"

"Can I get a discount?"

"Can I get this at a lower price?"

"Can I have this at a reduced price?"


In the conversation above, the seller was not very flexible about the price. He said:

"Take it or leave it."


"Take it or leave it" means that if you don't want it, you can leave it. It really means that the seller is not willing to bargain any more. There are some words that mean that the price has been lowered. For example:

reduced , marked down, clearance, slashed prices, wholesale, prices, discount.

Read this next conversation between friends:

Frank: Where did you get that wall hanging? It's gorgeous.
Bill: I bought it at a craft fair.
Frank: How much did you pay for it?
Bill: It was $7.
Frank: Wow, you sure got your money's worth.
In the regular store that would cost about 15 dollars.
Bill: Really. I'm glad I bought it then.

If you get a good deal, we can say that you got more than your money's worth.

Shopping for bargains at the swap meet or at second hand stores can be fun. But there are some other places to find bargains too. For example, the classified section of the newspaper?

Read this conversation between husband and wife:

Husband: We really need to get rid of some of this stuff.
Wife: I know but how can I part with all of the things that I have collected over the years?
Husband: Why don't you just throw some of them away. You'll never use them anyway.
Wife: But what if I need to use it some day? Besides, some of this stuff has sentimental value.
Husband: Well, my rule of thumb is that if I haven't used something in two years then I get rid of it. I either throw it away or give it to someone.
Wife: Well I'll try.

For some people, it's hard to throw away old things like souvenirs, clothes and other things. It's usually because they have sentimental value. Read this example sentence:

"My rule of thumb is that if I haven't used something in two years, then I get rid of it"


In the classified section of the daily newspaper, you can find things to buy. You can also find good deals by checking the bulletin boards at such places as University campuses and laundry mats.

Now let's read another conversation:

Buyer: Hello, I'm calling about the TV you advertised. Is it still for sale?
Seller: Yes, it is. I still have it.
Buyer: Could you tell me a little bit about it?
Seller: Well, it's a 24 - inch, Sony, color TV. I've had it for 3 years and it's still in good condition.
Buyer: May I come over and see it?
Seller: Sure, you can come over any evening. My evenings are free. How about tomorrow night at 6:30?

In the phone conversation above, the caller was making an arrangement to see a TV that was for sale. If the seller still has the item, you can ask this question:

"Could you tell me a little bit about it?"




If the item is not sold, then you might want to go and look at it yourself. In that case, you could say

"May I come over and see it?"

or

"Can I come and look at it?"

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Everyone has different reasons for traveling.  If you want to find out what people like about traveling, you can ask them this question:

"What do you like the best about traveling?"

Someone might use one of these sentences to answer:

"I like meeting new people"

"I like to visit the neighbor islands for relaxation"


Another question you can ask is whether or not they are traveling for business or pleasure. 

For example, you can ask:

"Is this trip for business or pleasure?"


After you decide your schedule for traveling, the next thing you need to do is buy the ticket.  You also have to call to reserve the hotel. When you look for a hotel, you should find one that has a reasonable price and is in a convenient location.


When you call the travel agent, they will check out your ticket request on their computer.  It might take some time so they usually ask to call you back.


Read this example:

Michael:  I'd like to buy a ticket to Tokyo, Japan.

Michiko:  I'll check some prices and get back to you.


If you want to reconfirm your flight, you can use one of these sentences.

"I'd like to reconfirm my ticket"

"I'd like to reconfirm my flight"


The travel agent may also ask you for more information such as your flight number and day of departure.  In the conversation above, the customer used this sentence:

"I'm on flight 47, leaving on February 1st"


When you want to pick up someone at the airport, you should call the airport first.  Read this conversation:

Clerk:  Hello, Flying Airlines, may I help you?
Customer:  Yes, what time does flight 57 arrive from Japan?
Clerk:  That flight is a little late.  It's due to arrive at 7:30am.
Customer:  Thank you.


In this conversation, Flight 57 was late.  So if you want to pick someone up, you'd better call the airport first.  For example:

"What time does flight 57 arrive from Japan?"

"When is flight 57 expected to arrive from Japan?"


