How Much Does It Cost?

Imagine you're in a café in Tallinn.

You see a sandwich you want to buy, but there's no visible price.

You want to ask how much it costs.

Or perhaps you're at a supermarket checkout. The cashier tells you the total in Estonian and asks whether you're paying by card.

These are everyday situations where even a little Estonian can make a big difference.

In the previous lesson, you learned how to count and recognize numbers.

Now you'll learn how to use those numbers when shopping, paying, and comparing prices.

Today's mission: Ask for a price, understand the answer, and complete a simple purchase in Estonian.

What You'll Learn

By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to:

• Ask how much something costs.
• Understand common prices in euros and cents.
• Ask the price of more than one item.
• Ask whether a shop has something.
• Recognize basic payment questions.
• Say whether you want to pay by card or cash.
• Ask for a receipt.
• Complete a short shopping interaction.

A1 learning goal: Use familiar expressions and numbers to exchange basic information about prices and payment in predictable shopping situations.

1. Your Most Important Shopping Question

Let's begin with one expression you can use almost anywhere.

Kui palju see maksab?

Meaning: How much does this cost?

This is one of the most useful questions for everyday life in Estonia.

You can use it in:

• Cafés
• Grocery stores
• Bakeries
• Markets
• Clothing shops
• Service counters

Break It Down

Estonian	Meaning
kui palju	how much
see	this / it
maksab	costs

The verb maksma means to cost or to pay, depending on context.

Here, maksab means "costs."

A Simple Conversation

English Translation

Customer: Hello!

Employee: Hello!

Customer: How much does this cost?

Employee: It costs five euros.

Customer: Thank you!

Employee: You're welcome!

Practice

Imagine you're holding an item without a visible price tag.

Say:

Vabandust, kui palju see maksab?

Meaning: Excuse me, how much does this cost?

Try repeating it without reading.

This single sentence will be useful in many situations.

2. Understanding Price Responses

The answer to your question will often follow a familiar pattern.

See maksab kolm eurot.

Meaning: It costs three euros.

The Pattern

See maksab + price.

Let's practice different prices.

See maksab kaks eurot.

It costs two euros.

See maksab viis eurot.

It costs five euros.

See maksab kümme eurot.

It costs ten euros.

See maksab kaksteist eurot.

It costs twelve euros.

See maksab kakskümmend eurot.

It costs twenty euros.

Notice the Grammar

You learned this pattern in the previous lesson:

• üks euro
• kaks eurot
• kolm eurot

After numbers such as kaks and kolm, Estonian commonly uses the singular partitive form.

For now, learn the phrase:

Viis eurot.

You don't need to memorize a complete case table.

You'll encounter this pattern repeatedly throughout the course.

3. Euros and Cents

In Estonia, prices are expressed in euros and cents.

Two essential words:

euro

Euro.

sent

Cent.

One Euro

Üks euro.

Two Euros

Kaks eurot.

One Cent

Üks sent.

Fifty Cents

Viiskümmend senti.

Prices with Euros and Cents

Look at these examples.

Price	Estonian
€1.50	üks euro ja viiskümmend senti
€2.20	kaks eurot ja kakskümmend senti
€3.75	kolm eurot ja seitsekümmend viis senti
€5.99	viis eurot ja üheksakümmend üheksa senti
€10.50	kümme eurot ja viiskümmend senti

Listen to the Prices

Üks euro ja viiskümmend senti.

Kaks eurot ja kakskümmend senti.

Kolm eurot ja seitsekümmend viis senti.

Viis eurot ja üheksakümmend üheksa senti.

Kümme eurot ja viiskümmend senti.

A Useful Listening Detail

In natural conversation, people may shorten a price when the currency is clear from context.

For example, a cashier might say:

Kaks viiskümmend.

In a price context, this can mean €2.50.

You may also hear full expressions mentioning euros and cents.

As a beginner, focus on recognizing both numbers and using the full form when speaking.

4. Asking About a Specific Item

Sometimes it's not clear which product you're asking about.

You can name the item.

How Much Does the Coffee Cost?

Kui palju kohv maksab?

