Everyday Shopping Talk
When you begin to learn Romanian, one of the most useful skills is knowing how to ask and understand prices. Whether you’re buying clothes, groceries, or souvenirs, learning how to ask “Cât costă?” (“How much does it cost?”) and understand the answers is essential for confident everyday communication.
How to Ask “How Much Does It Cost?” in Romanian
The key expression is simple:
Cât costă…? – How much does … cost?
You can use this question with a wide range of objects:
Cât costă acești pantofi? – How much do these shoes cost?
Cât costă această rochie? – How much does this dress cost?
Cât costă geanta? – How much is the bag?
In more formal shops or polite situations, you might add:
Vă rog, cât costă…? – Please, how much is…?
Understanding Prices: Lei and Substantives
Romania uses the leu (plural: lei) as its currency. When expressing prices, Romanian speakers include the unit:
10 lei – ten lei
50 de lei – fifty lei
100 de lei – one hundred lei
The article and number agreement are important. For example:
rochia costă 70 de lei – the dress costs 70 lei
pantofii costă 100 de lei – the shoes cost 100 lei
Useful Vocabulary for Shopping
Here are key shopping terms related to prices:
| Romanian | English |
|---|---|
| cât costă | how much does it cost |
| ieftin | cheap |
| scump | expensive |
| geantă | bag |
| pantofi | shoes |
| rochie | dress |
| fustă | skirt |
| bluză | blouse |
| ceas | watch |
| aparat foto | camera |
Example questions and responses:
Cât costă această bluză?
Bluză costă 60 de lei.Cât costă acești pantofi?
Costă 120 de lei.
Practice Grammar: Demonstratives and the Verb “a costa”
The verb a costa (to cost) is irregular in its simplicity:
Rochia costă…
Pantofii costă…
You’ll also practice demonstrative adjectives like:
acest / această / acești / aceste – this / these
Example: Această rochie costă 80 de lei.
Using these together helps learners build full, natural sentences about everyday situations.
Join Our Romanian Lessons and Learn to Shop with Ease
Asking prices and understanding money vocabulary is a must for every language learner. In our Romanian lessons at Punto Iberica, we guide you through shopping expressions, practical dialogues, and cultural tips so you can shop, pay, and talk like a local. Start today and make your Romanian experience smoother and more enjoyable!
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Disclaimer: This article was developed with the support of AI tools, based on original ideas created by our team. The content was carefully reviewed, edited, and adapted by a human to ensure accuracy, clarity, and relevance for learners of Romanian.
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