Grocery shopping
Faire les courses
- Write a grocery list for daily food and drinks.
- Ask a shop assistant about a product in the supermarket.
- Partitive articles: "Du, De l', De la"
- The contracted articles: "Au, Aux, Du, Des"
Learn essential French vocabulary and expressions for grocery shopping, focusing on partitive articles like « du », « de la » and contracted forms such as « au », « aux ». Practice phrases to buy items like le pain (bread), la viande (meat), and le jus (juice) with natural dialogues.
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
Vocabulary (17) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Classify these words into two categories based on whether they refer to a type of store or a food product.
Types de magasins
Produits alimentaires
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
La liste de course
The shopping list
2
Choisir
To choose
3
Le fruit
The fruit
4
L'épicier
The grocer
5
Le jus
The juice
Exercice 5: Conversation exercise
Instruction:
- Describe the items on the shopping list. (Describe the items on the shopping list.)
- Ask the shop assistant for the location of the products. (Ask the shop assistant for the location of the products.)
- Pay for your products at the checkout. (Pay for your products at the checkout.)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Où est / sont ... ? Where is / are ...? |
|
Pourriez-vous m'aider un instant, s'il vous plaît ? Could you help me for a moment, please? |
|
Pourrais-je avoir un reçu ? Could I have a receipt? |
|
Ce produit est-il en promotion ? Is this product on sale? |
|
Puis-je payer en espèces / par carte ? Can I pay in cash / by card? |
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Avez-vous un sac ? Do you have a bag? |
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Ce prix est-il correct ? Is this price correct? |
|
Puis-je vous aider ? Can I help you? |
| ... |
Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 7: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Je ___ des fruits frais au marché pour ma liste de courses.
(I ___ fresh fruits at the market for my shopping list.)2. Tu ___ les prix pour trouver la meilleure offre au supermarché.
(You ___ prices to find the best deal at the supermarket.)3. Il ___ du pain à la boulangerie tous les matins.
(He ___ bread at the bakery every morning.)4. Nous ___ toujours des légumes frais pour notre repas.
(We ___ always fresh vegetables for our meal.)Exercise 8: Grocery shopping at the supermarket
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Acheter - To Buy
Présent
- j'achète
- tu achètes
- il/elle/on achète
- nous achetons
- vous achetez
- ils/elles achètent
Comparer - To Compare
Présent
- je compare
- tu compares
- il/elle/on compare
- nous comparons
- vous comparez
- ils/elles comparent
Choisir - To Choose
Présent
- je choisis
- tu choisis
- il/elle/on choisit
- nous choisissons
- vous choisissez
- ils/elles choisissent
Faire - To Do
Présent
- je fais
- tu fais
- il/elle/on fait
- nous faisons
- vous faites
- ils/elles font
Exercise 9: Les articles partitifs: "Du, De l', De la"
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Partitive articles: "Du, De l', De la"
Show translation Show answersde la, de l', du
Exercise 10: Les articles contractés : "Au, Aux, Du, Des"
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: The contracted articles: "Au, Aux, Du, Des"
Show translation Show answersdu, au, des, aux
Grammar Share Copied!
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A1.20.3 Grammaire
Les articles contractés : "Au, Aux, Du, Des"
The contracted articles: "Au, Aux, Du, Des"
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Acheter to buy Share Copied!
Present
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') j'achète | I buy |
| tu achètes | you buy |
| il/elle/on achète | He/she/one buys |
| nous achetons | we buy |
| vous achetez | You buy |
| ils/elles achètent | They buy |
Comparer to compare Share Copied!
Present
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') je compare / j'compare | I compare |
| tu compares | you compare |
| (il/elle/on) il compare / elle compare / on compare | he compares / she compares / one compares |
| nous comparons | We compare |
| vous comparez | You compare |
| (ils/elles) ils comparent / elles comparent | they compare |
Choisir to choose Share Copied!
Present
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') je choisis | I choose |
| tu choisis | You choose |
| (il/elle/on) il choisit / elle choisit / on choisit | he chooses / she chooses / one chooses |
| nous choisissons | We choose |
| vous choisissez | You choose |
| (ils/elles) ils choisissent / elles choisissent | they choose |
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Lesson Overview: Grocery Shopping in French
This lesson introduces essential vocabulary and grammar structures used when shopping for groceries in French. You'll learn useful words related to types of stores and food products, as well as key grammar points such as partitive articles and contracted articles, which are vital to accurately express quantities and locations.
Key Vocabulary
The lesson covers two main categories of words:
- Types of stores: la boucherie (butcher's shop), la boulangerie (bakery), l'épicerie (grocery store), le supermarché (supermarket)
- Food products: la viande (meat), le pain (bread), le jus (juice), le légume (vegetable)
Grammar Focus
Partitive articles: These are used to indicate some or an unspecified quantity of something, commonly seen during grocery shopping. Examples include du (masculine singular), de la (feminine singular), and de l' (before a vowel).
Contracted articles: These are formed when the prepositions à or de combine with definite articles. For instance, au (à + le), aux (à + les), du (de + le), and des (de + les). Understanding these helps describe locations or quantities accurately.
Example Sentences
- Je voudrais acheter du pain à la boulangerie.
- Est-ce que vous avez de la viande au supermarché ?
- Je prends des biscuits et du jus pour la fête.
- Au marché, il y a des légumes frais et de la salade.
- Pouvez-vous me montrer de l'eau minérale, s'il vous plaît ?
- Je fais la liste de courses pour acheter des fruits et du fromage.
Practical Usage
Throughout the lesson, you'll engage with dialogues such as making a shopping list, asking about products in the fruits and vegetables section, and inquiring about quantities and product types in a supermarket setting. This helps practice real-life communication related to grocery shopping.
Verb conjugations focus on common verbs in the present tense used in this context, including faire (to do/make), choisir (to choose), acheter (to buy), and comparer (to compare).
Important Notes on Differences Between English and French
Unlike English, French uses partitive articles to refer to unspecified amounts of something, which do not have direct equivalents in English but roughly translate to "some" or no article at all. For example, Je veux acheter du pain translates as "I want to buy (some) bread." Additionally, contracted articles like au and du combine prepositions and articles, which does not occur as formally in English.
Useful Phrases
- Je voudrais acheter... — I would like to buy...
- Est-ce que vous avez... — Do you have...
- Pouvez-vous me montrer... — Can you show me...
- Au supermarché — At the supermarket
- Faire la liste de courses — To make the shopping list
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