Commercial Communication Techniques: Grocery Shopping and Sales Vocabulary

Vocabulary and essential phrases for commercial communication, grocery shopping, vendor interactions, and customer dialogues in French and Dutch.

La canette

A French packaging term meaning a can or beverage tin (Dutch: het blikje).

Le sachet

A French packaging term meaning a small bag, pouch, or packet (Dutch: het zakje).

La boîte

A French packaging term meaning a box or tin (Dutch: de doos), used for items such as sardines (boîte de sardines) or cereal (boîte de céréales).

La tranche

A French food quantity term meaning a slice (Dutch: het sneetje), as in a slice of ham (une tranche de jambon).

Une barquette de beurre

A French grocery term meaning a tub or small container of butter (Dutch: een botervlootje).

Une tablette de chocolat

A French grocery item meaning a bar or tablet of chocolate (Dutch: een tablet chocolade).

Un paquet de sucre

A French grocery term meaning a packet or pack of sugar (Dutch: een pak suiker).

Un demi-litre d'eau

A French measurement phrase indicating half a liter of water (Dutch: een halve liter water).

Un quart litrede limonade

A French quantity phrase indicating a quarter liter of lemonade (Dutch: een kwart liter limonade).

Une douzaine d'œufs

A French grocery expression meaning a dozen eggs (Dutch: een dozijn eieren).

Un magasin de fruits et de légumes

A French store term meaning a greengrocer or fruit and vegetable shop (Dutch: een fruit-en groentenwinkel).

Une boulangerie

A French commercial term meaning a bakery (Dutch: een bakkerij).

Un pain gris coupé

A French bakery term meaning a sliced brown bread (Dutch: een bruin brood gesneden).

Un pistolet

A Belgian French bakery term referring to a small crusty bread roll (Dutch: een pistolet).

Un boucher

A French professional term meaning a butcher (Dutch: een slager).

Du charcuterie

A French food term meaning deli meats, cold cuts, or charcuterie (Dutch: fijne vleeswaren).

La carte bancaire

A French retail payment term for a bank or debit card (Dutch: de bankkaart).

Le ticket de caisse

A French commercial term meaning a sales receipt or checkout slip (Dutch: het kasticket).

Vous désirez?

A standard French seller opening phrase meaning "What would you like?" or "May I help you?" (Dutch: Wat wenst u?).

Et avec ça?

A French seller phrase meaning "And with that?" or "Anything else?" (Dutch: Wat wenst u nog?).

Ce sera tout?

A French seller phrase used to confirm completion of an order: "Will that be all?" (Dutch: Is dat alles?).

Ça fait … euros.

A French sales expression used to state a total price: "That comes to … euros" (Dutch: Dat kost €…).

C'est tout juste, merci.

A French cashier expression indicating exact change or payment: "That is the exact amount, thank you" (Dutch: Dat is helemaal juist, bedankt).

Insérez votre carte et tapez votre code.

A French cashier instruction for payment processing: "Insert your card and enter your code" (Dutch: Steek uw kaart in en tik uw code in).

Je vais l'emballer.

A French vendor phrase indicating packaging service: "I will wrap it / pack it" (Dutch: Ik ga het verpakken).

Avec plaisir / De rien.

Polite French vendor responses to a customer's thanks: "With pleasure / You're welcome" (Dutch: Graag gedaan).

Celui-ci ou celui-là?

A French demonstrative question used when presenting choices for a masculine singular noun: "This one or that one?" (Dutch: Deze hier of deze daar? [m enk]).

Celle-ci ou celle-là?

A French demonstrative question used when presenting choices for a feminine singular noun: "This one or that one?" (Dutch: Deze hier of deze daar? [vr enk]).

Ceux-ci ou ceux-là?

A French demonstrative question used when presenting choices for masculine plural nouns: "These ones or those ones?" (Dutch: Deze hier of deze daar? [m mv]).

Celles-ci ou celles-là?

A French demonstrative question used when presenting choices for feminine plural nouns: "These ones or those ones?" (Dutch: Deze hier of deze daar? [vr mv]).

Je suis désolé, mais je n'ai plus de …

A French vendor phrase used to report an out-of-stock item: "I am sorry, but I have no more … left" (Dutch: Het spijt me, maar ik heb geen … meer).

C'est pour offrir?

A French sales inquiry asking if an item is intended as a gift: "Is it a gift / to give to someone?" (Dutch: Is het om aan iemand te geven?).

Je vous conseille …

A French phrase used by a salesperson to recommend an item: "I recommend / advise to you …" (Dutch: Ik raad u … aan).

Je vais prendre celui en bleu.

A French customer phrase used to select a specific masculine item: "I will take the blue one" (Dutch: Ik ga die in het blauw nemen).

Ça fait combien?

A French customer phrase used to ask the price or total: "How much does it come to?" or "How much is it?" (Dutch: Hoeveel kost het?).

Je peux payer par carte, svp?

A French customer inquiry regarding checkout payment: "Can I pay by card, please?" (Dutch: Mag ik met de kaart betalen, aub?).

À vous aussi. Au revoir.

A polite French customer closing formula: "To you too. Goodbye" (Dutch: Voor u ook. Tot ziens).

Qu'est-ce que vous me conseillez?

A French customer question seeking product recommendations: "What do you recommend to me?" (Dutch: Wat raadt u mij aan?).

Vous pouvez l'emballer? C'est pour offrir.

A French customer request asking for gift wrapping: "Can you wrap it? It is to give as a gift" (Dutch: Kunt u het verpakken? Het is om aan iemand te geven).