Shopping for gifts (Edexcel GCSE Spanish): Revision Notes

Shopping for gifts

When travelling abroad, shopping for souvenirs and gifts is an essential part of the tourist experience. This topic covers the key vocabulary and language structures you'll need to navigate shops and make purchases in Spanish-speaking countries.

Essential shopping vocabulary

Spanish	English
barato/a	cheap
caro/a	expensive
costar	to cost
el cambio	change, exchange (rate)
el cliente	customer
el dinero	money
el mercado	market
ir de compras	to go shopping
la bolsa	bag (shopping)
la caja	till, cash desk

Spanish	English
la marca	brand, make
la moda	fashion
la moneda	coin, currency
la oferta	offer
la revista	magazine
la tienda	shop
la venta	sale
pagar	to pay
pedir	to ask for, order
¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?	Can I pay by card?

Example sentences using shopping vocabulary

Here are some practical examples of how to use this vocabulary in real shopping situations:

Using object pronouns when shopping

When you're shopping and want to say "I'll take it" or "I'll take them", you need to use object pronouns. These small words replace the nouns (the items you're buying) and must agree with the gender and number of the item.

The rules for object pronouns

• Masculine singular items (e.g. el libro, 'book'): use lo

  • Me lo llevo. (I'll take it.)

• Feminine singular items (e.g. la camiseta, 'T-shirt'): use la

  • Me la llevo. (I'll take it.)

• Masculine plural items (e.g. los calcetines, 'socks'): use los

  • Me los llevo. (I'll take them.)

• Feminine plural items (e.g. las gafas de sol, 'sunglasses'): use las

  • Me las llevo. (I'll take them.)

Asking about different options

When shopping, you might want to ask about different colours or sizes. Notice how the object pronoun changes depending on what you're asking about:

• ¿La tienes en otro colour? (Do you have it in another colour?) - for feminine items
• ¿Las tienes en otro colour? (Do you have them in another colour?) - for feminine plural items
• ¿Lo tienes en otro colour? (Do you have it in another colour?) - for masculine items
• ¿Los tienes en otro colour? (Do you have them in another colour?) - for masculine plural items

Useful shopping phrases

These phrases will help you navigate most shopping situations with confidence:

Spanish	English
¿Vamos de compras?	Shall we go shopping?
¿Cuánto cuesta?	How much does it cost?
¿Qué talla?	What size?
¿Qué precio tiene?	What price is it?
Es muy caro	It's very expensive
¡Qué barato!	How cheap!
¿Hay descuento?	Is there a discount?
Me queda bien	It fits me well

Example conversation

Here's a typical shopping interaction that demonstrates the vocabulary and grammar structures in action:

Translation practice

Spanish to English:

1. Las camisetas son muy caras, pero me gustan mucho estos calcetines de colores.
2. Voy a comprar este sombrero grande. Es ideal para las vacaciones.

English to Spanish:

1. The T-shirts are very cheap, but I like these coloured socks a lot.
2. I'm going to buy this big hat. It's ideal for the holidays.

Answers:

1. The T-shirts are very expensive, but I like these coloured socks a lot.
2. I'm going to buy this big hat. It's ideal for the holidays.

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1. Las camisetas son muy baratas, pero me gustan mucho estos calcetines de colores.
2. Voy a comprar este sombrero grande. Es ideal para las vacaciones.

Exam tips

Remember!