How to return an item in French
Je voudrais échanger ce pull
“I'd like to exchange this sweater”
When: Your first line back at the shop
The moment
You are back at the same Paris shop two days later. The jumper is the wrong size, and you want to swap it or get your money back.
A1 · Unit 5 · Shopping
The lines
Opening the return
Start with « Je voudrais échanger ce pull » — I would like to exchange this jumper. « Je voudrais » plus what you want is the polite way to open anything at a counter.
Je voudrais échanger ce pull
“I'd like to exchange this sweater”
When to use it: Your first line back at the shop
What you’ll hear back: Vous avez le ticket ? (Do you have the receipt?)
Saying what is wrong
« Ce n'est pas la bonne taille » means it is not the right size. Change the last word and the same sentence covers the colour: ce n'est pas la bonne couleur.
Ce n'est pas la bonne taille
“It's not the right size”
When to use it: Explaining why you are bringing it back
What you’ll hear back: Pas de problème, vous voulez quelle taille ? (No problem, what size would you like?)
Words for this scene
| French | Say it | English |
|---|---|---|
| Voilà le ticket | vwah-LAH luh tee-KEH | Here's the receipt |
Voilà le ticket, j'ai acheté ça lundi. Here's the receipt, I bought this on Monday. Tip: No receipt, no exchange: French shops almost never bend on this. | ||
| Ça ne marche pas | sah nuh marsh PAH | It doesn't work |
Je l'ai acheté hier et ça ne marche pas. I bought it yesterday and it doesn't work. Tip: The all-purpose broken: gadgets, zips, lifts, even websites. | ||
| Je voudrais un remboursement | zhuh voo-dreh zuhn rahn-boor-suh-MAHN | I'd like a refund |
Je voudrais un remboursement, s'il vous plaît. I'd like a refund, please. Tip: Shops offer un avoir, store credit, first; ask again, politely. | ||
Your objective
Say what you bought and what’s wrong with it, and ask to exchange it or get your money back.
- what you bought
- what’s wrong with it
- an exchange or a refund
Lines that get it done
- Je voudrais échanger ce pull
- Ce n'est pas la bonne taille
- Je voudrais un remboursement, s'il vous plaît. · I'd like a refund, please.
In the live scene the objective stays on screen, and the Replay afterwards says whether you got it done.
Check yourself
1. You are at the counter with a jumper that is too big. How do you explain the problem?
- Ce n'est pas la bonne taille
- Ce n'est pas la bonne couleur
- Ce n'est pas le bon jour
- Ce n'est pas la bonne adresse
Show the answer
Ce n'est pas la bonne taille
« La bonne taille » is the right size, so this says the size is wrong.
2. You want your money back rather than another item. What do you ask for?
- Je voudrais un remboursement
- Je voudrais un sac
- Je voudrais un ticket
- Je voudrais essayer
Show the answer
Je voudrais un remboursement
« Un remboursement » is a refund; anything else gets you an exchange at best.
3. The lamp you bought will not switch on. What do you tell the shop?
- Ça ne marche pas
- Ça ne me va pas
- Ce n'est pas grave
- Ça ne fait rien
Show the answer
Ça ne marche pas
« Ça ne marche pas » says the thing is broken; « ça ne me va pas » is about clothes not fitting.