Ready to go shopping in France? While magasin is the general, all-purpose word for “shop,” you'll sound much more like a native speaker if you know the specific terms for different types of stores.

From the bustling boulangerie on the corner to a chic boutique in Paris, knowing the right word will not only help you find what you're looking for but also deepen your connection with French culture.

Let's explore 9 different ways to say “shop” in French so you're ready for any retail adventure!

The standard 'shop' or 'store' – un magasin

The most common and versatile word for 'shop' or 'store' in French is un magasin. It's the perfect default term for almost any retail establishment.

It's crucial to remember that magasin is a masculine noun. You'll always use masculine articles and adjectives with it, such as un magasin (a store), le magasin (the store), or un beau magasin (a beautiful store).

Magasin is a general-purpose word that works in nearly all situations, whether you're referring to a large chain store or a small local shop. It's your go-to term when you're not sure of a more specific word.

To specify what kind of store you're talking about, you typically add de followed by what it sells. This is a very common construction:

• un magasin de vêtements - a clothing store
• un magasin de chaussures - a shoe store
• un magasin de jouets - a toy store

While magasin is general, you might also hear une boutique (a feminine noun). A boutique is typically smaller, more specialized, and often perceived as more chic or upscale. Think of a small, independent fashion shop versus a large H&M, which would be a magasin.

For a large department store like Galeries Lafayette or Printemps, the French use the specific term un grand magasin. This literally means 'a big store' and refers exclusively to these large, multi-level retailers that sell a wide variety of goods.

💡 * Je vais au magasin pour acheter des fruits.

• Les magasins du centre-ville ouvrent à 10h.
• C'est un magasin de sport très populaire.
• Elle cherche un magasin de meubles pour son nouvel appartement.
• Où est le magasin de jouets le plus proche ?

The 'boutique' or 'small fashion shop' – une boutique

The 'boutique' or 'small fashion shop' – une boutique

One of the easiest French words for English speakers is une boutique, which means a small shop or store. The English word “boutique” comes directly from French and carries almost the exact same meaning: a small, specialized shop, particularly one selling fashionable clothes and accessories.

While une boutique is a type of magasin (store), the two words have different connotations. Magasin is a general term for any store, from a supermarket (un grand magasin) to a bookstore. Boutique, however, implies a smaller scale, a curated selection of items, and often a focus on fashion, gifts, or specialty goods.

You would use boutique to describe the charming, independent clothing stores you find lining the streets of a French city. The popular activity of window shopping or browsing these kinds of shops is called faire les boutiques (literally, 'to do the boutiques').

The term evokes a sense of style, personal service, and uniqueness that you wouldn't associate with a large chain store. A shop is called a boutique to emphasize its exclusive or high-quality character.

💡 * J'ai acheté cette écharpe dans une jolie boutique du Marais.

• Elle rêve d'ouvrir sa propre boutique de vêtements.
• Le samedi, nous aimons faire les boutiques en centre-ville.
• C'est une petite boutique qui ne vend que des produits artisanaux.

The 'supermarket' – un supermarché

The most direct and widely used term for 'supermarket' in French is un supermarché. It is a masculine noun, which is important to remember for using the correct articles like un (a) and le (the).

A supermarché is exactly what you would expect: a large self-service store offering a wide variety of groceries, fresh produce, and household items. It's the standard place for weekly grocery shopping in France, similar to a Kroger, Safeway, or Tesco.

It's useful to know how un supermarché compares to other French stores. It is larger than a supérette (a small convenience store or mini-market) but generally smaller than an hypermarché (a hypermarket, like a Carrefour or Auchan, which also sells clothing, electronics, etc.).

When you talk about going to the supermarket, you use the prepositional contraction au supermarché. This is because the phrase is à + le supermarché, which always contracts to au. For example, Je vais au supermarché.

The plural form is straightforward: les supermarchés. The spelling of the noun itself does not change between its singular and plural forms.

💡 * Je dois passer au supermarché après le travail. (I have to stop by the supermarket after work.)

• Le supermarché est ouvert le dimanche matin. (The supermarket is open on Sunday mornings.)
• On a acheté tout ce qu'il fallait au supermarché. (We bought everything we needed at the supermarket.)
• Il y a de nouveaux supermarchés bio en ville. (There are new organic supermarkets in town.)