How Much Does the Bread Cost?

Kui palju leib maksab?

How Much Does the Ticket Cost?

Kui palju pilet maksab?

Useful Vocabulary

Estonian	English
kohv	coffee
tee	tea
leib	bread
vesi	water
pilet	ticket
piim	milk
sai	white bread / bread roll
õun	apple

Conversation at a Bakery

English Translation

Customer: Hello!

Employee: Hello!

Customer: How much does this bread roll cost?

Employee: Two euros.

Customer: One bread roll, please.

Employee: Here you go!

Customer: Thank you!

Practice

Imagine pointing to an item.

Ask:

Kui palju see maksab?

Then replace see with a familiar item:

Kui palju kohv maksab?

Try with tee, leib, and pilet.

5. Asking the Price of Multiple Items

You can also ask how much several items cost together.

For example:

Kui palju need maksavad?

Meaning: How much do these cost?

Compare

Kui palju see maksab?

How much does this cost?

Kui palju need maksavad?

How much do these cost?

Grammar Discovery

Notice the difference:

Singular	Plural
see	need
maksab	maksavad

• See means this or it.
• Need means these or those.
• Maksab is the singular verb form.
• Maksavad is the third-person plural verb form.

This is your first practical introduction to plural agreement.

Example

You're buying two items.

You point to them and ask:

Kui palju need maksavad?

The employee replies:

Need maksavad kaheksa eurot.

Meaning: They cost eight euros.

Practice

Choose the correct sentence.

One item:

A. Kui palju see maksab?

B. Kui palju need maksavad?

Several items:

A. Kui palju see maksab?

B. Kui palju need maksavad?

Answers:

1. A
2. B

6. Asking Whether a Shop Has Something

Imagine entering a small grocery store.

You want milk, but you don't see it.

Ask:

Kas teil on piima?

Meaning: Do you have milk?

This is an extremely useful shopping pattern.

Break It Down

• Kas — Introduces a yes/no question.
• teil — You have / at your disposal, in this expression.
• on — Is / are / have, depending on construction.
• piima — Milk, in the partitive form.

You already learned kas and on in Module 1.

Now you're using them in a practical shopping situation.

More Examples

Kas teil on vett?

Do you have water?

Kas teil on leiba?

Do you have bread?

Kas teil on kohvi?

Do you have coffee?

Kas teil on teed?

Do you have tea?

Possible Responses

Jah, on küll.

Meaning: Yes, we do.

Ei, kahjuks ei ole.

Meaning: No, unfortunately we don't.

Mini Dialogue

English Translation

Customer: Hello!

Employee: Hello!

Customer: Do you have milk?

Employee: Yes, we do.

Customer: How much does it cost?

Employee: Two euros.

Customer: Thank you!

Language Pattern

Kas teil on + item?

This construction will become one of your most useful A1 shopping patterns.

For now, learn the complete item forms rather than guessing endings.

7. Cheap and Expensive

Sometimes you want to describe or compare prices.

Let's learn three useful words.

Cheap

odav

Meaning: Cheap / Inexpensive.

Expensive

kallis

Meaning: Expensive.

Cheaper

odavam

Meaning: Cheaper.

Examples

See on odav.

This is cheap.

See on kallis.

This is expensive.

See on odavam.

This is cheaper.

A Very Useful Question

Kas teil on midagi odavamat?

Meaning: Do you have something cheaper?

This is a useful phrase when shopping.

You don't need to understand the entire grammatical structure yet.

Grammar Discovery

Compare:

• odav — cheap
• odavam — cheaper

The ending -m is commonly used to form comparative adjectives.

The expression midagi odavamat uses an additional grammatical form that you'll study later.

For now, memorize the complete question.

8. Paying by Card or Cash

In Estonia, card payments are common, and you'll frequently hear questions about payment methods.

Let's learn the most useful expressions.

By Card

Kaardiga.

Meaning: By card.

In Cash

Sularahas.

Meaning: In cash.

Can I Pay by Card?

Kas ma saan kaardiga maksta?

Meaning: Can I pay by card?

