🍎 Outdoor Markets

⏱ 15 min read

In this lesson you will learn useful everyday English vocabulary and expressions for shopping at outdoor markets. You'll learn how to talk with vendors, ask for fresh produce, request specific quantities and weights, choose items, and bargain over prices when appropriate. Each English word or phrase includes a simple meaning plus translations in several languages.

🟢 Basic Outdoor Market Vocabulary

🍎 Market
an outdoor place with many stalls selling food
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Mercado
🇫🇷 French: Marché
🇩🇪 German: Markt
🇮🇹 Italian: Mercato
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Mercado
⛺ Market stall
a small stand where a vendor sells goods
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Puesto
🇫🇷 French: Étal / Stand
🇩🇪 German: Marktstand
🇮🇹 Italian: Banco / Stall
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Banca / Barraca
🏪 Vendor
a person who sells things at a stall
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Vendedor / Vendedora
🇫🇷 French: Vendeur / Vendeuse
🇩🇪 German: Verkäufer / Verkäuferin
🇮🇹 Italian: Venditore / Venditrice
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Vendedor / Vendedora
🍉 Fruit
sweet plant food such as apples or mangoes
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Fruta
🇫🇷 French: Fruit
🇩🇪 German: Obst
🇮🇹 Italian: Frutta
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Fruta
🥬 Vegetables
plants you cook or eat in meals, such as tomatoes
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Verduras
🇫🇷 French: Légumes
🇩🇪 German: Gemüse
🇮🇹 Italian: Verdura
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Legumes / Verduras
🛍️ Bag
a sack for carrying what you buy
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Bolsa
🇫🇷 French: Sac
🇩🇪 German: Tüte / Beutel
🇮🇹 Italian: Borsa / Sacchetto
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Saco / Saca

🟡 Quantities & Market Shopping Vocabulary

⚖️ Kilogram
a unit of weight equal to 1,000 grams
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Kilo / Kilogramo
🇫🇷 French: Kilo / Kilogramme
🇩🇪 German: Kilo / Kilogramm
🇮🇹 Italian: Chilo / Chilogrammo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Quilo / Quilograma
⚖️ Half a kilo
500 grams
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Medio kilo
🇫🇷 French: Demi-kilo
🇩🇪 German: Ein halbes Kilo
🇮🇹 Italian: Mezzo chilo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Meio quilo
⚖️ Gram
a small unit of weight
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Gramo
🇫🇷 French: Gramme
🇩🇪 German: Gramm
🇮🇹 Italian: Grammo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Grama
📦 Quantity / Amount
how much of something you want
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Cantidad
🇫🇷 French: Quantité
🇩🇪 German: Menge
🇮🇹 Italian: Quantità
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Quantidade
🌱 Fresh
recently picked and still good to eat
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Fresco / Fresca
🇫🇷 French: Frais / Fraîche
🇩🇪 German: Frisch
🇮🇹 Italian: Fresco / Fresca
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Fresco / Fresca
🍑 Ripe
ready to eat, not too hard
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Maduro / Madura
🇫🇷 French: Mûr / Mûre
🇩🇪 German: Reif
🇮🇹 Italian: Maturo / Matura
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Maduro / Madura

🔵 Outdoor Market Actions

👉 To choose
to pick the items you want
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Elegir
🇫🇷 French: Choisir
🇩🇪 German: Auswählen
🇮🇹 Italian: Scegliere
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Escolher
⚖️ To weigh
to measure how heavy something is
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Pesar
🇫🇷 French: Peser
🇩🇪 German: Wiegen
🇮🇹 Italian: Pesare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Pesar
🤝 To bargain / Negotiate
to try to get a lower price
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Regatear / Negociar
🇫🇷 French: Marchander
🇩🇪 German: Feilschen / Verhandeln
🇮🇹 Italian: Contrattare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Regatear / Negociar
👀 To look around
to walk and see what different stalls sell
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Mirar
🇫🇷 French: Regarder
🇩🇪 German: Sich umschauen
🇮🇹 Italian: Guardarsi intorno
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Olhar / Ver
🛍️ To take / I'll take
to decide to buy those items
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Llevar / Llevarse
🇫🇷 French: Prendre
🇩🇪 German: Mitnehmen
🇮🇹 Italian: Prendere
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Levar
🙋 To ask
to put a question to the vendor
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Preguntar
🇫🇷 French: Demander
🇩🇪 German: Fragen
🇮🇹 Italian: Chiedere
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Perguntar

