Shopping

1. Quant val això?

   kwan val a-SHO

   How much is this?

   Usage

   Basic phrase to ask the price of an item in a shop

   Grammar Note

   "Val" is 3rd person singular of "valer" (to be worth), equivalent to Spanish "cuánto cuesta"

2. Ho puc provar?

   o puk pru-VAR

   Can I try this on?

   Usage

   Used when wanting to try on clothing or shoes in a boutique

   Grammar Note

   "Ho" is the Catalan neuter clitic pronoun. "Provar" means to try/test/taste/try on

3. Teniu una talla més gran?

   te-NIU U-na TA-lla mes gran

   Do you have a larger size?

   Usage

   Used when clothing doesn't fit; replace "gran" with "petit/petita" for smaller

   Grammar Note

   "Teniu" is 2nd person plural of "tenir". "Més gran" = more big, like Spanish "más grande"

4. Em podeu fer un descompte?

   em pu-DEU fer un des-KOM-te

   Can you give me a discount?

   Usage

   Used to negotiate a discount at markets or small shops

   Grammar Note

   "Podeu" is 2nd person plural of "poder". "Descompte" corresponds to Spanish "descuento"

5. Ho podeu embolcallar per a regal?

   o po-DEU em-bol-ka-LYAR per a rre-GAL

   Can you gift-wrap it?

   Usage

   Used when buying a souvenir as a gift that needs to be wrapped

   Grammar Note

   "Podeu" is 2nd person plural of "poder" (can), and "embolcallar" means "to wrap"; "Ho podeu …?" works as a polite request

6. Accepteu targetes de crèdit?

   ak-sep-TEU tar-ZHE-tes de KRE-dit

   Do you accept credit cards?

   Usage

   Used to check payment methods; most Barcelona shops accept cards

   Grammar Note

   "Accepteu" is 2nd person plural of "acceptar". The accent on è indicates an open e sound

7. On és la secció de souvenirs?

   on es la sek-SI-o de su-ve-NIRS

   Where is the souvenir section?

   Usage

   Used to find the souvenir section in a department store or tourist attraction

   Grammar Note

   "Secció" corresponds to Spanish "sección"; both come from Latin, and Catalan -ció matches Spanish -ción (plural "seccions")

8. M'emporto això

   mem-POR-to a-SHO

   I'll take this

   Usage

   Short and practical phrase used when deciding to purchase an item

   Grammar Note

   "Emportar-se" means to take away with you; "m'" is the reflexive clitic for first person

9. Tinc el tiquet de compra

   tink el TI-ket de KOM-pra

   I have the receipt

   Usage

   Used when presenting a receipt for a return or exchange

   Grammar Note

   "Tiquet" is borrowed from French. "Compra" means purchase/shopping as in Spanish

10. Això és per a mi

    a-SHO es per a mi

    This is for me

    Usage

    Used to specify that a purchase is for yourself, not as a gift

    Grammar Note

    "Per a" means "for" (purpose/benefit) in Catalan, equivalent to Spanish "para"

11. No necessito el tiquet de compra.

    no ne-se-SI-to el TI-ket de KOM-pra

    I don't need a receipt

    Usage

    Decline the printed slip when the cashier asks "Vol el tiquet?"

    Grammar Note

    Negation is simply "No" before the conjugated verb. TERMCAT defines "tiquet de compra" as the document showing the total price of one or more goods or services and proving their payment — exactly the slip printed at the till. Bare "tiquet" carries only the "admission ticket" sense in DIEC2 and GDLC, so "de compra" is added for a shopping receipt. A formal tax invoice is a "factura" and an acknowledgement of payment a "rebut"

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