Spoken English · Guides · October 30, 2026 · 5 min read

Conversation between shopkeeper and customer: 6 dialogues with useful phrases

A conversation between a shopkeeper and a customer is one of the most common dialogues in English classes and one of the most useful in real life. Every shopping conversation has the same steps: greeting, asking for something, price, payment and goodbye. Below are six natural dialogues in different shops, the phrases for both the shopkeeper and the customer, and the mistakes learners often make.

Useful phrases

Dialogue 1: at a grocery shop

Shopkeeper: Good morning! What can I get you?
Customer: Good morning. I need two kilos of rice and a litre of milk, please.
Shopkeeper: Sure. Which rice, basmati or the regular one?
Customer: Basmati, please. And do you have brown bread?
Shopkeeper: Sorry, it’s finished. It’ll come in this evening.
Customer: OK, then just a packet of white bread.
Shopkeeper: Anything else?
Customer: No, that’s all. How much is it?
Shopkeeper: That’s 420 rupees altogether.
Customer: Here you are.
Shopkeeper: Thank you. Have a nice day!

Dialogue 2: at a clothes shop

Assistant: Hi, can I help you?
Customer: Yes, I’m looking for a formal shirt for an interview.
Assistant: What size are you?
Customer: Medium, I think.
Assistant: We have these in white and light blue.
Customer: Can I try the blue one on?
Assistant: Of course. The fitting rooms are at the back.
(a few minutes later)
Customer: It’s a bit tight. Do you have it in large?
Assistant: Yes, here you go.
Customer: This one fits perfectly. I’ll take it.
Assistant: Great. Would you like a bag?
Customer: No, thanks. I have one.

Dialogue 3: at an electronics shop

Customer: Excuse me, I’m looking for a phone charger for this model.
Shopkeeper: Let me see… You need a USB-C fast charger.
Customer: How much is it?
Shopkeeper: The original one is 25 dollars. This one is 12.
Customer: What’s the difference?
Shopkeeper: The original charges faster and has a one-year warranty.
Customer: I’ll take the original, then. Can I pay by card?
Shopkeeper: Sure. Please tap your card here… Done. Here’s your receipt.
Customer: Thanks a lot.

Dialogue 4: bargaining at a market

Bargaining is normal at markets in South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, but not in most shops in Europe or North America.

Customer: How much is this bag?
Seller: 1,500.
Customer: That’s a bit expensive. Can you do 1,000?
Seller: No, no. The leather is very good. 1,300.
Customer: What about 1,100? I’ll buy two.
Seller: Two bags… OK, 1,150 each. Final price.
Customer: Deal.

Useful phrases: Can you give me a discount? / What’s your best price? / That’s my final offer. / Is that your last price?

Dialogue 5: returning a product

Customer: Hi, I bought this kettle here last week, but it doesn’t work.
Assistant: I’m sorry about that. Do you have the receipt?
Customer: Yes, here it is.
Assistant: Would you like a replacement or a refund?
Customer: A replacement, please.
Assistant: No problem. I’ll get you a new one.
Customer: Thank you. Could you check that it works this time?
Assistant: Of course, let me test it now.

For more polite ways to ask, see polite requests in English.

Dialogue 6: at a pharmacy

Pharmacist: Hello, how can I help?
Customer: Hi, do you have something for a sore throat?
Pharmacist: Do you have a fever or a cough?
Customer: Just a slight cough.
Pharmacist: These lozenges are good. Take one every three hours.
Customer: Are they OK for children?
Pharmacist: For children over six, yes.
Customer: Great. I’ll take one packet.

For a visit to the doctor, see conversation between doctor and patient.

Common mistakes

• “Give me one kilo sugar.” Sounds like a command, and of is missing. Say Could I have a kilo of sugar, please?
• “What is the cost of this?” Correct but formal. In a shop, How much is this? is more natural.
• “How much is these?” Use are with plural: How much are these?
• “Can I try it?” for clothes. Say Can I try it on?
• “I want to buy one shirt.” More natural: I’m looking for a shirt.
• “Take my money.” Say Here you are or Here you go.

Practise a shopping conversation

Shopping dialogues are predictable, so they are a perfect place to start speaking. The conversation linked below this article opens the Shopping room on Nomto: Nomi plays the shop assistant, you ask about sizes, prices and payment, and after each reply you see a more natural version. More dialogues: conversation between two friends and English for travel.

FAQ

How do you start a conversation with a shopkeeper?

Say hello and what you need: Hi, do you have…? or Excuse me, I’m looking for…

What does a shopkeeper say to a customer?

Can I help you? / What size are you? / Anything else? / Cash or card? / Would you like a bag?

How do you ask for a discount politely?

Is there any discount on this? / Can you give me a better price? / What’s your best price?

What do you say when you are just looking?

I’m just looking, thanks. The shopkeeper usually replies No problem, let me know if you need anything.

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