How to Say 'This One Is Cheaper, Bigger, Fresher' in French for Shopping
Learn to compare two items directly in French shops using celui-ci/celle-ci with comparative adjectives like moins cher, plus grand and plus frais.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When you shop in French, you often do not need a full comparison sentence. You can simply point at one item and say that this one is cheaper, bigger or fresher. The key is the demonstrative pronoun celui-ci (masculine) or celle-ci (feminine), followed by a comparative adjective. This lesson gives you ready-made phrases for markets, bakeries and clothing shops, plus the grammar needed to swap in other adjectives.
By the end, you can…
- point out one item and say it is cheaper, bigger or fresher in French.
- choose the correct form celui-ci or celle-ci according to the noun's gender.
- form regular comparatives with plus, moins and aussi.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Celui-ci est moins cher.
This one is cheaper.
suh-lwee-SEE eh mwan SHEHR
Use for a masculine singular item, such as un sac or un fromage. In everyday speech the ne of the negative is not involved here; moins cher simply means 'less expensive'.
Celle-ci est plus grande.
This one is bigger.
sell-SEE eh plew GRAHND
Use for a feminine singular item, such as une chemise or une baguette. Grande agrees with the feminine noun.
Celle-ci est plus fraîche.
This one is fresher.
sell-SEE eh plew FRESH
Common at markets and bakeries for feminine nouns like une salade or une baguette. The adjective fraîche is the feminine form of frais.
Celui-ci est meilleur.
This one is better.
suh-lwee-SEE eh may-YUHR
Use for food or quality, with a masculine noun. Meilleur is the irregular comparative of bon, not plus bon.
Je prends celle-ci, elle est moins chère.
I'll take this one, it's cheaper.
zhuh PRAHN sell-SEE, ell eh mwan SHEHR
A natural way to decide aloud in a shop. Elle repeats the feminine noun already mentioned.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern is demonstrative pronoun + est + comparative adjective: Celui-ci est moins cher. / Celle-ci est plus grande. / Celui-ci est aussi frais. The pronoun agrees with the noun you are pointing at: celui-ci for masculine singular, celle-ci for feminine singular. The adjective also agrees: grand, grande; frais, fraîche; cher, chère. For 'more', use plus; for 'less', use moins; for 'as ... as', use aussi ... que, as in Celui-ci est aussi frais que celui-là.
When to use it
Use these phrases when two or more items are visible and you want to single one out. In a bakery: Celle-ci est plus fraîche. In a market: Celui-ci est moins cher. In a clothes shop: Celle-ci est plus grande. If you need to name the item, add the noun after the pronoun with a hyphen: ce sac-ci est moins cher, cette chemise-ci est plus grande. The forms celui-là and celle-là mean 'that one' and are useful for contrast: Celui-ci est plus cher, mais celui-là est plus frais.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Bonjour, je voudrais une baguette. Celle-ci est plus fraîche ?
Hello, I would like a baguette. Is this one fresher?bohn-ZHOOR, zhuh voo-DREW ewn bah-GHET. sell-SEE eh plew FRESHOui, celle-ci est plus fraîche, mais celle-là est moins chère.
Yes, this one is fresher, but that one is cheaper.wee, sell-SEE eh plew FRESH, meh sell-LAH eh mwan SHEHRD'accord. Et ce fromage-ci, il est moins cher ?
All right. And this cheese here, is it cheaper?dah-KOR. eh suh fruh-MAHZH-SEE, eel eh mwan SHEHRNon, celui-ci est plus cher, mais il est meilleur.
No, this one is more expensive, but it is better.nohn, suh-lwee-SEE eh plew SHEHR, meh eel eh may-YUHRA little context goes a long way
In France, pointing with a finger can seem abrupt; it is often softer to gesture with an open hand or simply say celui-ci or celle-ci while looking at the item. In Belgium and Switzerland the same forms are standard, though local shops may use different product names. Tipping is not expected in bakeries, and saying bonjour before your request is considered basic politeness.
One thing to watch for
Using the adjective alone without the pronoun, as in *Est moins cher* to mean 'This one is cheaper'.
Try this instead: French needs a subject. Use the demonstrative pronoun: Celui-ci est moins cher. For a feminine noun, Celle-ci est moins chère. If you name the item, use ce ...-ci or cette ...-ci: ce sac-ci est moins cher, cette chemise-ci est plus grande.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You are holding a feminine noun, une salade, and want to say it is fresher. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
Celle-ci est plus fraîche.
Celle-ci matches the feminine noun une salade, and fraîche is the feminine form of the adjective. Celle-là est plus fraîche would also be grammatical if you mean 'that one'.
2How do you say 'This one is cheaper' about un fromage?
Show a sample answer
Celui-ci est moins cher.
Celui-ci is masculine singular, matching un fromage. Cher stays masculine singular. Celui-là est moins cher would mean 'that one is cheaper'.
3Translate: 'This one is as fresh as that one.'
Show a sample answer
Celui-ci est aussi frais que celui-là.
Aussi ... que expresses equality. Frais is masculine singular; for a feminine noun you would say Celle-ci est aussi fraîche que celle-là.
Point at one item and use celui-ci or celle-ci plus a comparative adjective: moins cher, plus grand, plus frais. Match the pronoun and adjective to the noun's gender, and add -ci or -là to contrast 'this one' with 'that one'.
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