Jen: Hello, I’m Jen – and with me in the studio today is Helen!
Helen: Hi!
Jen: Helen, just before we get started – did you get the chance to go to the farmers’ market for me? I didn’t have time to go myself.
Helen: I did, I chose some things I thought you’d like… Here we are… 我買了一些蘋果，胡蘿卜，面包和蜂蜜。
Jen: Brilliant – thanks so much for doing that for me, I can’t wait to try it. So what’s the damage?
Helen: 損壞?沒東西被損壞了啊?不過有只蘋果被壓出了印子，我還啃了半截胡蘿卜。但沒有什么大問題。
Jen: I don’t mean damage to the food. The phrase "what’s the damage?" can be used to ask how much money you owe someone for something.
Helen: 你問我買這些吃，你還欠我多少錢。
Jen: That’s right – let’s hear a couple of examples of the phrase in use.
What a lovely meal – I think we should split the bill two ways, though, so what’s the damage?
Thanks so much for fixing the brakes on my car. What’s the damage for the work you’ve done?
Helen: 在餐廳咖啡館都能用這個表達?"what’s the damage?"
Jen asks Helen "what’s the damage?" but she doesn’t expect something to be really damaged.
Jen: That’s right; you might use the phrase amongst friends when you get a bill, or you might hear it if you are paying a workman to do something. Generally we use it when we don’t know how much something is going to cost or if the price has been estimated beforehand.
Helen: Like when I went to the market for you today!
Jen: Yeah, I didn’t know how much it would cost so I asked you "what’s the damage?" So how much do I owe you?
Helen: ￡12.50.
Jen: ￡12.50?! That’s pretty expensive.
Helen: 你看看這些食品的質量，你就明白了，可能值這個價。It’s very good.
Jen: Alright then, here you are – ￡12.50.
Helen: And here YOU are.
Jen: Let’s have a look then… Apples, yum… Well they do look a little more bruised than you mentioned…
Helen: Yes, sorry, 我把包不小心摔在地上了。
Jen: Look at the carrots! You said you’d nibbled them, but there are only the tops of them left! I can’t cook with those!
Helen: 我當時很餓。
Jen: At least this jar of honey looks good… it’s empty!
Helen: Sorry, sorry! 那瓶蜂蜜看著實在是太誘人了，所以我實在控制不住自己。
Jen: Well I think you should give me my money back. I’m not paying for food that’s already been eaten!
Helen: OK, what if we go out for a meal and I pay?
Jen: Hmm… OK…
Later on...
Jen: I’m stuffed! The apple and honey pie was really delicious.
Helen: Here’s the waiter with the bill. 我說了這次可是我請客。哎呀，這可真讓人尷尬。 This is so embarrassing.
Jen: Is it expensive? What’s the damage?
Helen: It’s ￡40 for the meal but I’ve just remembered…
Jen: What?
Helen: 我把錢包忘在市場里了! Can you pay?
Jen: Argh!
