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How often do you use the question “how much does it cost?” Have you ever been in a situation where you want to know the cost of something but want to sound reasonable? No need to worry – there are many ways to ask, “how much does it cost?” without sounding rude or awkward. You need to know how and when to use the right phrase. In this article, we will discuss different ways of asking, “how much does it cost?” and look at some idiomatic expressions with the same meaning.
How to Ask for the Prices in English
Common Questions to Ask “how Much Does It Cost?”
- “What is the price of the item?”
- “Could you please provide information on the cost of the item?”
- “What is the cost of the item?”
- “Could you provide a quote for the item?”
- “Could you provide me with the pricing information for the item?”\
“How much does it cost?” | Image 1
Idiomatic Expression with the Same Meaning
- “What’s the price tag?”
- “What’s the damage?”
- “How much are you asking?”
- “How much do I owe you?”
- “What’s the cost?”
- “How much is it?”
- “What’s the rate?”
- “What’s the fee?”
- “How much does it go for?”
- “What’s the bill?”
- “How much is it going to set me back?”
How to Answer to “How Much Does It Cost?”
Formal situations
They are used in email writing. When the clients asking about the price of your products, you could write a reply email using the following structures.
- “Thank you for asking the question about price. Before I walk you through how we price, let me ask you a question, how much research have you done on what a typical investment is for a product such as this one?”
- “This is a great question Mr. A and one that I get asked often; in many ways, the cost is relative. Let me ask you a question, how many time have you purchased a product or service like the one I am offering?
Informal situations
They are used in informal situations such as at the market, super market, post office and so on.
- “Let me get that for you – quick question – if we can agree on pricing, can we move forward now?”
- “I cost…”
- “It’s….”
- “…$ is enough”
- “It just costs….”
- “You (only) need … to pay for it.”
- “Let me check it for you.”
- “Are you interested in buying it?”
- “Oh, don’t worry about the price, it just costs…”
Answering when someone ask the price of your item.
- “Oh, are you looking for one? They sell them at…“
- “I have no idea. It was a gift.”
- “Why would you ask that question?”
- “I don’t discuss that.”
- “I prefer to talk about ideas, not money.”
- “Are you interested in buying it?”
- “Oh, I’m not sure about it. It’s my birthday gift.”
How to Use Alternatives of “How Much Does It Cost?”
In professional situations
In case you want to know about the price of A company’s product, you could write an email to ask about it.
- “Dear [Company], I am interested in purchasing the [item] from your store. Could you please provide information on the cost of the item? Thank you in advance for your assistance.”
- “To whom it may concern, I am interested in obtaining a quote for the [item]. Could you provide a quote for the item, including applicable taxes and shipping fees? Thank you.”
- “Hello, I am writing to inquire about the cost of the [item]. Could you provide me with the pricing information for the item? I look forward to your response. Thank you.”
- “Dear [Company], I am interested in purchasing the [item] and would like to request a quote for the item. Could you please provide me with the cost of the item, including any applicable taxes and shipping fees? Thank you for your time.”
- “Hello, I am writing to ask about the price of the [item]. Could you please let me know what the price is for the item? I would appreciate any information you can provide. Thank you.”
In formal situations
In case you want to ask about the price of something someone that maybe not your friend. You may use these questions to ask.
- “I’m trying to stick to a budget. Can you tell me the item’s price before I buy it?”
- “Do you have any idea how much this goes for?”
- “I’m interested in buying this, but I was wondering what it goes for?”
- “I’m just curious; could you give me a rough estimate on this?”
- “Do you have any idea how much I’d have to pay for this?”
In informal situations
If you want to know about the price of something, you can ask directly (often with the salesperson in the market, super market, so on):
- “What’s the price tag?”
- “What’s the damage?”
- “How much are you asking?”
- “How much do I owe you?”
- “What’s the cost?”
- “How much is it?”
- “What’s the rate?”
- “What’s the fee?”
- “How much does it go for?”
- “What’s the bill?”
- “How much is it going to set me back?”
Conclusion
Asking, “how much does it cost?” doesn’t have to be an awkward situation. You can easily make inquiries without discomfort with the right phrase or idiomatic expression. There is a wide variety of ways to ask this question in both formal and informal situations. Try out some of these phrases next time you need pricing information!
“How much does it cost?” | Image 2
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