Besoin d'un nouveau look ? Allons faire dushopping !(Need a new look? Let's go shopping!) In this article, you'll find all the essential French vocabulary words and phrases you'll need for a day of clothes shopping, including asking about sizes, colors, fabrics, and styles of clothing items, plus French vocabulary words for store employees, and common shopping phrases!
Questions This Article Answers
How do you talk about clothes shopping in French?
What are some French vocabulary words you might need in a clothing store?
How do you describe clothes in a clothing store in French?
What are the words for clothing store employees in French?
What are some useful French phrases needed for going clothes shopping?
How do you say "I'm just looking" in French?
How do you ask for help in a clothing store in French?
How Do I Talk About Clothing in French?
In French, the word levêtement(the garment or the item of clothing) is used in the plural to refer to clothing in general: lesvêtements(the clothes). Another commonly used informal term for clothing is lesfringues(the clothes).
Types of Clothing in French
Within the general term les vêtements, there are different types of clothing you might be looking for. While France is known for its maisons de hautecouture(haute couture fashion houses), there are more affordable options available for the everyday shopper! Here are some vocabulary words that describe the types of clothing you can find in any French-speaking country.
Types of Clothes in French
French
English
Notes
la hautecouture
the haute couture or high fashion
high-quality custom-made designer fashions
la fastfashionla modeéphémère
the fast fashion
affordable mass-produced clothing
le prêt-à-porter
ready-to-wear clothing
off-the-rack designer collections
les vêtements decréateurs
designer clothing
famous brand-name clothes
les vêtementsd'occasion
secondhand clothing
previously-owned clothes
examples
La haute couture est hors de prix pour moi.
Haute couture is out of my price range.
Les collections de prêt-à-porter pour le printemps sont disponibles en magasin.
The spring ready-to-wear clothing collections are available in stores.
Robert préfère les vêtements d'occasion à la mode éphémère.
Robert prefers secondhand clothing to fast fashion.
How Do You Talk About Going Clothes Shopping in French?
In French, there are several verb phrases you can use to talk about going shopping for clothes. Take a look at the table below to see what we mean!
French Verb Phrases for Clothes Shopping
French
English
Notes
allerchiner
to go bargain hunting
shopping for secondhand clothing, thrifting, etc.
faire dulèche-vitrine
to go window shopping
strolling past shops to see window displays
faire dushopping
to go shopping
shopping for clothes or for gifts, toys, home décor, etc.
faire du shopping enligne
to do online shopping
shopping on websites
faire lesboutiques
to go shopping
casually looking in various shops for clothes, gifts, etc.
faire lesmagasins
to go shopping
casually looking in various stores for clothes, gifts, etc.
examples
Le week-end, mes amis et moi faisons les boutiques en centre-ville.
On weekends, my friends and I go shopping downtown.
Sandrine fait du shopping en ligne parce qu'elle déteste les foules.
Sandrine does online shopping because she hates crowds.
Going Shopping in Québec
In Québec, there are additional ways to say you’re going shopping! Here are a couple of regional expressions for clothes shopping in la BelleProvince(the beautiful province):
French
English
Notes
faire dumagasinage
to go shopping
shopping for clothes, gifts, etc.
magasiner
to go shopping
shopping for clothes, gifts, etc.
examples
Tu dois faire du magasinage pour de nouvelles chemises.
You have to go shopping for some new shirts.
Véronique adore magasiner avec ses amies.
Véronique loves to go shopping with her friends.
Need to go shopping for more than just clothes? Check out our main articles on leisure shopping and grocery shopping!
There are many places to shop for clothes, ranging from thrift shops to high-end boutiques. Take a look at the table below to see what your options are!
Places to Shop for Clothes in French
French
English
la boutique
the boutique or the shop
le centrecommercial
the shopping mall
la friperie
the thrift shop
le grandmagasin
the department store
le magasin devêtements
the clothing store
examples
Mon mari cherche un costume dans ce grand magasin.
My husband is looking for a suit in this department store.
