Lesson Transcript

Hi, everybody!
Welcome back to Top Words.
My name is Alisha and today, we're going to talk about 10 expressions for explaining what you want when shopping. Let's go!
1. I'm looking for…
The first expression is, "I'm looking for…"
You use, "I'm looking for" before the item or before the place you want to go to or before the thing you are searching for.
So, "I'm looking for the sports department."
"I'm looking for shoes."
"I'm looking for a new car."
All of these, we can use I'm looking for when speaking to a salesperson or to staff at the place you're shopping at.
2. Can you help me find…?
The next expression is, "Can you help me find…?"
"Can you help me find (blah, blah, blah)?"
"Can you help me find gluten-free pasta?"
"Can you help me find my car?"
"Can you help me find my keys?"
"Can you help me find my child?"
If you need help finding something specific in a store, usually, you can ask, "Can you help me find (blah, blah, blah)" to ask someone for help.
3. Do you know where ___ is?
Okay, another expression you can use is, "Do you know where (something) is?"
"Do you know where cleaner is?"
"Do you know where pasta is?"
"Do you know where turkey is?"
"Do you know where plants are?" I don't know.
Whatever it is you're looking for, you can use, "Do you know where (something) is/are?" if you're using the plural form of a noun. So, "Do you know where soaps are?" for example. So if you use the plural form a noun, please use "are" at the end of the sentence. "Do you know where (blah, blah, blah) is?"
A very useful expression is, "Do you know where the restroom is?"
4. Do you have this in a ___ size?
The next expression is, "Do you have this in a (blah, blah, blah) size?"
So you can replace this (blah, blah, blah). You can replace the space with the size you are searching for, the size you would like.
"Do you have this in a small size?"
"Do you have this in a large size?"
Or, you can use the comparative form.
"Do you have this in a smaller size?"
"Do you have this in a larger size?"
You can also use this with numbers when shoe shopping, for example, like…
"Do you have this in a 24 cm size?"
Or "Do you have this in a 26 cm size?"
So you can replace numbers in this sort of gap in the sentence or you can use comparative forms or the name of the size; small, large, extra large, medium, extra small, whatever. Very useful.
5. Does this come in any other colors?
So, the next question you can ask is, "Does this come in any other colors?"
"Does this come in any other colors?" means are there other colors of this product. Since this product has other colors, we use "come" in this case. "Does this come in another color?"
So, imagine, coming from the manufacturer or coming from the maker.
"Does this come in other colors?"
It's kind of how you can remember to use the word "come" in this expression.
So, if you want to know about other color options, just use this expression, "Does this come in…?" You can also change this to…
"Does this come in blue?"
"Does this come in red?"
"Does this come in green?"
"Does this come in any other colors?" for example.
So use this to check about your color options when you are shopping.
6. How do I…?
Okay, the next one is "How do I (blah, blah, blah)?"
"How do I…" and then some actions.
So, "How do I sign up for a members' card?"
"How do I turn on this camera?"
"How do I use this gadget?" for example.
"How do I use this application?"
Typically, we're going to follow "how do I" with some kind of action or some kind of a verb phrase, so you need to know how to do something, how to perform an action. You can use the "How do I (blah, blah, blah)" pattern to ask that question.
7. I want something that…
Okay, the next expression you can use is, "I want something that (blah, blah, blah)."
So, you can use this expression to describe the features you are looking for in a product.
"I want something that can be used in many languages."
Or
"I want something that I can use quickly," for example.
So, describe the features of the item you're looking for with this phrase.
"I want something that is delicious," if you're at a restaurant.
One more...
"I want something that doesn't need battery power."
8. Where is the register?
Okay, the next expression is, "Where is the register?"
Use this expression when you are ready to pay. You can use this at a department store, at a regular boutique, at a small shop, at a restaurant, whatever.
"Where is the register? Where can I pay?"
Very useful. If it's not very clear to you, just ask the staff person.
"Where is the register? Where is the register?
"Where is the register? I'm gonna pay."
That's what I do when I'm searching for the register.
"Where is the register?"
9. Can I look at…?
The next expression is, "Can I look at (blah, blah, blah)?"
Sometimes, when you're shopping, there's like a display case and it's locked, so if you want to look at something more closely that's inside the display case, you can use the expression, "Can I look at (something) more closely?"
Or, "Can I look at that watch?"
"Can I look at those sunglasses?"
"Can I look at that wallet?"
"Can I look at that ring?"
If you use, "can I look at" like the shop staff of course know you mean like more closely at like, yes, you could see it, you can see that right now. You can look at it. You can, like direct your eyes toward that object. But, if you say, "Can I look at (blah, blah, blah)" it means you want to see more closely that item, so the staff will take that out of the case for you and you can take a look at it more closely. So, "Can I look at (blah, blah, blah)?" Or you can also use, like, "Can I have a look at…?" as well. Both are fine. Okay.
10. Can I try ____ on?
The next expression is, "Can I try (blah, blah, blah) on?"
Or, you can keep the phrasal verb "try on" together, so, "Can I try on (blah, blah, blah)?" Both are fine. "Can I try (something) on?" or "Can I try on (something)?" Both are great. When you are clothes shopping or maybe shopping for hats or shoes or something, you can use this expression to show you want to put that item on your body as a test.
So, "Can I try on those shoes?"
Or "Can I try this sweater on?"
Or "Can I try that hat on?"
"Can I try on that shirt?" for example.
If you want to try something on your body, use this expression, "Can I try that on?"
"Can I try this pair of shoes on, please?"

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