🛍️ Shopping in Spanish: go shopping like a local 🇪🇸

Going shopping in Spanish is one of those everyday situations where a little language goes a long way 😊 Whether you’re walking around small local shops, visiting a shopping centre or buying clothes, knowing the right expressions will make you feel much more confident🥳.
In this guide, we’ll focus on shopping in Spanish with simple explanations, real-life vocabulary and short, useful dialogues. No complicated grammar, just what you actually need for shopping in Spanish 🛒🇪🇸

🛍️ Comprar vs Ir de compras: What’s the difference?

This is one of the first confusions students have when learning shopping in Spanish 👀 . But the difference is simple:

🛒 Comprar → to buy. It focuses on the action of buying something specific.
🛍️ Ir de compras → to go shopping. It focuses on the activity or plan, not necessarily buying.

Examples:

🛒 Quiero comprar una chaqueta → I want to buy a jacket.
🛍️ Voy de compras esta tarde → I am going shopping this afternoon.

You can go shopping and not buy anything… and that’s still ir de compras 😄

💬Mini dialogue

👩🏻 ¿Qué haces esta tarde? (What are you doing this afternoon?)

👩🏻Voy de compras 🛍️ (I’m going shopping)

👩🏻 ¿Tienes que comprar algo que necesitas? (Do you have to buy something you need?)

👩🏻No sé, solo voy a mirar 👀 (I don’t know, I’m just going to look)

🏪 Tiendas in Spanish: more than just ‘shop’

In shopping in Spanish, the word 🏪 tienda means shop, but Spanish goes much further than that. One great thing about Spanish is that many shops have specific names, depending on what they sell.

🍎 Frutería → fruit shop

🥩 Carnicería → butcher’s

🐟 Pescadería → fish shop

🥖 Panadería → bakery

👞 Zapatería → shoe shop

💊 Farmacia → pharmacy

👗 Tienda de ropa → clothes shop

In Spain, people often prefer small local shops, especially for food. That’s a big part of the culture behind shopping in Spanish 🇪🇸.

💬Mini dialogue

👩  En mi barrio hay una frutería y una carnicería. 🍎🥩 → In my neighbourhood there’s a fruit shop and a butcher’s.

👩 ¡Qué bien! En el mío hay zapaterías y tiendas de ropa. 👞👗 → That’s great! In mine there are shoe shops and clothes shops.

👩 Entonces tienes muchas tiendas cerca. 🏪→ So you have many shops nearby.

👩 Sí, voy de compras andando. 🛍️→ Yes, I go shopping on foot.

🗣️ Shopping like a local: useful verbs, phrases and sizes

Now let’s put everything together: verbs, phrases and practical vocabulary you’ll use again and again when shopping in Spanish 🛒

💬Mini dialogue

🧑 Hola, estoy buscando una chaqueta. 🧥 → Hi, I’m looking for a jacket

👩‍💼 Claro, ¿qué talla usas? → Of course, what size do you wear?

🧑 Talla M. ¿Puedo probármela? → Size M. Can I try it on?

👩‍💼 Sí, el probador está allí. → Yes, the fitting room is over there.

🧑 Me queda bien. ¿Cuánto cuesta? → It fits me well. How much does it cost?

👩‍💼 Cuesta 45 euros. → It costs 45 euros.

👗 Clothes in Spanish: basic vocabulary for shopping

When buying clothes, you don’t need a huge vocabulary. These are the most common words you’ll hear while shopping in Spanish 👇

👕 Camiseta → T-shirt

👖 Pantalones → trousers

👗 Vestido → dress

👚 Camisa → shirt

🧥 Chaqueta → jacket

👟 Zapatos → shoes

💬 Mini dialogue

👩 Mira, ¿te gusta este vestido? 👗 → Look, do you like this dress?

🧑 Está bien, pero prefiero buscar una chaqueta para el invierno. 🧥 → It’s nice, but I prefer to look for a jacket for winter.

👩 Vale, podemos mirar allí. ¿Quieres comprar algo hoy? 🛍️ → Ok, we can look there. Do you want to buy something today?

🧑 Sí, si no cuesta mucho. 💰 → Yes, if it doesn’t cost too much.

🛍️ Final thoughts: shopping in Spanish made easy

Going shopping in Spanish doesn’t need to be stressful 😊 With just a few key verbs, some useful questions and basic shop vocabulary, you can handle real situations confidently—whether you’re browsing, trying on clothes or talking about shops in your neighbourhood.  Remember:

👉 You don’t need perfect Spanish
👉 Short sentences are enough
👉 Making mistakes is part of learning

The more you practise shopping in Spanish, the more natural it will feel. So next time you’re in Spain… go into a shop, smile 😊 and try it out!

🎁 Quiz time! 💬 

Choose the correct answer in each question. ¡Vamos! 🚀