Vocabulary: shopping, money, food and eating out

Shops, money and sizes, food and drink, and the words you need in a restaurant.

Practise this lesson free (7 questions)

Shops and money

False friend: la librairie = bookshop. La monnaie = change (coins), l'argent = money.
FrenchEnglish
le magasinshop
le supermarchésupermarket
la boucheriebutcher's
la pâtisseriecake shop
l'épicerie (f)grocer's
la librairiebookshop
l'argent de poche (m)pocket money
la monnaiechange (coins)
le prixprice
cher, chèreexpensive
bon marchécheap
les soldes (m)the sales
la taillesize (clothes)
la pointureshoe size
la caissetill, checkout
dépenser (H)to spend (money)

Food

After a negative or a quantity, du / de la / des become de: je ne mange pas de viande.
FrenchEnglish
la viandemeat
le pouletchicken
le poissonfish
les légumes (m)vegetables
la pommeapple
la pomme de terrepotato
les frites (f)chips
les pâtes (f)pasta
le rizrice
le fromagecheese
l'œuf (m)egg
le laitmilk
le sucresugar
la confiturejam
le beurrebutter

Meals, eating out and quantities

Quantities take de: un kilo de pommes, une bouteille d'eau.
FrenchEnglish
le repasmeal
le déjeunerlunch
le dînerdinner
l'entrée (f)starter
le plat principalmain course
le dessertdessert
l'addition (f) (H)the bill
la boisson (H)drink
un paquet dea packet of
une bouteille dea bottle of
une tranche dea slice of
un morceau dea piece of
délicieux, délicieusedelicious
végétarien(ne)vegetarian
salé(e)salty, savoury
Worked example

Translate: I would like a slice of cheese and a bottle of water, please.

  1. I would like = je voudrais
  2. a slice of cheese = une tranche de fromage (de after a quantity)
  3. a bottle of water = une bouteille d'eau (d' before a vowel)

Answer: Je voudrais une tranche de fromage et une bouteille d'eau, s'il vous plaît.

Key idea

Le magasin, la boucherie, la pâtisserie, la librairie (bookshop), l'argent de poche, la monnaie, cher, bon marché, les soldes, la taille, la pointure. La viande, le poisson, les légumes, la pomme de terre, les pâtes, le riz. L'entrée, le plat principal, l'addition; un paquet / une bouteille / une tranche de.

Key words
la taille
size
la viande
meat
le poisson
fish
les légumes
vegetables
le riz
rice

All GCSE and International GCSE French key terms and definitions →

Common mistakes
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Extra practice

2 more questions

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  1. What does le magasin mean?

    1. magazine
    2. cheap
    3. change (coins)
    4. shop
    Show the answer

    Answer: shop

    Le magasin = shop.

  2. Which is the French for "pocket money"?

    1. la pointure
    2. l'argent de poche (m)
    3. la monnaie
    4. le magasin
    Show the answer

    Answer: l'argent de poche (m)

    Pocket money = l'argent de poche.

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Sources and references

Last updated 2 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will fix it.

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