J'ai trouvé de super bonnes affaires à la friperie !
I found some great deals at the thrift shop!
Cette boutique ne vend que des vêtements de créateurs.
This boutique only sells designer clothing.
Shopping Malls in Québec
In Québec, people typically use the term le centred'achats(the shopping mall) rather than le centre commercial, which is used in France.
Clothing Categories in French
When going clothes shopping, you might go to a store that, for example, offers only women's clothes or only menswear, or you might go to a grandmagasin(department store) that has all categories of clothing under one roof. Here are the terms you need to find the category of clothing you're looking for!
Clothing Categories in French
French
English
les sous-vêtements
the underwear
les vêtementsdécontractés
the casual clothes
les vêtementsd'extérieur
the outerwear
les vêtements pourenfants
the children's clothing
les vêtements pourfemme
the women's clothing
les vêtements pourhomme
the menswear
examples
Vous trouverez des chemisiers dans la section des vêtements pour femme.
You'll find blouses in the women's clothing section.
Je cherche un bon magasin pour les vêtements d'extérieur.
I'm looking for a good store for outerwear.
Cette marque de vêtements pour enfants est très populaire.
This brand of children's clothing is very popular.
Want to learn vocabulary for specific items of clothing in each of these categories? Our article on clothing vocabulary in French has all the main vocabulary words you'll need to describe items in your wardrobe!
Once you've made it to a clothing store, here are some essential French vocabulary words you'll need to navigate the store and make your purchases!
Clothing Store Vocabulary
French
English
l'achat
the purchase
l'ascenseur
the elevator
la bonneaffaire
the good deal (favorable price)
la cabined'essayage
the fitting room
la caisse
the checkout or cash register
la cartebancaire
the debit card
la cartecadeau
the gift card
la carte decrédit
the credit card
le cintre
the hanger
l'escalier
the stairs
les espèces
cash
l'étiquette
the tag or the label
la liquidation
the clearance sale
la marchandise
the merchandise
la marque
the brand
la monnaie
the change
le montant
the total
la nouveauté
the new arrival
le portant
the rack
le prix
the price
la queue
the line (of people)
le rabais
the discount
le reçu
the receipt
le sac
the bag
les soldes
the sales (reduced prices)
la taxe
the tax
la vitrine
the store window
examples
Ma femme adore cette marque de vêtements.
My wife loves this brand of clothes.
Regarde l'étiquette pour connaître le prix de ce pull en cachemire.
Look at the tag to see what the price of this cashmere sweater is.
Vanessa est dans la cabine d'essayage en train d'essayer plusieurs maillots de bain.
Vanessa is in the fitting room trying on several bathing suits.
French Verbs to Use at a Clothing Store
French
English
acheter
to buy
aider
to help
aimer
to like or to love
avoir besoinde
to need
chercher
to look for
dépenser
to spend
essayer
to try on
mettre
to put on
payer
to pay
porter
to wear
proposer
to offer
regarder
to look
revenir
to come back
s'habiller
to get dressed
trouver
to find
vendre
to sell
vouloir
to want
examples
Yannick cherche des vêtements de sport, mais il ne veut pas dépenser trop d'argent.
Yannick is looking for sportswear, but he doesn't want to spend too much money.
Je ne trouve pas ce pantalon à ma taille. Vous pouvez m'aider ?
I can't find these pants in my size. Can you help me?
Tu aimes cette jupe ? Je vais l'essayer.
Do you like this skirt? I'm going to try it on.
Describing Clothes in French
When speaking with salespeople in a clothing store, you might want to describe the items you're looking for or trying on. Following are some vocabulary lists to help you talk about clothing features, sizes, styles, materials, patterns, and of course, prices.
Clothing Features in French
French
English
la boucle
the buckle
le bouton
the button
la capuche
the hood
le col
the collar
la couleur
the color
la coupe
the cut
la fermetureéclair
the zipper
la manche
the sleeve
la matière
the material or fabric
le motif
the pattern
le pli
the pleat
la poche
the pocket
le style
the style
la taille
the size
la tenue
the outfit
examples
Charlotte, cette tenue te va à ravir ! J'adore la coupe et la couleur de ta jupe.
