“Combien ça coûte?” — Meaning & Usage

Combien ça coûte? means “How much does it cost?”

It is the standard way to ask the price of something in French. It can be used in shops, markets, restaurants, or any buying situation.

Literal breakdown

Combien (how much) + ça (that/it) + coûte (costs) → “how much does it cost”

Pronunciation:

Combien ça coûte is pronounced as kohm-byan sah koot

Formal vs. Informal

Combien ça coûte? can be used both in formal and informal situations. It is neither strictly formal nor casual. For a more formal register (e.g. addressing staff politely), add s’il vous plaît:

Example:

• French: Combien ça coûte, s’il vous plaît? English: How much does it cost, please?

Close Variants of Combien ça coûte

French	English	Usage
C’est combien?	How much is it?	shorter and very common spoken form
Quel est le prix?	What is the price?	slightly more formal
Combien coûte + [item]?	How much does [item] cost?	when naming the thing directly, e.g. Combien coûte ce sac? — How much does this bag cost?

How to Respond If You’re Told the Price

• C’est trop cher — That’s too expensive
• C’est raisonnable — That’s reasonable
• Je le/la prends — I’ll take it

When to Use Combien ça coûte

Point at the item or hold it up while asking — French speakers often pair the phrase with a gesture rather than naming the object, especially in casual shopping situations.