Shopping

Q: What meaning does the suffix -ería indicate when added to root words in Spanish shop names?

The suffix -ería indicates a specialist shop that sells the item named by the root word (e.g., pan → panadería ).

Q: What is the difference in meaning between la librería and la biblioteca ?

La librería is a commercial bookshop where you buy books, whereas la biblioteca is a library where you borrow books.

Q: How do you choose between cuesta and cuestan when talking about the price of goods?

Use cuesta for a singular noun (e.g., El libro cuesta diez euros ) and cuestan for plural nouns (e.g., Los zapatos cuestan cincuenta euros ).

Q: What is the difference in usage between the verbs gastar and pasar ?

Use gastar for spending money and pasar for spending time.

Q: Which Spanish terms are used for clothing size versus shoe size?

Use la talla for clothing size and el número for shoe size.

Q: Which verb must be used to describe whether a shop is open or closed?

Always use the verb estar (e.g., Está abierto / Está cerrado ), never ser .

Q: How do you say that an item of clothing is too big, too small, or fits well in Spanish?

Use me queda followed by the description (e.g., me queda grande , me queda pequeño , or me queda bien ).

Spanish (2024) (1SP1) · Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) · 6 min read · Updated: Aug 27, 2026

Chapter Study Notes: Shopping (De Compras)

Welcome to your study notes for Shopping! This topic is part of the My neighbourhood (el barrio / el vecindario) thematic context in your Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Spanish (1SP1) course.

Shopping vocabulary and phrases are essential not just for your reading and listening exams, but especially for Paper 1 (Speaking), where you will often encounter transactions in the Role-play task, and Paper 4 (Writing). Don't worry if learning all the shop names and transaction phrases seems a bit daunting at first—we will break everything down into easy, bite-sized chunks with handy tips to boost your marks!

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1. Types of Shops & Commercial Places

In Spanish, many specialist food and retail shops end in the suffix -ería. This is a brilliant pattern to remember because it tells you what is being sold!

General Places to Shop

la tienda: the shop / store
la tienda de ropa: the clothes shop
la tienda de regalos: the gift shop
el supermercado: the supermarket
el hipermercado: the hypermarket
el mercado: the market
el centro comercial: the shopping centre / mall
el quiosco: the kiosk / newsagent

Specialist Shops (Notice the -ería pattern!)

la panadería: bakery (from pan = bread)
la pastelería: cake shop / pastry shop (from pastel = cake)
la carnicería: butcher's (from carne = meat)
la pescadería: fishmonger's (from pescado = fish)
la frutería: greengrocer's (from fruta = fruit)
la zapatería: shoe shop (from zapato = shoe)
la librería: bookshop (from libro = book)
la farmacia: pharmacy / chemist

⚠️ Examiner Trap: False Friend Alert!

Be extremely careful with la librería and la biblioteca:

la librería = bookshop (a commercial shop where you buy books).
la biblioteca = library (a public building where you borrow books).

Examiners frequently test this distinction in listening and reading exams!

Key Takeaway: Look for the root word before -ería to instantly work out what a shop sells (e.g., zapato \(\rightarrow\) zapatería).

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2. Money, Payments, and Transactions

Whether you are buying a souvenir or shopping for groceries, you need the right vocabulary to talk about prices, discounts, and payment methods.

Useful Nouns

el dinero: money
el efectivo: cash
la tarjeta (de crédito / débito): credit / debit card
el precio: price
la cuenta: bill
el recibo: receipt
la oferta: special offer
la ganga: bargain
las rebajas: sales
el descuento: discount
las compras / la compra: shopping / purchases

Key Action Verbs

comprar: to buy (e.g., Compro una camiseta - I buy a T-shirt)
vender: to sell (e.g., Venden fruta fresca - They sell fresh fruit)
pagar: to pay (e.g., Voy a pagar en efectivo - I am going to pay in cash)
costar (o > ue): to cost
• Use cuesta for a single item: El libro cuesta diez euros.
• Use cuestan for plural items: Los zapatos cuestan cincuenta euros.
gastar: to spend money (e.g., Gasto mucho dinero - I spend a lot of money)
ahorrar: to save money (e.g., Quiero ahorrar dinero - I want to save money)
probarse (o > ue): to try on (e.g., ¿Puedo probarme este jersey? - Can I try on this jumper?)
devolver (o > ue): to return an item (e.g., Quiero devolver estos pantalones - I want to return these trousers)
hacer cola: to queue / wait in line

⚠️ Common Pitfall: Gastar vs Pasar

Both mean "to spend", but they are NOT interchangeable:

Use gastar for money (e.g., gastar diez euros = to spend ten euros).
Use pasar for time (e.g., pasar las vacaciones = to spend the holidays).