Charlotte, that outfit looks great on you! I love the cut and color of your skirt.
Je cherche une veste avec une capuche et une fermeture éclair intégrale.
I'm looking for a jacket with a hood and a full-length zipper.
Kevin n'aime pas le col de cette chemise, et il dit que les manches sont trop longues.
Kevin doesn't like the collar of this shirt, and he says that the sleeves are too long.
Adjectives to Describe the Fit of Clothing in French
French
English
confortable
comfortable
court
short
grand
big
inconfortable
uncomfortable
large
loose or baggy
long
long
petit
small
serré
tight
examples
Ce pull est trop petit et ce pantalon trop serré.
This sweater is too small, and these pants are too tight.
J'adore cette robe longue. C'est assez large et super confortable.
I love this long dress. It's loose enough and really comfortable.
Clothing Sizes in France and Québec
While clothing sizes in Québec tend to be similar to those in the United States, France uses a different numbering system for women's clothing. The table below provides some rough equivalents, but a quick rule of thumb for North Americans shopping in France is to add 32 to the size you're looking for. Remember, however, that French clothing often runs smaller than in North America, so the cabine d'essayage (fitting room) is a must when shopping in France!
Numbered Sizes for Women's Clothing in Québec and France
North American
French
4
36
6
38
8
40
10
42
12
44
14
46
16
48
18
50
For men's collar and waist sizes, just remember that the measurements in both France and Québec will be in centimeters, not inches!
Lettered Clothing Sizes in Québec
Abbreviation
Full Form
TPXS
trèspetiteextra small
PS
petitesmall
MM
moyennemedium
GL
grandelarge
TGXL
trèsgrandeextra large
Adjectives to Describe the Style of Clothing in French
French
English
à lamode
in fashion
chic
stylish
décontracté
casual or relaxed
démodé
out of fashion
élégant
sophisticated
sportif
sporty
tendance
trendy
examples
Arnaud ne porte que des vêtements sportifs et décontractés. Je ne l'ai jamais vu en costume !
Arnaud only wears sporty and casual clothing. I've never seen him in a suit!
À vrai dire, Solène, la tenue que tu portes n'est plus à la mode. Essaie celle-ci. Elle est un peu plus tendance.
To tell the truth, Solène, the outfit you're wearing is no longer in fashion. Try this one. It's a little more trendy.
Types of Clothing Materials in French
French
English
le cachemire
the cashmere
le coton
the cotton
le cuir
the leather
la laine
the wool
le lin
the linen
le polyester
the polyester
la soie
the silk
examples
Alice déteste le polyester. Elle ne porte que des vêtements 100 % coton.
Alice hates polyester. She only wears clothes that are 100% cotton.
Ce pull en cachemire coûte deux fois plus cher qu'un pull en laine, mais il est si doux !
This cashmere sweater costs twice as much as a wool sweater, but it's so soft!
Adjectives to Describe Clothing Patterns in French
French
English
àcarreaux
checkered
àpois
polka-dot
àrayures
striped
assorti
matching
écossais
plaid
uni
solid (color)
examples
Clotilde a choisi une jupe écossaise et un pull bleu uni.
Clotilde chose a plaid skirt and a solid blue sweater.
Allons, Thierry, tu ne peux pas porter un pantalon à rayures avec une chemise à pois !
Come on, Thierry, you can't wear striped pants with a polka-dotted shirt!
Expand your vocabulary for describing clothes and learn how adjectives work by checking out these articles!
Les vêtements vendus dans ce magasin sont de bonne qualité et très abordables.
The clothes sold in this store are good quality and very affordable.
Ces pulls sont normalement assez chers, mais ils sont en promotion cette semaine.
These sweaters are usually pretty expensive, but they're on sale this week.
