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How Much In French

By: Author Christine Rogador

Posted on  - Last updated:

Do you plan to do any shopping while you’re in France? If this is the case, it is best to be familiar with both the amount and the proper way to ask how much in French. A quick review of the numbers from one to one hundred in French would be helpful as well.

Knowing the numbers in French is another great way to improve your communication skills when you’re out shopping.

Check out these articles for more French vocabularies:

How Much In French

How Much In French
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Shopping in France

First, make sure you always say “Bonjour!” (Hello!) to the clerk or salesperson when you enter a store in France. Not doing so is as disrespectful as walking into someone’s house without saying hello.

Also, remember to always say “Merci, au revoir!” (Thank you and goodbye!) when you leave a store. You may also say “Have a good day/end of your day/evening” by throwing in the ever-helpful “Bonne journée / fin de journée / soirée.”

Get comfortable using these and the other French terms in this guide through practice before you hit the stores.

“How Much” in French

Here are various ways to say “how much” in French, given that you grasp the basics of purchasing properly. To get the salesperson’s attention, you should say “Excusez-moi” before requesting a price.

  • Excusez-moi – Excuse me
  • Combien ça coûte? – How much is it?

Combine the two to make:

  • Excusez-moi, Combien ça coûte?

Dropping the “ça” and adding “ce” before a masculine noun or “cette” before a feminine noun is a next step if you want to purchase a particular item.

Examples:

  • Excusez-moi, combien coûte ce chapeau? – Excuse me, how much is that hat?
  • Excusez-moi, combien coûte cette robe? – Excuse me, how much is that dress?

More ways to ask “How much” in French

Combien?
  1. How Much Is This? – Combien ça coûte?

A great approach to interact with locals (and maybe even score a great price!) is to just ask, “Combien ça coûte?”

  1. Je voudrais … – I would like …

s’il vous plaît – Please

Saying “I would like…” in French is as simple as saying “Je voudrais.” Adding “please” at the end of a request shows extra consideration.

You can use these expressions when you’re looking for anything from a crystal bracelet to lavender soap to a silk scarf.

  • Combien? How much?
  • Ça coûte combien? How much is that?
  • Combien coûte ____? – How much does ___ cost?
  • Combien cela coûte? How much does this cost?

Other useful expressions when shopping in France

Pay by card

It’s Too Big / Small – C’est trop grand / petit

There’s a chance that an item you tried on is either too big or “trop grand,” or too little, “trop petit.” Both of these adjectives are very cognate with their English counterparts and should be simple to memorize

I’m Just Looking Around, Thanks – Je regarde juste autour de moi, merci.

The French phrase “Je regarde juste autour de moi, merci” is sure to impress the salespeople. That’s just a nice way of saying “don’t bother me!”

What you can say at the cashier when paying:

  • Je peux régler par carte? – Can I pay by card?
  • Je vais payer en liquide. –  I’m going to pay in cash.
  • Est-ce que je peux avoir un sac? – Can I have a bag?

Here are a few questions that you may hear from the salesperson while you’re shopping in France:

  • Je peux vous aider? – May I help you?
  • Qu’est-ce que vous cherchez? – What are you looking for?
  • Quelle pointure faites-vous? – What’s your shoe size?
  • Quelle taille faites-vous? – What’s your (clothing) size?
  • C’est pour offrir ? – Is it a gift?

While the following are ways that you can respond:

  • Je voudrais… / J’aimerais… –  I would like…
  • Combien coûte …?       – How much does … cost?
  • Avez-vous …? – Do you have …?
  • C’est trop grand – It’s too big.
  • C’est trop petit – It’s too small.
  • C’est parfait – It’s perfect.

Other Useful Shopping Words and Phrases In French

Je vais faire du shopping

If you want to really put your French into practice in a real-world scenario, the words and phrases are quite useful.

  • Achats – Shopping        
  • Boutique, magasin – Shop        
  • Boutique, magasin – Shop
  • À la caisse – At the register
  • le reçu – receipt
  • Bon marché – Cheap
  • Coûteux – Expensive
  • Bonne qualité – Good quality
  • J’ai besoin … – I need…
  • Je veux … – I want …
  • Je cherche … – I’m looking for …                         
  • Puis-je avoir …? – Can I have …?                          
  • D’accord, je vais l’achète. – Okay, I’ll buy it.   
  • C’est en solde? – Is it on sale? 
  • Je vais faire du shopping. – I’m going shopping.
  • Bon rapport qualité prix. – This is good value for your money!