Beginner· A1–A2Shopping & money6 min

Buying clothes in a store

Ask for a size and color, try something on and decide whether to buy it.

The scene

You are shopping for a jacket in a clothing store. A sales assistant offers to help you find the right size.

Speaker A
Sales assistant
Speaker B
You (shopper)

Your goals

  • Ask for a different size or color
  • Ask to try something on
  • Say whether it fits and decide to buy

Key vocabulary

Press the speaker to hear each word or phrase.

  • size

    how big or small clothes are

    Do you have this in a medium?

  • to try on

    to put on clothes to see if they fit

    Can I try this on?

  • fitting room

    a small room in a store where you try on clothes

    The fitting rooms are at the back.

  • to fit

    to be the right size

    It doesn't fit. It's too small.

  • tight

    too small and close to your body

    The sleeves are a bit tight.

  • loose

    not tight; with extra space

    I like it a little loose.

  • on sale

    available at a lower price than usual

    Is this jacket on sale?

Useful phrases

  • I'm just looking, thanks.

    Saying you don't need help yet

  • Do you have this in a …?

    Asking for another size or color

  • Can I try this on?

    Asking to use the fitting room

  • It's a bit too …

    Saying how something fits

  • I'll take it.

    Deciding to buy

Practice studio: speak the dialogue

Pick your role and press Start. Your partner's lines are read aloud; then say your line into the microphone (or type it) and see which words you got right.

Your role

  1. Sales assistant

    Hi there! Can I help you find anything?

  2. You (shopper)

    Yes, please. I like this jacket. Do you have it in a medium?

  3. Sales assistant

    Let me check. Yes, here's a medium. We also have it in green and black.

  4. You (shopper)

    I like the black one. Can I try it on?

  5. Sales assistant

    Of course. The fitting rooms are at the back on the right.

  6. You (shopper)

    Thanks. Hmm, it fits well, but the sleeves are a bit long.

  7. Sales assistant

    We can shorten the sleeves for free. It takes about three days.

  8. You (shopper)

    Oh, that's great. Is this jacket on sale?

  9. Sales assistant

    Yes, it's twenty percent off this week.

  10. You (shopper)

    Perfect. I'll take it, then.

You speak 5 lines as You (shopper); Sales assistant is read aloud for you.

Speech recognition is done by your browser (in Chrome and Edge this uses the browser maker's online service). Nothing is stored by AltFTool.

Your turn: speak freely

Answer out loud in your own words. There is no score here: aim for full sentences and fewer filler words.

  1. 1. Ask a sales assistant for a shirt in a different size and color.

  2. 2. Describe how a piece of clothing fits you.

  3. 3. Tell the assistant you are just looking and do not need help yet.

Quick quiz

Choose an answer to see if you are right and why.

  1. 1. What does 'try on' mean?
  2. 2. Which sentence asks for another size?
  3. 3. 'It's twenty percent off' means…
  4. 4. How do you say you have decided to buy something?

0 of 4 answered

Common mistakes

  • Avoid: Can I prove this?

    Say: Can I try this on?

    'Prove' means show something is true; for clothes use 'try on'.

  • Avoid: It's too much big.

    Say: It's too big.

    Use 'too' plus the adjective, without 'much'.

  • Avoid: Do you have it in other color?

    Say: Do you have it in another color?

    Use 'another' before a singular noun.

Tips

  • Say 'I'm just looking, thanks' if you want to browse alone.
  • Ask about alterations, like shortening sleeves, before you decide.
  • Check the return policy before you pay, especially for sale items.

Questions about this lesson

How do you ask for a size in English?

Say 'Do you have this in a medium?' or 'Do you have this in a size 10?'

What do you say when a shop assistant offers help but you don't need it?

Say 'I'm just looking, thanks.' It is polite and very common.

Finish the lesson

Finish the practice studio and the quiz and this lesson is marked complete for you.

Next lesson: Paying at the checkout

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