Can I Pay in Cash?

Kas ma saan sularahas maksta?

Meaning: Can I pay in cash?

A Common Question

Kas maksate kaardiga?

Meaning: Are you paying by card? (polite)

Another expression you may hear:

Kaardiga või sularahas?

Meaning: By card or in cash?

Example Conversation

English Translation

Cashier: Five euros in total.

Cashier: By card or in cash?

Customer: By card, please.

Cashier: Thank you!

Customer: You're welcome!

New Word

Kokku.

Meaning: In total / Altogether.

This word is particularly useful at a checkout.

You may hear:

Kokku kümme eurot.

Meaning: Ten euros in total.

9. Understanding Checkout Questions

You might hear several short questions at a supermarket checkout.

You don't need to produce all of them immediately.

The first goal is to recognize what the cashier is asking.

Do You Have a Loyalty Card?

Kas teil on kliendikaart?

Meaning: Do you have a loyalty card?

Do You Want a Receipt?

Kas soovite tšekki?

Meaning: Would you like a receipt?

Do You Need a Bag?

Kas teil on kotti vaja?

Meaning: Do you need a bag?

How You Can Respond

Jah, palun.

Yes, please.

Ei, aitäh.

No, thank you.

These two expressions are extremely useful.

You can handle many basic service interactions using them.

Full Checkout Dialogue

English Translation

Cashier: Hello!

Customer: Hello!

Cashier: Do you have a loyalty card?

Customer: No, thank you.

Cashier: Do you need a bag?

Customer: No, thank you.

Cashier: Seven euros and fifty cents in total.

Cashier: By card or in cash?

Customer: By card, please.

Cashier: Would you like a receipt?

Customer: Yes, please.

Cashier: Thank you! Goodbye!

Customer: Goodbye!

Your Task

Listen to the dialogue again.

This time, focus on recognizing:

• kliendikaart
• kotti
• kokku
• kaardiga
• sularahas
• tšekki

You don't need to understand every grammatical ending.

Recognizing the key words will help you respond appropriately.

10. A Useful Grammar Pattern: Mul On

In Module 1, you learned:

Ma olen Eestis.

Meaning: I am in Estonia.

Now let's introduce another extremely common construction.

Mul on raha.

Meaning: I have money.

More Examples

Mul on kaart.

I have a card.

Mul on kliendikaart.

I have a loyalty card.

Mul on viis eurot.

I have five euros.

Negative Form

Mul ei ole raha.

Meaning: I don't have money.

Mul ei ole kliendikaarti.

Meaning: I don't have a loyalty card.

Compare

Positive	Negative
Mul on raha.	Mul ei ole raha.
Mul on kaart.	Mul ei ole kaarti.
Mul on kliendikaart.	Mul ei ole kliendikaarti.

Grammar Discovery

Estonian often expresses possession using:

Mul on + something

To say you don't have something:

Mul ei ole + something

Notice that the noun form may change in negative sentences.

For example:

• kaart → kaarti
• kliendikaart → kliendikaarti

You'll study these object and partitive patterns more systematically later.

For now, learn the complete sentences.

11. Reading Practice: A Café Menu

Imagine you're looking at a café menu.

Menu

Item	Price
Kohv	€2.50
Tee	€2.00
Vesi	€1.50
Võileib	€4.50
Kook	€3.75

New Vocabulary

võileib

Meaning: Sandwich.

kook

Meaning: Cake.

Questions

1. How much does coffee cost?
2. What costs €2.00?
3. Which is cheaper: coffee or tea?
4. How much does a sandwich cost?
5. Which item is the most expensive?

Answers

1. €2.50
2. Tea
3. Tea
4. €4.50
5. Sandwich

Estonian Challenge

Answer these questions aloud:

Kui palju kohv maksab?

Kui palju tee maksab?

Kui palju kook maksab?

Use full price expressions where possible.

For example:

Kohv maksab kaks eurot ja viiskümmend senti.

12. Listening Practice: Prices

Listen to each price.

Try to identify the amount before reading the answer options.

If possible, hide the written Estonian while listening.

