Why this lesson matters
In this lesson, you will learn basic phrases for communicating in a shop. You will learn how to ask how much something costs, request the amount you need, check whether an item is available, and finish a purchase politely. This is one of the most useful phrase sets for everyday life at A1 level.
Core vocabulary for the topic
Below are basic words that often appear in a shop:
en butikk — shop
en kunde — customer
en pose — bag
en liter — litre
en kilo — kilogram
en pris — price
billig — cheap
dyr — expensive
fersk — fresh
å kjøpe — to buy
å betale — to pay
å koste — to cost
å ha — to have, to be available
Shops also often use the names of common products and goods:
brød — bread
melk — milk
ost — cheese
egg — eggs
smør — butter
kaffe — coffee
te — tea
epler — apples
bananer — bananas
tomater — tomatoes
How to ask if an item is available
One of the most common questions in a shop is whether the item you need is available. A simple pattern is useful here:
Har dere ...? — Do you have ...?
Examples:
Har dere melk? — Do you have milk?
Har dere brød? — Do you have bread?
Har dere kaffe? — Do you have coffee?
If you mean a specific item, you can also say:
Har dere denne? — Do you have this one?
You may hear answers like:
Ja, vi har. — Yes, we do.
Nei, dessverre. — No, unfortunately.
Ja, der borte. — Yes, over there.
How to ask about price
To find out the price, use this very useful question:
Hvor mye koster den? — How much does it cost?
If you are talking about several items:
Hvor mye koster de? — How much do they cost?
Examples:
Hvor mye koster brødet? — How much does the bread cost?
Hvor mye koster denne? — How much does this cost?
Hvor mye koster eplene? — How much do the apples cost?
A typical answer:
Den koster tjue kroner. — It costs twenty kroner.
De koster femti kroner. — They cost fifty kroner.
How to say how much you need
In a shop, it is important to be able to name the quantity. At beginner level, a few simple patterns are enough.
Jeg vil gjerne ha ... — I would like ...
This is a polite and very useful phrase. After it, you can name the item and the quantity.
Examples:
Jeg vil gjerne ha en liter melk. — I would like one litre of milk.
Jeg vil gjerne ha et brød. — I would like one loaf of bread.
Jeg vil gjerne ha to kilo epler. — I would like two kilos of apples.
Jeg vil gjerne ha seks egg. — I would like six eggs.
Another useful pattern:
Kan jeg få ...? — Can I have ...?
Kan jeg få en pose? — Can I have a bag?
Kan jeg få to bananer? — Can I have two bananas?
Polite phrases in a shop
Even at beginner level, it is important to sound polite. Remember these short expressions:
Hei! — Hello!
Takk. — Thank you.
Tusen takk. — Thank you very much.
Vær så snill. — Please.
Ha det. — Goodbye.
It is very natural to start with a greeting, then ask a question, and thank the person at the end.
Useful mini-patterns
Below are short patterns you can use right away in a real situation:
Jeg trenger melk. — I need milk.
Jeg ser etter kaffe. — I am looking for coffee.
Har dere egg? — Do you have eggs?
Hvor mye koster den? — How much does it cost?
Jeg vil gjerne ha to. — I would like two.
Kan jeg få en pose? — Can I have a bag?
Jeg betaler med kort. — I am paying by card.
Jeg betaler kontant. — I am paying in cash.
Short dialogue in a shop
Read an example of a simple dialogue. Notice the order of the phrases and the polite wording.
Kunde: Hei! Har dere brød?
Ansatt: Ja, vi har.
Kunde: Hvor mye koster det?
Ansatt: Det koster tretti kroner.
Kunde: Fint. Jeg vil gjerne ha ett brød og en liter melk.
Ansatt: Ja. Vil du ha en pose?
Kunde: Ja, takk.
Ansatt: Vær så god.
Kunde: Tusen takk. Ha det.
This dialogue uses almost all the main elements of the lesson: greeting, asking about availability, asking about price, requesting an item, and ending the conversation politely.
What to pay attention to
At A1 level, you do not need to build long and complex sentences. In a shop, short and clear phrases are enough. The most important thing is to speak calmly and use the basic patterns:
Har dere ...?
Hvor mye koster ...?
Jeg vil gjerne ha ...
Kan jeg få ...?
These structures will help you in most everyday situations in a shop.
Lesson summary
Now you know how to ask whether an item is available, find out the price, say the quantity you need, and finish a purchase politely. In the next lesson on home, shopping, and food, these phrases will help you feel more confident in longer everyday dialogues.