Combien ça coûte ?
The English phrase "what is the cost?" can be translated into French as Combien ça coûte ?
This phrase is a standard way to ask for the price of an item or service. You may also use Quel est le prix ? to ask "What is the price?" or Ça coûte combien ? to ask "How much does that cost?"
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Combien ça coûte ? is composed of combien (how much), ça (that/it) and coûte (costs).
Which one should you use?
While Combien ça coûte ? is a standard way to ask for a price, C'est combien ? is a very common, shorter alternative often used during casual shopping.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Combien ça coûte ? is common in everyday spoken French due to the use of ça. In a very formal setting, you might instead use Combien cela coûte-t-il ? C'est combien ? is considered a colloquial way to ask how much something is.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase Combien ça coûte ?, the verb coûter is conjugated in the third-person singular to agree with the subject ça.
Did you know?
- The word coûter is used in the idiomatic expression coûter les yeux de la tête, meaning something costs 'the eyes of the head'.
- When using the most formal version, Combien cela coûte-t-il ?, the extra '-t-' is not a real word component. It is a 'euphonic' letter added solely to prevent two vowel sounds from clashing during pronunciation.
- In France, it is common to use a gesture of rubbing the thumb and index finger together while saying C'est combien ? to signal money.
Examples in context
- Vous pouvez me dire combien ça coûte ?Can you tell me how much it costs?
- Pouvez-vous me dire quel est le prix ?Can you tell me what the price is?
- Tu sais c'est combien ?Do you know how much it is?
- Tu peux me dire ça coûte combien ?Can you tell me how much that costs?
- Combien ça coûte, s'il vous plaît ?How much does it cost, please?
- Combien ça coûte, ce livre ?How much does this book cost?
Example conversation
Chloé is looking at a souvenir in a shop.
- ChloéC'est très joli. Combien ça coûte ?It is very pretty. How much does it cost?
- HugoCe vase coûte vingt euros, Chloé.This vase costs twenty euros, Chloé.
- ChloéC'est un peu cher pour moi.It is a bit expensive for me.
- HugoJe peux vous faire une réduction.I can give you a discount.