The 'department store' – un grand magasin

The French term for a 'department store' is un grand magasin.

Literally, this translates to 'a big store' (grand = big, magasin = store). This simple and direct name makes it easy to remember what it refers to.

The term un grand magasin is masculine. Therefore, you'll use masculine articles like un (a) and le (the) and ensure any accompanying adjectives are in their masculine form.

France is famous for its historic and elegant grands magasins, especially in Paris. Well-known examples include Galeries Lafayette, Printemps, and Le Bon Marché, which are destinations for shopping, dining, and sightseeing.

💡 * Je vais faire du shopping dans un grand magasin cet après-midi. (I'm going shopping in a department store this afternoon.)

• Les Galeries Lafayette est un grand magasin célèbre à Paris. (Galeries Lafayette is a famous department store in Paris.)
• On trouve de tout dans ce grand magasin : des vêtements, des parfums, et des meubles. (You can find everything in this department store: clothes, perfumes, and furniture.)
• Le rayon des jouets de ce grand magasin est immense. (The toy section of this department store is huge.)

The 'grocery store' – une épicerie

The 'grocery store' – une épicerie

Une épicerie is the French term for a small, local grocery store. It's the kind of place you'd pop into for daily essentials like milk, bread, cheese, and other basic food items.

It's crucial to distinguish une épicerie from a supermarché (supermarket). While a supermarché is a large store with a wide variety of goods, an épicerie is much smaller, often serving a specific neighborhood. Think of it as a corner store or convenience store, but focused on food staples.

The word épicerie is a feminine noun, so you always use feminine articles like une or la. For instance, you'd say, "Je vais à l'épicerie" (I'm going to the grocery store).

These small shops are an integral part of French neighborhood life. The owner, known as l'épicier (the grocer), often knows the local customers and provides a more personal shopping experience than a large supermarket chain.

💡 * Je dois aller à l'épicerie pour acheter du pain.

• L'épicerie du coin vend d'excellents fromages locaux.
• Est-ce que tu peux passer à l'épicerie en rentrant ?
• C'est une petite épicerie familiale qui est ouverte depuis 50 ans.

The 'bakery' – une boulangerie

In France, une boulangerie is more than just a bakery; it's a legally protected title. To be called a boulangerie, an establishment must make its bread from scratch on the premises, from kneading the dough to baking the loaves. This distinguishes it from a simple dépôt de pain (a bread depot) or an industrial bakery that just reheats frozen products. So, when you see the sign Boulangerie, you are guaranteed fresh, artisan bread.

The star of the boulangerie is, of course, le pain (bread). You'll find a wide variety, from the iconic baguette (especially the more rustic baguette de tradition) to a pain de campagne (country loaf). They also sell viennoiseries – breakfast pastries like the croissant, pain au chocolat, and chausson aux pommes (apple turnover). Many also offer simple sandwiches (jambon-beurre) for lunch.

The boulangerie is a cornerstone of daily French life. It's not a weekly chore but a daily ritual for many French people to buy their fresh bread for the day's meals. It serves as a local hub where neighbors might cross paths and exchange pleasantries. Having a favorite boulanger (baker) and being a regular customer is a common part of living in a French community.

While a boulangerie can sell pastries, its primary focus is bread. A pâtisserie, on the other hand, specializes in complex cakes, tarts, and delicate desserts like éclairs and macarons. You will often see shops labeled Boulangerie-Pâtisserie, which means they are licensed to create and sell both artisan bread and intricate pastries. However, a simple boulangerie might only have basic pastries, while a dedicated pâtisserie might not sell bread at all.

💡 * Je vais à la boulangerie chercher une baguette fraîche pour le dîner.

• Bonjour, je voudrais deux croissants et un pain au chocolat, s'il vous plaît.
• Cette boulangerie fait le meilleur pain de campagne du quartier.
• N'oublie pas de passer à la boulangerie avant qu'elle ne ferme.

The general term for 'a business' or 'a store' – un commerce

The word un commerce is a versatile and common French term for a 'business', 'shop', or 'store'. It serves as a general catch-all for commercial establishments.

It is a masculine noun, so you will always see it as un commerce (a business) or le commerce (the business). This is important for correct article usage.