🧠 Shopping at an Outdoor Market

💡 Use I'd like for a polite way to request something from a vendor.
I'd like a kilo of tomatoes.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Quisiera un kilo de tomates.
🇫🇷 Je voudrais un kilo de tomates.
🇩🇪 Ich hätte gerne ein Kilo Tomaten.
🇮🇹 Vorrei un chilo di pomodori.
🇵🇹 Gostaria de um quilo de tomates.
I'd like half a kilo of strawberries.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Quisiera medio kilo de fresas.
🇫🇷 Je voudrais un demi-kilo de fraises.
🇩🇪 Ich hätte gerne ein halbes Kilo Erdbeeren.
🇮🇹 Vorrei mezzo chilo di fragole.
🇵🇹 Gostaria de meio quilo de morangos.
💡 Use Can I have / Give me when directly asking a vendor for a particular quantity. It is a common polite request when shopping.
Can I have two kilos of oranges, please?
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Deme dos kilos de naranjas, por favor.
🇫🇷 Donnez-moi deux kilos d'oranges, s'il vous plaît.
🇩🇪 Geben Sie mir bitte zwei Kilo Orangen.
🇮🇹 Mi dia due chili di arance, per favore.
🇵🇹 Dê-me dois quilos de laranjas, por favor.
Can I have three of these, please?
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Deme tres de estos, por favor.
🇫🇷 Donnez-moi trois de ceux-ci, s'il vous plaît.
🇩🇪 Geben Sie mir bitte drei von diesen.
🇮🇹 Mi dia tre di questi, per favore.
🇵🇹 Dê-me três destes, por favor.
💡 Use I'll take when you've decided what you want to buy.
I'll take these apples.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Me llevo estas manzanas.
🇫🇷 Je prends ces pommes.
🇩🇪 Ich nehme diese Äpfel.
🇮🇹 Prendo queste mele.
🇵🇹 Levo estas maçãs.
I'll take half a kilo.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Me llevo medio kilo.
🇫🇷 Je prends un demi-kilo.
🇩🇪 Ich nehme ein halbes Kilo.
🇮🇹 Prendo mezzo chilo.
🇵🇹 Levo meio quilo.

❓ Useful Outdoor Market Questions

⚖️ How much is it per kilo?
asking the price for one kilogram
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿A cuánto está el kilo?
🇫🇷 French: C'est combien le kilo ?
🇩🇪 German: Wie viel kostet das Kilo?
🇮🇹 Italian: Quanto costa al chilo?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Quanto custa o quilo?
🌱 Is it fresh?
asking if the food was picked recently
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Está fresco?
🇫🇷 French: Est-ce que c'est frais ?
🇩🇪 German: Ist es frisch?
🇮🇹 Italian: È fresco?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Está fresco?
🍑 Are these fruits ripe?
asking if the fruit is ready to eat
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Están maduras estas frutas?
🇫🇷 French: Ces fruits sont-ils mûrs ?
🇩🇪 German: Sind diese Früchte reif?
🇮🇹 Italian: Questi frutti sono maturi?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Estas frutas estão maduras?
👉 Can I choose them myself?
asking to pick the pieces by hand
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Puedo elegirlos yo?
🇫🇷 French: Puis-je les choisir moi-même ?
🇩🇪 German: Kann ich sie selbst aussuchen?
🇮🇹 Italian: Posso sceglierli io?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Posso escolhê-los eu?
🛍️ Can you give me a bag, please?
asking for something to carry the food
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Me da una bolsa, por favor?
🇫🇷 French: Pouvez-vous me donner un sac, s'il vous plaît ?
🇩🇪 German: Können Sie mir bitte eine Tüte geben?
🇮🇹 Italian: Mi dà un sacchetto, per favore?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Pode dar-me um saco, por favor?
🤝 Can you give me a better price?
asking the vendor to lower the cost
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Me puede hacer un mejor precio?
🇫🇷 French: Pouvez-vous me faire un meilleur prix ?
🇩🇪 German: Können Sie mir einen besseren Preis machen?
🇮🇹 Italian: Può farmi un prezzo migliore?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Pode fazer-me um preço melhor?

