Shopping vocabulary

English vocabulary to help you shop 'til you drop.


Types of shops in English

department store - a shop that sells many different items in different departments. Harrods is probably the world's best known department store.

supermarket - a large shop that sells mostly food and household items.

grocer (UK) / grocery store (US) - a shop that sells food.

greengrocer - sells fresh fruit and vegetables.

butcher - sells fresh meat.

baker - sells fresh bread and cakes.

fishmonger - sells fresh fish.

chemist (UK) / drugstore (US) - sells medicines and toiletries.

pharmacy (US) - sells medicines.

newsagent - sells newspapers and magazines.

stationer - sells paper goods.

optician - sells glasses / contact lenses.

DIY store - sells things for home improvement.

hardware shop / hardware store / ironmonger - hard goods, such as nails and screws.

corner shop (UK) - a shop on the corner of your street, selling a range of basic goods - food, newspapers, sweets, bread, etc.

delicatessen (deli) - sells specialist food not normally found in supermarkets. For example, an Italian deli, an Asian deli.

bookshop / bookstore - books.

market - market traders (people who work on a market) have stalls that sell fruit and vegetables, clothes, household items and so on.

petshop - for pets and pet food.

flea market - a group of stalls selling old furniture or clothes.

tea shop (UK) - like a cafe, but sells tea and cakes.

petrol station (UK) / gas station (US) sells petrol, car products and sometimes food.

Using 's
When we talk about shops, we often put an 's on the end. For example, "I'm going to the chemist's / greengrocer's / butcher's / baker's / newsagent's / fishmonger's/ optician's."

We don't use an 's with these shops: supermarket, hardware store, petrol station, department store.

Asking for things
"Do you have any…?"
"I'm looking for…"
"I wonder if you could help me…?"

What the shopkeeper says
"I'm sorry, we're out of stock."
"I'm sorry, that's the last one."
"I'm sorry, that's all we have left."

What a sales person says
"Can I help you?"
"Are you looking for anything in particular?"

Your reply
"I'm just looking, thank you."
"I'm just browsing, thank you."

Asking about things
"Do you have this in another size?"
"Do you have this in another colour?"
"Is this made of leather / silk / plastic…?"
"Does this come with a guarantee?"
"Is this fully refundable?"
"Can I bring this back if it's not the right size?"
"Can I bring this back if it doesn't fit?"

Paying - what the shopkeeper says
"Do you have anything smaller?" (If you pay with a large denomination note.)

Paying - what you say
"I'm sorry, I don't have any small change."
"I don't have anything smaller."
"Would you have change for this?"
"Can I have the receipt, please?'
"Can I pay by credit card?"
"Can I pay in cash?"
"Is this on sale?"