While un magasin specifically refers to a shop where you buy goods, un commerce is broader. It can refer to the physical store, the business entity itself, or even the concept of trade. For example, a small local business is often called un petit commerce.

💡 * Il a ouvert un nouveau commerce en centre-ville. (He opened a new business downtown.)

• Ce quartier a beaucoup de petits commerces. (This neighborhood has a lot of small shops.)
• C'est un commerce familial qui vend des fruits et légumes. (It's a family business that sells fruits and vegetables.)

The 'bookshop' – une librairie

The 'bookshop' – une librairie

In French, une librairie is a retail store where you buy new books. It is the direct equivalent of a 'bookshop' or 'bookstore' in English.

This is a classic 'false friend'! Do not confuse une librairie with une bibliothèque. You go to a librairie to buy books, whereas you go to a bibliothèque (a library) to borrow them.

A person who works in or owns a bookshop is called un/une libraire. For shops specializing in used books, you might see the term bouquinerie, and the famous booksellers along the Seine in Paris are known as les bouquinistes.

💡 * J'ai trouvé la dernière édition de ce livre à la librairie du coin. (I found the latest edition of this book at the corner bookshop.)

• Pour ton anniversaire, je t'ai acheté un bon d'achat dans ta librairie préférée. (For your birthday, I bought you a gift certificate from your favorite bookstore.)
• N'oublie pas : on achète à la librairie, on emprunte à la bibliothèque. (Don't forget: we buy at the bookshop, we borrow from the library.)
• La librairie organise une séance de dédicaces avec l'auteur samedi. (The bookshop is organizing a book signing with the author on Saturday.)

1. The 'online shop' – une boutique en ligne

The most direct and common way to say 'online shop' in French is une boutique en ligne. This term is widely understood and used in everyday language and business contexts.

Let's break down the expression: une boutique translates to 'a shop' or 'a boutique,' often implying a smaller, more specialized store. The phrase en ligne literally means 'in line' but is the standard French term for 'online.' You'll see en ligne used for many internet-related activities, like jouer en ligne (to play online).

Another very common term is un magasin en ligne. The word magasin is a more general term for 'store' or 'shop,' similar to a department store or a larger retail outlet. Both boutique en ligne and magasin en ligne are correct, but boutique is often favored for smaller, more curated e-commerce sites (like fashion or crafts), while magasin might be used for larger retailers.

When talking about e-commerce, you can use these terms interchangeably in most situations. For example, you might say, "J'ai trouvé ce produit sur une boutique en ligne" (I found this product on an online shop). Businesses will also refer to their e-commerce presence this way, for example, "Visitez notre magasin en ligne pour découvrir nos nouveautés" (Visit our online store to discover our new arrivals).

💡 * J'ai commandé des livres sur une boutique en ligne hier soir. (I ordered some books from an online shop last night.)

• Elle a décidé de lancer sa propre boutique en ligne pour vendre ses bijoux. (She decided to launch her own online shop to sell her jewelry.)
• Ce magasin en ligne propose des réductions exclusives. (This online store offers exclusive discounts.)
• La plupart des grandes marques ont désormais une boutique en ligne officielle. (Most major brands now have an official online shop.)

Are there other ways to say 'shop' in French?

Are there other ways to say “shop” in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say “shop” in French, from the general magasin to the chic boutique. However, French is rich with specific terms for different kinds of stores, as well as regional and informal slang.

You can uncover more vocabulary by searching online for terms like “types de commerces en France” (types of shops in France) to find specific names like boulangerie (bakery) or poissonnerie (fish market).

When you learn a new word for a shop, try to see it used in context. Notice if it refers to a small specialty store or a large retailer. This will help you use the word correctly and naturally.

Pay attention as you watch French movies, read books, or even just walk down the street in a Francophone city. You'll notice signs and hear conversations that will teach you new and specific words for all kinds of shops.

If you want to explore more vocabulary related to shopping and commerce, the WordReference forum for the word magasin is a great place to see how native speakers discuss different nuances.

I hope this article has prepared you for your next shopping adventure. To finish, let’s remember a quote from the French writer Émile Zola, who perfectly captured the allure of Parisian department stores in his novel Au Bonheur des Dames: C'était la cathédrale du commerce moderne, solide et légère, faite pour un peuple de clientes. (It was the cathedral of modern commerce, solid and light, made for a nation of customers.)