25 Spanish Supermarket Words for Shopping: carrito, cesta

Published Aug 8, 2026·Updated Aug 8, 2026

Transcript

Read along, Spanish & English, side by side

Have you ever asked for a cart at the store and gotten strange looks? It happens a lot because at the supermarket we say ‘cart’, not ‘car’, okay? Today you’re going to learn 25 supermarket words and easy phrases for a real shopping experience, A1 level, so you won’t have that happen.

Exactly, and we’re also going to use them in real situations, looking for products, asking prices, and paying at the checkout, all clear and simple. So, you'll leave here ready to go to the store without fear.

Hi, I'm Carlos, and?

And I'm María. By the way, the complete lesson is on Vocabli. Okay, let’s get to the point, we start with things you touch as soon as you enter, okay?

Yes, basic but useful, cart and basket. The cart is the big one with wheels, the basket is the small one you carry in your hand. And just so you know, a cart isn’t a car, alright? In some countries, ‘carro’ can mean ‘car’.

There’s also the bag, which is the plastic or cloth bag for carrying groceries. I always say, "can I have a bag, please?" Easy. And there we have three super practical words: cart, basket, and bag.

Now, let’s talk about orientation in the supermarket, aisle. The aisle is the long row with products on the sides. You ask, "which aisle is the pasta in?" And that’s it, they’ll understand you.

Speaking of products, let’s start with basic food: bread, milk, and eggs. They're everyday words, right? And if you see a sign that says 'offer', it means there’s a discount, the price is lower.

Price, another key word.

You can ask, "excuse me, what’s the price of this cheese?"

Cheese is another one, of course, and if they tell you it’s on offer, that’s better.

Okay, let’s do a mini roleplay to practice. I’ll be the customer and you, Carlos, will work at the supermarket. We’ll use short, useful phrases.

Perfect, I'll start.

Hello, can I help you with something?

Yes, thank you.

Which aisle is the rice and pasta in?

I’m also looking for oil and salt.

The rice and pasta are in aisle 3, at the back on the right.

The oil and salt are in aisle 4, right next to the sugar.

Anything else?

Yes, the milk is on offer today.

And where are the vegetables and fruit?

The milk is on offer until today, the price is very good.

The vegetables and fruit are in the fresh produce aisle, near the entrance.

When you’re done, the checkout is at the end.

Great, thanks.

At the checkout, I’d like to ask for a bag, please.

And then the receipt, just in case.

Perfect, and now we have lots of words: aisle, rice, pasta, oil, salt, sugar, milk, offer, price, vegetables, fruit, checkout, bag, and receipt.

In other words, a ton you’ll use in 5 minutes.

Just a quick note, because it’s a very common mistake: fruit isn’t the same as vegetables.

Fruit means apple, banana, strawberries; vegetables mean lettuce, carrot, onion.

It seems obvious, but sometimes people ask for vegetables for a smoothie, and the seller is like, "are you sure?"

Totally.

And another classic, quantities.

At the store, people ask for things by the kilo.

A kilo is a unit, like a big package, right?

You say, "I want a kilo of tomatoes," not a million tomatoes, which sounds funny but really happens.

Yes, a guy was telling his story, and he said a million tomatoes instead of a kilo of tomatoes.

The cashier laughed lovingly, but hey, he learned in the moment.

So remember, kilo, not million, got it?

Another useful mini conversation at the checkout.

I’ll be the cashier, okay?

Let’s go.

Hello, good day.

I have bread, milk, cheese, and yogurt.

Is the cheese on offer?

Hello.

Yes, the cheese is on offer today, the price is 3.50 euros.

Do you want a bag?

Yes, please, a bag.

And can you give me the receipt, thanks.

Sure, here’s your receipt.

Have a nice day.

All set, short conversation but super real.

And you used keywords like cashier, offer, price, bag, and receipt without breaking a sweat.

Quick pause for a study tip, how does that sound?

When you're walking through the supermarket, practice quietly: where is, I’m looking for, how much does it cost.

It really helps, honestly.

Yes, and another technique I love is the grocery journal.

I mean, you take a list and when you see a new word, you write it down: aisle, offer, deli.

Well, today we won’t open up more topics, but you get me.

Before we continue, mini recap and test.

Let’s see, Maria, and for those listening, what does aisle mean?

Aisle 3, aisle 4, right?

Exactly.

And another quick one, cart versus carriage.

In the supermarket, it's better to say cart, because carriage or car is for traffic, for the street.

If you say carriage in the supermarket, people sometimes understand, but it can cause confusion.

Alright, let’s move on.

