Shopping means buying what you need in a store, at the market or at the supermarket. It is often said to do the shopping to talk about everyday purchases. In a shopping list, you note what is missing at home: bread, milk, fruit, soap. The most common places are the supermarket, the grocery store, the bakery, the butcher and the market. To start understanding everyday purchases, this theme goes with Food and Drinks and Daily Routine.

At the market as well as at the supermarket, you can find everyday fruits and vegetables. Among the most common fruits are the apple, the banana, the orange, the pear, the grape and the strawberry. For vegetables, you often see the tomato, the carrot, the lettuce, the onion, the potato and the cucumber. In French, these products are often bought by the kilogram, especially at the market. To talk about everyday meals, these words go well with Food and Drinks.

carotteconcombretomateorangesaladepomme de terrebananepommeraisinfraise

---

Un légume vert et frais, souvent croquant dans les saladesUn petit fruit qui pousse en grappes et qui peut être noir ou blancUn légume long et orange, souvent croquant et sucréUn mélange de feuilles vertes que l on mange froidUn agrume juteux avec une peau épaisse et parfuméeUn petit fruit rouge avec des graines à l extérieurUn fruit utilisé comme légume dans beaucoup de plats salésUn fruit rond et croquant, souvent rouge ou vert, que l on mange cruUn fruit jaune et doux, facile à emporter pour une collationUn tubercule très courant, utilisé en purée ou en frites

Vocabulary of common fruits and vegetables

Word	Definition
pomme	A round, crisp fruit, often red or green, that is eaten raw.
banane	A yellow, soft fruit, easy to carry for a snack.
orange	A juicy citrus fruit with a thick, fragrant rind.
raisin	A small fruit that grows in clusters and can be black or white.
fraise	A small red fruit with seeds on the outside.
tomate	A fruit used as a vegetable in many savory dishes.
carotte	A long orange vegetable, often crunchy and sweet.
salade	A mix of green leaves eaten cold.
concombre	A green, fresh vegetable, often crunchy in salads.
pomme de terre	A very common tuber, used in mashed potatoes or fries.

Scramble

Staple products are the foods that you often buy for the home. Bread, milk, eggs, rice, pasta, flour, sugar and salt appear very often in shopping lists. Bread is sold by the piece or in pieces, while rice and pasta are often sold in packets. In a French kitchen, these words appear everywhere, from breakfast to dinner. They are also useful for talking about Daily Routine.

huilelaitfarineselrizpainbeurrepâtessucreœufs

---

Une matière grasse liquide utilisée pour cuire ou assaisonnerDes aliments secs à base de farine, cuits dans l eau bouillanteUne céréale en petits grains, très présente dans de nombreux repasDes aliments ronds vendus par plusieurs unités, utiles pour cuisinerUne poudre utilisée pour faire du pain, des gâteaux et des saucesUne boisson blanche d origine animale, utilisée aussi dans plusieurs recettesUn condiment blanc qui relève le goût des platsUn aliment fait avec de la farine, souvent acheté frais chaque jourUne poudre ou de petits grains qui donnent un goût sucréUne matière grasse douce faite avec de la crème, souvent tartinée

Vocabulary of essential food staples

Word	Definition
pain	A food made with flour, often bought fresh each day.
lait	A white drink of animal origin, also used in several recipes.
œufs	Round foods sold in many units, useful for cooking.
riz	A cereal in small grains, very present in many meals.
pâtes	Dried foods made from flour, cooked in boiling water.
farine	A powder used to make bread, cakes and sauces.
sucre	A powder or small grains that give a sweet taste.
sel	A white condiment that enhances the taste of dishes.
huile	A liquid fat used for cooking or seasoning.
beurre	A soft fat made from cream, often spreadable.

