Shopping & Money — Easy English Conversation

Transcript

A: Hello, and welcome to the Recursio English Podcast.

B: Hi everyone! I’m really glad you’re here.

A: Today, we are talking about shopping and money.

B: Yes — going into a shop, asking about prices, trying clothes on, and paying at the till.

A: The “till” is the place where you pay. We’ll learn that word today too.

B: These are things we all do, so today’s phrases are really useful for real life.

A: And don’t worry — we will go slowly, and explain every phrase, step by step.

B: You can practice today’s phrases in Recursio — the link is in the description.

A: Okay. Let’s go shopping! B, imagine we walk into a clothes shop together.

B: I love shopping, so I’m ready. Let’s go in.

In the shop

A: So, we walk in, and a shop assistant comes over. What do they usually say?

B: Usually they smile and say, “Hi, can I help you?”

A: “Can I help you?” So they want to help us find something.

B: Exactly. It’s a friendly, polite question. You’ll hear it in almost every shop.

A: And what if I just want to look? I’m not ready to buy anything yet.

B: Then you can say, “I’m just looking, thanks.”

A: “I’m just looking, thanks.” So that means, “I don’t need help right now.”

B: Right. And it’s very polite. You’re not being rude — you just want to look around first.

A: That’s good to know. Many learners feel nervous. They think they have to buy something.

B: You really don’t. You can walk in, have a look around, and walk out again. That’s completely normal.

A: “To have a look around.” I like that. It means to walk and look, without buying.

B: Yes. We also say “to browse”. “I’m just browsing” means the same as “I’m just looking”.

A: Oh, nice. And the assistant might say, “No problem. Take your time.”

B: Exactly. “Take your time” means, “Don’t hurry. Look for as long as you want.”

A: That’s a kind thing to hear. So, the assistant says, “Can I help you?” And I say, “I’m just looking, thanks.”

B: Perfect. And later, when you do need help, you can find them and ask.

Asking about prices

A: Okay. Now I see a nice jacket. I want to know the price. What do I ask?

B: The most common question is, “How much is it?”

A: “How much is it?” Short and simple.

B: Yes. Or you can say, “How much does it cost?” They mean the same thing.

A: “How much is it?” or “How much does it cost?” Good. And what if there are several things?

B: Then you say, “How much are they?” We use “is it” for one thing, and “are they” for more than one.

A: That makes sense. So, one jacket — “How much is it?” Two jackets — “How much are they?”

B: Exactly. And if you buy a few things, you can ask, “How much is that altogether?”

A: “Altogether” means the total — all of it together.

B: Right. Now, let’s say the assistant tells you the price, and it’s high. How do you feel?

A: A little shocked, maybe! How do I say that politely?

B: You can say, “Hmm, it’s a bit expensive.” The words “a bit” make it softer and more polite.

A: “It’s a bit expensive.” So I’m not complaining. I’m just saying, gently, that the price is high.

B: Exactly. If you say only “It’s expensive!”, it can sound strong. “It’s a bit expensive” is calmer.

A: Good. And what if the price is actually good?

B: Then you can say, “Oh, that’s not bad,” or “That’s good value.”

A: “That’s good value” — it means you get a lot for your money.

B: Right. Good value is a lovely thing to find when you go shopping.

A: I once bought some shoes for ten euros, and I wore them for three years.

B: Now that is good value! Great shoes.

Trying it on

A: Okay, I like the jacket, and the price is okay. Now I want to try it. What do I say?

B: You say, “Can I try it on?” To try something on means to put on clothes in the shop, to see if they fit.

A: “To try it on.” So I take the jacket to a small room and put it on.

B: Yes. That room is called the “fitting room”, or the “changing room”.

A: Good. And what if the jacket is too small, or too big?

B: If it’s the wrong size, you can ask, “Do you have this in a different size?”

A: “Do you have this in a different size?” So maybe I need a bigger one, or a smaller one.

B: Exactly. If it’s too small, we say “it’s too tight”. If it’s too big, we say “it’s too loose”.

A: “Too tight” and “too loose”. Very useful. And I can ask for a different colour too?

B: Of course. “Do you have this in blue?” Or, “Do you have this in black?”

A: And if the jacket is perfect?

B: Then you smile and say, “It fits perfectly!” “To fit” means it’s the right size for your body.

A: “It fits.” And I heard people say “It suits you.” Is that the same?

