Clothes and Accessories
These are the top 30 (ish) phrases you'll need if you're going clothes shopping in a French-speaking country.
Say what you are looking for
- Bonjour, je cherche un pantalon
Hi, I'm looking for some trousers, a shirt, a skirt, a dress, a jacket, a coat - Je cherche une serviette de plage et un maillot de bain
I'm looking for a beach towel and swimming trunks, sun glasses... - Je cherche une chemise en soie á rayures.
I'm looking for a striped shirt.
Ask if they have something:
- Vous avez des shorts pour femme, pour homme, pour enfant ?
Do you have shorts for women, men, children? - Bonjour, vous vendez des chapeaux, des éventails, des foulards, des cravates ?
Hi, do you sell hats, fans, scarves, ties?
Essential vocab
- pour femme - For women
- pour homme - For men
- por enfant - for children
Patterns:
- chemise á rayures - Striped shirt
- chemise á pois - Polka dot shirt
- chemise á carreaux - Checked shirt
Opening and closing times
- Á quelle heure vous ouvrez?
What time do you open? - Á quelle heure vous fermez ?
What time do you close?
Basic garments
- un pantalon - trousers
- un t-shirt - a t-shirt
- une jupe - a skirt
- une robe - a dress
- une veste - a jacket
- un manteau -a coat
- un gilet - a waistcoat
- des chaussures - shoes
- des bottes - boots
Don't want the shop assistant on top of you?
- Bonjour, je peux regarder ?
Hi, do you mind if I have a look? - Je veux juste jeter un coup d'œil.
I'm just looking.
Not found exactly what you are looking for?
- Vous avez ce modèle en bleu?
Do you have this model in blue? - Vous avez le/la même en rouge?
Do you have the same, but in red?
Popular colours
- bleu - blue
- vert - green
- gris - grey
- noir - black
- rose - pink
- orange - orange
- blanc - white
Trying things on
- Je peux essayer, s'il vous plaît?
Could I try this on? - Où sont les cabines d'essayage?
Where are the changing rooms?
Not quite right?
- C'est trop petit.
It's too small. - C'est trop grand.
It's too big. - Je fais du 40.
I'm size 40.
Some slightly more sophisticated sentences...
- La robe est trop courte et moulante mais j'aime la couleur.
The dress is too short and tight, but I like the colour. - Je n'aime pas le blanc, mais le noir est très joli. Il est en coton?
No me gusta el blanco, pero el negro es muy bonito. ¿Es de algodón?
Beach goer?
If the beach is your thing, this vocabulary should come in handy:
- serviette de plage - swim suit
- un maillot de bain - swimming trunks
- des lunettes de soleil - sunglasses
- des sandales - sandals
- des chaussures de plage (genérico) - beach shoes
- des espadrilles - sandals
- des tongs - flip flops
Jewellery
- Ces bijoux, boucles d'oreille, bagues, colliers, bracelets, sont en or ou en argent ?
Are these pieces of jewellery, earrings, rings, necklaces, bracelets made of gold or silver?
Decided to buy?
- Je vais le/la prendre.
I'll take it. - Je prends Le chemisier, le pull et la ceinture. C'est combien ?
I'll take the blouse, the jerset and the belt. How much does it come to? - Je voudrais acheter ce sac en cuir, combien coûte -t -il ?
I'd like to buy this leather bag. How much is it?
The question of all questions:
- Combien ça coûte ?
How much does it cost?
Paying
- Je peux payer avec une carte de crédit ?
Can I pay by credit card?
Saying goodbye
- Merci et bonne journée.
Thank you and good day. - Merci et bonne soirée.
Thank you and good afternoon / evening.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Transport
sec intro
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
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.
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!
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.
French for Shopping 2
The second lesson in our series of classes on French for shopping.