Scramble

For meat, people often say chicken, beef, pork, lamb or turkey. For fish and seafood, the most frequent words are fish, salmon, tuna, shrimp and mussels. When looking for an alternative, you can ask for tofu, lentils or chickpeas. In a store, these products are often found in the fresh section or at the butcher and the fishmonger. The word meat refers to meat in general, while precise names are used to choose what you want to buy.

pouletviandecrevettestofusaumonporcthonlentillesbœufpoisson

---

Un animal aquatique que l on mange frais ou cuisinéUn poisson souvent vendu en boîte ou en filetUn poisson rose très apprécié, souvent grillé ou fuméDe petits fruits de mer très utilisés dans les salades et plats chaudsLa partie animale que l on mange, comme le bœuf ou le porcUn aliment à base de soja, souvent utilisé comme alternative à la viandeDe petites graines très nourrissantes, souvent servies en soupe ou en saladeUne viande rouge qui vient de la vacheUne viande blanche très courante, douce et facile à cuisinerUne viande qui vient du cochon et que l on cuisine de plusieurs façons

Vocabulary of the meal proteins

Word	Definition
viande	The animal flesh that is eaten, such as beef or pork.
poulet	A white meat that is very common, gentle and easy to cook.
bœuf	A red meat from a cow.
porc	Meat from a pig that can be cooked in many ways.
poisson	A aquatic animal eaten fresh or cooked.
saumon	A pink fish highly appreciated, often grilled or smoked.
thon	A fish often sold canned or as fillets.
crevettes	Small seafood used in salads and hot dishes.
tofu	A soy-based food, often used as a meat substitute.
lentilles	Small, very nutritious seeds, often served in soup or salad.

Scramble

Common dairy products are milk, yogurt, cheese, butter and cream. For breakfast, you often hear baguette, croissant, brioche, jam and sometimes hot chocolate. In a bakery, you often order a croissant or a baguette, and at home you eat bread with butter or jam. Cheese is a very common word in French, with many varieties depending on taste and region.

croissantbeignetbriocheyaourtcrèmecéréalesfromagemielpâtisserieconfiture

---

Une substance sucrée produite par les abeillesUn dessert ou une viennoiserie achetée en boutiqueUne préparation sucrée de fruits, souvent tartinée sur du painDes aliments secs que l on mange souvent avec du lait au petit déjeunerUne viennoiserie moelleuse et souvent légèrement sucréeUn produit laitier frais, souvent sucré ou natureUne viennoiserie en forme de croissant, souvent mangée au petit déjeunerUn aliment fabriqué à partir du lait, avec beaucoup de variétésUne pâtisserie frite, parfois remplie de crème ou de confitureUn produit laitier riche et onctueux, utilisé en cuisine ou en dessert

Vocabulary of morning foods

Word	Definition
yaourt	A fresh dairy product, often sweet or plain.
fromage	A food made from milk, with many varieties.
crème	A rich, smooth dairy product used in cooking or dessert.
brioche	A soft, slightly sweet pastry.
croissant	A crescent-shaped pastry, often eaten at breakfast.
confiture	A sweet fruit spread, usually spread on bread.
miel	A sweet substance produced by bees.
céréales	Dry foods often eaten with milk at breakfast.
beignet	A fried pastry, sometimes filled with cream or jam.
pâtisserie	A dessert or bakery bought in a shop.

Scramble

The most common drinks are water, juice, coffee, tea, soda and wine. You often ask for a bottle of water, a glass of juice or a cup of coffee. In a restaurant or at the store, people also talk about still water and sparkling water. Wine is common in daily life in France, especially at table, while coffee and tea are very used in the morning or after a meal.

eaujuslait de sojasodathéboisson gazeusevincafésiropeau minérale

---

Une boisson faite à partir de fruits pressésUne boisson qui contient du gaz et qui pétilleUne eau vendue en bouteille, souvent provenant d une sourceUne boisson chaude et stimulante préparée avec des grains torréfiésUne boisson gazeuse souvent sucrée et servie bien fraîcheUn liquide sucré que l on mélange souvent avec de l eauUne boisson essentielle, plate ou pétillante, que l on boit tous les joursUne boisson végétale préparée à partir de sojaUne boisson alcoolisée faite à partir de raisinsUne boisson chaude préparée avec des feuilles infusées

Vocabulary of the most common beverages

Word	Definition
eau	An essential drink, still or sparkling, consumed daily.
jus	A drink made from pressed fruits.
café	A hot, stimulating drink prepared with roasted beans.
thé	A hot beverage prepared with infused leaves.
soda	A carbonated beverage often sweet and served cold.
vin	An alcoholic drink made from grapes.
lait de soja	A plant-based drink made from soy.
boisson gazeuse	A drink that contains gas and fizzes.
eau minérale	A bottled water, often from a spring.
sirop	A sweet liquid often mixed with water.

