French · Travel & Getting Around
"How much does it cost?" in French: Combien ça coûte ?
Combien ça coûte ?
How much does it cost? in French is Combien ça coûte ? Keep the whole question. More formal: Combien ça coûte, s'il vous plaît ? or Quel est le prix ?
Market stall
Combien ça coûte, le kilo de cerises ?Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce Combien ça coûte ?
Say it
kom-BYAN sa KOOT
/kɔ̃.bjɛ̃ sa kut/
Combien: kom-BYAN with nasal ien. Ça: sa. Coûte: KOOT. Rise at the end for the question.
"How much does it cost?" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Combien ça coûte ? | How much does it cost? Default shop question. | Default shop question. |
| Ça coûte combien ? | How much does it cost? Same idea, word order flip. | Same idea, word order flip. |
| Combien ça coûte, s'il te plaît ? | How much is it, please? Polite tu. | Polite tu. |
| Quel est le prix ? | What is the price? Slightly more formal. | Slightly more formal. |
How to use Combien ça coûte ? in real life
- 1Market stall
Combien ça coûte, le kilo de cerises ?
How much does a kilo of cherries cost?
Full Combien ça coûte.
- 2Clothes shop
Excuse-moi, combien ça coûte ?
Excuse me, how much does it cost?
Whole phrase.
- 3Souvenir hunt
Combien ça coûte avec la livraison ?
How much does it cost with delivery?
Full question + extra detail.
Mistakes English speakers make with Combien ça coûte ?
Incorrect: Combien coûte ? (missing ça)
Correct: Combien ça coûte ?
Include ça in the set phrase taught here.
Incorrect: How much does it cost ? in English only.
Correct: Combien ça coûte ?
Use the French question.
Good to know
In markets, asking Combien ça coûte ? is normal and expected. Prices may be per piece or per kilo — listen for le kilo or la pièce in the answer.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Buying headphones
ChatPal
Ceux-là sont jolis. Combien ça coûte ?
Those look nice. How much do they cost?
You
Je demande. Madame, combien ça coûte ?
I'll ask. Ma'am, how much does it cost?
ChatPal
Si c'est trop cher, on regarde ailleurs.
If it's too expensive, we'll look elsewhere.
You
D'accord.
Okay.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"How much does it cost?" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "How much does it cost?" in French
How do you ask how much it costs?
Combien ça coûte ?
Can I flip the words?
Yes: Ça coûte combien ?
Formal version?
Combien ça coûte, s'il vous plaît ?
How do you pronounce it?
kom-BYAN sa KOOT.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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