How to Ask How Much Something Is

Learn how to ask how much something is

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Vocabulary (Review)

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Lesson Transcript

Welcome to Can-Do French by FrenchPod101.com.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to ask how much something is in French.

For example, "How much does this cost?" is

Combien ça coûte ?

Corentin Collin is at a small grocery store.

He sees a snack with no visible price tag, he asks for the price.

Before you hear the conversation, let's preview some of its key components.

ça

"this"

ça

deux

"two"

deux

Combien ça coûte ?

Ça coûte deux euros.

Once more with the English translation.

Combien ça coûte ?

"How much does this cost?"

Ça coûte deux euros.

"This costs two euro."

Let's break down the conversation.

Do you remember how Corentin asks,

"How much does this cost?"

Combien ça coûte ?

Let’s start with combien, "how much." Combien. Combien.

Next is ça. "This." Ça.Ça.

Translation note, ça could also translate as "it," in this context; however, we’ll use "this" as the translation.

Last is coûte. "Costs" as in "this costs." Coûte.Coûte.

Coûte is from the verb coûter, "to cost." Coûter.

All together, Combien ça coûte ? Literally, "How much this costs?" But translates as "How much does this cost?"

Combien ça coûte ?

Let’s take a closer look at the response.

Do you remember how the shop clerk says,

"It costs two euro."

Ça coûte deux euros.

Let’s start with deux euros, "two euro." Deux euros.

First is deux, "two." Deux. Deux.

Next is euros. "Euro," the name of the currency. Euro. Euro.

Note that there is an s to indicate the plural form, but this "s" is silent.

Together it’s deux euros, "two euro." Deux euros.

Moving to the beginning of the sentence. Ça coûte.

First is ça. "This." Ça.

Next is coûte. "Costs." Coûte.

All together, it's Ça coûte deux euros. "This costs two euro."

Ça coûte deux euros.

The pattern is

Combien coûte ITEM?

"How much does ITEM cost?"

Combien coûte ITEM?

To use this pattern, simply replace the {ITEM} placeholder with the thing you’d like to know the price of.

Note: when naming specific items, you’ll need to use the correct corresponding article.

For example, imagine you’re at a cafe, and you’d like to know the price of "a coffee," un café.

Let’s start with café, "coffee." Café. Café.

Café is masculine and singular.

Before café is un. Think of it like "a" in English. Un. Un.

Un is masculine and singular to agree with café.

Ask, "How much does a coffee cost?"

Ready?

Combien coûte un café ?

"How much does a coffee cost?"

Combien coûte un café ?

Note: If you ask for un café, "a coffee," it’s assumed you’re asking for an espresso.

If you’d like a less strong coffee, you should ask for un café allongé or un café américain.

The word, ça, can be used to discuss an item without knowing its name and, subsequently, its gender in French.

To use the pattern with a specific item, you’ll need to know the number and gender of the thing you’re asking for. And also, whether you’re referring to something specific.

The key pattern section introduces the indefinite article, un, as in un café. Think of it like the "a" or "an" in "a coffee." It doesn’t refer to anything specifically. Here un agrees with masculine singular noun café; however, there is another form of this article.

For a feminine, singular noun, like pomme, apple, use une. Une pomme, "an apple." Une pomme.

When referring to something specific, use the definite article. It’s like "the" in English.

For a masculine, singular noun, like melon, melon, use le. Le melon, "the melon." Le melon.

For a feminine, singular noun, like pomme, apple, use la. La pomme, "the apple." La pomme.

For both masculine, singular and feminine, singular nouns starting with a vowel, and often "h," or h use l’.

Masculine, l’ananas, "the pineapple." L’ananas

Feminine, l’orange, "the orange," as in the fruit. L’orange.

Again, the key pattern is

Combien coûte ITEM?

"How much does ITEM cost?"

Combien coûte ITEM?

Let’s look at some more examples.

Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.

Combien ça coûte ?

"How much does this cost?"

Combien ça coûte ?

Combien coûte un café ?

"How much does a coffee cost?"

Combien coûte un café ?

Combien coûte la tarte?

"How much does the pie cost?"

