Grammar / Questions with “combien” and demonstratives

A1 Breakthrough
“Combien ça coûte ? ”: learn to ask the price of an object and to use demonstrative pronouns.

Ask for the price with  “combien... ?

There are many ways to ask for the price. Some questions are used in speech only.
 
  • You do not name the object, you show it:
    Audio file
    Ça coûte combien ?
    How much does it cost?  
    (Ça coûte) 3 euros.
    (It costs) 3 euros.
    Audio file
    C'est combien ?
    How much is it?
    (C'est) 3 euros.
    (It’s) 3 euros.
    Audio file
    Ça fait combien ?
    How much is it?
    (Ça fait) 3 euros.
    (It’s) 3 euros.
 
  • You name the object:
    Quel est le prix de ces tomates ?
    What is the price of these tomatoes?
    2 euros et 99 centimes.
    Combien coûte cette salade ? 
    How much does this salad cost? 
    2,25€

Currencies of the main French-speaking countries: Euro () in France and Belgium, Swiss franc (CHF), Canadian dollar (CAD), franc CFA (the currency in several African countries) etc.
In the video, the prices displayed in the market are Tunisian dinars (DT) and €1 = 3.12 TD.

 
Demonstratives

Demonstratives (ce, cette, ces) are used to designate someone or something. They are followed by a noun.
 
Est-ce que tu connais cette fille ? = this girl here (that I am showing you or that you already mentioned).
Do you know this girl?
 

Singular, masculine

CE
ce citron, ce chat, ce travail, ce monsieur...

CE in front of a masculine noun starting with a consonant.
 

Singular, masculine


CET
cet ananas, cet arbre, cet hôtel...

CET in front of a masculine noun starting with a vowel or a silent h.
 

Singular, masculine


CETTE
cette pomme, cette orange, cette fille...
 

Plural

CES
ces citrons, ces oranges, ces pommes, ces maisons...


To learn more:

Practical exercises

Adomania1-6-VETEMENTS-Visuel

Our clothes

A1
4 exercises
Listen • Grammar (determiners)
tomates

Grammar: questions using 'combien' and demonstratives

A1
5 exercises
Look • Listen • Grammar (determiners / demonstrative determiners, interrogation / interrogative pronouns)