Key Takeaway: Remember that costar changes its stem: cuesta (singular) vs cuestan (plural).

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3. Describing Goods, Sizes, and Quantities

When shopping for clothes or groceries, you need to describe items accurately, mention sizes, and specify weights or measures.

Describing Items

la ropa: clothing / clothes
los zapatos: shoes
el regalo: present / gift
barato/a: cheap
caro/a: expensive
de segunda mano: second-hand

Sizes: Clothing vs Shoes

Spanish uses different words depending on whether you are buying clothes or footwear:

la talla: clothing size (e.g., Busco una talla mediana - I'm looking for a medium size)
el número: shoe size (e.g., Calzo el número 38 - I take size 38 shoes)

Weights and Quantities

un kilo de...: a kilo of...
medio kilo de...: half a kilo of...
un litro de...: a litre of...
un paquete de...: a packet of...
una botella de...: a bottle of...
una bolsa: a bag

Tip on Agreements: Make sure your numbers and quantities agree with the nouns! For example: medio kilo de manzanas (half a kilo of apples), doscientos gramos de queso (two hundred grams of cheese).

Key Takeaway: Use la talla for clothes and el número for shoes. Never mix them up!

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4. Essential Phrases for Role-Plays & Transactions

In Paper 1 (Speaking), you will complete a Transactional Role-play. Shopping situations are very common here! Master these phrases to sound natural and polite.

Making Enquiries & Polite Requests

Quisiera... / Me gustaría...: I would like...
¿Cuánto cuesta? / ¿Cuánto es?: How much is it? / How much does it cost?
¿Tiene...?: Do you have...?
¿Tiene cambio?: Do you have change?
¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta / en efectivo?: Can I pay by card / in cash?
¿A qué hora abre / cierra la tienda?: What time does the shop open / close?

Checking Status: Ser vs Estar

To say whether a shop is open or closed, always use the verb estar, never ser:

Está abierto/a: It is open (e.g., La carnicería está abierta)
Está cerrado/a: It is closed (e.g., El supermercado está cerrado)

Expressing Opinions & Problems with Purchases

Me queda bien / mal: It fits me well / badly
Me queda grande / pequeño: It is too big / too small for me
Está roto / rota: It is broken
Está dañado / dañada: It is damaged

Politeness Matters (Tú vs Usted)

When speaking to a shop assistant or clerk in a role-play, use formal address (usted) forms if the context calls for it:

¿Tiene usted una talla más grande? (Do you have a bigger size?)
¿Podría decirme el precio? (Could you tell me the price?)

Key Takeaway: Always use estar for open/closed (está abierto/cerrado) and remember polite starters like Quisiera or Me gustaría.

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5. Quick Summary & Exam Checklist

Before heading into your assessments, do a quick self-check on these key points:

Do you know the difference between la librería (bookshop) and la biblioteca (library)?
Can you use gastar for money and pasar for time?
Do you remember to use cuesta for singular and cuestan for plural?
Can you ask for your clothing size with la talla and your shoe size with el número?
Can you state if a shop is open or closed using estar abierto / cerrado?
Are you confident asking ¿Cuánto cuesta? and ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta / en efectivo?

Quick check

Can you answer these now?

Open each question to check the key ideas from this chapter.

What meaning does the suffix -ería indicate when added to root words in Spanish shop names?

The suffix -ería indicates a specialist shop that sells the item named by the root word (e.g., pan → panadería).

What is the difference in meaning between la librería and la biblioteca?

La librería is a commercial bookshop where you buy books, whereas la biblioteca is a library where you borrow books.

How do you choose between cuesta and cuestan when talking about the price of goods?

Use cuesta for a singular noun (e.g., El libro cuesta diez euros) and cuestan for plural nouns (e.g., Los zapatos cuestan cincuenta euros).

What is the difference in usage between the verbs gastar and pasar?

Use gastar for spending money and pasar for spending time.

Which Spanish terms are used for clothing size versus shoe size?

Use la talla for clothing size and el número for shoe size.

Which verb must be used to describe whether a shop is open or closed?

Always use the verb estar (e.g., Está abierto / Está cerrado), never ser.

How do you say that an item of clothing is too big, too small, or fits well in Spanish?

Use me queda followed by the description (e.g., me queda grande, me queda pequeño, or me queda bien).

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