Listening 1

Kaks eurot ja viiskümmend senti.

A. €2.15

B. €2.50

C. €5.20

Listening 2

Kolm eurot ja kakskümmend senti.

A. €3.20

B. €3.02

C. €2.30

Listening 3

Seitse eurot ja üheksakümmend senti.

A. €7.09

B. €9.70

C. €7.90

Listening 4

Kaksteist eurot ja viiskümmend senti.

A. €12.50

B. €20.50

C. €12.15

Listening 5

Viis eurot ja üheksakümmend üheksa senti.

A. €5.90

B. €5.99

C. €9.95

Answers

1. B — €2.50
2. A — €3.20
3. C — €7.90
4. A — €12.50
5. B — €5.99

Listening Strategy

When recognizing a price, listen for:

1. The euro amount.
2. The word eurot, if spoken.
3. The cents amount.
4. The word senti, if spoken.

With practice, you'll begin recognizing complete amounts without translating individual number words.

13. Writing Practice

Exercise A — Complete the Expressions

Fill in the missing word.

Word bank: maksab, palju, kaardiga, kliendikaart, kokku

1. Kui _____ see maksab?
2. See _____ viis eurot.
3. Kas teil on _____?
4. Kas ma saan _____ maksta?
5. _____ kümme eurot.

Answers

1. palju
2. maksab
3. kliendikaart
4. kaardiga
5. Kokku

Exercise B — Translate into Estonian

Write the following sentences:

1. How much does this cost?
2. It costs five euros.
3. Can I pay by card?
4. Do you have milk?
5. I don't have a loyalty card.

Suggested Answers

Kui palju see maksab?

See maksab viis eurot.

Kas ma saan kaardiga maksta?

Kas teil on piima?

Mul ei ole kliendikaarti.

Exercise C — Write the Prices

Write these amounts in Estonian words.

1. €2.50
2. €3.75
3. €5.00
4. €7.20
5. €10.99

Answers

1. kaks eurot ja viiskümmend senti
2. kolm eurot ja seitsekümmend viis senti
3. viis eurot
4. seitse eurot ja kakskümmend senti
5. kümme eurot ja üheksakümmend üheksa senti

14. Speaking Challenge: At the Supermarket

Imagine you're at a supermarket checkout.

The cashier asks a series of questions.

Try responding before reading the suggested answers.

Question 1

Kas teil on kliendikaart?

You don't have a loyalty card.

Suggested response:

Ei, kahjuks ei ole.

Question 2

Kas teil on kotti vaja?

You don't need a bag.

Suggested response:

Ei, aitäh.

Question 3

Kaardiga või sularahas?

You want to pay by card.

Suggested response:

Kaardiga, palun.

Question 4

Kas soovite tšekki?

You want a receipt.

Suggested response:

Jah, palun.

Your Goal

Respond to all four questions without looking at the English explanations.

Then try the same exercise with different choices.

For example:

• You have a loyalty card.
• You need a bag.
• You want to pay in cash.
• You don't want a receipt.

This helps you move beyond memorizing one fixed dialogue.

15. Real-Life Simulation: Buying a Sandwich

You're at a café in Tallinn.

You want to buy a sandwich.

You don't know its price.

Listen to the interaction.

English Translation

Employee: Hello!

Customer: Hello!

Customer: How much does this sandwich cost?

Employee: Four euros and fifty cents.

Customer: One sandwich, please.

Employee: Anything else?

Customer: No, thank you.

Employee: By card or in cash?

Customer: By card, please.

Employee: Thank you!

Customer: You're welcome! Goodbye!

Employee: Goodbye!

Your Challenge

Repeat the conversation.

Then change the situation.

Instead of a sandwich, you're buying coffee.

The price is €2.50.

You want to pay in cash.

Try constructing the conversation independently.

Suggested Responses

Kui palju kohv maksab?

Üks kohv, palun.

Sularahas, palun.

16. Knowledge Check

Choose the best answer.

Question 1

How do you ask "How much does this cost?"

A. Kui palju see maksab?

B. Kus see on?

C. Mis sinu nimi on?

Question 2

What does Kaardiga mean?

