exchage money

CT   Thu Jan 12, 2006 7:07 pm GMT
I have a twenty-dollar bill and I want to exchange it for twenty one-dollar
bills. What's the common way to say it to a cashier?
Thanks.
Uriel   Thu Jan 12, 2006 8:08 pm GMT
"Can I get change for a twenty? In ones? Thanks."
Guest   Thu Jan 12, 2006 10:28 pm GMT
<I have a twenty-dollar bill and I want to exchange it for twenty one-dollar
bills. What's the common way to say it to a cashier?
Thanks. >

Use 'notes' not 'bills' if you are saying this in a commonweath country that uses Dollars.

If my electricity bill was $20 I would say 'I have a twenty-dollar bill. May I pay it?'
Anna   Fri Jan 13, 2006 1:42 am GMT
"Can I get change for a twenty? In ones? Thanks."

In Britain: "get" is rude, use "have" instead, or even "May I have"
Jim   Fri Jan 13, 2006 1:52 am GMT
"Use 'notes' not 'bills' if you are saying this in a commonweath country that uses Dollars." ... except Canada.
Guest   Fri Jan 13, 2006 1:55 am GMT
<"Use 'notes' not 'bills' if you are saying this in a commonweath country that uses Dollars." ... except Canada. >

Gotta agree with you Jim on that. When I posted that message I was having second thoughts about Canada. Thanks for the correction.
Guest   Fri Jan 13, 2006 2:23 am GMT
>>"Can I get change for a twenty? In ones? Thanks."

In Britain: "get" is rude, use "have" instead, or even "May I have" <<

What if you used "could" instead: Could I get...?
Uriel   Fri Jan 13, 2006 3:06 am GMT
<<In Britain: "get" is rude, use "have" instead, or even "May I have" >>

Rude? Jeez, I said thanks....
CT   Fri Jan 13, 2006 3:52 am GMT
Thank you all very much.
Guest   Fri Jan 13, 2006 4:58 am GMT
Does anyone (other than Australians) use "thanks" to mean "please"?

e.g. "Change for a twenty, thanks."
Uriel   Fri Jan 13, 2006 8:14 pm GMT
It's a common usage, but I've never equated it with "please".
Guest   Fri Jan 13, 2006 9:56 pm GMT
<Uriel Fri Jan 13, 2006 8:14 pm GMT
It's a common usage, but I've never equated it with "please".>

Don't your parents ever teach you proper manners Uriel?
Guest   Fri Jan 13, 2006 11:00 pm GMT
<Don't your parents ever teach you proper manners Uriel? >

She's only American give her a break! What else can you expect from them?

That would overload her brain retarding her to a level of President Bush with a speech problem.
Guest007   Sat Jan 14, 2006 4:19 am GMT
Now don't be jealous.
Uriel   Sat Jan 14, 2006 5:46 am GMT
<Uriel Fri Jan 13, 2006 8:14 pm GMT
It's a common usage, but I've never equated it with "please".>

Don't your parents ever teach you proper manners Uriel?

That would be "DIDN'T your parents ever teach you proper manners, Uriel." ;)



I never said I used this pattern myself:

Does anyone (other than Australians) use "thanks" to mean "please"?
e.g. "Change for a twenty, thanks."

-- just that it's not limited to Australians, and that I don't think of the "thanks" part as a substitute for please; I think of it more as a pre-emptive (and peremptory) thank-you.