#2 How to Borrow a Book at the Library｜Practical English Conversation
Izumi English Morning
#31 Negotiating Prices at a Flea Market｜English Shopping Phrases
Izumi
At local flea markets or open-air bazaars during your travels, you can enjoy discovering unique items.
In such places, even if price tags are displayed, you can often negotiate the price, which makes communicating with sellers part of the fun.
In this article, I introduce useful English phrases for smooth price negotiations, how to respond to the seller’s counteroffers, and expressions to use once a deal has been reached.
Contents
Dialogue
Hi, how much is this bag?
It’s 25 dollars.
Would you take 18?
Hmm… how about 20?
Deal. I’ll take it.
Great! I’ll wrap it up for you.
1. Basic Expressions for Asking the Price
When you want to know the price, use “How much is this?”
This simple question is useful not only at flea markets, but also in many shopping situations during your trip.
- How much for the poster?
- How much are these?
→ Use “are” when referring to multiple items.
For a more polite question, you can say:
- Could you tell me the price of this?
2. Asking for a Discount
When negotiating prices, avoid being too direct and use polite expressions.
- Would you take 18?
The expression “Would you take ～?” allows you to suggest a lower price in a polite way.
Because it sounds less forceful, it is useful for friendly negotiation.
3. Responding to the Seller
There are several ways a seller may respond.
- I can do $25.
→ The seller’s counter-offer. - Sorry, that’s the best I can do.
→ A common phrase indicating no further discount.
If you hear one of these responses, decide whether you would like to purchase the item based on your budget.
4. When You Decide to Buy
Once you reach an agreement, use the following phrase to confirm that you will purchase the item:
- I’ll take it.
At the time of payment, these expressions are also helpful:
- Do you accept credit cards?
- Here’s $25.
Summary
- How much is it?
→ A standard phrase for asking the price at a flea market. - Would you consider ～?
→ A polite way to suggest a lower offer. - I can do ～ / That’s the best I can do.
→ Useful responses from the seller during negotiation. - I’ll take it.
→ A natural phrase to confirm your purchase.
