English speaking lesson · Shopping & Money
Bargaining at a market
You're at an open-air market where prices are flexible, and something has caught your eye. You practise it as a real conversation, at whichever of the four levels fits you — the room and the steps stay the same, only the words get harder.
An open-air market · you talk to the market seller
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What you have to do
Say what you like, ask the price, agree a better one, and buy it. You finish the lesson by getting there in conversation — not by answering questions about it. Nothing is corrected while you talk; the corrections are collected and handed to you at the end.
How it opens
Morning! Have a proper look — best prices on the market. Anything caught your eye?
Spoken aloud by the tutor playing the market seller.
The 5 steps that finish it
A step clears when you say the thing that clears it. The steps are identical at all four levels — only the example line fades, and at Natural there is none at all.
- 01
Say what you like
Say hello, and say what you're interested in.
“Hello! I like this one — it's very nice.”
- 02
Ask the price
Ask how much it costs.
“How much is it?”
- 03
Ask for a better price
Say it's a bit high, and offer a lower price.
“That's a bit expensive. How about thirty?”
- 04
Agree a price
Check the deal is right, and agree on it.
“Yes, it's a deal!”
- 05
Pay and finish
Say how you'd like to pay, and finish warmly.
“In cash, please. Thanks a lot!”
The words, at all four levels
The same room and the same steps, four vocabularies. These are the words the lesson listens for and scores you on — with what each one means and how it sounds when you are talking to the market seller.
Starter
A1 – A2Simple, everyday words with a full hint on every step.
- nice
- pleasant, good
- “This is very nice.”
- like
- to enjoy or want something
- “I like this one.”
- much
- used to ask the price — 'how much'
- “How much is it?”
- price
- how much something costs
- “What's the price?”
- expensive
- costing a lot
- “That's a bit expensive.”
- cheaper
- costing less
- “Can it be cheaper?”
- thirty
- the number 30
- “How about thirty?”
- deal
- an agreement on a price
- “It's a deal!”
- cash
- paper money and coins
- “In cash, please.”
- thanks
- a short way to say thank you
- “Thanks a lot!”
Conversational
A2 – B1Common words at a natural pace, with hints to lean on.
- handmade
- made by hand, not machine
- “Is this handmade?”
- asking
- the price you want for something
- “What are you asking for it?”
- discount
- a reduction in price
- “Any discount if I take two?”
- afford
- to have enough money for
- “I can afford about thirty.”
- budget
- the amount you can spend
- “My budget's a bit lower.”
- meet
- to agree somewhere in between
- “Could we meet in the middle?”
- middle
- halfway between two amounts
- “Let's meet in the middle.”
- deal
- an agreement on a price
- “That's a deal, thanks!”
- cash
- paper money and coins
- “I've got cash on me.”
- cheers
- informal thanks
- “Cheers for that!”
Confident
B1 – B2Richer, more specific words, with only light hints.
- craftsmanship
- the skill shown in how something is made
- “Lovely craftsmanship on this.”
- genuine
- real, not a copy
- “Is it genuine leather?”
- negotiable
- open to discussion and change
- “Is the price negotiable?”
- reasonable
- fair and not too much
- “That seems reasonable.”
- steep
- higher than expected
- “That's a touch steep.”
- settle
- to agree on a final figure
- “Could we settle at thirty?”
- bundle
- several items bought together
- “Any discount on a bundle?”
- fair
- reasonable to both sides
- “That's a fair price.”
- sorted
- arranged and settled
- “Lovely, that's sorted.”
- appreciate
- to be grateful for
- “I'd appreciate that.”
Natural
B2 – C1Advanced, idiomatic words — no hints at all.
- haggle
- to argue playfully over a price
- “I do enjoy a good haggle.”
- one-off
- unique, only one of its kind
- “Is it a one-off piece?”
- provenance
- where something came from originally
- “What's the provenance?”
- ballpark
- a rough figure
- “What ballpark are we in?”
- budge
- to move from a fixed position
- “Could you budge a little?”
- cheeky
- slightly bold but good-natured
- “A cheeky offer, I know.”
- chancing
- trying your luck
- “I'm chancing my arm here.”
- shake
- to agree by shaking hands
- “Shall we shake on it?”
- obliged
- grateful for a favour
- “Much obliged.”
- sorted
- dealt with and settled
- “Perfect, we're sorted.”
More Shopping & Money lessons
- Trying clothes on
- Buying a gift
- Collecting an order
- Returning an item
- Arranging delivery
- Choosing electronics
- Choosing a phone plan
- Changing money
- Warranty and repair