Lesson 27: Shopping and Prices (Faire du Shopping et Les Prix)
Objective: By the end of this lesson, you will be able to ask about prices, make purchases, and talk about
shopping in French.
1. Vocabulary: Shopping (Le Shopping)
Here are some common words and phrases related to shopping:
Le magasin – Store
Le supermarché – Supermarket
La boutique – Shop/boutique
Le centre commercial – Shopping mall
Le marché – Market
Le vendeur / La vendeuse – Salesperson
Le client / La cliente – Customer
Les courses – Groceries/shopping
Faire du shopping – To go shopping
Acheter – To buy
Vendre – To sell
2. Asking for Prices (Demander le Prix)
When you want to ask for the price of something, you can use these phrases:
Combien ça coûte ? – How much does it cost?
Quel est le prix ? – What is the price?
C’est combien ? – How much is it?
Je voudrais savoir le prix. – I’d like to know the price.
Examples:
Combien coûte cette robe ? – How much does this dress cost?
C’est combien, cette montre ? – How much is this watch?
3. Expressions for Prices (Les Expressions de Prix)
Here are some key expressions for discussing prices:
C’est cher. – It’s expensive.
C’est bon marché. – It’s cheap (affordable).
Ça coûte 20 euros. – It costs 20 euros.
Je voudrais acheter… – I would like to buy…
Avez-vous quelque chose de moins cher ? – Do you have something cheaper?
Est-ce en solde ? – Is it on sale?
Example Dialogue:
A: Bonjour, combien coûte ce sac à main ?
B: Il coûte 50 euros.
A: C’est un peu cher. Avez-vous quelque chose de moins cher ?
B: Oui, nous avons ce modèle à 30 euros.
4. Types of Stores (Les Types de Magasins)
It’s helpful to know the different types of stores when shopping in French-speaking countries:
La boulangerie – Bakery
La pâtisserie – Pastry shop
La pharmacie – Pharmacy
La librairie – Bookstore
Le magasin de vêtements – Clothing store
Le magasin de chaussures – Shoe store
Le grand magasin – Department store
La bijouterie – Jewelry store
Examples:
Je vais à la boulangerie pour acheter du pain. – I’m going to the bakery to buy some bread.
Il y a des soldes dans le magasin de vêtements. – There are sales in the clothing store.
5. Useful Phrases for Shopping
Here are some additional useful phrases you can use while shopping:
Je peux essayer ? – Can I try it on?
Où sont les cabines d’essayage ? – Where are the fitting rooms?
Quelle taille faites-vous ? – What size do you wear?
Je fais du 38. – I wear a size 38.
Avez-vous ceci en une autre couleur ? – Do you have this in another color?
Je paie par carte / en espèces. – I’m paying by card / in cash.
Example Dialogue:
A: Bonjour, je peux essayer cette robe ?
B: Oui, bien sûr. Les cabines d’essayage sont à gauche.
A: Merci. Est-ce que vous avez cette robe en rouge ?
B: Non, désolé. Nous l’avons seulement en bleu et noir.
6. Talking About Discounts (Les Réductions)
When shopping during sales or promotions, you may see these terms:
Les soldes – Sales
Une réduction – A discount
Une promotion – A promotion
50% de réduction – 50% off
Achetez-en un, obtenez-en un gratuit. – Buy one, get one free.
Example:
Il y a 20% de réduction sur ce manteau. – There’s a 20% discount on this coat.
7. Practice Sentences
Here are some example sentences using shopping-related vocabulary:
Je voudrais acheter une nouvelle paire de chaussures. – I would like to buy a new pair of shoes.
Combien ça coûte, ce téléphone ? – How much does this phone cost?
Où puis-je trouver des livres en français ? – Where can I find French books?
Je vais au marché pour acheter des fruits et légumes. – I’m going to the market to buy fruits
and vegetables.
8. Cultural Note: Sales and Bargaining in France
In France, sales (les soldes) are strictly regulated by the government. There are two official sales periods
each year: winter sales (soldes d'hiver) and summer sales (soldes d'été). These sales usually last for
about six weeks, and you can find significant discounts during this time. Bargaining (le marchandage) is
not common in most stores, but you might be able to negotiate prices at markets or flea markets.
9. Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Match the following French shopping phrases with their English meanings.
1. Combien ça coûte ?
2. C’est bon marché.
3. Avez-vous ceci en bleu ?
4. Où sont les cabines d’essayage ?
5. Je voudrais acheter ceci.
a) Where are the fitting rooms?
b) How much does it cost?
c) It’s affordable.
d) I would like to buy this.
e) Do you have this in blue?
Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks with the correct shopping vocabulary.
1. Excusez-moi, combien ______ (does this cost)?
2. Où ______ (are the fitting rooms)?
3. Je voudrais ______ (buy) ce pantalon.
4. C’est ______ (expensive).
5. Avez-vous quelque chose ______ (cheaper)?
Exercise 3: Write a short dialogue between a customer and a salesperson in a clothing store.