Scramble

Household products are for the home and the bathroom. You often buy soap, shampoo, toothpaste, laundry detergent, toilet paper and sponges. Laundry is used to wash clothes, and toilet paper is a basic product in the bathroom. In a supermarket, these items are often in the hygiene or cleaning aisles. They are useful in everyday shopping as much as food.

lessivesac poubelleliquide vaissellepapier toiletteshampoingépongedétergentbalainettoyantsavon

---

Un outil pour rassembler la poussière et les petits déchetsUn produit utilisé pour laver le lingeUn produit utilisé pour laver les assiettes et les verresUn produit utilisé pour laver les cheveuxUn produit puissant qui enlève la saletéUn produit qui sert à laver les mains ou le corpsUn produit qui sert à rendre une surface propreUn sac utilisé pour jeter les déchetsUn papier doux utilisé dans la salle de bainUn objet absorbant utilisé pour nettoyer les surfaces

Vocabulary of house products

Word	Definition
savon	A product used to wash hands or body.
shampoing	A product used to wash hair.
lessive	A product used to wash clothing.
papier toilette	A product used to wash clothes.
éponge	Soft paper used in the bathroom.
détergent	An absorbent object used to clean surfaces.
liquide vaisselle	A product that cleans a surface.
balai	Un outil pour rassembler la poussière et les petits déchets.
sac poubelle	Un sac utilisé pour jeter les déchets.
nettoyant	Un produit qui sert à rendre une surface propre.

Scramble

In a store, people often talk about quantity and packaging. A kilo, a gram, a liter and a half-liter are used to measure products. A bottle contains for example water or milk. A packet contains pasta, rice, cookies or coffee. A box often contains canned goods, cereals or eggs depending on the type of store. To request the right quantity, you combine the number + the product name + the packaging.

sachetboîtepaquetbouteillebarquettelitredouzainedemi kilopotkilo

---

Un petit récipient, souvent en verre ou en plastiqueUn emballage de forme fermée qui contient plusieurs produitsUn contenant rigide pour ranger ou vendre un produitUne unité pour mesurer le poids des alimentsUne quantité de douze unitésUn petit emballage plat pour les fruits, les fraises ou d autres alimentsUn petit emballage souple qui contient une portionUne unité pour mesurer le volume des liquidesUn récipient fermé qui contient une boisson ou un liquideUne moitié de kilo, pratique pour les petites courses

Vocabulary of quantities and containers

Word	Definition
kilo	A unit for measuring the weight of food.
demi kilo	Half a kilo, handy for small shopping.
litre	A unit for measuring the volume of liquids.
bouteille	A closed container that holds a drink or liquid.
paquet	A closed-shaped packaging that contains several products.
boîte	A rigid container to store or sell a product.
pot	A small container, often glass or plastic.
barquette	A small flat packaging for fruits, strawberries or other foods.
sachet	A small soft package that contains a portion.
douzaine	An amount of twelve units.

Scramble

To buy, you use simple verbs like to buy, to choose, to take, to add and to pay. You can say I’m taking that, I’m looking for milk, I would like a kilo of apples or how much does it cost. To request a product, you often say where are the pasta? or do you have cheese? To pay, you often hear I’m paying by card or cash. These phrases work anywhere, from the supermarket to the bakery, and they fit well with the vocabulary of Food and Drinks.

Useful phrases for shopping in a store

Usage	Explanation
Request a product	We use je voudrais to politely ask for something from the vendor.
Search for an item	We use où sont to ask for the location of a product in the store.
Know the price	We use combien coûte to ask the price of an item.
Choose a quantity	We use je prends to indicate what we want to buy.
Add to the list	We use ajoute to talk about an item added to a list.
Ask for help	We use pouvez vous to politely ask for help.
Check availability	We use il y a to ask or announce a product is available.
Express a preference	We use je préfère to show a preference between products.
Checkout	We use je paie to talk about paying for purchases.
Ask for a bag	We use un sac in a polite phrase when wanting to carry purchases.

In a store, you usually start with hello and end with thank you or have a nice day. Please is used to ask for something politely. For example, you say hello, I would like some bread, please. In some regions, some product names change a little according to local usage, but the most common words remain understood everywhere. To speak clearly with a seller, politeness matters as much as the product name.