How to ask how much something costs in English
How much is this?
“What is the price of this?”
When: Markets, food carts, small shops, anywhere without a price tag
The moment
You are at a busy fruit stand in a Manhattan farmers market. Ask how much things cost, understand the price the seller says, and decide if it is a good deal.
A1 · Unit 1 · First words
The lines
Asking the price
Point at the thing and say "How much is this?" For more than one thing, say "How much are these?" The seller answers with a number of dollars.
How much is this?
“What is the price of this?”
When to use it: Markets, food carts, small shops, anywhere without a price tag
What you’ll hear back: That's three dollars.
Checking a spoken price
Americans often drop the word "dollars". "Four fifty" means $4.50. If you are not sure, repeat the price back: "Sorry, four fifty?"
Sorry, was that four fifty?
“Sorry, did you say four dollars and fifty cents?”
When to use it: When the price is fast or you are not sure you heard it
What you’ll hear back: Yep, four fifty. (Yes, $4.50.)
Words for this scene
| Word or phrase | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| That's a little pricey | thats-uh LIH-dul PRAI-see | That costs too much for me. |
Twelve dollars? That's a little pricey. It is 12 dollars? That is expensive. Tip: Softer than "too expensive"; haggling is rare in US shops. | ||
| That's a great deal! | thats-uh GRAYT DEEL | That is cheap and good. |
Three for five dollars? That's a great deal! Three things cost five dollars? That is very cheap! Tip: Americans rarely say "cheap" as praise; "cheap" can mean low quality. | ||
| Just two, please | JUST TOO, PLEEZ | I want two, not more. |
Apples? Just two, please. Apples? I want only two. Tip: Hold up fingers too; markets are loud and busy. | ||
Your objective
Ask what two different things cost, then say which one you’ll take and how many.
- the price of two things
- which one you want
- how many
Lines that get it done
- How much is this?
- Apples? Just two, please. · Apples? I want only two.
- Twelve dollars? That's a little pricey. · It is 12 dollars? That is expensive.
In the live scene the objective stays on screen, and the Replay afterwards says whether you got it done.
Check yourself
1. You want to know the price of a mango. What do you say?
- How much is this?
- How many is this?
- What time is this?
- Just two, please.
Show the answer
How much is this?
Use "How much" to ask about price. "How many" asks about a number of things.
2. The seller says "That's six seventy-five." How much is it?
- $675
- $6.75
- $67.50
- $60.75
Show the answer
$6.75
People often skip "dollars" and "cents": "six seventy-five" means $6.75.
3. A small coffee costs $9. What can you politely say?
- That's a great deal!
- Just two, please.
- That's a little pricey.
- How much is this?
Show the answer
That's a little pricey.
"That's a little pricey" is a soft, polite way to say something is expensive.