How to ask about house prices in Chinese
To ask about house prices in Chinese, a common and simple phrase to use is:
房子多少钱？ (Fángzi duōshǎo qián?)
This means “How much is the house?” or “What is the price of the house?”
A few natural ways to ask
In Chinese, the exact phrase you choose depends on whether you are asking about a specific house, a house that is for sale, or general housing prices.
Other useful phrases include:
- 这房子多少钱？ (Zhè fángzi duōshǎo qián?) — “How much is this house?”
- 这个房子卖多少钱？ (Zhège fángzi mài duōshǎo qián?) — “How much is this house for sale?”
- 房价是多少？ (Fángjià shì duōshǎo?) — “What is the house price?”
These phrases will help inquire about house prices in Chinese effectively.
Useful vocabulary for real estate conversations
If you want to understand the answer, it helps to know a few related words:
- 房子 (fángzi) — house
- 房价 (fángjià) — house price / property price
- 卖 (mài) — to sell
- 买 (mǎi) — to buy
- 多少钱 (duōshǎo qián) — how much money
- 平方米 (píngfāngmǐ) — square meter
- 首付 (shǒufù) — down payment
- 贷款 (dàikuǎn) — loan, mortgage
A very common follow-up question is:
- 一平方米多少钱？ (Yì píngfāngmǐ duōshǎo qián?) — “How much is one square meter?”
This is especially useful because housing prices in Chinese-speaking contexts are often discussed by square meter rather than by the whole property.
How Chinese house prices are often expressed
When you ask about a house, the answer may include more than just a total price. For example, a speaker might mention:
- the total price of the property
- the price per square meter
- the location or neighborhood
- whether it is a new house or a second-hand house
- whether the price includes furniture or taxes
For example:
- 这套房子每平方米两万元。 (Zhè tào fángzi měi píngfāngmǐ liǎng wàn yuán.) — “This property is 20,000 yuan per square meter.”
- 总价是多少？ (Zǒngjià shì duōshǎo?) — “What is the total price?”
- 这是新房还是二手房？ (Zhè shì xīnfáng háishì èrshǒufáng?) — “Is this a new house or a second-hand house?”
Polite ways to ask
If you are speaking with an agent, seller, or homeowner, adding a polite tone can make the question sound more natural. You can use:
- 请问，这房子多少钱？ (Qǐngwèn, zhè fángzi duōshǎo qián?) — “May I ask, how much is this house?”
- 这套房子的价格是多少？ (Zhè tào fángzi de jiàgé shì duōshǎo?) — “What is the price of this property?”
- 方便告诉我房价吗？ (Fāngbiàn gàosu wǒ fángjià ma?) — “Would it be convenient to tell me the house price?”
These are especially helpful in formal situations or when talking to a real estate professional.
Common mistakes to avoid
A few small language mistakes can make your question sound less natural:
- Using only 多少钱 can be too vague if the object is not clear.
- Mixing up 房子 and 房价:
- Forgetting the classifier 套 in 这套房子, which is often used for apartments or housing units.
- Translating directly from English without considering context. In Chinese, asking about price per square meter is often more natural than asking only for one total number.
Quick practice
Try these patterns:
- 这房子多少钱？ — How much is this house?
- 这套房子每平方米多少钱？ — How much is this property per square meter?
- 总价是多少？ — What is the total price?
- 能便宜一点吗？ — Can it be a little cheaper?
If you want to go one step further, you can also ask about conditions, such as whether the house is furnished or whether the price is negotiable.
Related question: can I bargain?
In some contexts, especially in private sales or certain markets, prices may be negotiable. A simple phrase is:
- 可以便宜一点吗？ (Kěyǐ piányi yīdiǎn ma?) — “Can it be a little cheaper?”
- 这个价格能商量吗？ (Zhège jiàgé néng shāngliáng ma?) — “Is this price negotiable?”
This is useful if you are not only asking for the price, but also trying to find out whether there is room for discussion.
These phrases will help inquire about house prices in Chinese effectively.