Shopping in English – Simple Phrases That Save You Money
🛍️ Shopping in English can feel surprisingly stressful, especially when you see something you like and suddenly forget even the simplest words. Your heart beats faster, your mind goes blank, and instead of asking a simple question, you walk away. If this sounds familiar, this episode of the Context English Podcast is for you.
🎧 In this A2–B1 level English podcast, Mike and Anna talk about one of the most common real-life situations: asking about prices in a shop. The episode is built around natural conversations, personal stories, and realistic dialogues that show how English is actually used in everyday shopping situations. There is no complicated grammar and no unnatural textbook language. Everything you hear is simple, practical, and easy to repeat.
💬 You will learn how to ask “How much is this?” with confidence, how to understand different ways shop assistants talk about prices, and how to handle common situations like discounts, sales, and payment. The episode also helps you understand phrases you often hear at the register, so you don’t feel confused or surprised when it’s time to pay.
🌍 This podcast is perfect for English learners at A2–B1 level who want to improve listening and speaking skills, especially for travel, everyday life, or living abroad. It is also ideal if you feel nervous speaking English in public places or if you want to stop translating in your head and start reacting naturally.
✨ By listening to this episode, you don’t just learn new words. You learn how to stay calm, think in English, and use simple phrases to solve real problems. Step by step, shopping in English becomes easier, more comfortable, and even enjoyable. With regular practice, situations that once felt embarrassing turn into small wins that build real confidence in your English.
DIALOGUE
Mike: Oh… excuse me? Hi! Um… this… this shirt? I really like it, but… oh, I don’t know how to say it. Is it expensive? Is it cheap? My heart is beating so fast… I just want to know the price, but the words won’t come out. This is so embarrassing! I think I will just… leave. Yeah.
Anna: Does that sound familiar? The “shopping freeze”? That moment when you want to buy something beautiful, but your English just… disappears?
GREETING & INTRODUCTION
Mike: Hello and welcome to a brand new episode! I am Mike.
Anna: And I am Anna. It is so good to have you here with us.
Mike: This is the Context English Podcast, the place where we help you use English in the real world.
Anna: Today, we are talking about a very important topic: Shopping in English. Specifically, we are looking at the question: How much is this?
Mike: It sounds simple, right? But in the moment, it can feel very difficult. By the end of this episode, you will know exactly how to ask about prices, how to understand the shop assistant, and how to handle any price-related conversation with total confidence.
RECENT EVENT / RELATABLE ANECDOTE
Anna: You know Mike, that scenario you just acted out? I actually lived it last month.
Mike: Really? Even you, Anna?
Anna: Oh, yes! I was on vacation in a small boutique in Italy. Everything was beautiful. I saw this incredible leather bag. It was exactly what I wanted. But… there was no price tag. Nothing.
Mike: That is the worst! Why do they do that?
Anna: I don’t know! I stood there for maybe five minutes. I was looking at the bag, then looking at the shop assistant, then looking back at the bag. I was practicing the question in my head: “How much is this? How much is this?” But then I started worrying… what if it costs a thousand dollars? What if I don’t understand the number he says back to me?
Mike: I know that feeling. It is like your brain becomes a blank piece of paper.
Anna: Exactly! My palms were actually sweating. I felt like a tourist who couldn’t say a single word. In the end, I just smiled nervously and walked out of the store. I didn’t even ask!
Mike: Oh, no! So you didn’t get the bag?
Anna: No, I didn’t. And I still think about it! It was such a small conversation, but my fear of making a mistake stopped me from buying something I loved.
Mike: I think many of our listeners have a story just like that. We see something we like, but the fear of the “money talk” makes us walk away.
SMOOTH TRANSITION
Anna: It is a sad story, Mike, but it’s a great lesson. We don’t want our listeners to walk away from the things they love.
Mike: Exactly. You should never feel embarrassed about asking for a price. It is the most normal thing in the world!
Anna: So, how can we avoid that “frozen” feeling? What are the simple, powerful phrases we need to feel like a confident shopper?
Mike: Well, let’s find out. Let’s build your shopping toolkit right now.
MAIN TOPIC: REAL-LIFE STORY
Mike: That is a great question, Anna. And you know, I have a story too. It happened just last week. I decided it was time to finally buy a new coffee maker. My old one… well, it was making a very strange noise every morning.
Anna: Oh, I know that noise! Like a tired robot?
Mike: Exactly! So, I went to this big electronics store. You know the ones… huge lights, hundreds of machines, and lots of signs everywhere. I found the coffee machine section and started looking. I saw one that looked perfect. It was sleek, silver, and looked very professional. But here was the problem… there were three different price tags near it.
Anna: Oh no, that is so confusing. Which one was the right one?
Mike: I had no idea! One said eighty dollars, one said one hundred and twenty, and another one said sixty-five. I stood there looking at the tags, then at the machine, then at the tags again. I felt really frustrated. I didn’t want to take it to the cash desk and find out it was the expensive one.
Anna: That is exactly the “pain point” we talked about. You feel like you should know, but you don’t. So, what did you do? Did you just leave, like I did in Italy?
