▸ 这个月zhè ge yuè我wǒ买东西mǎi dōng xi买mǎi得de太多tài duō，离lí发fā工资gōng zī还有hái yǒu一个yī ge星期xīng qī，钱qián就jiù快kuài用yòng完了wán le。

I bought way too much this month — payday is still a week away and my money is almost gone.

▸ 朋友péng you叫jiào我wǒ出去chū qù吃饭chī fàn，我wǒ只能zhǐ néng说shuō：“下次xià cì吧ba。”

A friend invited me out for a meal, and all I could say was, "Next time."

▸ 别说bié shuō去qù饭馆fàn guǎn，现在xiàn zài就是jiù shì买mǎi一yī杯bēi奶茶nǎi chá，我wǒ也yě要yào想xiǎng半天bàn tiān。

Never mind a restaurant — right now even buying a cup of milk tea takes me forever to decide.

▸ 我wǒ每天měi tiān在家zài jiā做饭zuò fàn，吃chī得de特别tè bié简单jiǎn dān。

I cook at home every day and eat very simply.

▸ 别说bié shuō肉ròu了le，就是jiù shì鸡蛋jī dàn我wǒ也yě不敢bù gǎn多duō买mǎi。

Forget meat — I don't even dare buy too many eggs.

▸ 昨天zuó tiān我wǒ看见kàn jiàn一双yī shuāng很hěn好看hǎo kàn的de鞋xié，看了kàn le看kàn价钱jià qian，马上mǎ shàng就jiù走了zǒu le。

Yesterday I saw a really nice pair of shoes, took one look at the price, and walked right off.

▸ 现在xiàn zài我wǒ连lián电影diàn yǐng都dōu不bù去qù看了kàn le，更gèng不用说bù yòng shuō买mǎi新xīn鞋xié了le。

These days I don't even go to the movies, let alone buy new shoes.

▸ 我wǒ朋友péng you比bǐ我wǒ更gèng厉害lì hai：他tā上个月shàng gè yuè就jiù把bǎ钱qián用yòng完了wán le。

My friend has me beat: he ran out of money last month.

▸ 他说tā shuō别说bié shuō请客qǐng kè，就是jiù shì自己zì jǐ吃饭chī fàn都dōu成问题chéng wèn tí，只好zhǐ hǎo天天tiān tiān在家zài jiā吃chī面条miàn tiáo。

He says never mind treating anyone — even feeding himself is a problem, so he eats noodles at home every day.

▸ 他tā还hái笑着xiào zhe说shuō：“等děng发fā了le工资gōng zī，别说bié shuō一yī杯bēi奶茶nǎi chá，就是jiù shì最好zuì hǎo的de饭馆fàn guǎn我wǒ也yě请qǐng你nǐ！”

He still laughed and said, "When payday comes, forget a cup of milk tea — I'll treat you at the best restaurant in town!"

▸ 我wǒ说shuō：“好啊hǎo a，可是kě shì到了dào liǎo那天nà tiān，你nǐ可kě别bié又yòu说shuō‘下次xià cì吧ba’。”

I said, "Deal — but when that day comes, don't you dare say 'next time' again."

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