Phrasebook
Clothing sizes in French: what to say in the shop
Ask for a clothing or shoe size, try something on and explain the fit in French. Picture cards, shop phrases and four questions cover taille and pointure.
- A1
- 16 phrases
- 4 situations
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In short
Ask Vous avez ce modèle dans une autre taille ? for another clothing size. La taille is the clothing size; la pointure is the shoe size. To try one item on, say Je peux l’essayer ?; for shoes, say Je peux les essayer ?.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
Point to the item, then ask for your size
Find:
Ask for the size on the label
Use the size you usually wear, then check the fit.
Find the fitting room
Explain the fit
Ask about shoes
For shoes, the useful noun is la pointure.
How do you say clothes don’t fit in French?
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Ce pull est trop petit. | This jumper is too small. |
| Cette veste est trop petite. | This jacket is too small. |
| Ce pantalon est trop long. | These trousers are too long. |
| Cette robe est trop courte. | This dress is too short. |
| Ces chaussures sont trop serrées. | These shoes are too tight. |
| Vous avez la taille en dessous ? | Do you have the next size down? |
Trop means “too”: the fit needs changing. Très grand means “very big”. With c’est, say C’est trop petit; with the garment named, match it: Cette veste est trop petite. For a looser cut, ask Vous avez un modèle plus large ?
Try it on, then choose
Ça me va bien. Je le prends.
It fits me well. I’ll take it.
Use le for a masculine item such as le pull.
Je la prends.
I’ll take it.
Use la for la veste or la robe.
Je les prends.
I’ll take them.
Use les for les chaussures.
To state a letter size, say Je fais du M. To ask for it, say Vous avez ce modèle en taille M ? The number or letter on the label is your starting point; Je peux l’essayer ? lets you check how that particular item fits.