French · Real conversations
Markets and groceries: French conversation practice
Buy a quantity and ask about a product. Read the exchange, reveal the translations when you need them, then try your part before looking at the sample answers.
A1 · Read and rehearse
Your role: A shopper at a produce stall.
Goal: Buy a quantity and ask about a product.
Read the conversation
Partner
Bonjour. Qu'est-ce que vous souhaitez ?
Show English translation
Good morning. What would you like?
You
Un demi-kilo de tomates, s'il vous plaît.
Show English translation
Half a kilo of tomatoes, please.
Partner
Voilà. Ce melon plaît beaucoup aujourd'hui.
Show English translation
Here you are. This melon is popular today.
You
C'est mûr ?
Show English translation
Is this ripe?
Partner
Oui, il est prêt à manger. Nous avons aussi du pain frais.
Show English translation
Yes, it's ready to eat. We also have fresh bread.
You
Ça a été fait quand ?
Show English translation
When was this made?
Partner
Le pain a été fait ce matin. Vous cherchez aussi des légumes ?
Show English translation
The bread was made this morning. Are you looking for vegetables too?
You
Vous avez des produits cultivés dans la région ?
Show English translation
Do you have anything locally grown?
Partner
Oui, ces carottes viennent d'une ferme voisine. Je mets tout dans un sac ?
Show English translation
Yes, these carrots are from a nearby farm. Shall I bag everything?
You
Pourriez-vous les mettre dans des sacs séparés ?
Show English translation
Could you put these in separate bags?
Try your part first
Partner says: Good morning. What would you like? Your goal: Half a kilo of tomatoes, please.
Reveal a sample reply
Un demi-kilo de tomates, s'il vous plaît.
Half a kilo of tomatoes, please.
Partner says: Here you are. This melon is popular today. Your goal: Is this ripe?
Reveal a sample reply
C'est mûr ?
Is this ripe?
Partner says: Yes, it's ready to eat. We also have fresh bread. Your goal: When was this made?
Reveal a sample reply
Ça a été fait quand ?
When was this made?
Partner says: The bread was made this morning. Are you looking for vegetables too? Your goal: Do you have anything locally grown?
Reveal a sample reply
Vous avez des produits cultivés dans la région ?
Do you have anything locally grown?
Partner says: Yes, these carrots are from a nearby farm. Shall I bag everything? Your goal: Could you put these in separate bags?
Reveal a sample reply
Pourriez-vous les mettre dans des sacs séparés ?
Could you put these in separate bags?
Make it your own
- Choose another fruit.
- Change the quantity.
- Bring your own bag.
Keep the useful expression and change the detail. There can be several appropriate answers; the revealed replies are examples to learn from.
This rehearsal in other languages
A note on speaking French
Use vous with strangers, staff, and people you address formally; use tu when that relationship is established. Je voudrais and pourriez-vous can make a request considerate. The most appropriate choice depends on the person and the situation.
Keep accents and apostrophes. A familiar spoken expression may differ from its literal English translation. Read the complete line, including the pronoun and the words that connect the request.
