Master essential vocabulary related to shopping in English. Whether you're navigating a mall, browsing online stores, or bargaining at a local market, this guide will be your handy companion, enriching your shopping experience and boosting your language skills.
Basic Shopping Terms
As a language learner, familiarizing yourself with basic shopping terms is the first step to becoming comfortable in various shopping environments. These terms form the foundation of most shopping-related conversations, whether you're in a supermarket, a clothing store, or shopping online. Knowing these terms will help you navigate the shopping world with greater confidence and ease.
- Retailer. A company or person that sells goods to consumers.
- Customer. Someone who buys products or services from a store or business.
- Purchase. To buy something; the act of buying.
- Receipt. A document given to the customer showing the details of a transaction.
- Sale. A special event where items are sold at reduced prices.
- Discount. A reduction in the price of an item or service.
- Refund. Money returned to a customer for a returned product.
- Exchange. To swap an item for another, usually in the context of returning goods.
- Warranty. A guarantee about the quality of a product and the promise of repair or replacement.
- Checkout. The place or process where you pay for your items in a store.
Grocery Shopping Vocabulary
Grocery shopping is a common and essential activity, and knowing relevant vocabulary can greatly simplify this task. These shopping terms will guide you through the different sections of a grocery store, help you understand product labels, and make the checkout process smoother. As a language learner, familiarizing yourself with these words will make your grocery shopping experiences more efficient and enjoyable.
- Aisle. A passageway between shelves in a store.
- Organic. Food produced without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.
- Cart. A wheeled basket used to carry groceries while shopping.
- Frozen Section. Area in a grocery store with frozen food items.
- Produce. The section of a store that sells fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Deli. A section where fresh meats, cheese, and prepared foods are sold.
- Checkout Line. The line or queue at the checkout area.
- Cashier. The person who rings up and charges for your purchases.
- Receipt. A document detailing your purchased items and their prices.
- Bagging Area. Where you pack your purchased items into bags.
English phrases to help you when you go shopping
| Vocabulary | Explanation | Example |
|---|
| (Some) Change | Money exchange. | Have you got change to pay the swimming pool? |
| A banknote/a note/a bill | Paper money. | How many banknotes have you got? |
| A bargain | A good deal. | That’s a real bargain. |
| A bid | An offer in an auction. | What bids did you make? |
| A bill | An invoice. | I need the bill to be refunded. |
| A billboard | A large panel for advertising. | The billboards are huge. |
| A brand | A trademark. | Children love brands nowadays. |
| A carrier bag | A bag (usually plastic) supplied by shops. | Carrier bags are always provided. |
| A cashier | A person who operates cash register. | The cashier is so nice. |
| A catchphrase/a motto | A repeated phrase, slogan. | Do you know the brand’s catchphrase? |
| A chain | A company with branches. | I usually shop in chains. |
| A changing room/cloakroom//fitting room | A booth for trying on clothes. | Where are the fitting rooms? |
| A charge/to charge | A fee/To ask for money. | How much do you charge for this? |
| A check/cheque | An order for bank to pay. | I usually pay the doctor by check. |
| A client/customer | Someone who buys products. | Clients should always be satisfied with what you sell. |
| A coin | Metal money. | How many coins have you got? |
| A consumer | Someone who consumes, who buys. | How many customers will you target? |
| A corner shop | A small, local shop that sells a little of everything – it needn’t be on a corner. | He loves shopping in the corner shop. |
| A cost/to cost | A price. | The cost of the product is too high. |
| A counter | A flat, elevated surface. | Meet me at the counter. |
| A coupon | A discount voucher. | We love using coupons when we shop. |
| A deal | A transaction. | They got such a good deal yesterday. |
| A delivery/to deliver | An act of delivering. | The delivery was done on time. |
| A department | A division of organization. | Which department do you work for? |
| A department store | A large store that sells a range of items in different departments such as food and clothing. | Department stores are heaven. |
| A design | A pattern, a styling. | He loves the new design of the product. |
| A discount store/pound shop | A shop where all the goods are sold at a discount. | My parents love going to discount stores. |
| A discount/to discount | A reduced price/to deduct from price. | They got a very good discount today. |
| A flea market | A market where antiques and second hand goods are sold. | It is so different to shop at the flea market. |
| A franchise | A business with a commercial licence. | Franchises are fun to shop in. |
| A fur trader | Person who deals in animal-fur products. | The fur trader did an excellent job with my coat. |
| A gift/present | Something you give to make the other person happy. | I love the gift he offered me. |
| A guarantee | A promise. | How long does the guarantee last? |
| A leaflet | A brochure. | Have you seen the company’s leaflet? |
| A loyalty card | a card issued by a shop to allow customers to save money on the basis of what they spend. | She has all the loyalty cards of her favorite shops. |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Shopping Vocabulary
1. What is the difference between "buy" and "purchase"?
- Buy and purchase essentially mean the same thing: to acquire something in exchange for money. "Buy" is more informal and commonly used in everyday conversation, while "purchase" is slightly more formal and often used in written English or business contexts.
2. What does "sale" mean?
- A "sale" refers to a period during which items are sold at reduced prices. It can also mean the event or occasion when these discounted prices are offered.
3. What is a "discount"?
- A "discount" is a reduction in the price of an item. For example, if a shirt originally costs $50 and is now being sold for $40, it has a $10 discount.
4. What does "refund" mean?
- A "refund" is the return of money to a customer when they return a product or if there was an issue with the purchase. It usually happens when the item is returned or if the service was not satisfactory.
5. What is a "receipt"?
- A "receipt" is a document provided by the seller that confirms the purchase of goods or services. It typically includes details such as the date of purchase, items bought, and the amount paid.
6. What does "inventory" refer to?
- "Inventory" refers to the list or stock of goods available for sale in a store or warehouse. It can also mean the process of checking and managing these items.
7. What is the meaning of "checkout"?
- "Checkout" is the process of paying for items in a store or online. In a physical store, it often refers to the area where customers pay for their purchases, while online it refers to the process of finalizing the purchase on a website.
8. What does "in stock" mean?
- "In stock" means that an item is available for purchase and not sold out. If something is "out of stock," it means it is not currently available.
9. What is the meaning of "warranty"?
- A "warranty" is a guarantee provided by the manufacturer or seller that promises to repair or replace a product if it breaks or is defective within a certain period of time.
10. What does "brand" mean? - A "brand" is a name, term, design, symbol, or other feature that identifies a seller's products as distinct from those of other sellers. For example, Nike and Apple are well-known brands.
