Shopping (Junior Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
Shopping for clothes
When shopping for clothes in Spanish-speaking countries, you'll need specific vocabulary and phrases to navigate shops successfully. This guide covers essential expressions for asking prices, describing items, and communicating with shop staff.
Mastering shopping vocabulary is essential for practical communication in Spanish-speaking countries. These phrases will help you feel confident when purchasing clothes, asking for help, and interacting with shop staff in real-world situations.
Asking about prices
The most important question when shopping is asking how much something costs. In Spanish, you use ¿Cuánto cuesta? (How much does it cost?).
Price format differences
Spanish uses different punctuation for prices than English. Where English uses a decimal point, Spanish uses a comma. For example:
- English: €10.50
- Spanish: 10,50 €
The euro symbol typically comes after the price in Spanish format. This is a crucial difference to remember when reading price tags or discussing costs!
Key vocabulary: Clothing items
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la ropa | clothes |
| la camisa | shirt |
| la camiseta | T-shirt |
| los zapatos | shoes |
| los pantalones | trousers |
| la falda | skirt |
| el vestido | dress |
| los vaqueros | jeans |
| las botas | boots |
| el cinturón | belt |
| los guantes | gloves |
| la bufanda | scarf |
Worked Example: Asking about prices
Step 1: Choose the correct question form
- Singular item: ¿Cuánto cuesta la camisa azul? (How much does the blue shirt cost?)
- Plural items: ¿Cuánto cuestan los zapatos? (How much do the shoes cost?)
Step 2: Understanding the response
- Los zapatos cuestan veinte euros. (The shoes cost twenty euros.)
- El vestido cuesta ochenta y nueve euros con veinte céntimos. (The dress costs eighty-nine euros and twenty cents.)
Grammar note: When asking about plural items, the verb changes to match: ¿Cuánto cuestan los zapatos? Remember that the verb must agree with whether you're asking about one item (cuesta) or multiple items (cuestan).
Essential shop vocabulary
Understanding the people and places in a clothing shop helps you navigate shopping situations more confidently.
Key vocabulary: Shop terms
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la tienda | shop |
| el/la dependiente | shop assistant |
| el/la cliente | customer |
| la caja | till/checkout |
| los probadores | fitting rooms |
| el espejo | mirror |
| las rebajas | sales |
| la tarjeta de crédito | credit card |
| los bolsos | bags |
| las tallas | sizes |
Example sentences:
- La dependiente es muy amable. (The shop assistant is very friendly.)
- ¿Dónde están los probadores? (Where are the fitting rooms?)
- Hay grandes rebajas en esta tienda. (There are big sales in this shop.)
- Quiero pagar con tarjeta de crédito. (I want to pay by credit card.)
Grammar note: Remember that professions change depending on whether you're referring to a man or woman: el dependiente (male shop assistant), la dependiente (female shop assistant).
Useful shopping phrases
These phrases will help you communicate effectively while clothes shopping.
Key vocabulary: Shopping actions
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| comprar | to buy |
| costar | to cost |
| probarse | to try on |
| quedarse | to fit |
| pagar | to pay |
| devolver | to return |
Example sentences:
- ¿Puedo probarme esta camisa? (Can I try on this shirt?)
- Este vestido me queda muy bien. (This dress fits me very well.)
- Voy a comprar estos zapatos. (I'm going to buy these shoes.)
- ¿Puedo devolver este artículo? (Can I return this item?)
Grammar note: The verb "probarse" is reflexive, so it changes depending on who is trying something on: me pruebo (I try on), te pruebas (you try on), se prueba (he/she tries on).
Demonstrative adjectives for shopping
When shopping, you need to point out specific items using demonstrative adjectives (this, that, these, those).
Grammar focus: Demonstrative adjectives
| Distance | Masculine singular | Feminine singular | Masculine plural | Feminine plural | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Close | este | esta | estos | estas | this/these |
| Far | ese | esa | esos | esas | that/those |
Worked Example: Using demonstrative adjectives
Step 1: Identify the gender and number of the noun
- la camisa (feminine, singular) → esta camisa
- los zapatos (masculine, plural) → esos zapatos
Step 2: Apply in sentences
- Quiero comprar esta camisa. (I want to buy this shirt.)
- ¿Cuánto cuestan esos zapatos? (How much do those shoes cost?)
- Estos pantalones son demasiado grandes. (These trousers are too big.)
- Esa falda es muy bonita. (That skirt is very pretty.)
Grammar note: The demonstrative adjective must agree with the gender and number of the noun it describes.
Formal vs informal language in shops
In Spanish shops, staff typically use formal language when speaking to customers, which means using "usted" instead of "tú".
Shop assistants use the "usted" form when speaking to customers as a sign of respect and professionalism. This means they use different verb endings:
- Formal: ¿Qué prefiere usted? (What do you prefer?)
- Informal: ¿Qué prefieres tú? (What do you prefer?)
Example dialogue:
- Dependiente: ¿En qué puedo ayudarle? (How can I help you?)
- Cliente: Busco una camisa azul. (I'm looking for a blue shirt.)
- Dependiente: ¿Qué talla necesita? (What size do you need?)
Grammar note: The "usted" form uses the same verb endings as "él/ella" forms, so "prefiere" instead of "prefieres".
Common shopping expressions
Phrase bank
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¿En qué puedo ayudarle? | How can I help you? |
| ¿Qué talla necesita? | What size do you need? |
| ¿Puedo probármelo? | Can I try it on? |
| ¿Tiene una talla más grande? | Do you have a bigger size? |
| Me queda perfecto | It fits me perfectly |
| Es demasiado caro | It's too expensive |
| ¿Hay descuentos? | Are there any discounts? |
| Voy a pensarlo | I'll think about it |
Spanish idiom
"Quedarse como un guante" literally means "to fit like a glove" and is used when something fits perfectly:
- ¡Este vestido te queda como un guante! (This dress fits you like a glove!)
Translation practice
Translation Practice: Spanish to English
- ¿Cuánto cuestan estos zapatos?
- La camisa cuesta quince euros.
Translation Practice: English to Spanish
- Where are the fitting rooms?
- I want to try on this dress.
Answers:
- How much do these shoes cost?
- The shirt costs fifteen euros.
- ¿Dónde están los probadores?
- Quiero probarme este vestido.
Common errors and fixes
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
-
Error: Using "tú" form with shop staff Fix: Use "usted" form for politeness - "¿Qué prefiere?" not "¿Qué prefieres?" Reason: Formal address shows respect in customer service situations
-
Error: Wrong demonstrative agreement Fix: Match gender and number - "esta camisa" not "este camisa" Reason: Demonstratives must agree with the noun they describe
-
Error: Decimal point in prices Fix: Use comma - "10,50 €" not "10.50 €" Reason: Spanish punctuation convention for decimal numbers
Key Points to Remember:
- Use ¿Cuánto cuesta? to ask about prices, changing to ¿Cuánto cuestan? for plural items
- Spanish prices use commas instead of decimal points (10,50 € not 10.50 €)
- Shop staff use formal "usted" address as a sign of professional respect
- Demonstrative adjectives (este, esta, estos, estas) must agree with the gender and number of clothing items
- "Quedarse como un guante" means something fits perfectly, just like the English expression "fits like a glove"