B: Good question — it’s different. “It fits” is about size. “It suits you” means it looks good on you.

A: Ah, so a jacket can fit me, and also suit me. Both good things!

B: Exactly. And by the way — if you want to remember these phrases later, save them in Recursio, and it will bring them back before you forget.

A: Good tip. Okay, the jacket fits, and it suits me. Now let’s talk about money.

Sales and discounts

A: Sometimes I see a big sign that says “SALE”. What does that mean?

B: It means the shop is selling things for less money than usual. When something is cheaper, we say it’s “on sale”.

A: “On sale.” So the prices are lower than normal.

B: You’ll also see words like “reduced”, or “half price”, or “twenty percent off”.

A: “Half price” — so it costs half of the normal price. If it was forty euros, now it’s twenty.

B: Exactly. And if something is cheap and really good value, what do we call it?

A: Hmm, I’m not sure. What do we call it?

B: We call it “a bargain”. A bargain is a good thing that you buy for a low price.

A: “A bargain.” For example, “This jacket was fifty euros, but I paid twenty. It was a real bargain!”

B: Perfect example. And the money they take off the price is called “a discount”.

A: “A discount.” So the shop gives me a discount. Maybe ten percent off, or twenty percent off.

B: Exactly. You can even ask, politely, “Is there a discount on this?”

A: I like that question. “Is there a discount on this?” It never hurts to ask.

B: It doesn’t! Sometimes they say yes, and you save some money. But sometimes they say no, and that’s okay too.

Paying and money words

A: Okay. I want to buy the jacket. I go to the till — the place where you pay. What happens?

B: The assistant tells you the total, and asks, “How would you like to pay? Cash or card?”

A: “Cash or card?” So I can pay with money in my hand, or with my bank card.

B: Right. “Cash” means notes and coins — real money in your hand. “Card” means your bank card.

A: And I can say, “I’ll pay by card,” or “Can I pay by card?”

A: “Can I pay by card?” Easy. And what if I pay with cash, and I give too much money?

B: Then they give you “change”. Change is the money you get back. If the jacket is eighteen euros and you give twenty, you get two euros in change.

A: “Change.” Very useful word. And these days, I just touch my card on the machine.

B: Yes! That’s called “contactless”. You don’t even type your number. You just tap the card, or your phone.

A: “Contactless” — quick and easy. Okay, I pay, and they give me a small piece of paper. What is that?

B: That’s your receipt. A receipt shows what you bought and how much you paid.

A: “A receipt.” And why is it important?

B: Keep your receipt! If there’s a problem with the jacket, you’ll need it.

A: A problem — like what?

B: Maybe you get home, and the jacket has a small hole. Or it’s the wrong size. Then you can take it back to the shop.

A: And can I get my money back?

B: Yes. That’s called “a refund”. A refund means the shop gives your money back.

A: “A refund.” So I bring the jacket and the receipt, and I ask for a refund.

B: Exactly. You can say, “Excuse me, I’d like to return this, please. Can I get a refund?”

A: “I’d like to return this.” That’s very useful. So — return the item, show the receipt, and ask for a refund.

B: Perfect. And now you can shop in English from start to finish.

Quick review

A: Let’s do a short review. I’ll ask, and you can try to answer in your head first. Ready?

B: Ready!

A: You walk into a shop, and the assistant wants to help you. What do they say?

B: “Can I help you?”

A: And you only want to look. What do you say?

B: “I’m just looking, thanks.”

A: You want to know the price of one thing. What do you ask?

B: “How much is it?”

A: The price is high, and you want to say it politely.

B: “It’s a bit expensive.”

A: You want to put the jacket on, to see if it fits. What do you ask?

B: “Can I try it on?”

A: The shop is selling things cheaper than usual. How do we say that?

B: The things are “on sale”.

A: And after you pay, the shop gives you a small piece of paper. What is it?

B: A receipt.

A: Perfect. You remembered them all.

Outro

A: So today we learned some really useful shopping phrases.

B: Can I help you. I’m just looking, thanks. How much is it. It’s a bit expensive.

A: To try it on. Do you have this in a different size. On sale. A bargain. A discount.

B: To pay by card. A receipt. And a refund.

A: If you want to review these phrases and remember them, open the link below and practice them in Recursio.

B: Thank you so much for listening. We really hope you enjoyed it.

A: Take care, happy shopping, and see you in the next episode!