#72 Responding to Customer Inquiries｜French for Business Communication
Izumi French Garden
#148 Asking About Sales｜French Shopping Phrases
Izumi
When shopping in France, you may find that stores offer sales depending on the time of year.
Since sale periods and discount conditions vary from one shop to another, it is reassuring to know polite expressions for asking store staff about sales and discounts.
In this article, I will explain useful French expressions for asking about sales and discounts in shops, along with key grammatical points.
Contents
Dialogue
Excusez-moi, est-ce que vous faites des soldes en ce moment ?
（Excuse me, are you currently offering any sales?）
Oui, nous avons des réductions sur certains articles.
（Yes, we have discounts on certain items.）
D’accord. Est-ce que ces vestes font partie de la promotion ?
（I see. Are these jackets included in the promotion?）
Oui, elles sont à -30 % jusqu’à la fin de la semaine.
（Yes, they are 30% off until the end of the week.）
Et est-ce que la remise est appliquée en caisse ?
（And is the discount applied at the checkout?）
Le prix affiché tient déjà compte de la réduction.
（The displayed price already reflects the discount.）
Merci pour ces précisions.
（Thank you for the clarification.）
Je vous en prie. N’hésitez pas si vous avez d’autres questions.
（You’re welcome. Please feel free to ask if you have any other questions.）
1. Checking Whether a Sale Is Currently Ongoing
Before you start shopping, it is useful to check whether a sale is currently being held.
Example
- Est-ce que vous faites des soldes en ce moment ?
（Are you currently having a sale?）
The expression “faire des soldes” is a standard way to say “to hold a sale.”
By adding “en ce moment” (at the moment), you can ask whether the sale is taking place during the current period.
Related Expression
- Y a-t-il des promotions en cours ?
（Are there any promotions currently underway?）
The word “promotion” means “campaign” or “discount” and is commonly used even outside official sale periods.
2. Asking Whether an Item Is Included in the Sale
Even if a sale is taking place, not all items may be included. Therefore, it is important to check whether a specific product is discounted.
Example
- Est-ce que ces vestes font partie de la promotion ?
（Are these jackets included in the promotion?）
The expression “faire partie de …” means “to be part of …” and is frequently used when confirming whether an item is included in a sale.
Related Expressions
- Cet article est-il en solde ?
（Is this item on sale?） - Cette robe est concernée par la réduction ?
（Is this dress eligible for the discount?）
3. Confirming the Discount Rate and Period
To fully understand the sale conditions, it is essential to confirm both the discount rate and the duration.
Example
- Elles sont à -30 % jusqu’à la fin de la semaine.
（They are 30% off until the end of the week.）
In French, discount rates are commonly expressed using a minus sign, such as “à -30 %” or “à -50 %.”
Related Expressions
- Quel est le pourcentage de réduction ?
（What is the discount rate?） - Jusqu’à quand dure la promotion ?
（How long does the promotion last?）
The phrase “jusqu’à quand” means “until when” and is a basic expression for asking about time periods.
4. Asking When the Discount Is Applied
Depending on the store, discounts may be applied either at the checkout or already reflected in the displayed price. It is important to confirm this in advance.
Example
- Est-ce que la remise est appliquée en caisse ?
（Is the discount applied at the checkout?）
The word “remise” means “discount,” and “en caisse” means “at the checkout.”
Example
- Le prix affiché tient déjà compte de la réduction.
（The displayed price already takes the discount into account.）
Knowing this expression can help reduce uncertainty at the time of payment.
Summary
Key French Phrases
- Est-ce que vous faites des soldes en ce moment ?
→ Used to check whether a sale is currently being held. - Est-ce que ces vestes font partie de la promotion ?
→ Used to ask whether a specific item is included in the sale. - Quel est le pourcentage de réduction ? / Jusqu’à quand dure la promotion ?
→ Used to confirm the discount rate and duration. - La remise est-elle appliquée en caisse ?
→ Useful for checking how the discount is applied.
