This French A1 lesson explains French clothes shopping vocabulary step by step, with examples in French and English. Then practise with the worksheet on French clothes shopping vocabulary and check yourself with the quiz.
Quick answer: To shop for clothes in French, name the item with its color (une veste verte), say your size with Je fais du 40, and ask Je peux l’essayer ?. Use taille for clothes, pointure for shoes, and ce, cet, cette, ces for “this” and “these”.
Level: French A1 (CEFR beginner) · Standards: CEFR A1, Spoken interaction
French clothes shopping vocabulary: the lesson
How do you ask for a size and a color in a shop?
Say what you are looking for, then give your size. Clothes have a taille, shoes have a pointure.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Je cherche un pantalon noir. | I’m looking for black pants. |
| Quelle est votre taille ? | What is your size? (clothes) |
| Je fais du 38. | I’m a size 38. |
| Quelle est votre pointure ? | What is your shoe size? |
| Je chausse du 41. | I wear a size 41 shoe. |
| Vous l’avez en bleu ? | Do you have it in blue? |
| Où sont les cabines d’essayage ? | Where are the fitting rooms? |
| C’est trop petit. Je le prends. | It’s too small. / I’ll take it. |
How do you say “this” and “these” in French?
Rule: ce, cet, cette, ces
The word changes with the noun. Before a masculine noun that starts with a vowel or a silent h, use cet instead of ce.
| Noun type | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| masculine | ce | ce pantalon |
| masculine, vowel | cet | cet imperméable |
| feminine | cette | cette robe |
| plural | ces | ces chaussures |
How do colors agree with clothes?
A color goes after the noun and agrees with it: un pull vert, une jupe verte, des baskets blanches. Colors ending in -e such as rouge, jaune and rose keep one form for both genders. marron and orange never change.
Watch out
English puts the color first (“a red dress”). French puts it second: une robe rouge, never une rouge robe.
How do you conjugate essayer?
The y becomes i before silent endings: j’essaie, tu essaies, il essaie, nous essayons, vous essayez, ils essaient. Ask politely with Je peux essayer cette veste ? — May I try on this jacket?
How do you talk about the price and the fit?
Ask Combien ça coûte ? or C’est combien ? to learn the price. To comment on the fit, use trop (too) or assez (enough): C’est trop long., Ce n’est pas assez grand. A friendly seller may answer Je vous apporte la taille au-dessus. — I’ll bring you the next size up. Then decide: Je le prends for a masculine item, Je la prends for a feminine one, Je les prends for plural items.
Sales in France
Shops may only run the big “soldes” during two official periods a year, one in winter and one in summer. Outside them, a discount is called a promotion.
Zoé’s tip
Learn the size sentence as one block: Je fais du… works for jeans, jackets and shoes. Only the question changes: taille or pointure.
Key points to remember
- Clothes have a taille; shoes have a pointure: Je fais du 38.
- This is ce, cet (masculine before a vowel), cette or ces (plural).
- Colors follow the noun and agree: une jupe noire; marron and orange never change.
- Essayer changes y to i: j’essaie, but nous essayons.
- Say Je le prends or Je la prends to buy an item.
Shopping for Clothes in a French Boutique: frequently asked questions
What is the difference between taille and pointure?
Use taille for clothes and pointure for shoes. The answer is the same pattern for both: Je fais du 40.
When do you use cet instead of ce?
Use cet before a masculine singular noun starting with a vowel or silent h, as in cet anorak. Feminine nouns always take cette.
Do French colors agree with the noun?
Most do: une jupe noire, des pulls bleus. Colors ending in -e do not change for gender, and marron and orange never change at all.
How do you ask to try something on?
Say Je peux essayer ce pantalon ? The fitting rooms are les cabines d’essayage. A seller may point to them and say Voilà, c’est là-bas.
How do you say you will buy an item?
Use prendre with a pronoun that matches the item: Je le prends for a masculine item, Je la prends for a feminine one, Je les prends for a plural one.