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Grocery Store English Vocabulary
Dear English Learner,

Get ready to speak confidently with these English grocery store expressions. I recommend
reading these sample sentences out loud and using the blank space on the last page to answer
my challenge question using the vocabulary. Thanks so much for learning English with me!

Your teacher,
Vanessa

The parking lot: where you park your car

We walked through the parking lot.

Watch for cars as you walk through the parking lot.

A shopping cart/ A cart/ A buggy : the item you push and put your food in

I got a cart at the front of the store.

If you’re buying a lot of food, you should use a cart, not a basket.

Free snack for kids: most grocery stores offer this to children

Let’s get the free snack before we start shopping.

My kids love to get a free snack, usually a piece of fruit, before shopping.

Produce: [PRO-duce] fruit and vegetables

I need to get a few things in the produce section.

You should put fresh produce in the fridge to make it last longer.

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To produce: [pro-DUCE] to create something

I produce a new YouTube video every Friday.

Each chicken produces one egg each day.

Loose/Single VS Bagged: two ways to buy produce

The single lemons cost more than the bagged lemons.

When you buy loose produce, you don’t need to weigh it in the US.

It’s a better deal…: to pay less money for something

The bagged lemons are a better deal than the single lemons.
You should buy concert tickets in advance. It’s a better deal.

There are so many to choose from!: to have a lot of options

I don’t know which bag of potatoes I should get. There are so many to choose from!

I love all these flowers. There are so many to choose from! How can I possibly

choose?

The bulk section/ In bulk: without packaging

I bought some almonds in bulk.

The bulk section of the grocery store is often more expensive.

On sale VS For sale: to have a discount VS to be available for purchase

These bananas are on sale for only $2 for the whole bag!
Is this table for sale?

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The deli counter: where you can buy “lunch meat” or “sliced meat and cheese”

“I’d like half a pound of turkey, please.”

“I’d like a pound of cheddar cheese, please.”

The bakery: where you can buy freshly baked bread

I need to pick up some fresh bread from the bakery.

There are so many cakes available in the bakery.

Locally made: something made in your city or region

This locally made hummus is tasty, but I also like supporting a local business.
Locally made cheese is extremely expensive where I live.

Fresh fish VS Frozen fish: two ways to purchase fish

Usually fresh fish is more expensive than frozen fish.

Watch out for a little sign that says “previously frozen” when you purchase fresh fish.

A fresh cut of meat VS Pre-packaged meat: two ways to purchase meat

If you want to buy a nice steak, you should get a fresh cut of meat.
“I’d like two pounds of ground beef, please.”
For making hamburgers, it’s okay to get pre-packaged meat.

To go down an aisle: [eye-ul] to walk down the “hallways” in the store

Where can I find the pretzels? -Go down aisle 3.

The pretzels are on aisle 3.
*NOTE: If you are NOT shopping and someone tells you, “I’m going down the aisle next week.”
This means that they are getting married next week. The bride and groom “walk down the aisle”
to the front of the church to get married.

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We gotta get some…: we need to buy…

We gotta get some more cat food. We’re all out!

I gotta get some new shoes. Mine have holes in the bottom.

I’m going to get…: pronounced “I’m gonna” or “I’m unna”

I’m going to get some food at the store.

He’s going to get the pretzels.

A case: a closed container; if it’s cold or frozen, you can also say “the freezer”

The meat is in the case/ the freezer.

The case is empty. We need to order some more meat.

An end cap: the shelf at the end of the aisle

Usually items that are on sale are on the end cap.

Where are the chips? -They are on the end cap.

The dairy section/ Dairy: milk products and eggs

I have to get a few things in the dairy section.

My kids love milk and yogurt, so we buy a lot of dairy items.

Refrigerated: [re-frig-er-adid] a cold food item kept in a refrigerator

The milk and yogurt are refrigerated.

Make sure that you keep the milk refrigerated or it will spoil.

Let’s go get…: what we’ll do soon

Let’s go get yogurt next!

Let’s go get your brother from school. It’s time to pick him up.

