Shopping for Souvenirs｜Useful French Phrases for Buying Gifts

Choosing souvenirs is one of the joys of traveling—whether it’s selecting gifts for family and friends or buying local specialties for yourself.

When you can ask questions in French such as “Do you have any recommendations?” or “Can I try this?” at shops and markets, shopping becomes much smoother.

Here, I will introduce useful French phrases for souvenir shopping and explain how to use them.

Dialogue

A

Bonjour, je cherche un souvenir typique de la région.
(Hello, I’m looking for a typical souvenir from this region.)

B

Nous avons des spécialités locales, comme des confitures et du vin.
(We have local specialties, such as jams and wine.)

A

Est-ce que je peux goûter cette confiture ?
(Can I taste this jam?)

B

Oui, bien sûr. Tenez, voici une petite cuillère.
(Of course. Here you go, here is a small spoon.)

A

Combien ça coûte ?
(How much does it cost?)

B

C’est 8 euros le pot.
(It’s 8 euros per jar.)

Grammar and Expression Points

1. I’m looking for …: “je cherche …”

When asking for help in a shop, use Je cherche … (“I am looking for …”).

The verb chercher means “to look for.” In shopping situations, it’s one of the most common verbs to express what you want to buy.

You can also be more specific:

2. Expressions for “local souvenirs”

To express something typical of a region, French uses words like typique (typical) and spécialité locale (local specialty).

Using these expressions in tourist areas will help shop staff quickly recommend popular items.

3. Asking to Taste or Try Something

In markets or souvenir shops, you may want to request a sample or try something on. The useful structure is: “Est-ce que je peux + verb … ?” (May I … ?)

4. Asking the Price

The essential shopping phrase:

For a more polite version, use “Quel est le prix de … ?”

5. Expressing Quantities

When buying multiple items, express quantity clearly with the pattern: “number + unit + de + noun.”

Useful units:

Summary

泉（Izumi）

Author

このサイトではフランス語学習者に向けて、フランス語の文法をわかりやすく解説しています。