Shop the Sales with Ease Using These Shopping Vocabulary Words

I remember arriving in Salamanca for my semester abroad in and seeing the word rebajas in almost every window along Calle Toro in the month of February. These signs were advertising the end of the winter fashion season with discounts galore, making way for spring trends. After all, I learned that lots of Spaniards “dress for the season, not the weather”, a culture shock coming from the Midwest in the United States where many of us prioritized function over fashion.

I wish I had known some of this shopping vocabulary back then so I could have navigated the racks much easier. Below are some key words and phrases to keep an eye out for and that might help you communicate in a tienda de ropa.

Basic Shopping Vocabulary in Spanish

• De moda- fashionable, trendy
  • Note: most often used with the verb estar, since what’s trendy can change easily!
• La ropa- clothing
• La tienda- store
• Las rebajas- sales
• El descuento- discount
• Abierto- open
• Cerrado- closed
• Horario de atención- business hours
• Ir de compras- to go shopping
• Tejido/a- knitted
• La tela- fabric
  • Note: “La fábrica” is a false cognate meaning “factory”!
• La talla- clothing size
  • Note: For shoe size, you can use el número. Asking about the size of everything else? Use el tamaño.
• Suelto/a- loose
• Apretado/a- tight

Common Shopping Phrases

Read moreVideo: Spanish-English false friends

These phrases can be useful in a variety of settings, particularly in a clothing store. You might use these with your friends in the dressing room or a worker in the store.

• ¿Cómo me queda?- How does it fit me?
• Te queda bien/mal.- It fits you well/poorly.
  • Note: Quedarse is a reflexive verb.
• ¿Puedo probármelo/la?- Can I try it on?
• ¿Cuánto cuesta? / ¿Cuánto vale?- How much is it?
• Sólo hecho un vistazo.– I’m just looking.
• ¿Tienes cambio?- Do you have change?
• Cámbiame ese, por favor- Change this one for me, please.

I hope you have a great time shopping the sales and feel much more confident in the store. With some practice, soon these phrases will feel like second nature. ¡Diviértete!