Mike: Almost! I almost walked away. I thought, “Maybe I don’t need coffee that much.” But then I remembered: I am an English teacher! I can do this. I saw a shop assistant nearby. He looked very busy, which made me even more nervous. But I took a deep breath, walked up to him, and said: “Excuse me, I’m a bit confused. How much is this silver coffee maker?”
Anna: Good for you, Mike! And what happened?
Mike: He was actually very nice! He smiled and said, “Oh, sorry about the mess with the tags. Let me check.” He scanned it and told me it was actually on sale for fifty-five dollars. Even cheaper than the tags!
Anna: Wow, what a win! See? Just one simple question saved you money and a lot of stress.
Mike: Exactly. And that is the lesson. The confusion was all in my head. The moment I used a simple phrase, the problem disappeared. I walked out with a great coffee maker and a big smile on my face.
Anna: I am so glad you asked. It shows that even if you feel nervous, having the right words in your pocket changes everything.
BREAKDOWN OF 5 USEFUL PHRASES
Mike: So, let’s give our listeners those “magic words” right now. Let’s look at five essential phrases for shopping.
Anna: Great idea. Phrase number one is the classic, the gold standard: How much is this? Or, if you have more than one item: How much are these?
Mike: How much is this? How much are these?
Anna: This is the most direct way to ask. You can use it for anything. For example, if you are holding a book, you just say: “Excuse me, how much is this?”
Mike: Simple and perfect. Okay, phrase number two is a bit more polite: Could you tell me the price, please?
Anna: Could you tell me the price, please?
Mike: This is a wonderful phrase if you want to sound a little more formal or if you are in a nice boutique. For example: “I love this jacket. Could you tell me the price, please?”
Anna: I like that one. It sounds very confident. Now, phrase number three is very important for your wallet: Is this on sale?
Mike: Is this on sale?
Anna: This is what you ask when you see a red sign or a discount. You want to know if the price is lower than usual. For example: “This sweater is beautiful. Is this on sale?”
Mike: I use that one all the time! Now, phrase number four is something you will hear from the shop assistant. You need to understand this: That comes to… followed by the total amount.
Anna: That comes to…
Mike: This is how they tell you the final price at the end. For example, the assistant might say: “That comes to forty-five dollars, please.” It just means “The total is…”
Anna: That is a good one to know so you aren’t surprised at the register. And finally, phrase number five is another one you will hear: How would you like to pay?
Mike: How would you like to pay?
Anna: The assistant is asking if you want to use cash or a credit card. It is the final step! You can answer with “By card, please” or “With cash.”
Mike: There you have it. Five simple phrases that make you the boss of your shopping trip.
PRACTICE DIALOGUE
Anna: Okay Mike, let’s put everything together. Let’s imagine I am in a gift shop and you are the shop assistant. Are you ready?
Mike: I’m ready! I’ll put on my “helpful shop assistant” voice.
Anna: Perfect. Here we go. Oh, excuse me? Hi! I really like this British tea set. Could you tell me the price, please?
Mike: Hello! Of course. Let me see… the tea set? That one is thirty-five pounds.
Anna: Thirty-five pounds… I see. And what about these small magnets over here? How much are these?
Mike: Those are five pounds each. But wait! We have a special offer today.
Anna: Oh, really? Is this on sale?
Mike: Yes! If you buy the tea set, the magnets are half-price.
Anna: That is a great deal! I will take the tea set and two magnets, please.
Mike: Wonderful choice. Let’s go to the register. [Short pause] Okay, so with the discount, that comes to forty pounds exactly. How would you like to pay?
Anna: By card, please. Here is my phone.
Mike: Perfect. Just tap it here… and you’re all set! Thank you very much.
Anna: Thank you! Have a lovely day.
Mike: That was great, Anna! You sounded so confident. Now, for our listeners, let’s listen to the most important parts again, but a little bit slower.
Anna: Good idea. Listen and repeat in your head.
Mike: Could you tell me the price, please?
Anna: Is this on sale?
Mike: That comes to forty pounds.
Anna: How would you like to pay?
CONCLUSION & KEY TAKEAWAY
Mike: And just like that, you are ready to go shopping!
Anna: It’s amazing, isn’t it? Just a few simple phrases can change a stressful situation into a fun one. Today you learned how to ask for prices, how to find a bargain with the word “sale,” and how to finish your purchase.
Mike: You really did! My biggest advice for you is this: don’t wait for a trip to London or New York. The next time you are at a shop in your own city, look at an item and ask yourself in your head: “How much is this?” or “Is this on sale?”
Anna: That is a fantastic tip, Mike. Practice in your mind first. It builds a bridge to your mouth!
Mike: Exactly. You have the tools now. You don’t need to freeze or walk away like we did. You can do this!
OUTRO & CALL TO ACTION
Anna: We hope you found this episode helpful. We certainly had a lot of fun making it!
Mike: We really did. But before we go, we have a question for you. What was the last thing you bought in English? Or maybe, what is the one thing you are still afraid to ask for in a shop? Tell us your stories in the comments! We read all of them.
Anna: And if you enjoyed learning with Mike and me today, please give this video a like and subscribe to the Context English Podcast. It really helps our community grow.
Mike: Thank you so much for spending your time with us. Keep practicing, keep shopping, and we will see you very soon.
Anna: Thanks for listening, see you next time!
Mike: Bye for now! See you in the next video!