
Shopping vocabulary in Spanish with exercises
Whether as a tourist, a resident or simply to learn Spanish, if you are in Spain you’ll eventually require shopping vocabulary in Spanish. In this lesson, we’ll help you out with some words and expressions that could save your skin at those dreary times of paying for an item.
Here you are some grocery store Spanish vocabulary:
Spanish |
English translation |
Tienda | Store |
Ir de compras | To go shopping |
Comprar | To buy/to purchase |
Bolsa (de compras) | Shopping/shopper bag |
Carrito de la compra | Shopping Cart |
Cesta | Basket |
Cajero | Cashier |
Mostrador | Counter |
Empleado (de tienda) | Clerk |
Estante | Shelf |
Caja (para pagar) | Checkout counter |
Caducidad | Expiration |
Pagar | To pay |
Porcentaje de descuento | % off |
Vale, bono | Coupon |
Fecha de caducidad | Sell-by/use-by/Expiration date |
As it usually will happen, we may be running out of groceries. We should not leave out of our lista de compras (shopping list):
Spanish |
English translation |
Café | Coffee |
Azúcar | Sugar |
Galletas | Cookies, biscuits |
Arroz | Rice |
Pasta | Pasta |
Aceite de olive virgen extra | Extra virgin olive oil |
Sal | Salt |
Pimienta | Pepper |
Patatas | Potatoes |
Una docena de huevos | A dozen of eggs |
Leche | Milk |
Pimiento | Paprika |
Vino tinto | Red wine |
Tomate | Tomato |
Jamón serrano | Serrano/cured ham |
Barra de pan | Loaf of bread |
Detergente para los platos | Dishwasher |
Bolsas de basura | Garbage/trash bag |
Servilletas | Napkins |
Carne de ternera | Beef |
Carne de pollo | Chicken |
Carne de cerdo | Pork |
Pescado | Fish |
Mantequilla | Butter |
Queso | Cheese |
Plátanos | Bananas |
Manzanas | Apples |
Naranjas | Oranges |
Gel de ducha | Shower gel |
Champú | Shampoo |
Cepillo de dientes | Toothbrush |
Papel higiénico | Toilet paper |
Detergente | Detergent |
Lejía | Bleach |
Suppose we’re going to get us some clothing words in Spanish. These words will be absolutely spot-on for the occasion:
Spanish |
English translation |
Vestido | Dress |
Camisa | Shirt |
Camiseta con paletas | T-shirt |
Camiseta de tirantes, camiseta imperio | Vest, tank top |
Camiseta polo | Polo shirt |
Blusa | Blouse |
Pantalones | Trousers |
Americana | Jacket |
Jérsey | Sweater |
Tenis | Tennis shoes |
Zapatos | Shoes |
Vaqueros | Jeans |
Zapatillas | Slippers |
Traje de baño | Swimsuit |
Bolso de mano, cartera | Handbag |
Sombrero, gorro | Hat |
Accesorios | Accessories |
Bufanda | Scarf |
Cinturón | Belt |
Calcetines | Socks |

SPANISH SHOPPING VOCABULARY
Some classic expressions never age when it’s about getting oneself understood at the store. We could be asking these questions to the clerks or whoever is brave enough to come with us, literally to wreck some shop.
Spanish |
English translation |
¡Vayamos de compras! | Let’s go shopping! |
¿Cuál es tu tienda favorita? | What is your favourite store? |
¿Qué tienes que comprar? | What do you need to buy? |
¿Se ve bien esto? | Does this look fine? |
¿Combina? | Does it match? |
¿Cuánto cuesta? | How much is it? |
¿Tiene estas zapatillas en talla 8? | Do you have these slippers in size 8? |
¿Tiene esta camisa en otro color? | Do you have this shirt in another color? |
¿Dónde está/se encuentra la tienda? | Where is the store (located)? |
¿Dónde está la sección de niños? | Where is the kids section? |
¿A qué hora cierran/ abren? | At what time do you close/open? |
And, last but not least, since paying has everything to with shopping, let’s not forget the formas de pago (the methods of payment):
Spanish |
English translation |
Efectivo | Cash |
Tarjeta de débito | Debit card |
Punto de venta | POS (Point of Purchase) |
Tarjeta de crédito | Credit card |
Transferencia bancaria | Wire transfer |
Cheque | Cheque |
This is a great deal of shopping vocabulary in Spanish, let’s change to shopping conversations.
SHOPPING CONVERSATION IN SPANISH
- Empleado (Clerk): Buenos días, ¿en qué puedo ayudarle? (Good morning. How can I help you?).
- Cliente (Customer): Hola, estoy buscando unas zapatillas que combinen con este traje de baño (Hi, I’m looking for some slippers that go well with the swimsuit.
- E: Puedo indicarle además otras cosas que podrían interesarle (I could as well suggest other things that could draw your attention).
- C: ¿Cómo cuáles? (Like what?).
- E: Como este jérsey y estos vaqueros (Like this sweater and these jeans).
- C: Pero aún hace mucho calor como para ponerme un jérsey (Well, it’s still a very hot weather for me to put a sweater on).
- E: Se convencerá cuando le diga el precio, tiene 50 % de descuento (You’ll change your mind when I tell you more about the 50% off the price).
- C: Ah, pues sí, podría interesarme. Y siempre es bueno comprar ropa fuera de estación (Oh, dear, yes, it could be interesting to me. It’s always convenient to buy off-season clothing).
- E: Correcto (That’s right).
- C: ¿Le importaría indicarme dónde puedo comprar algunos alimentos por aquí cerca? (Would you mind telling me where I can buy some groceries nearby?).
- E: En esta misma tienda, en el nivel sótano, tenemos un supermercado con la mejor variedad de productos de la ciudad (Right here in the store, level basement, we have the best assorted supermarket in the city).
- C: Ah, muy bien, es que en casa me hacen falta pimientos, azúcar y algo de jamón serrano. Le agradezco por la información (Oh, great, it’s just that I ran out of paprika, sugar a some serrano ham at home. Thanks for the info!).
- C: ¿Y qué formas de pago aceptan? (So, what are the accepted methods of payment?).
- E: Todos, desde efectivo hasta tarjetas de débito y, últimamente, incluso PayPal, siempre que tenga la aplicación en su teléfono (All of them, ranging from cash to debit card. Lately, we have been accepting even PayPal as long as you have the app).
- C: Pues perfecto, sí, tengo la aplicación (Well, that’s perfect, I do have the app).
To reinforce the shopping vocabulary in Spanish you’ve just learned, we’re leaving you some exercises.
EXERCISES
Determine if the statements are true or false