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We’re/ I’m looking for…: something that you want to buy

Can I help you? -Yes, I’m looking for a nice dress to wear to a dinner.
We’re looking for some plain, whole milk yogurt.

Flavored VS Plain/ Low fat VS Whole milk VS Grass Fed: different types of milk or yogurt
options

Usually flavored yogurt is full of sugar and not healthy.

When possible, we try to buy high quality grass fed milk.

That bad: a casual way to say “that much”

The yogurt is expensive. Are you sure that we need it that bad?
It’s pouring rain outside and you want to drive to the grocery store? Can’t you wait until
the rain stops?
-No, we have no more coffee. I need to get it now.
-Oh, I see, I guess if we need it that bad, you should go right away.

A splurge/ To splurge: to buy something not necessary and too expensive

I splurged and bought sparkling water. I know it’s a splurge, but it’s fun to drink.
If you splurge too much, you might have a problem with money!

Hard liquor/ Liquor (ABC) store: vodka, whiskey, etc. and a special store that sells it

In North Carolina, you need to go to a liquor store to buy hard liquor.

In some states, you need to go to a liquor store to buy wine and beer, too.

I need to get some more…: I need to buy some…

I need to get some more gardening gloves. Mine have holes in all the fingers!
Do we need to get some more milk already?

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The point of…: the goal or purpose of something

The point of learning English is to use it in the real world.

When I was in high school, I never really understood the point of learning math.

This will save me a trip to…: you don’t need to go to another store

If I can buy gardening gloves at the grocery store, it will save me a trip to the hardware
store.
I decided to buy the books online. It would save me a trip to the bookstore.

The grocery store/ Groceries: the word Americans often use instead of “supermarket”

Pronunciation: gros-ery OR grosh-ry

I buy groceries at the grocery store.

The check out (counter)/ To check out: where you buy your items

There’s a long line at the checkout counter, so I decided to go to the self checkout.
We got everything we needed. I think we’re ready to check out.

Snacks/ Junk food: unhealthy food

Watch out for the snacks and junk food lining the checkout line.
It’s a good idea to rarely eat junk food.

Do you mind if…?: a polite question

Do you mind if I finish this project tomorrow? I have an appointment this afternoon.
Do you mind if I reschedule our meeting?

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Paper or plastic?: a common question when you’re checking out

“Paper or plastic?” -Plastic, please.

“Paper or plastic?” -I brought my own bag here.

The conveyor belt: the automatic machine moving the food

Don’t forget to put all your items on the conveyor belt.

The food on the conveyor belt moves toward the check out lady.

To scan: to put the code on the item in front of the laser so that it beeps

Oops, I accidentally scanned this twice.

She scanned all of the items quickly.

To compost: to rot or disintegrate in nature

I compost my food scraps and plain cardboard in the compost pile.

It’s a good idea to compost your food scraps to use in the garden.

To reuse: to use something again

I try to reuse plastic bags as trash bags in my house.

Don’t throw that bottle away! I can reuse it as a vase.

Membership/ Discount/ Loyalty card: a card that gives you discounts at a store

Do you have your discount card?

I’m so sorry. I forgot my loyalty card. Can I give you my phone number instead?

Cash or card?/ Cash or credit?: a common question when you’re checking out

“Cash or card?” -Cash.

“Cash or credit?” -Credit.

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Automatic doors: doors that move without touching them

Automatic doors are so useful when you’re carrying a lot of things.

The automatic doors aren’t working, so you have to push the button.

To load/ To unload: to put something in; to take something out

I load the groceries into my car.

When I get home, my kids will help me to unload the groceries.

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 Vanessa’s Challenge Question
Use the space below to write a few sentences answering this question: Describe the last time
that you went to the grocery store. What did you do?

Sample answer: The last time that I went to the grocery store was on Tuesday. I had to buy a
few things in the produce section, like some loose broccoli and a bag of potatoes. Then I went
to the deli and got some lunch meat. The last thing I had to do was buy some pre-packaged
chicken, but I went down the wrong aisle and saw all of the chocolate. I decided to splurge and
buy some dark chocolate. When I checked out, I used my own bag and paid with my card. After
I loaded the groceries in the car, I took a bite of the chocolate.

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