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Study in the app →English · CEFR Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 22
Prices and paying Les prix et payer
Demander les prix et payer : price, dollar, cent, expensive, cheap, how much, pay, cash, card. La grammaire clé, c'est « How much is …? » pour une chose et « How much are …? » pour plus d'une — l'anglais change le verbe selon le singulier et le pluriel. Le coréen ne change pas le verbe selon le nombre, donc les Coréens gardent souvent « is » : « How much is these bags? » ✗ → « How much are these bags? » ✓. Coin prononciation : « dollar », le « ch » de cheap et l'accent d'expensive.
Dialogue
is or are? — is ou are ?
- Emma Minsu, do you want to buy these bags? Minsu, veux-tu acheter ces sacs ?
- Minsu Yes. How much is these bags? Oui. Combien coûtent ces sacs ? (lapsus : these bags est pluriel — utilise « are » → « How much are these bags? »)
- Emma "These bags" is plural — use "are": How much are these bags? « These bags » est pluriel — utilise « are » : How much are these bags?
- Minsu How much are these bags? Combien coûtent ces sacs ?
Dialogue
At the shop — À la boutique
- Minsu Hello. How much is this bag? Bonjour. Combien coûte ce sac ?
- Assistant It's fifteen dollars. Quinze dollars.
- Minsu That's cheap. I want to pay by card. C'est bon marché. Je veux payer par carte.
- Assistant Sure. Here you are. Bien sûr. Voici.
Vocabulary
| 汉字 | Pinyin | POS | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| price | n. | prix | |
| dollar | n. | dollar | |
| cent | n. | cent | |
| expensive | adj. | cher | |
| cheap | adj. | bon marché | |
| how much | phr. | combien | |
| pay | v. | payer | |
| cash | n. | espèces | |
| card | n. | carte | |
| free | adj. | gratuit |
Grammar
"How much is …?" and "How much are …?" « How much is …? » et « 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.
Pour demander un prix, dis « How much » + is / are + la chose. Utilise IS pour une chose : How much is this bag? — It's ten dollars. Utilise ARE pour deux ou plus : How much are these apples? — They're four dollars. Le verbe doit s'accorder : un → is, plusieurs → are. C'est la même règle que « this is / these are ». Réponds avec un prix en « dollars » : It's five dollars. Dis comment tu paies : I want to pay by card / with cash. Le coréen garde une seule forme du verbe pour tout nombre, donc attention au pluriel — avec « these bags » il faut dire ARE, pas is.
- How much is this? — It's ten dollars. Combien coûte ceci ? — Dix dollars.
- How much are these apples? — They're four dollars. Combien coûtent ces pommes ? — Quatre dollars.
- This bag is expensive. These bags are cheap. Ce sac est cher. Ces sacs sont bon marché.
- I want to pay by card. Je veux payer par carte.
pronunciation
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