Welcome to our English lesson on buying and asking prices! If you are just starting to learn English (A1 level), this is a very important topic for everyday situations. Knowing how to ask about prices and understand buying language will help you a lot when you go shopping or visit markets. In this lesson, we will learn some basic English phrases to help you with this. Let’s get started and make everyday English easier!

Why is Learning About Buying and Asking Prices Important?

Imagine you are in a shop and you want to buy something. How do you find out the price? How do you ask if something is expensive or cheap? Learning about buying and asking prices in English is super useful because:

• Everyday Situations: You will use these phrases every day when you go shopping for food, clothes, or anything else!
• Travel: If you travel to an English-speaking country, you will need to know how to ask about prices.
• Basic Communication: It’s a fundamental part of basic English phrases and conversations.
• Confidence: Understanding shopping vocabulary will make you feel more confident when speaking English.

So, let’s learn some useful phrases and shopping vocabulary!

Basic Phrases for Asking About Prices

Here are some simple and common ways to ask about the price of something in English:

• “How much is this?” – This is a very common and easy way to ask about the price of something you are pointing at or holding.
• “How much does this cost?” – Similar to the first one, but slightly more formal.
• “What’s the price of this?” – Another way to ask for the price.
• “Excuse me, how much is this?” – Polite way to get attention and ask the price.

Let’s look at some examples:

Example 1:

Imagine you are in a fruit shop and you see some apples. You can say to the shop assistant:

You: “Excuse me, how much are these apples?”

Shop Assistant: “They are two dollars per kilo.”

Example 2:

You are in a clothes shop and you like a shirt. You can ask:

You: “How much does this shirt cost?”

Shop Assistant: “That’s twenty-five dollars.”

Understanding Prices and Numbers

When someone tells you the price, they will use numbers. It’s important to know your numbers in English! Here are some examples of prices you might hear:

• “$1” – One dollar
• “$5” – Five dollars
• “$10” – Ten dollars
• “$20” – Twenty dollars
• “$50” – Fifty dollars
• “$100” – One hundred dollars

They might also say:

• “50 cents” – (Smaller unit of money, like pennies)
• “$1.50” – One dollar and fifty cents
• “$2.75” – Two dollars and seventy-five cents

Remember to practice your numbers! This is key for understanding shopping vocabulary.

Asking About Discounts and Lower Prices

Sometimes, you might want to ask if the price can be lower. Here are some phrases to use carefully and politely:

• “Is there a discount?” – Asking if there is a general discount available.
• “Can you make it cheaper?” – More direct way to ask for a lower price. Use this in markets or smaller shops, but maybe not in big supermarkets.
• “Is this on sale?” – Asking if the item is currently at a reduced price (on sale).

Example 3:

You are buying a few items in a market.

You: “I’ll take these tomatoes and these oranges. Can you make it cheaper?”

Seller: “Okay, for you, ten dollars for everything.”

Example 4:

You see a sign that says “Sale!” in a shop.

You: “Excuse me, is this shirt on sale?”

Shop Assistant: “Yes, it is! It’s 20% off the original price.”

Phrases for Understanding Prices: “Expensive” and “Cheap”

After you hear the price, you might think it’s expensive or cheap. Here are some words to describe prices:

• Expensive: Meaning the price is high.
• Cheap: Meaning the price is low.
• Reasonable: Meaning the price is okay, not too high and not too low.

You can use these words in sentences like:

• “That’s expensive!”
• “That’s very cheap!”
• “The price is reasonable.”

Example 5:

You ask the price of a bag and it’s $100.

You: “One hundred dollars! That’s expensive!”

Example 6:

You find a t-shirt for $5.

You: “Five dollars? That’s very cheap! I’ll take it.”

Other Useful Shopping Vocabulary

Let’s learn some more useful words for shopping:

• Shop/Store: A place where you buy things.
• Market: Often an outdoor place with many sellers, especially for food and crafts.
• Cash: Money in paper or coins.
• Card: Credit card or debit card for payment.
• Buy: To get something by paying money for it.
• Sell: To give something in exchange for money.
• Customer: The person who buys things.
• Seller/Shop Assistant: The person who sells things in a shop.

Let’s Practice!

Now it’s your turn to practice! Fill in the blanks with the correct words or phrases.

1. You are in a toy shop and want to know the price of a teddy bear. You ask: “Excuse me, _______ is this teddy bear?”
2. The shop assistant says: “It’s $15.” You think this is a good price. You say: “Fifteen dollars? That’s _______!”
3. You want to buy some bananas. You ask: “_______ are the bananas?”
4. The seller says: “They are $2 per bunch.” You think this is too much. You ask: “_______ you make it _______?”
5. You see a sign “Sale 50% off!” You ask: “Excuse me, is this _______ _______ sale?”

Answers

1. “Excuse me, how much is this teddy bear?”
2. “Fifteen dollars? That’s cheap!” (or reasonable)
3. “How much are the bananas?” (or “What’s the price of the bananas?”)
4. “Can you make it cheaper?”
5. “Excuse me, is this on sale?”

Practice Speaking with Lingofrnd

Learning phrases is good, but spoken English practice is even better! To really improve your everyday English and your confidence in shopping vocabulary, you need to speak.

Lingofrnd.com is your AI spoken English teacher! You can practice asking about buying and asking prices and many other topics anytime, anywhere. It’s perfect for English for beginners and for improving your spoken English practice. You can even work on your English pronunciation tips!

Visit Lingofrnd.com to learn more and start practicing today!

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Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be a confident English speaker in any shop or market! Learning basic English phrases like these is a great step in your English learning journey. Good luck!