combien ça coûte ?
In French, "how much is this?" is expressed as combien ça coûte ?
This phrase is used specifically to ask for the price of an object or service.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of combien (how much), ça (that/it) and coûte (costs).
Which one should you use?
You can also use the common and slightly more casual alternative C'est combien ? For more formal situations, you can use Combien coûte ceci ? or Quel est le prix de ceci ? In an informal context, you might say Ça coûte combien ? or, particularly in French-speaking Canada, Quel est le prix de ça ?
Is it said differently in some regions?
The phrase Quel est le prix de ça ? is mainly used in French-speaking Canada.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb coûter is conjugated in the third-person singular to agree with the subject ça.
Did you know?
- While combien asks for a quantity, the word coûter is often used figuratively in French to describe a high emotional toll, such as ça m'a coûté cher meaning 'it was emotionally draining'.
- In many French markets, shoppers may not use a phrase at all but simply hold up a finger or gesture to an item to prompt the vendor to state the price.
- The word combien actually hides a miniature phrase inside it, as it is a combination of comme meaning 'as' and bien meaning 'well'.
Examples in context
- Vous pouvez me dire combien coûte cette robe ?Can you tell me how much this dress costs?
- Excusez-moi, combien coûte ce tableau ?Excuse me, how much does this painting cost?
- Pourriez-vous me dire quel est le prix de cet ordinateur ?Could you tell me what the price of this computer is?
- Excusez-moi, quel est le prix de cette bouteille de vin ?Excuse me, what is the price of this bottle of wine?
- Dis-moi, cette montre, ça coûte combien ?Tell me, how much does this watch cost?
- Hé, ça coûte combien cette paire de chaussures ?Hey, how much does this pair of shoes cost?
- C'est super cool ! Quel est le prix de ça ?That's super cool! What is the price of that?
- Excusez-moi, combien ça coûte ?Excuse me, how much does it cost?
- Est-ce que vous savez combien ça coûte ?Do you know how much it costs?
Example conversation
Gabriel and Emma are browsing in a small boutique.
- NathanRegarde ce sac, Emma.Look at this bag, Emma.
- LéaOui, mais combien ça coûte ?Yes, but how much does it cost?
- NathanJe ne sais pas, demandons au vendeur.I don't know, let's ask the shop assistant.
- LéaD'accord, allons-y.Okay, let's go.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries combien, ça, CC BY-SA 4.0.