💬 Common Outdoor Market Phrases

🍎 I'm looking for fresh fruit for this week.
you want fruit that will last a few days
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Busco fruta fresca para esta semana.
🇫🇷 French: Je cherche des fruits frais pour cette semaine.
🇩🇪 German: Ich suche frisches Obst für diese Woche.
🇮🇹 Italian: Cerco frutta fresca per questa settimana.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Procuro fruta fresca para esta semana.
⚖️ I'd like half a kilo of tomatoes, please.
a polite request for 500 grams
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Quisiera medio kilo de tomates, por favor.
🇫🇷 French: Je voudrais un demi-kilo de tomates, s'il vous plaît.
🇩🇪 German: Ich hätte gerne ein halbes Kilo Tomaten, bitte.
🇮🇹 Italian: Vorrei mezzo chilo di pomodori, per favore.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Gostaria de meio quilo de tomates, por favor.
🍑 These peaches aren't ripe yet.
the fruit still needs more time
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Estos duraznos todavía no están maduros.
🇫🇷 French: Ces pêches ne sont pas encore mûres.
🇩🇪 German: Diese Pfirsiche sind noch nicht reif.
🇮🇹 Italian: Queste pesche non sono ancora mature.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Estes pêssegos ainda não estão maduros.
🛍️ I'll take two of these and one of those.
you have chosen mixed items to buy
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Me llevo dos de estos y uno de aquellos.
🇫🇷 French: Je prends deux de ceux-ci et un de ceux-là.
🇩🇪 German: Ich nehme zwei von diesen und einen von denen.
🇮🇹 Italian: Prendo due di questi e uno di quelli.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Levo dois destes e um daqueles.

💬 Everyday Conversations

Buying fresh produce
asking the kilo price and ordering one kilo
A: Good morning. How much are the tomatoes per kilo?
B: Three euros per kilo.
A: Then give me one kilo, please.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: Buenos días. ¿A cuánto está el kilo de tomates?
🇪🇸 B: A tres euros el kilo.
🇪🇸 A: Entonces, deme un kilo, por favor.

🇫🇷 A: Bonjour. C'est combien le kilo de tomates ?
🇫🇷 B: Trois euros le kilo.
🇫🇷 A: Alors, donnez-moi un kilo, s'il vous plaît.

🇩🇪 A: Guten Morgen. Wie viel kosten die Tomaten pro Kilo?
🇩🇪 B: Drei Euro das Kilo.
🇩🇪 A: Dann geben Sie mir bitte ein Kilo.

🇮🇹 A: Buongiorno. Quanto costano i pomodori al chilo?
🇮🇹 B: Tre euro al chilo.
🇮🇹 A: Allora mi dia un chilo, per favore.

🇵🇹 A: Bom dia. Quanto custa o quilo de tomates?
🇵🇹 B: Três euros o quilo.
🇵🇹 A: Então, dê-me um quilo, por favor.
Choosing fruit
checking ripeness and buying four pieces
A: Are these mangoes ripe?
B: Yes, these are ready to eat.
A: Perfect. I'll take four.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: ¿Están maduros estos mangos?
🇪🇸 B: Sí, estos están listos para comer.
🇪🇸 A: Perfecto. Me llevo cuatro.

🇫🇷 A: Ces mangues sont-elles mûres ?
🇫🇷 B: Oui, celles-ci sont prêtes à manger.
🇫🇷 A: Parfait. J'en prends quatre.

🇩🇪 A: Sind diese Mangos reif?
🇩🇪 B: Ja, diese sind essreif.
🇩🇪 A: Perfekt. Ich nehme vier.

