French · CEFR Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 22
Les prixPrices
How much is it? Price vocabulary: combien, coûter, cher, bon marché, peu, plus, moins, gratuit, la réduction, la carte. Key point: the verb « coûter » agrees with the THING: one → coûte, several → coûtent. « Combien COÛTE le pain? » but « Combien COÛTENT les fruits? ». English speakers always keep the singular (« Combien coûte les fruits? » ✗). « Cher » agrees (chère, chers); « bon marché » is invariable.
Dialogue
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coûte / coûtent
- LucasMike, tu veux ces fruits ?Mike, do you want this fruit?
- MikeOui. Combien coûte les fruits ?Yes. How much is the fruit? (slip: a plural subject needs "coûtent")
- Lucas« Combien coûtent les fruits ? » — avec un pluriel, coûtent."Combien coûtent les fruits?" — with a plural, coûtent.
- MikeAh, combien coûtent les fruits ?Ah, how much is the fruit?
Dialogue
i
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Au magasin— At the Shop
- VendeuseBonjour. Vous désirez ?Hello. What would you like?
- CamilleCombien coûte ce fruit ?How much is this fruit?
- VendeuseIl coûte trois euros. Il est très bon.It costs three euros. It is very good.
- CamilleC'est bon marché. Je peux payer par carte ?It's cheap. Can I pay by card?
Vocabulary
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- combien
interrog.how much / how many
- coûter
verbto cost (coûte/coûtent)
- cher
adjectiveexpensive (chère/chers)
- bon marché
adjectivecheap (invariable)
- peu
adverblittle, few
- plus
adverbmore
- moins
adverbless
- gratuit
adjectivefree (no cost)
- réduction
n.f.discount (f)
- carte
n.f.card (f)
Grammar
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Combien ça coûte / coûtent?
Explanation
To ask the price: « C'est combien? » or « Ça coûte combien? ». With a noun, the verb « coûter » agrees with the THING: « Le pain COÛTE deux euros » (one) but « Les fruits COÛTENT trois euros » (several). It is used mostly in the 3rd person: coûte, coûtent. English speakers always say the singular: « Combien coûte les fruits? » ✗ → « Combien coûtent les fruits? » ✓. Compare: « plus cher », « moins cher », « bon marché ». To pay: « Je peux payer par carte? » — in France the bank card (often « contactless ») works almost everywhere. The displayed price is TTC (tax included) and at a restaurant the service is included.
Examples
- Combien coûte le pain ? — Il coûte deux euros.How much is the bread? — It costs two euros.
- Combien coûtent les fruits ? — Ils coûtent trois euros.How much is the fruit? — It costs three euros.
- C'est très cher. Je veux quelque chose de moins cher.It's very expensive. I want something cheaper.
- Je peux payer par carte ? — Oui, bien sûr.Can I pay by card? — Yes, of course.
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