English for Shopping and Renting — Phrases for Spending Money Abroad

Nobody's English fails in the dramatic moments. It fails in a shop, holding a jumper in the wrong size, deciding it's easier to buy it than to ask.

These conversations are small, constant, and they decide how much of your life abroad you actually control. They're also completely learnable, because they barely vary.

In a shop

What the assistant will say:

"Are you all right there?" confuses nearly every learner in Britain. It is not asking about your wellbeing. The answer is I'm fine thanks, just looking or Actually, yes — do you have this in a medium?

What you say:

• I'm just looking, thanks. — the universal polite escape
• Do you have this in a medium?
• Have you got this in another colour?
• Where are the changing rooms?
• Can I try this on?
• It's a bit tight / a bit loose / too short.
• Do you have the next size up? / the next size down?
• I'll take it.
• I'll leave it, thanks.

Asking about price and paying

• How much is this? — one item
• How much are these? — more than one
• Is this on sale?
• Is there a discount on this?
• Sorry, that's more than I thought — I'll leave it.
• Can I pay by card?
• Could I have a receipt?
• Do you take cash?

The grammar trap: How much for uncountable things and prices, how many for countable ones. How much water, how many bottles. Getting it wrong is never fatal but it's one of the most audible markers of a learner, and it's fixable in an afternoon — which is exactly what How Much Is It? — Nouns & Quantity does at A1.

Returning something

The conversation people dread most, and it's four lines.

• I'd like to return this, please.
• It doesn't fit. / It's faulty. / I've changed my mind.
• Here's the receipt.
• Could I have a refund, or an exchange?

Useful to know: refund = money back, exchange = a different item, store credit = money to spend there only. Shops will often push you toward the last one; you can ask for a refund.

Viewing a flat

Renting is where the vocabulary suddenly gets technical, and where misunderstanding costs real money.

The questions to ask at a viewing — write these down and take them with you:

• Is the deposit refundable, and when do I get it back?
• Are bills included? Which ones?
• What's the notice period?
• Is there anything that needs fixing before I move in?
• Who do I contact if something breaks?
• Can I see the tenancy agreement before I decide?
• Is there damp anywhere? — ask it, especially in older buildings

"Cosy" means small. So does "compact", "bijou" and "ideal for one person". Rental listings have their own gentle dishonesty and it's worth being able to read it.

Describing the place once you've got it

You'll need this constantly — to friends, to a landlord, to an insurance form:

• It's a one-bed on the second floor.
• It's a bit noisy at the front, but it's quiet at the back.
• There's a decent amount of storage.
• The heating's on a timer.
• It gets a lot of light in the morning.

When something's wrong

• The heating isn't working.
• There's a leak under the sink.
• The boiler's making a strange noise.
• It's been like this for a week — when can someone come out?
• Could you confirm that in writing, please? — the most useful sentence a tenant knows

Common questions

What does "Are you all right there?" mean in a shop?

It means "do you need any help?" — it isn't asking about your health. Reply with "I'm fine thanks, just looking" or go straight to your question: "Actually, yes — do you have this in a medium?"

How do I ask for a different size in English?

"Do you have this in a medium?" or "Do you have the next size up?" (bigger) and "the next size down" (smaller). To describe the problem: "It's a bit tight", "It's a bit loose", "It's too short".

What's the difference between "how much" and "how many"?

"How much" goes with uncountable things and prices — how much water, how much is it. "How many" goes with countable ones — how many bottles. It's one of the most audible learner markers and one of the quickest to fix.

What should I ask when viewing a flat in English?

Whether the deposit is refundable and when it's returned, which bills are included, the notice period, anything that needs fixing before you move in, who to contact for repairs, and whether you can read the tenancy agreement first. Ask about damp in older buildings.

How do I return something to a shop in English?

Four lines: "I'd like to return this, please", the reason ("It doesn't fit" / "It's faulty" / "I've changed my mind"), "Here's the receipt", and "Could I have a refund, or an exchange?" A refund is money back; store credit can only be spent there.

Where to start

Shopping for Clothes covers the shop conversation at A2, and How Much Is It? — Nouns & Quantity fixes the much/many problem underneath it at A1.

For the bigger transaction, Renting a Flat covers viewings, contracts and the vocabulary landlords use, and Describing Your Home gives you the language for talking about the place once you're in it.