Basic Phrases for Shops

Welcome to the third class in our series on French for clothes shopping, part of our Travel French course

This lesson focuses on questions and phrases.

If you are looking for more basic vocabulary related to shopping and clothes, please check out the first two classes in this section. 

Trying clothes on

A necessary chore, I'd say. Here's how to ask:

  • Puis-je essayer cette robe?
    Could I try this dress on?
  • Puis-je l'essayer? 
    Could I try it on ?

The same two questions with a slightly different format:

  • Je peux essayer cette robe?
  • Je peux l'essayer? 

Getting the hang of this?

  • Je peux essayer ces chaussures?
    Could I try these shoes on ?
  • Je peux les essayer? 
    Could I try them on ?

Don't forget that you can never be too polite when speaking French:

  • Excusez-moi, où sont les cabines d'essayage?
    Excuse me, where are the changing rooms ?

Something isn't quite right?

Those continental sizes can be pretty tiny!

  • C'est trop serré
    It's too tight

You can also say:

  • C'est trop moulant
    It's too tight

Some more examples along the same lines:

  • C'est trop grand
    It's too big
  • Ta robe est trop courte
    Your dress is too short (informal)
  • Je n'aime pas ce style
    I don't like the style
  • C'est trop cher
    It's too expensive
  • Je n'aime pas la couleur
    I don't like the colour

Need another size or colour?

  • Avez-vous une taille en plus?
    Do you have a bigger size ?

You can also invert the order of the words in the question:

  • Vous avez une taille en plus?
    Do you have a bigger size?

And here's the informal version, which you use at your own peril: 

  • Tu as une taille plus grande?
    Do you have a bigger size?

Here are the versions in the welcome event that you actually need a smaller size:

  • Avez-vous une taille en moins?
    Do you have a smaller size ?
  • Vous avez une taille en moins?
    Do you have a smaller size ?
  • Tu as une taille plus petite?
    Do you have a smaller size?

Obviously, it's a good idea to be able to understand the shop assistant when they reply. We go over questions and phrases for shop assistants in class 2 of this series.

Some more variations, this time with pronouns:

  • Vous l'avez dans d'autres couleurs?
    Do you have it in other colours ?
  • Les avez-vous dans d'autres couleurs? 
    Do you have them in another colour ?
  • L'avez-vous dans une taille plus grande? 
    Do you have it in a bigger size ?
  • Les avez-vous dans une taille plus grande? 
    Do you have them in a bigger size ?

We can also construct those last three questions with a different word order:

  • Vous les avez dans d'autres couleurs?
  • Vous l'avez dans une taille plus grande?
  • Vous les avez dans une taille plus grande?

Talking about the price

When asking the price of something, we need to make subtle changes for plural/singular and for feminine/masculine nouns:

  • Combien coûte la jupe?
    How much does the skirt cost?
  • Combien coûte cette jupe?
    How much does this skirt cost?
  • Combien coûte-t-elle?
    How much does this (feminine) cost?

We can also change the word order of that last question, with no change in meaning:

  • Combien elle coûte?
    How much does this (feminine) cost?

Let's continue...

  • Combien coûte celle-ci?
    How much does that cost?
  • Combien coûte ce sac?
    How much does this bag cost?
  • Combien coûte cette veste?
    How much does that jacket cost?
  • Combien coûte-t-il?
    How much does this (masculine) cost?

That last question with a different word order:

  • Combien il coûte ?
    How much does this (masculine) cost?

Here's a generic question if we can't be bothered with those pesky masculine and feminine forms:

  • Combien ça coûte?
    How much does it cost?

Paying

You've got want you want and just need to pay?

  • Où est la caisse?
    Where is the till?
  • Où puis-je payer?
    Where can I pay?

Unfortunately, that chic independent boutique may not accept credit cards. Make sure you check first! 

  • Puis-je payer avec la carte de crédit?
    Can I pay with credit card?

If we want to pay by credit card, these questions can also be used:

  • Je peux payer avec la carte de crédit?
  • Nous pouvons payer avec la carte?
  • Peut-on payer par carte?
  • On peut payer par carte?
  • Vous acceptez la carte?

What you don't want to hear:

  • Je suis désolé /ée (feminine), nous acceptons uniquement le paiement en espèces
    I'm sorry, we only accept cash.
  • Je suis désolé, nous n'acceptons pas la carte
    I'm sorry, we don't accept credit cards

We also have a whole class on French for shop assistants ((LINK))

Returns and refunds

Got home and changed your mind? Good luck!

  • Je peux les changer s'ils sont trop petits?
    Can I change them if they're too small?
  • Je peux la changer si elle est trop grande?
    Can I change it if it's too small?
  • Je voudrais vous rendre cette veste
    I'd like to return this jacket.
  • Puis je vous rendre ces chaussures s'il vous plaît?
    Could I return these shoes, please ?

We can rearrange that last question too:

  • Je peux vous rendre ces chaussures s'il vous plaît?
    Could I return these shoes, please ?

And, finally...

  • Puis-je vous rendre ces chaussures si la taille n'est pas la bonne?
    Can I return these shoes if they are too big ?
  • Puis-je vous rendre ce t-shirt s' il est trop grand?
    Can I return this t-shirt if it's too big ?

Thanks for visiting!

Some other stuff here

This Course
Travel French

All the French you'll need (well, nearly all) when you are travelling in a French-speaking region. 

Travel French

Other sections in this course
General Travel French

There's a little bit of everything in this section. We politely draw readers' attention to our fantastically comprehensive class on giving and asking directions in French. It's a real belter!

General Travel French

In the Hotel

Going to a French-speaking country on holiday or for business? Here's our language survival guide to hotels and other forms of accommodation. 

In the Hotel

Restaurants and Bars

Welcome to our section on French for restaurants and bars. In the classes on this course we'll cover all the French we need to successfully communicate with the waiter or barman. In passing, we'll also learn tonnes of French vocabulary related to food and cooking.  

Restaurants and Bars

Transport

sec intro

Transport

Shopping

Who doesn't visit a shop when they are on holiday? Whether it's shopping for Cartier jewellery on a plush Paris boulevard or just buying your daily bread from the local baker, you'll need a minimum of French in order to get by. 

 

Shopping

Shopping

Other classes in this section:

Basic Phrases for Shops

In this third and final class on French for clothes shopping, we look at phrases which will help you get EXACTLY what you want, whether it's a different colour, a bigger size (no!, really??), or a different style altogether.

Basic Phrases for Shops

Understanding the Shop Assistant

Now that we've learnt some of the most useful questions to ask when we are out shopping in France, wouldn't it be great if we could understand the shop assistant's answers? Yes, it would!

Understanding the Shop Assistant

Clothes and Accessories

Whether you're shopping for a fancy frock in Paris, or looking for a sexy bikini to wow the jet set on the Côte d'Azur, these French phrases should come in very handy.  

Clothes and Accessories

French for Shopping 2

The second lesson in our series of classes on French for shopping. 

French for Shopping 2