Let’s talk about sections to add useful vocabulary.

Bakery for bread, dairy for all things milk like yogurt and cheese,

and frozen for cold items like frozen vegetables or ice cream.

And when you have doubts, use simple phrases.

For example, excuse me, where is the bakery?

Or, which aisle are the dairy products in?

No need to speak perfectly, clear and slow works.

A practical tip with prices, look closely at the label.

Sometimes it says offer in big letters, but the price per kilo is what matters.

If you’re unsure, ask: excuse me, is this the price per kilo or per unit?

Simple as that.

I’m going to share something about culture, but it's useful.

Once, a girl was looking for her usual snacks and they weren't there.

In the end, she bought a strange dried fruit, thought it was like candy, and no, it wasn’t what she wanted.

Moral, ask: what is this?

No worries.

Let’s do another small roleplay, this time asking for quantities.

I’m the customer.

Let’s go.

Go ahead, I’m the cashier today, or the person at the counter, yes.

Hi, I’m looking for fruits and vegetables.

Can I get half a kilo of tomatoes and a kilo of apples?

And I also want rice and pasta, please.

Sure, half a kilo of tomatoes and a kilo of apples.

The rice is in aisle 3 and the pasta next to it, on sale today.

Anything else?

Oil, salt, or sugar?

Yes, a bottle of oil and a pack of salt.

Honestly, with that I think I’m ready to check out.

Can I pay by card?

Yes, go to that register over there.

The cashier asks if you want a bag and gives you the receipt.

Easy.

Good.

Now, common mistakes to avoid.

And a detail about regions, no drama.

In some countries, they say 'car' for both the car and the shopping cart, but

if you say 'cart', they’ll understand you everywhere.

So for one, it's better to use 'cart' and done.

Another important thing, read the signs.

If you see 'dairy', that’s where milk and yogurt are.

If you see 'bakery', that’s where the bread is.

If you see 'frozen', well, that's it.

Frozen products.

These are words that guide you quickly.

And if you can't find something, use this structure: excuse me, I’m looking for X, which aisle is it in?

For example, excuse me, I’m looking for cheese, which aisle is it in?

Very direct and very polite.

You can also ask about the deal of the day.

Hi, what’s on offer today?

This way, you practice both offer and price at the same time.

And hey, if you don’t understand, ask them to repeat: slower, please.

A little true story I love.

A friend always said 'car' at the register and the cashier would say 'cart'.

By the third day, he proudly said 'cart'.

It was funny and he learned without long classes, just with practice.

Yes, the supermarket is a free classroom.

You practice words and also courtesy: please, thank you, good day.

That helps a lot when you ask for a bag or receipt, or when the cashier tells you the price.

Let’s do a quick review of words we already have, without boring you.

Supermarket, cart, basket, aisle, register, cashier, bag, receipt, offer, price, kilo, fruit, vegetable, bread, milk, eggs, cheese, meat, fish, rice, pasta, oil, salt, sugar, and yogurt.

That’s a lot, but all very useful.

Uh, wait, wait, I love how that list sounds.

If you say it out loud while shopping, it sticks.

And if you want, in your shopping diary, write down two each day, okay?

Extra tip, combine a word with an action.

For example, I grab the cart, find the aisle, look at the price, pay at the register.

This way, you're not memorizing loosely, you're memorizing with movement.

And for quantities, practice with real food.

A kilo of rice, half a kilo of meat, a package of pasta.

Simple and super clear for the person assisting you.

I want another short practice, this time just questions.

I ask, you respond as if you're the employee, okay?

Go ahead, ready.

Excuse me, where is the cheese?

Is it on offer?

It’s in the dairy section, at the back, and yes, it’s on offer today.

The price is good.

Thank you.

Which aisle are the rice and pasta in?

In aisle 3, together, near the sugar and salt.

Perfect.

I'm going to the checkout.

Can I have a bag and the receipt, please?

Sure, here you go.

Have a nice day.

All done, finished.

This is exactly what you need for a quick shop without hassle.

Before we finish, I have a question for you listening, so you can tell us.

What word from the supermarket confused you the first time, cart, aisle, or maybe kilo?

And what's your trick for remembering the price or finding the deal?

And since we mentioned it at the start, if you want to practice all this at your own pace, with vocabulary cards and exercises, it's free on Vocabli.

You have the transcription and an interactive lesson with these 25 words and more, the link is in the description.

Thanks for listening and, well, see you at the supermarket.

That's right, take it easy, ask for help when you need it, and use these phrases without fear.

With a few shops, these words become yours.

Until next time.