Shopping in Spanish

Grade 5 · Spanish · Study Guide

Learn how to ask prices, talk about what you want to buy, and have a simple shopping conversation in Spanish.

Shopping is a practical and fun context for practicing Spanish. Whether you are at a market, a clothing store, or a supermarket in a Spanish-speaking country, knowing the right words and phrases will help you communicate with ease.

To ask how much something costs, say '¿Cuánto cuesta?' (How much does it cost?) or '¿Cuánto cuestan?' when asking about multiple items. The seller might respond with a price like 'Cuesta cinco dólares' (It costs five dollars) or 'Cuestan diez euros' (They cost ten euros).

If you want something, use 'Quiero...' (I want...) or the more polite form 'Quisiera...' (I would like...). For example: 'Quisiera una camisa azul' means 'I would like a blue shirt.' You can also say 'Me gustaría...' (I would like...) for an even more formal request.

Other useful phrases include: '¿Tiene...?' (Do you have...?), '¿Puedo ver...?' (Can I see...?), 'Es muy caro' (It is very expensive), and 'Es barato' (It is cheap/inexpensive). When you are ready to pay, say 'Quiero pagar' (I want to pay) or '¿Cuánto es en total?' (How much is it in total?).

Common items you might buy include: la ropa (clothing), los zapatos (shoes), la comida (food), el libro (book), and el juguete (toy). Numbers are also very important for shopping, so practicing them alongside these phrases will help you greatly.

Key terms

¿Cuánto cuesta?: Spanish phrase meaning 'How much does it cost?' Used to ask the price of one item.
Quiero / Quisiera: 'I want' / 'I would like' — used to express what you want to buy.
Es caro: Spanish phrase meaning 'It is expensive.'
Es barato: Spanish phrase meaning 'It is cheap' or 'It is inexpensive.'
¿Tiene...?: Spanish phrase meaning 'Do you have...?' used to ask if a store carries something.
el precio: The Spanish word for 'price.'

Flashcards

¿Cuánto cuesta?: How much does it cost? (singular item)
¿Cuánto cuestan?: How much do they cost? (plural items)
Quiero...: I want... (used to say what you want to buy)
Quisiera...: I would like... (a more polite way to ask for something)
Es caro: It is expensive.
Es barato: It is cheap / inexpensive.
¿Tiene...?: Do you have...? (asking if a store carries an item)
el precio: The price.

Questions

How do you ask 'How much does it cost?' in Spanish?
1. ¿Dónde está el precio?
2. ¿Qué quieres comprar?
3. ¿Cuánto cuesta?
4. ¿Cómo se llama?
Show answer
Answer: ¿Cuánto cuesta?
'¿Cuánto cuesta?' directly translates to 'How much does it cost?' and is the standard way to ask for a price.
'Es barato' means 'It is expensive' in Spanish.
Show answer
Answer: False
'Barato' means cheap or inexpensive. 'Caro' means expensive. They are opposites.
To say 'I would like a book' politely in Spanish, you say 'Quisiera ________ libro.'
Show answer
Answer: un
'Un' is the masculine indefinite article for 'a' in Spanish. 'Libro' is a masculine noun, so it takes 'un.'
What does '¿Tiene zapatos?' mean in English?
1. Where are the shoes?
2. Do you have shoes?
3. I want the shoes
4. How much are the shoes?
Show answer
Answer: Do you have shoes?
'¿Tiene...?' means 'Do you have...?' — a useful phrase for asking a shopkeeper if they carry something.
The Spanish word for 'clothing' is la ________.
Show answer
Answer: ropa
'La ropa' means 'clothing' in Spanish. It is one of the most common nouns used while shopping.

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