🇮🇹 A: Questi mango sono maturi?
🇮🇹 B: Sì, questi sono pronti da mangiare.
🇮🇹 A: Perfetto. Ne prendo quattro.

🇵🇹 A: Estes mangas estão maduros?
🇵🇹 B: Sim, estes estão prontos a comer.
🇵🇹 A: Perfeito. Levo quatro.

📝 Example Sentences

🍎 The vendors arranged the fresh fruit at their stalls early in the morning.
sellers set out fruit before the market opens
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Los vendedores colocaron la fruta fresca en sus puestos temprano por la mañana.
🇫🇷 French: Les vendeurs ont disposé les fruits frais sur leurs étals tôt le matin.
🇩🇪 German: Die Verkäufer haben das frische Obst früh am Morgen an ihren Ständen arrangiert.
🇮🇹 Italian: I venditori hanno sistemato la frutta fresca sui loro banchi la mattina presto.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Os vendedores colocaram a fruta fresca nas suas bancas de manhã cedo.
🥬 We bought fresh vegetables directly from a local producer.
the food came from a nearby farmer
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Compramos verduras frescas directamente de un productor local.
🇫🇷 French: Nous avons acheté des légumes frais directement auprès d'un producteur local.
🇩🇪 German: Wir haben frisches Gemüse direkt von einem lokalen Erzeuger gekauft.
🇮🇹 Italian: Abbiamo comprato verdura fresca direttamente da un produttore locale.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Comprámos legumes frescos diretamente de um produtor local.
⚖️ The vendor weighed the apples before putting them in a bag.
the fruit was measured, then packed
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: La vendedora pesó las manzanas antes de ponerlas en una bolsa.
🇫🇷 French: La vendeuse a pesé les pommes avant de les mettre dans un sac.
🇩🇪 German: Die Verkäuferin hat die Äpfel gewogen, bevor sie sie in eine Tüte gesteckt hat.
🇮🇹 Italian: La venditrice ha pesato le mele prima di metterle in un sacchetto.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: A vendedora pesou as maçãs antes de as pôr num saco.
👀 We walked around several stalls before deciding what we wanted to take.
looking first, then choosing what to buy
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Recorrimos varios puestos antes de decidir qué queríamos llevarnos.
🇫🇷 French: Nous avons parcouru plusieurs étals avant de décider ce que nous voulions prendre.
🇩🇪 German: Wir sind an mehreren Ständen entlanggelaufen, bevor wir entschieden haben, was wir mitnehmen wollten.
🇮🇹 Italian: Abbiamo girato diversi banchi prima di decidere cosa volevamo prendere.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Percorremos várias bancas antes de decidir o que queríamos levar.
🍑 I chose the peaches that looked ripest to eat that same afternoon.
the softest fruit was picked for today
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Elegí los duraznos que parecían más maduros para comerlos esa misma tarde.
🇫🇷 French: J'ai choisi les pêches qui semblaient les plus mûres pour les manger cet après-midi-là.
🇩🇪 German: Ich habe die Pfirsiche ausgewählt, die am reifsten aussahen, um sie noch am selben Nachmittag zu essen.
🇮🇹 Italian: Ho scelto le pesche che sembravano più mature per mangiarle quello stesso pomeriggio.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Escolhi os pêssegos que pareciam mais maduros para os comer nessa mesma tarde.
🤝 At some markets, it's possible to negotiate the price, but it depends on the place and the product.
bargaining is allowed in some places, not all
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: En algunos mercados es posible negociar el precio, pero depende del lugar y del producto.
🇫🇷 French: Dans certains marchés, il est possible de négocier le prix, mais cela dépend de l'endroit et du produit.
🇩🇪 German: Auf manchen Märkten kann man über den Preis verhandeln, aber das hängt vom Ort und vom Produkt ab.
🇮🇹 Italian: In alcuni mercati è possibile contrattare sul prezzo, ma dipende dal posto e dal prodotto.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Em alguns mercados é possível negociar o preço, mas depende do lugar e do produto.

🏆 Final Practice

English in the Real World:

Read the situation. Choose the best word or phrase from the lesson.
Question 1 of 8
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