A. In cash

B. By card

C. With a receipt

Question 3

Which expression means "Do you have milk?"

A. Kas teil on piima?

B. Kas te elate Tallinnas?

C. Kui palju piim maksab?

Question 4

What does Kokku mean at a checkout?

A. Discount

B. Receipt

C. In total

Question 5

Which sentence means "This is expensive"?

A. See on odav.

B. See on kallis.

C. See on odavam.

Question 6

What does Kas soovite tšekki? mean?

A. Do you want a receipt?

B. Do you need a bag?

C. Do you have a loyalty card?

Question 7

How do you say "I don't have a loyalty card"?

A. Mul on kliendikaart.

B. Mul ei ole kliendikaarti.

C. See maksab kliendikaarti.

Question 8

Which expression means "Can I pay by card?"

A. Kas ma saan kaardiga maksta?

B. Kui palju kaart maksab?

C. Kas teil on kaart?

Answers

1. A
2. B
3. A
4. C
5. B
6. A
7. B
8. A

17. Real-World Mission

Your mission is to use at least one shopping expression from this lesson.

Mission A — Easy

When visiting a shop, ask the price of an item.

Kui palju see maksab?

Try to understand the response.

If necessary, politely ask for repetition.

Palun korrake.

Mission B — Intermediate

At the checkout, try responding in Estonian.

If paying by card:

Kaardiga, palun.

If you don't want a receipt:

Ei, aitäh.

Mission C — Challenge

Complete a simple purchase using Estonian.

Try including:

1. A greeting.
2. A price question.
3. A quantity.
4. Your payment method.
5. A polite goodbye.

If you're not able to practice in a shop, simulate the conversation with a friend or language partner.

Reflection

After your practice, think about:

• Did you understand the price?
• Did you recognize any checkout questions?
• Which expressions were easiest?
• Which expressions do you need to review?

18. Lesson Summary

You've learned how to discuss basic prices and complete simple payment interactions.

Essential Expressions

Estonian	English
Kui palju see maksab?	How much does this cost?
See maksab viis eurot.	It costs five euros.
Kui palju need maksavad?	How much do these cost?
Kas teil on piima?	Do you have milk?
See on odav.	This is cheap.
See on kallis.	This is expensive.
Kas teil on midagi odavamat?	Do you have something cheaper?
Kaardiga.	By card.
Sularahas.	In cash.
Kas ma saan kaardiga maksta?	Can I pay by card?
Kas teil on kliendikaart?	Do you have a loyalty card?
Kas soovite tšekki?	Would you like a receipt?
Mul on raha.	I have money.
Mul ei ole raha.	I don't have money.
Kokku viis eurot.	Five euros in total.

Grammar You've Started Learning

• Kui palju for asking about amounts and prices.
• Maksab and maksavad for singular and plural subjects.
• See and need for this and these.
• Kas teil on ...? for asking about availability.
• Mul on ... for possession.
• Mul ei ole ... for negative possession.
• Basic comparative adjectives such as odavam.
• Common noun forms used with numbers and quantities.

These patterns will be reinforced in later lessons.

19. A1 Progress Check

This lesson develops the following CEFR A1 foundation skills.

Listening

Understand familiar prices and common checkout questions when spoken clearly.

Speaking

Ask prices, state simple quantities, and explain payment preferences.

Interaction

Complete short, predictable shopping and payment exchanges.

Reading

Understand simple price information on menus and product labels.

Writing

Write prices and basic shopping-related sentences.

Grammar

Recognize and reuse familiar question structures, noun forms, and basic possession expressions.

Before Moving On

Check whether you can:

• Ask how much something costs.
• Understand simple prices in euros and cents.
• Ask the price of several items.
• Ask whether a shop has something.
• Recognize the words odav, kallis, and odavam.
• Say whether you're paying by card or cash.
• Understand a question about a receipt.
• Recognize a question about a loyalty card.
• Complete a short shopping dialogue.
• Write at least three price expressions correctly.

If you can perform most of these tasks, you're ready for the next lesson.