How can I ask for the price of an item in French
How to ask for the price of an item in French
To ask for the price of an item in French, the most common polite phrases are « Excusez-moi, combien ça coûte ? », « Combien coûte ce/cet/cette… ? », « C’est combien ? », and « Combien ça fait ? ». The first two are clear and polite in shops, while « C’est combien ? » sounds more casual and « Combien ça fait ? » is especially useful when asking for the total at a counter or market stall.
- Excusez-moi, combien ça coûte ? (Excuse me, how much does it cost?)
- Combien coûte ce (item)? (How much does this (item) cost?)
- C’est combien ? (How much is it? — a bit less formal)
- Combien ça fait ? (How much does it come to? — for total price)
For example:
- Excusez-moi, combien coûte cette robe ? (Excuse me, how much does this dress cost?)
Adding s’il vous plaît at the end makes the question more polite.
When to use each phrase
« Excusez-moi, combien ça coûte ? » is a safe all-purpose option. It works well when approaching a shop assistant, because excusez-moi signals that a question is coming and softens the request.
« Combien coûte ce… ? » is more direct and works best when the item is already visible, such as ce livre (this book), ce manteau (this coat), or cette bouteille (this bottle). The word after ce changes depending on gender and number:
- ce before masculine singular nouns: ce pantalon
- cet before masculine singular nouns starting with a vowel or mute h: cet hôtel
- cette before feminine singular nouns: cette table
- ces before plural nouns: ces chaussures
« C’est combien ? » is shorter and very common in everyday spoken French. It is often heard in markets, small shops, and informal contexts. It is natural, but it sounds less polished than « Excusez-moi, combien ça coûte ? ».
« Combien ça fait ? » is especially useful when the price is not for one item but for a total. A customer might use it at a bakery, market, or checkout when several items are being counted together.
Useful variations in real situations
French speakers often shorten price questions depending on the setting. In a boutique, a more complete form sounds natural:
- Excusez-moi, combien coûte cette chemise ?
- Combien coûte ce pull ?
- Vous me dites combien c’est ?
In a market or casual store, shorter questions are very common:
- C’est combien ?
- Ça fait combien ?
- Et celui-là, il est à combien ?
The last example is useful when comparing items. À combien ? means “for how much?” and appears frequently in spoken French. A seller may answer with « Il est à vingt euros », meaning “It’s twenty euros.”
How French prices are answered
Price answers in French are usually short and practical. Common patterns include:
- Ça coûte dix euros. — It costs ten euros.
- C’est quinze euros. — It’s fifteen euros.
- Il est à vingt-cinq euros. — It’s at twenty-five euros.
- Ça fait trente euros. — That comes to thirty euros.
In France and many French-speaking places, euros are usually the default currency reference in everyday shopping conversation. In a more formal store, the seller may give the price without adding much explanation; in a market, the answer is often spoken quickly and may be followed by a gesture or a calculator display.
Pronunciation tips
Two details matter for clarity:
- combien is pronounced roughly like kohm-byehn
- ça is pronounced like sah
The phrase « Combien ça coûte ? » therefore has a smooth, repeated rhythm that is easy to hear in everyday speech. In fast conversation, French speakers often connect words, so listening for the full phrase is more useful than expecting each word to sound isolated.
Common mistakes
A frequent mistake is using English word order too literally. French does not usually say a direct word-for-word equivalent of “how much is this?” with the same structure as English. The natural forms are « C’est combien ? », « Combien ça coûte ? », or « Combien coûte ce… ? ».
Another common pitfall is forgetting agreement in ce / cet / cette / ces. Saying « Combien coûte ce robe ? » is incorrect because robe is feminine, so the correct form is « Combien coûte cette robe ? ».
It is also better to avoid sounding overly abrupt with strangers. « Combien ? » alone can sound too blunt in a shop unless the setting is very informal or the exchange is extremely quick.
Ready-to-use examples
- Excusez-moi, combien coûte cette robe ? — Excuse me, how much does this dress cost?
- Combien coûte ce livre ? — How much does this book cost?
- C’est combien ? — How much is it?
- Ça fait combien pour les trois ? — How much is it for the three?
- Et celui-ci, il est à combien ? — And this one, how much is it?
Repeated use in short, real situations helps the phrase become automatic. Conversation practice is especially effective here because price questions depend on rhythm, pronunciation, and quick listening as much as on vocabulary.
Quick rule of thumb
- Use « Excusez-moi, combien ça coûte ? » for polite, general use.
- Use « Combien coûte ce/cette… ? » when naming the item.
- Use « C’est combien ? » for casual everyday conversation.
- Use « Combien ça fait ? » when asking for the total.
Mini FAQ
Is “C’est combien ?” rude?
No. It is common and natural in spoken French, especially in shops and markets, though it is less formal than starting with excusez-moi.
Can “combien ça coûte” be used for one item and several items?
Yes. It works for a single item and can also be understood in broader shopping situations, though « Ça fait combien ? » is often better for totals.
Is “s’il vous plaît” necessary?
No, but it makes the question more polite. In French, a brief question becomes noticeably softer with s’il vous plaît or excusez-moi.