How to Speak English at the Grocery Store | Daily English Conversation Practice

 

At the Grocery Store — Words You Really Need

Practical English for real shopping — with story, dialogues, and video practice.

Shopping is a daily task — but for English learners it’s also a powerful chance to practise real language in real moments. This lesson gives you a short story to connect emotionally, clear vocabulary, natural dialogues, and three working videos to shadow and repeat.

Story: One Small Victory

Raza moved to a new city and his first solo supermarket trip felt like an exam. He held a short list — milk, eggs, bread, tomatoes — and pushed a cart through the bright aisles. At the cereal aisle, he hesitated. Then he asked a staff member, “Excuse me, could you tell me where the rice is?” The staff pointed and said, “Aisle four, next to pasta.”

At checkout, the cashier asked, “Would you like a bag?” Raza replied confidently, “Yes please, and can I pay by card?” That small exchange — polite, short, clear — gave him confidence for the week ahead.

Essential Vocabulary (with natural examples)

• Aisle — walkway between shelves. “Cereal is in aisle four.”
• Cart / Trolley — for large shopping trips. “Grab a cart — I have many items.”
• Basket — for quick shopping. “I’ll just take a basket today.”
• Checkout — where you pay. “Go to checkout two for faster service.”
• Cashier — person at the till. “The cashier asked if I needed a bag.”
• Receipt — proof of purchase. “Keep the receipt for returns.”
• Sale / Discount — lower price. “This item is on sale: two for one.”
• Produce — fruits & vegetables. “Fresh produce is on the left.”

Pro tip: Group your shopping list by sections (produce, dairy, bakery). Saying each item aloud while walking helps memorisation.

Short Dialogues — Practice Aloud

Customer: “Excuse me, where can I find the pasta?”
Employee: “Aisle five, next to sauces.”
Customer: “Thank you so much!”

Cashier: “Did you find everything you needed?”
You: “Yes, thank you.”
Cashier: “Would you like a bag?”
You: “Yes please. Can I pay by card?”

Change words and repeat — e.g., replace “pasta” with “rice” or “milk”. Practice both question and answer.

Advanced Phrases & Natural Expressions

• “I’m looking for the gluten-free section.”
• “Do you have any fresh coriander?”
• “Could you recommend something low in sugar?”
• “Is this locally sourced?”
• “I’d like to return this — it’s damaged.”

These phrases help you sound specific and confident — useful for shopping, customer service jobs, or daily conversation.

Watch & Repeat — Video Practice

Listen, pause, and repeat. Shadowing is one of the fastest ways to improve pronunciation and fluency.

1) Smart English — Grocery Vocabulary (Your video)

2) BBC Learning English — Supermarket Vocabulary

3) Listening & Repeat — Practice Video (15 Phrases for the Grocery Store)

Watch tip: Pause after each sentence, repeat twice, then mimic the speaker’s intonation. Do this daily for 5 minutes.

5-minute Practice Challenge

1. Write 6 items grouped by store sections.
2. Record a 30-second voice note asking for help (e.g., “Excuse me, where are the tomatoes?”).
3. Play back and compare with the videos — focus on stress and intonation.
4. Post one sentence in the YouTube comments — I’ll reply with feedback.

👍 If this lesson helped you, subscribe to Smart English on YouTube • Share this post • Try the practice challenge and comment your sentence below!

© Smart English — Learn English with Fun. Need a printable PDF worksheet or a translation version? Reply and I’ll make it.