Combien coûte la tarte ?

Combien coûte le melon ?

"How much does the melon cost?"

Combien coûte le melon ?

C'est combien ?

"How much is it?"

C'est combien ?

Did you notice how the last speaker used a different pattern?

When you’re asking how much something is, and it’s understood what you’re speaking about, for example, when asking by pointing at something, you can omit the subject.

This pattern is

C'est combien ?

"How much is it?"

First is C’est, "it’s." C’est.

Note, c’est is a contraction of ce, "it," and est, "is." C’est is shortened for easier pronunciation.

Ce, "It." Ce. Ce.

Est. "is," Est. Est.

Est is from the verb être, "to be." Être.

Together, it’s C’est "It’s." C’est.

Next is combien. "How much." Combien.

All together, it’s "C’est combien" meaning literally, "It’s how much?" But translating as "How much is it?"

You should be aware of this pattern, but for this lesson, we’ll use the pattern,

Combien coûte ITEM?

"How much does {ITEM} cost?"

Let’s review the key vocabulary.

Café.

"Coffee"

Café.

Tarte.

"Pie."

Tarte.

Melon.

"Melon."

Melon.

Let's review.

Respond to the prompts by speaking aloud. Then repeat after the native speaker, focusing on pronunciation.

Ready?

When you don’t know the word for something, do you remember how to say "this?"

ça

And how to say "how much?"

combien

Do you remember how Corentin Collin asks,

"How much does this cost?"

Combien ça coûte ?

Do you remember how to say "euro?"

Euro

And how to say "two?"

deux

Do you remember how the clerk says,

"It costs two euro."

Ça coûte deux euros.

Do you remember how to say "coffee?"

café

And how to say "a coffee?"

un café

Do you remember how to say "melon?"

melon

Melon

And how to say "the melon?"

le melon

Let's practice.

Imagine you’re Corentin , and you’re at a farmers’ market. Imagine they’re selling artisan coffee. Ask for the price of a coffee, or un café.

Ready?

Combien coûte un café ?

Ça coûte trois euros.

Listen again and repeat.

Combien coûte un café ?

Let’s try one more.

Imagine they’re also selling pie. Ask "how much does it cost?"

Don’t forget the pronoun ça.

Ready?

Combien ça coûte ?

Ça coûte deux euros.

Listen again and repeat.

Combien ça coûte ?

Let’s try one more.

There is one melon remaining. Ask for the price of "the melon," or la melon.

Ready?

Combien coûte le melon ?

Ça coûte quatre euros.

Listen again and repeat.

Combien coûte la melon ?

Combien coûte la melon?

In this lesson, you learned how to ask how much something costs. This plays an essential role in the larger skill of shopping at a grocery store. Let’s review.

Do you remember how to say "please?"

S'il vous plaît.

And how to say "this?"

ceci.

Do you remember how to say,

"I would like this, please."

Je voudrais ceci, s'il vous plaît.

Do you remember the formal way to say,

"Excuse me."

Excusez-moi.

And how to say "salt?"

sel

Do you remember how to say "any salt?"

du sel

Do you remember how to ask,

"Excuse me, do you have salt?"

Excusez-moi. Avez-vous du sel ?

And how to say,

"Yes, it's here."

Oui, c'est ici.

Imagine you're Jack Jones , and you're at a grocery store, and you'd like to buy something located close to the clerk.

Do you remember how to say "this" in French?

ceci

Ask the clerk for "this."

Je voudrais ceci, s'il vous plaît.

Et voici.

Listen again and repeat.

Je voudrais ceci, s'il vous plaît.

You remembered that you also wanted to buy milk

Do you remember how to say "any milk" in French?

du lait

Now ask the clerk if the store has any milk.

Ready?

Excusez-moi. Avez-vous du lait ?

Oui, c'est ici.

Listen again and repeat.

Excusez-moi. Avez-vous du lait ?

You'd also like to know the price of coffee.

Do you remember how to say "a coffee" in French?

un café

Now ask for the price of a coffee.

Combien coûte un café ?

Ça coûte trois euros.

Listen again and repeat.

Combien coûte un café ?

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