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Study in the app →English · CEFR Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 22
Prices and paying Precios y pagar
Preguntar precios y pagar: price, dollar, cent, expensive, cheap, how much, pay, cash, card. La gramática clave es "How much is …?" para una cosa y "How much are …?" para más de una — el inglés cambia el verbo según singular y plural. El coreano no cambia el verbo por número, así que los coreanos suelen dejar "is": "How much is these bags?" ✗ → "How much are these bags?" ✓. Rincón de pronunciación: "dollar", la "ch" de cheap y el acento de expensive.
Dialogue
is or are? — ¿is o are?
- Emma Minsu, do you want to buy these bags? Minsu, ¿quieres comprar estos bolsos?
- Minsu Yes. How much is these bags? Sí. ¿Cuánto son estos bolsos? (desliz: these bags es plural — usa "are" → "How much are these bags?")
- Emma "These bags" is plural — use "are": How much are these bags? "These bags" es plural — usa "are": How much are these bags?
- Minsu How much are these bags? ¿Cuánto son estos bolsos?
Dialogue
At the shop — En la tienda
- Minsu Hello. How much is this bag? Hola. ¿Cuánto es este bolso?
- Assistant It's fifteen dollars. Son quince dólares.
- Minsu That's cheap. I want to pay by card. Es barato. Quiero pagar con tarjeta.
- Assistant Sure. Here you are. Claro. Aquí tiene.
Vocabulary
| 汉字 | Pinyin | POS | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| price | n. | precio | |
| dollar | n. | dólar | |
| cent | n. | centavo | |
| expensive | adj. | caro | |
| cheap | adj. | barato | |
| how much | phr. | cuánto | |
| pay | v. | pagar | |
| cash | n. | efectivo | |
| card | n. | tarjeta | |
| free | adj. | gratis |
Grammar
"How much is …?" and "How much are …?" "How much is …?" y "How much are …?"
To ask a price, say "How much" + is / are + the thing. Use IS for one thing: How much is this bag? — It's ten dollars. Use ARE for two or more: How much are these apples? — They're four dollars. The verb must match: one → is, many → are. It is the same rule as "this is / these are". To answer, use a price with "dollars": It's five dollars. To say how you pay: I want to pay by card / with cash. Korean keeps one form of the verb for any number, so watch the plural — with "these bags" you must say ARE, not is.
Para preguntar un precio, di "How much" + is / are + la cosa. Usa IS para una cosa: How much is this bag? — It's ten dollars. Usa ARE para dos o más: How much are these apples? — They're four dollars. El verbo debe concordar: uno → is, varios → are. Es la misma regla que "this is / these are". Responde con un precio en "dollars": It's five dollars. Di cómo pagas: I want to pay by card / with cash. El coreano usa una forma del verbo para cualquier número, así que cuidado con el plural — con "these bags" hay que decir ARE, no is.
- How much is this? — It's ten dollars. ¿Cuánto es esto? — Son diez dólares.
- How much are these apples? — They're four dollars. ¿Cuánto son estas manzanas? — Son cuatro dólares.
- This bag is expensive. These bags are cheap. Este bolso es caro. Estos bolsos son baratos.
- I want to pay by card. Quiero pagar con tarjeta.
pronunciation
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