Shopping (Edexcel GCSE French): Revision Notes
Shopping
Essential shopping vocabulary
Understanding key shopping terms will help you navigate French stores and discuss purchases confidently. These words form the foundation of shopping conversations and are essential for any French learner planning to shop in France or French-speaking countries.
Actions and places
| French | English |
|---|---|
| faire les courses | to do the shopping |
| acheter | to buy |
| vendre | to sell |
| échanger | to exchange |
| fermer | to close |
| coûter | to cost |
Example Sentences in Context:
- Je vais faire les courses au supermarché. (I'm going to do the shopping at the supermarket.)
- Elle veut acheter une nouvelle robe. (She wants to buy a new dress.)
- Ce magasin ferme à 19 heures. (This shop closes at 7 PM.)
- Combien coûte cette veste? (How much does this jacket cost?)
Shopping items and clothing
| French | English |
|---|---|
| argent (m) | money |
| cadeau (m) | present |
| chaussure (f) | shoe |
| chemise (f) | shirt |
| jupe (f) | skirt |
| pull (m) | pullover |
| robe (f) | dress |
| sac (m) | bag |
| veste (f) | jacket |
| chapeau (m) | hat |
Notice that French nouns are either masculine (m) or feminine (f). This affects which articles and adjectives you use with them. For example: un nouveau pull (masculine) vs une nouvelle robe (feminine).
Practical Shopping Sentences:
- Ces chaussures sont trop chères. (These shoes are too expensive.)
- J'ai acheté un beau chapeau rouge. (I bought a beautiful red hat.)
- Où puis-je trouver des sacs à main? (Where can I find handbags?)
- Cette jupe me va bien. (This skirt suits me well.)
Grammar focus: The adjective 'nouveau' (new)
The adjective nouveau is irregular and changes form depending on the gender and number of the noun it describes. This is one of the most important irregular adjectives in French shopping vocabulary.
Critical Grammar Rule: Unlike regular adjectives, nouveau comes before the noun and has special forms that must be memorised. Getting this wrong will immediately mark you as a beginner!
Forms of nouveau
| Gender/Number | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine singular | nouveau | un nouveau pull (a new pullover) |
| Masculine singular (before vowel/silent h) | nouvel | un nouvel achat (a new purchase) |
| Feminine singular | nouvelle | une nouvelle chemise (a new shirt) |
| Masculine plural | nouveaux | les nouveaux sacs (the new bags) |
| Feminine plural | nouvelles | les nouvelles baskets (the new trainers) |
Memory Tip: Think "nouveau becomes nouvel before vowels" - just like "a" becomes "an" in English. This makes pronunciation smoother: nouvel achat flows better than nouveau achat.
Practice with 'nouveau' in shopping contexts:
- J'ai acheté de nouveaux vêtements. (I bought new clothes.)
- Elle porte une nouvelle robe aujourd'hui. (She's wearing a new dress today.)
- C'est un nouvel ordinateur? (Is it a new computer?)
- Regardez ces nouvelles chaussures! (Look at these new shoes!)
Useful phrases for shopping conversations
These flexible phrases help you express opinions and ask questions naturally when shopping. They're particularly useful in role play situations and will make your French sound more authentic and conversational.
Asking for opinions and information
- ...n'est-ce pas? (isn't it? / aren't they?)
- Si tu veux mon avis... (If you want my opinion...)
- C'est combien? (How much is it?)
- Où est la caisse? (Where is the checkout?)
Giving opinions about items
The key to sounding natural is combining these phrases smoothly in conversation:
- Cette robe est vraiment belle, n'est-ce pas? (This dress is really beautiful, isn't it?)
- Mais si tu veux mon avis, elle est trop chère. (But if you want my opinion, it's too expensive.)
The phrase "n'est-ce pas?" is incredibly versatile and can be added to almost any statement to make it sound more conversational and to invite agreement from the listener.
Translation Practice:
- Je voudrais acheter un nouveau manteau. = I would like to buy a new coat.
- These new shoes are too big. = Ces nouvelles chaussures sont trop grandes.
- This new bag is beautiful, isn't it? = Ce nouveau sac est beau, n'est-ce pas?
Exam strategies for shopping topics
Understanding the exam format and preparing strategically will help you maximise your performance in shopping-related tasks. French exams often feature transactional situations, so mastering these skills is essential.
Role play preparation
Role plays often involve transactional situations like shopping scenarios. The key is to prepare flexible phrases that you can adapt to different contexts rather than memorising rigid scripts.
Role Play Success Strategy: Don't just memorise phrases - practice adapting them to different scenarios. Examiners can tell the difference between natural conversation and recited scripts.
Essential role play phrases:
- Say what you want to buy: Je voudrais acheter... (I would like to buy...)
- Give details about the item: Je le/la préfère en bleu(e) (I prefer it in blue)
- Say why you want it: C'est pour la fête de ma sœur (It's for my sister's party)
- Give your opinion: Ça va bien / C'est trop petit (It suits well / It's too small)
- Say what size you want: Je voudrais une petite taille (I would like a small size)
- Ask about price: C'est combien? (How much is it?)
- Ask where to pay: Où est la caisse? (Where is the checkout?)
Practice linking these phrases together naturally. For example: "Je voudrais acheter un nouveau pull. Je le préfère en rouge, c'est combien?" flows much better than using each phrase in isolation.
Writing tasks about shopping
When writing a shopping centre review (40-50 words), structure is crucial for staying within the word limit while covering all required points.
Word Count Strategy: Practice writing exactly 40-50 words. Going over or under the limit can cost you marks, even if your French is perfect.
Essential elements to include:
- Where the shopping centre is located
- Your opinion of the shopping centre using adjectives
- When you will next visit using future tense
Sample Shopping Centre Review (47 words):
Il y a un centre commercial dans ma ville et c'est excellent. Il y a beaucoup de magasins que j'aime beaucoup. Je vais aller au centre commercial demain car je vais acheter un cadeau pour l'anniversaire de mon petit frère qui va avoir treize ans.
Translation: There is a shopping centre in my town and it's excellent. There are many shops that I really like. I'm going to go to the shopping centre tomorrow because I'm going to buy a present for my little brother's birthday - he's going to be thirteen.
Key Points to Remember:
- Nouveau is an irregular adjective that goes before the noun and changes to nouvel before vowels
- Learn shopping vocabulary in themed groups (clothes, actions, places) for better retention
- Practice flexible phrases like "n'est-ce pas?" and "si tu veux mon avis" to sound more natural
- In role plays, prepare transactional phrases for buying, asking prices, and giving opinions
- For writing tasks, structure your response with location, opinion, and future plans
- Always check your word count and practice staying within limits
- Focus on natural phrase combinations rather than isolated vocabulary