Essential Shopping Vocabulary for A2 English Learners — A2 English vocabulary lesson by Langcom

Vocabulário essencial para compras destinado a alunos de inglês do nível A2

Raúl Maguiña

Fundador da Langcom | Examinador dos exames de Cambridge e SIELE

7 de setembro de 2026

A2📚 Vocabulário⏱️ 4 min de leitura📅 Atualizado em setembro de 2026
Learning essential shopping vocabulary helps you talk about buying things in English with confidence. Knowing the names of different shops and what you can find in each one is a key part of everyday communication. For instance, if you want to buy a new novel or a language dictionary, you should go to a bookshop. When you feel unwell and need medicine or health products, a chemist is the correct place to visit. For your weekly groceries, like fruit, vegetables, milk, e bread, a supermarket is the best option. Finally, for a wide variety of items such as clothes, electronics, ou home goods, a large department store offers many choices under one roof. Mastering these terms is very useful for daily life and important for the A2 Key English exam.

What is a Bookshop?

A bookshop is a place where you can buy books.

  • You can find different types of books, como novels, school books, ou cookbooks.
  • Sometimes, bookshops also sell magazines ou newspapers.

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What is a Chemist?

A chemist is a shop where you can buy medicine and health products.

  • In British English, we often say chemist. In American English, people usually say pharmacy ou drugstore.
  • You can also buy beauty products, shampoo, e toothpaste here.

What is a Supermarket?

A supermarket is a large shop that sells many types of food e drinks.

  • It is where most people buy their weekly groceries.
  • You can find fruit, vegetables, meat, milk, bread, and many other household items.

What is a Department Store?

A department store is a very large shop with many different sections, or 'departments'.

  • Each department sells a different type of product.
  • You can buy clothes, shoes, makeup, electronics, furniture, e toys all in one building.

Other Useful Shopping Words

When you go shopping, you might hear or use these words:

  • Shop assistant: A person who works in a shop and helps customers.
  • Customer: A person who buys things from a shop.
  • Trolley (British English) / Shopping cart (American English): A large metal basket on wheels for carrying many items in a supermarket.
  • Basket: A smaller container you carry for a few items.
  • Checkout: The place in a shop where you pay for your items.
Summary of Shops and What You Can Buy There
Comprar What you can buy
Bookshop Books, magazines, newspapers
Chemist Medicine, health products, beauty items
Supermarket Food, drinks, household items
Department store Clothes, electronics, furniture, toys

Exemplos

  • I bought a new novel at the bookshop yesterday.
  • Can you get some paracetamol from the chemist, please?
  • We need to go to the supermarket to buy food for dinner.
  • My mother bought a new coat from the department store.
  • The shop assistant helped me find the right size.

Prática

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Erros comuns entre falantes de espanhol

Confuso Chemist e Pharmacy

Learners often wonder if chemist e pharmacy are the same. They are very similar! Chemist is more common in British English, while pharmacy is used in both British and American English, especially for places where you get prescription medicine. For A2, knowing chemist is good, but understand pharmacy too.

Using 'Shop' for Specific Places

In Spanish, you might say 'tienda de libros' (shop of books). In English, we use specific names. Do not say book shop (two words) or medicine shop. Always use the correct single word:

  • bookshop (correct) NOT book shop (incorrect)
  • chemist (correct) NOT medicine shop (incorrect)
  • supermarket (correct) NOT food shop (incorrect, unless it's a small local shop)

Perguntas frequentes

What is the difference between a shop and a store?

As palavras shop e store are very similar. In British English, shop is more common. In American English, store is more common. For example, a bookshop (UK) is a bookstore (US).

Can I buy clothes at a supermarket?

Some large supermarkets sell a small selection of clothes, especially basic items like socks ou t-shirts. However, for a wider choice of clothes, you should go to a department store or a clothes shop.

How is this vocabulary useful for the A2 Key exam?

This shopping vocabulary is very useful for the A2 Key exam, especially in the Speaking Part 1, where you might talk about your daily life and hobbies, including shopping. You might also see these words in the Reading and Writing parts, for example, in short messages or descriptions of places.

Aulas relacionadas

Sobre o autor: Raúl Maguiña

Raúl Maguiña é diretor da Asociación Educativa Langcom, um centro autorizado de preparação para o Cambridge English em seu país. Com mais de uma década de experiência no ensino de idiomas e em certificações internacionais, ele já ajudou milhares de alunos, professores e instituições de ensino em 25 países a obter as certificações de inglês da Cambridge, IELTS, TOEFL e Michigan.

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