Speaking: Functional Language A2 - Lesson 2
Function: Shopping for Essentials (Asking Price)
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to perform the function of asking for items and their prices in a shop or market.
Conversation Scenario: At a Small Shop
Shopping is a necessary part of life. Knowing these simple phrases will help you buy the things you need confidently. Let's look at a conversation in a small shop in Siem Reap.
Shopkeeper: Hello! Can I help you?7
You: Yes, please. I'm looking for1 some good notebooks.
Shopkeeper: We have these blue ones and these red ones.
You: Oh, the blue ones look nice. How much are these?3
Shopkeeper: They're four thousand riel each.
You: Okay, I'll take two, please.4
Shopkeeper: Two blue notebooks. Anything else?8
You: No, that's all, thanks.5
Shopkeeper: Okay, that's eight thousand riel in total.
Your Functional Toolkit: Shopping
Function: Customer Phrases
- I'm looking for... (Phrase) | ខ្ញុំកំពុងរក... | A polite way to tell a shopkeeper what you want to find. ↩
- Have you got any...? (Question) | តើអ្នកមាន...ទេ? | Use this to ask if the shop sells a particular item.
- How much is this/these? (Question) | តើនេះតម្លៃប៉ុន្មាន? | The most important question for asking the price. ↩
- I'll take it. / I'll take two. (Phrase) | ខ្ញុំយកមួយនេះ | A phrase to say "I want to buy this". ↩
- That's all, thanks. (Phrase) | អស់ហើយ អរគុណ | A polite way to say you have finished shopping. ↩
Function: Shopkeeper Phrases (to understand)
- Can I help you? (Question) | តើខ្ញុំអាចជួយអ្វីបានទេ? | A polite question a shopkeeper asks when you enter. ↩
- Anything else? (Question) | មានអ្វីផ្សេងទៀតទេ? | The shopkeeper asks this to see if you want to buy more things. ↩
Pronunciation Focus: Linking in Questions
To ask for the price fluently, we link the words together. It should sound like one smooth phrase.
- "How much is this?" often sounds like "How-mu-chis-this?"
- "How much are these?" often sounds like "How-mu-char-these?"
Listen carefully to the audio guide to hear this natural linking. This will also help you understand when other people ask the price.
Using "this/that/these/those" for Shopping
Remember our lesson on "pointing words"? They are very useful for shopping!
- Point to one thing near you: "How much is this?"
- Point to one thing far from you (e.g., on a high shelf): "How much is that?"
- Point to many things near you: "How much are these?"
- Point to many things far from you: "How much are those?"
Practice Shopping
Activity 1: What's the Question?
You are the customer. What question would you ask to get these answers from a shopkeeper?
- Shopkeeper: "Yes, we have fresh bread over here."
Your Question: "Excuse me, have you got any fresh bread?" - Shopkeeper: "It's two dollars."
Your Question: "How much is this?" - Shopkeeper: "Yes, of course. Anything else?"
Your Question: "Can I have this one, please?"
Activity 2: Role-Play at the Market
Work with a partner. One person is a customer, one is a shopkeeper at a stall in Phsar Chas (Old Market). The customer wants to buy: one coconut and two mangoes. Role-play the full conversation, from "Can I help you?" to asking the price and finishing the sale.
Your Functional Mission
This week in Siem Reap, your mission is to perform the function of "asking a price".
Go to a local shop or market stall. Find one item you are interested in. Politely ask the shopkeeper in English, "Excuse me, how much is this?" Listen to the answer. You don't have to buy it! The goal is just to practice asking the question confidently.