When you go the airport, the first thing you will need to do is check in your luggage.  Another way to say "luggage" is "baggage" or "suitcase".  You will have to wait in line for a little while.  When you get to the front of the line, the reservationist will ask you for your ticket.  Then they will ask you some questions.


You have a choice of a window seat or an aisle seat.   A window seat is good if you want to have a good view.  An aisle seat is good if you need to walk around or go to the restroom a lot.  If you're traveling with other people, you will probably want to sit together.  You will need to ask the clerk this sentence:

"Can we have seats together?"





When you check in your luggage, make sure that you keep your carry-ons with you.  Carry-ons are the small pieces of luggage that you carry with you onto the plane.  Normally, you are allowed two carry-ons. They must be small enough to fit under your seat or in the overhead luggage compartments.  After checking your bags, you will pass through an X-ray machine with your carry-on.  You will need to put everything on the x-ray machine.  Now you're ready to go to your gate.  If the plane is late, you can ask the person at the desk:


"Is the plane leaving on time?"

                       or

"Is the plane going to be late?"


Now you're ready to get on the plane.  They will call for boarding of
your flight.  They might say:

"Flight #321 for Tokyo is now boarding at gate 43"


You will need to give the stewardess your boarding pass.  Once you are inside the airplane, you will have to store your carry-on luggage. There are two places you can store them; one is under your seat and the other is overhead in the luggage compartments.  Read this next conversation:

Passengar 1:  Do you need any help with those bags?
Passengar 2:  Yes, the overhead luggage compartment is full.  Can you find a place for this bag Passengar 1:  Sure. Oh, there's a space over here.  Let me help you.    Uh…  There you are.
Passengar 2:  Thank you.  You are very kind.
Passengar 1:  No problem.


If you want someone to help you with your carry-ons, just ask one of the flight attendants.  They will be more than happy to help you.  You can say:

"The overhead luggage compartment is full"

"Can you find a place for this bag?"


When you need help with your carry-ons, you could say one of these sentences:

"Can you help me with these carry-ons?"

"Can you give me a hand with these bags?"


When you are in the airplane, you should try to be polite to the flight attendants.  They have to work hard and not many people appreciate them.  If you can say  "thank you" and "please", it will make their work much more pleasant.  Read this example:

Michael:  Excuse me, may I have an extra blanket, please?
Michiko:  Sure, I'll be right back.

       (pause)

Michiko:  Here, you are.
Michael:  Thank you very much.


This passenger was very polite.  He said メpleaseモ and "thank you". Those two words are very rare for the flight attendant.  If you need to ask for a blanket, you can say:

"Excuse me, may I have an extra blanket?"

This sentence is very useful.  You can use it when you want to ask for anything.

Airplanes are famous for their delicious food.  When the food cart comes to your seat, you will be given a choice of two different kinds of food.  Read this example conversation:

Flight Attendant:  Would you like steak or seafood?
Passenger:  Deafood, please.
Flight Attendant:  Here you are. What would you like to drink?
Passenger:  I'll have apple juice, please.

After your long plane ride, you will be ready to stand up and walk around.  Sometimes people will become sick during the flight.

Michiko:  When I'm in the airplane, my ears become plugged up and they hurt.
Michael:  If you feel sick, you can tell the flight attendant.
Michiko:  I don't know what to say.


If the passenger becomes sick, they might use one of these sentences:

"My ears are plugged and they hurt"

"I feel nauseated"
















If you label your bags, it will be much easier to find them.  It will help to prevent your luggage from getting mixed up.

Read this conversation at the baggage claim area:

Passenger 1:  That's my suitcase. Excuse me, can I get through?  (aarrgghh) This suitcase feels heavier than when I left. I guess it must be from all of the souvenirs that I bought.
Passenger 2:  Excuse me, I think that's  my suitcase.
Passenger 1: Huh.  No, I don't think so.  The label says (pause) uhh,  Michael Depoe.  Oops, I'm sorry.   I made a mistake.

The following sentences can be used in many different situations.  For example, at the supermarket:

"Excuse me, can I get through?"

"Excuse me, I need to get through"

"Excuse me, would you let me through?"