Clothing Store Employees
Store Employees in French
French Masculine Form
French Feminine Form
English
le caissier
la caissière
the cashier
le commis
la commise
the clerk
l'employé
l'employée
the employee
le gérant
la gérante
the manager
le vendeur
la vendeuse
the salesperson
examples
Les vendeurs de cette boutique sont super serviables.
The salespeople in this shop are really helpful.
Le caissier vous aidera à régler vos achats.
The cashier will help you pay for your purchases.
Si vous avez un problème, vous pouvez vous adresser au gérant du magasin.
If you have a problem, you can speak to the store manager.
Useful Phrases for Clothes Shopping in French
Whether you are shopping locally or hitting the malls, here are some common expressions you might use while shopping for clothes in a French-speaking country!
How to Say "I'm Just Looking" in French
When you enter a clothing store in a French-speaking country, you're likely to be greeted by a salesperson who will ask: Je peux vousaider ?(Can I help you?). If you want to just browse around, you can use any of the following phrases to indicate that you're just looking.
French
English
Je ne fais queregarder.
I'm just looking.
Je regardeseulement.
I'm just looking.
Je vais juste regarder unpeu.
I'm just going to look around a little.
Non, merci. Je regarde pourl'instant.
No, thanks. I'm just looking for now.
Pour le moment, ça va.Merci.
I'm fine right now. Thanks.
How to Ask for Help in a Clothing Store in French
If you need help when shopping in a clothing store, here are some French phrases that might come in handy!
French
English
Est-ce que vous pouvezm'aider ?
Can you help me?
Excusez-moi. J'ai besoin d'un peud'aide.
Excuse me. I need a little help.
Pouvez-vous m'aider à trouver quelquechose ?
Can you help me find something?
Je peux essayer cesvêtements ?
Can I try these clothes on?
Other Common French Phrases to Use in a Clothing Store
French Phrases Shoppers Might Say
French
English
Avez-vous cet article dans d'autrestailles ?
Do you have this item in other sizes?
Ça coûtecombien ?
How much does it cost?
Ce pantalon ne me va pas. Il est troppetit.
These pants don't fit me. They're too small.
Ce pull est-il disponible dans d'autrescouleurs ?
Is this sweater available in other colors?
Est-ce qu'il y a dessoldes ?
Are there any sales?
Je peux payer parcarte ?
Can I pay by card?
French Phrases Store Employees Might Say
French
English
Est-ce que je peux vousaider ?
Can I help you?
Le montant est de 82euros.
The total is 82 euros.
Quelle taillefaites-vous ?
What size do you wear?
Vous cherchez quelque chose enparticulier ?
Are you looking for something in particular?
Vous payezcomment ?
How are you going to pay?
Vous voulez que j'apporte ces articles à la caisse pourvous ?
Do you want me to bring these items to the cash register for you?
Remember to Use Polite Expressions When Shopping!
When you're shopping in a French-speaking country, remember to use the formal vous(you) with store employees and other shoppers. And never forget to use polite greetings and goodbyes like the following!
French
English
Bonjourmadame.
Hello, ma'am.
Bonjourmonsieur.
Hello, sir.
Bonnejournée !
Have a nice day!
Mercibeaucoup.
Thanks a lot.
S’il vousplaît.
Please.
A Conversation at the Clothing Store
Let’s look at a conversation between a shopper and an employee in a clothing store!
The salesperson:
Bonjour madame. Je peux vous aider ?
Hello, ma'am. Can I help you?
Suzanne:
Bonjour madame. Oui, je cherche une nouvelle tenue pour ce week-end.
Hello, ma'am. Yes, I'm looking for a new outfit for this weekend.
The salesperson:
Une robe chic, peut-être ?
Perhaps a stylish dress?
Suzanne:
Non, quelque chose de plus décontracté.
No, something more casual.
The salesperson:
Que pensez-vous de ce pantalon en lin avec ce chemisier à rayures ?
What do you think about these linen pants with this striped blouse?
Suzanne:
C'est parfait ! Je peux les essayer ?
That's perfect! Can I try them on?
Check out all our articles related to shopping in French!
