In this workshop you will practise asking for food by quantity in French. You will learn how to say a kilo of apples, a litre of milk, half a dozen eggs and two hundred grams of cheese. You will also hear a short shop conversation and practise understanding the reply. Listen, repeat, then try the three tasks. You can play both roles with the audio, but there is no automatic correction, so check your answers with the notes provided.
Asking for a quantity with de or d'
To ask for a quantity of something, use je voudrais + quantity + de + item. For example, «Je voudrais un kilo de pommes, s'il vous plaît.» means 'I would like a kilo of apples, please.' The word de links the quantity to the item. Before a vowel sound, de becomes d'. For example, «Une demi-douzaine d'œufs, s'il vous plaît.» means 'Half a dozen eggs, please.' Notice that d' replaces de before the vowel sound in œufs. For liquids, use un litre de, as in «Un litre de lait, s'il vous plaît.», which means 'A litre of milk, please.' For weights, use grammes or kilos, as in «Je voudrais deux cents grammes de fromage.», which means 'I would like two hundred grams of cheese.' Always add s'il vous plaît to be polite.
Understanding the shopkeeper's reply
When you order, the shopkeeper may ask if you want anything else. In «Très bien. Et avec ça ?», the speaker says 'Très bien. Et avec ça ?' This means 'Very good. And with that?' You can then add another item. In «Aussi un litre de lait et du pain, s'il vous plaît.», the customer says 'Aussi un litre de lait et du pain, s'il vous plaît.' This means 'Also a litre of milk and some bread, please.' The word aussi means 'also'. Finally, the shopkeeper gives the total. In «Voilà. Ça fait huit euros cinquante.», 'Voilà. Ça fait huit euros cinquante' means 'Here you are. That comes to eight euros fifty.' Listen for the price and the polite closing.
Putting it together: a short market exchange
Now combine the phrases. In «Bonjour, je voudrais un kilo de tomates et une demi-douzaine d'œufs.», the customer says 'Bonjour, je voudrais un kilo de tomates et une demi-douzaine d'œufs.' This means 'Hello, I would like a kilo of tomatoes and half a dozen eggs.' The shopkeeper replies with «Très bien. Et avec ça ?». The customer adds more in «Aussi un litre de lait et du pain, s'il vous plaît.», and the shopkeeper gives the total in «Voilà. Ça fait huit euros cinquante.». Practise the whole exchange. First play the customer, then play the shopkeeper. Pay attention to the polite 's'il vous plaît' and the correct use of 'd'œufs'.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
Je voudrais un kilo de pommes, s'il vous plaît.
I would like a kilo of apples, please.
zhuh voo-DREH un KEE-lo duh POM, seel voo PLEH
Un litre de lait, s'il vous plaît.
A litre of milk, please.
un LEE-truh duh LEH, seel voo PLEH
Une demi-douzaine d'œufs, s'il vous plaît.
Half a dozen eggs, please.
ewn duh-mee doo-ZEN DUR, seel voo PLEH
Je voudrais deux cents grammes de fromage.
I would like two hundred grams of cheese.
zhuh voo-DREH duh san GRAM duh fruh-MAHZH
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
Bonjour, je voudrais un kilo de tomates et une demi-douzaine d'œufs.
Hello, I would like a kilo of tomatoes and half a dozen eggs.Très bien. Et avec ça ?
Very good. And with that?Aussi un litre de lait et du pain, s'il vous plaît.
Also a litre of milk and some bread, please.Voilà. Ça fait huit euros cinquante.
Here you are. That comes to eight euros fifty.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided exchange: place your order
Imagine you are at a market stall. You want to buy a kilo of apples and a litre of milk. The shopkeeper is ready to help.
Your task: Say your order aloud in French. Use the pattern from «Je voudrais un kilo de pommes, s'il vous plaît.» and «Un litre de lait, s'il vous plaît.». Start with 'Bonjour' and end with 's'il vous plaît'. Then listen to the recording «Bonjour, je voudrais un kilo de tomates et une demi-douzaine d'œufs.» and «Très bien. Et avec ça ?» to hear a similar exchange.
Reply comprehension: what does the shopkeeper say?
Listen to the recording «Très bien. Et avec ça ?» and «Voilà. Ça fait huit euros cinquante.». The shopkeeper asks a question and then gives a total.
Your task: After listening, choose the correct meaning for each line. For «Très bien. Et avec ça ?», is it (a) 'Very good. And with that?' or (b) 'Here you are. That comes to eight euros fifty.'? For «Voilà. Ça fait huit euros cinquante.», is it (a) 'Very good. And with that?' or (b) 'Here you are. That comes to eight euros fifty.'? Say your answers aloud.
Recall and role-play: customer and shopkeeper
You will now recall the full exchange from the recordings. You will play both the customer and the shopkeeper.
Your task: First, play the customer. Say the line from «Bonjour, je voudrais un kilo de tomates et une demi-douzaine d'œufs.»: 'Bonjour, je voudrais un kilo de tomates et une demi-douzaine d'œufs.' Then play the shopkeeper and say «Très bien. Et avec ça ?». Next, play the customer again and say «Aussi un litre de lait et du pain, s'il vous plaît.». Finally, play the shopkeeper and say «Voilà. Ça fait huit euros cinquante.». Do this without looking at the text if you can.
Common questions
What is the difference between 'de' and 'd' in these phrases?
Use 'de' before a consonant sound, as in 'un kilo de pommes' from «Je voudrais un kilo de pommes, s'il vous plaît.». Use 'd' before a vowel sound, as in 'une demi-douzaine d'œufs' from «Une demi-douzaine d'œufs, s'il vous plaît.». The meaning is the same: it links the quantity to the item.
How can I practise the eggs phrase with the recording?
Play «Une demi-douzaine d'œufs, s'il vous plaît.». Repeat the full phrase slowly, then listen again and repeat at a comfortable conversational speed. Use the recorded sound as your model rather than an English spelling approximation. Keep the quantity and item together before the polite ending.
Sources and further reading
- french: ask for quantityChecked September 2026
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