Why Is Everything So Expensive? Inflation Explained

Six dollars for a coffee? Are you serious?

一杯咖啡6美元？你开玩笑吧？

Ha! Welcome to the real world, kiddo.

哈！欢迎来到现实世界，孩子。

Ugh, it was four fifty last year, Grandpa!

唉，去年才4.5美元啊，爷爷！

Well, prices don't stay the same forever.

嗯，价格可不会永远不变。

And look at this bread. It's gone up again!

还有你看这面包，又涨价了！

That's inflation. Prices slowly rise over time.

这就是通货膨胀。价格会随着时间慢慢上涨。

Oh no. So my money just buys less?

天哪。那我的钱能买的东西就变少了？

Exactly. Ten dollars gets you a little less every year.

没错。10美元每年能买到的都会少一点。

When I was your age, a loaf of bread was thirty-five cents.

我像你这么大的时候，一条面包才35美分。

Thirty-five cents? No way!

35美分？不会吧！

Ha, but I earned less than three dollars an hour!

哈，可我那时候一小时还挣不到3美元呢！

Oh... so pay went up too?

哦……所以工资也涨了？

Usually, yes. Just not always as fast as prices.

通常是的。只是不一定涨得跟物价一样快。

But why does it happen? Who decides?

可为什么会这样？是谁决定的？

Nobody really decides. Think of it like this.

其实没有谁来决定。你可以这么想。

When everyone wants something that's hard to get, sellers ask for more.

大家都想要一样东西，可它又不好买到，卖家就会要更高的价。

Oh, like concert tickets for a famous band!

哦，就像知名乐队的演唱会门票！

Ha, exactly! And when costs go up, prices follow.

哈，没错！而且成本一涨，价格也跟着涨。

If energy gets more expensive, the bakery pays more too.

如果能源变贵了，面包店也得多付钱。

Gas for the ovens, fuel for the trucks... it all adds up.

烤箱用的燃气、卡车用的油……全都加起来了。

Ugh, and then they pass it on to us!

唉，然后就全转嫁到我们身上了！

Can't anyone stop it?

就没人能阻止吗？

Central banks try. They raise interest rates.

央行会想办法。他们会提高利率。

Borrowing costs more, so people spend less and prices slow down.

借钱变贵了，大家就少花钱，涨价也就慢下来了。

Hmm, so a little inflation is normal?

嗯……所以有一点通胀是正常的？

Yes. Many central banks aim for about two percent a year.

对。很多央行的目标是每年2%左右。

So, my advice? Compare prices before you buy.

所以，我的建议？买之前先比比价。

And keep your savings somewhere that pays interest.

还有，把存款放在有利息的地方。

Okay, okay. And maybe make my coffee at home?

好啦好啦。那我是不是也该在家自己泡咖啡？

Now you're thinking like your grandpa!

这才像你爷爷的想法嘛！