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Five-minute Spanish Lessons - Lesson 7.Shopping expressions in Spanish.In most small shops in Spain: shoe shops, (zapatería), a grocer's (tienda de ultramarinos) etc. when you walk through the door you will be addressed with: ¿Qué desea? or ¿Qué querría?* To the native English speaker this may sound abrupt, curt and even rude. Compare with the English: However, this is perfectly normal in Spain and every formality and good intention is intended. Interesting though, nowadays, in large department stores such as "El Corte Inglés", which is now used to dealing with non-Spanish visitors, the assistant will ask something like: ¿Le puedo ayudar en algo, señor, (caballero, señora)? May I help you with anything, sir (madam)? What learners should remember is that "gustaría" (would like) is not used to offer or ask for things in shops etc:
but should be... Quiero un kilo de tomates, por favor. ¿Me puede poner un kilo de tomates, por favor? Could you give me a kilo of tomatoes, please? or the more polite but perhaps unnecessary: Quisiera** un kilo de tomates, por favor. I'd like a kilo of tomatoes, please. *(Grammar point: note use of double "r" in "querria", which is distinguished from the single "r" by the former's strong trill. "Querría" = conditional: would you like). "Quería" = past imperfect: wanted). **(Grammar point: this is the subjunctive form, which is used with the verb "querer" though not usually "desear" when we wish to be very polite in Spanish.)
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