In this workshop you practise two everyday market skills: asking how much something costs and sorting out payment. You will hear short recorded lines and repeat them, then use them in simple stall conversations. The lines are kept short so you can say them clearly. Listen once, repeat aloud, then try the tasks. You can play the customer role first, then the vendor role, but there is no automatic scoring, so check your own answers with the notes given.
Asking the price
Start with the key question for any item. The line «¿Cuánto cuesta esto?» means "How much does this cost?" Use it while pointing at one item. If you want to name the item, you can follow the longer recorded example «¿Cuánto cuesta esta camiseta?», which asks the price of a t-shirt. Listen to the rhythm: copy the question’s intonation from the recording. Repeat each line three times, then cover the text and say it from memory. When you hear an answer like «Cuesta 150 pesos.», you will hear the price stated plainly. Practise saying the question, then answer with the recorded 150-peso price in the vendor role.
Choosing cash or card
Before you pay, it helps to ask about the method. The line «¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?» means "Can I pay by card?" Say it politely before you assume a card machine is available. If you prefer cash, state it with «Voy a pagar en efectivo.», which means "I'm going to pay in cash." In the recorded exchange, the vendor answers «No, solo efectivo. ¿Tiene cambio?», meaning "No, cash only. Do you have change?" Notice that the vendor turns the question around. To ask the same thing yourself, use «¿Tiene cambio?», which means "Do you have change?" This is useful when you carry a large note. Repeat each line, then practise switching between the card question and the cash statement.
Putting the lines together
A simple stall conversation has three steps: ask the price, choose a payment method, and check about change. You can build it from the recordings. Ask «¿Cuánto cuesta esto?» or the longer «¿Cuánto cuesta esta camiseta?». Then ask «¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?» or say «Voy a pagar en efectivo.». If you pay in cash, add «¿Tiene cambio?». The recorded reply «No, solo efectivo. ¿Tiene cambio?» shows how a vendor may answer the card question and then ask you about change. Practise both roles: first as the customer, then as the vendor. Keep your voice calm and your questions clear. Speed is less important than being understood.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
¿Cuánto cuesta esto?
How much does this cost?
KWAHN-toh KWEHS-tah EHS-toh
¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?
Can I pay by card?
PWEH-doh pah-GAHR kohn tar-HEH-tah
Voy a pagar en efectivo.
I'm going to pay in cash.
BOY ah pah-GAHR ehn eh-fehk-TEE-boh
¿Tiene cambio?
Do you have change?
TYEH-neh KAHM-byoh
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
¿Cuánto cuesta esta camiseta?
How much does this t-shirt cost?Cuesta 150 pesos.
It costs 150 pesos.¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?
Can I pay by card?No, solo efectivo. ¿Tiene cambio?
No, cash only. Do you have change?Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided exchange: ask and answer
You are at a market stall and want to buy one item. Play the customer first, then play the vendor. Use only the recorded lines.
Your task: As the customer, ask the price with «¿Cuánto cuesta esto?». Then, as the vendor, answer with «Cuesta 150 pesos.». Next, as the customer, ask about card payment with «¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?». Finally, as the vendor, reply with «No, solo efectivo. ¿Tiene cambio?». Say every line aloud.
Reply comprehension: cash or card?
Listen to the recorded vendor reply «No, solo efectivo. ¿Tiene cambio?» and read its meaning: "No, cash only. Do you have change?"
Your task: Decide which customer line fits best after that reply: «Voy a pagar en efectivo.» or «¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?». Say your chosen line aloud, then say the vendor reply again.
Recall with correct roles
Imagine a stall where the vendor has already said the price. You now need to sort out payment and change.
Your task: Recall the recorded four-line exchange: customer «¿Cuánto cuesta esta camiseta?», vendor «Cuesta 150 pesos.», customer «¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?», vendor «No, solo efectivo. ¿Tiene cambio?». Then practice «Voy a pagar en efectivo.» separately as the customer’s cash statement. The recording does not supply an answer confirming whether the customer has change.
Common questions
Do I need to memorise every line before speaking?
No. Start by repeating each recorded line aloud while you read it. Then cover the text and try one line at a time. Short lines like «¿Cuánto cuesta esto?» and «¿Tiene cambio?» are easy to recall because they are used often. Build up slowly and keep your pronunciation clear.
What if the vendor answers with a line I have not practised?
Stay calm and use a line you know. You can ask the price with «¿Cuánto cuesta esto?», ask about card payment with «¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?», or state that you will pay in cash with «Voy a pagar en efectivo.». If you need change, ask «¿Tiene cambio?». These four lines cover the main payment steps in this workshop.
Sources and further reading
- spanish: pay at the marketChecked September 2026
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Take today's Spanish into a conversation with a Yapr AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr