1. Favourite places to shop
Transcript item
Tina: So, I'm in my favourite shop – well I don't really have one favourite shop, but I love a shop that has kitchenware. Can you see it? Oh, isn't it er, delightful. So, erm, I tend to actually go when there's a sale because the stuff I like is good quality and expensive, so I like it to last. So, I just thought I'd give you a quick tour. Isn't that fab?
Dave: In recent years, shopping malls have popped up absolutely everywhere in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, where I live, and they're super popular. And perhaps that's not surprising when you consider that you can buy pretty much anything you want, all under one roof, and avoiding any wet weather outside. But, don't you think that traditional markets like this one, where local people sell local products, are far more interesting? It's real, it's vibrant and to me it feels more like Sofia than any other random city centre.
Elena: I really like shopping, and my favourite places to go are the local market. I really like to visit them when I travel abroad, and I also think that they have very good stuff, very good quality with the right price, and also you can find accessories, clothes that regular stores don't sell.
Donnie: Hi, I'm Donnie. Come with me while I go window shopping. So, here we are. Let's explore.
I'm at my favourite store, the Nike store. I can get my running shoes, my shorts for the gym, my, my tees … And look at all these wonderful colours. It's just lovely. It's just wonderful shopping here at the Nike store.
Jo: OK, so I'm in a charity shop, which is one of my favourite shops. I like looking for bargains here. So how a charity shop works is that people donate things – so clothes or accessories, books, lots of other items, jewellery – and a lot of the people that work here are volunteers, so that means that everything that you spend in the shop, all of the profits go to charity.
Elsie: My favourite place to shop is in charity shops when I'm visiting my family back in England, especially because where I'm from, where I live, there aren't many. There you can get all sorts of clothes and shoes, and bags, and jewellery, and I like it because you never know what you are going to find and you can get great bargains.
Noha: When I'm tired of scrolling through cooking videos online, I come in search of a cookbook, and where better to find one than to come to a bookshop. Just take a look at all of these cookbook covers. We've got bread, cake, barbecue, vegan cookbooks. And a cookbook where recipes from the one and only Great British Bake Off show were published. I think if, I could, if I could afford this, I would buy this, absolutely buy this. But, the one cookbook I'm definitely buying is this one. Not least because it's a summary of gluten-free recipes, and I've gone gluten-free.
Kirk: I don't really enjoy shopping per se but I do enjoy going to hardware stores. For some reason I just like looking at tools and stuff. I like doing things with my hands, so I suppose that's why.
From shopping malls to vibrant markets – find out where some of our colleagues and friends like to shop. How many different types of shops do you hear?
Here are some interesting words and phrases from the video.
I tend to go when there's a sale.
a sale = a time when shops sell things at a lower price than usual
In a shopping mall, you can buy pretty much anything you want, all under one roof.
under one roof = at the same location or in the same building
My favourite place is the local market.
local = in the particular area where you live
Come with me while I go window shopping.
window shopping = spending time looking at things in shop windows without intending to buy, as a sort of leisure activity
All of the profits go to charity.
a charity = an organisation whose purpose is to give money, food or help to those who need it
You can get great bargains.
a bargain = on sale at a lower price than its true value
If I could afford this, I would buy it.
to afford something = to have enough money to buy something
I don't really enjoy shopping per se.
per se = in itself; when it's not connected to other things
So, were you right? The people in the video talked about seven different places to shop: a kitchenware shop, a shopping mall, a local market, a sportswear shop, a charity shop, a bookshop and a hardware store!
We want to hear from you!
- What's your favourite type of shop?
- What do they sell?
- What do you like about it?
- What's the last thing you bought?
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I enjoy shopping at local markets, specially to support incomes generation in my region. Talking to enterpreuners about their products, the manufacturing processes, the challenges they face and how they overcome them. I think that's added valued. On the other hand, in terms of quality, you will be surprised to find organic and fresh products with affordable prices.
I really enjoy shopping at local markets, specially to support the incomes generation in my region. Talking to entrepreneurs is a great way to learn about their products, the manufacturing process, the challenges they face and how they overcome them. I think that's the added value you can find. On the other hand, in terms of quality, you will be surprised to find organic and fresh products at affordable prices.
Actually my favorite kind of shop is camera shop yet,I'm a photography enthusiast and own a Sony a6300 camera. I've taken it on trips to places like Malaysia, Singapore, and Australia. I enjoy browsing camera stores because I'm fascinated by cameras and lenses. Sometimes I go to Sony flagship stores to try out new lenses and mount them on my camera for a while. Other times I visit other brands, like Nikon, whose cameras I also really fall in love with.
Dear fellows,
My favourite type of shop is a clothesware shop. They sell many different clothes for all ages, from young to adult people. What I would love to buy are pants, blue jeans, shirts, T-shirts, etc. Last week, I bought two pairs of pants and three shirts. I buy clothes twice a month to maintain my dressing style.
Hi everyone!
One of my favourite shopping activities is window shopping. I do some window shopping, which I enjoy, and it reduces some stress after work. The thing is that I could explore something new and notice things. Back then, I started saving money to buy them.
Hello everyone,
My favorite type of shop is shopping centers. Because the distance from my house to shopping centers is not too far. I can get it within 15 minutes by a taxi or by my motorbike. Lots of household items, furniture and different types of stuffs for uses of everyday life are selling there. You may think every items in most of shopping centers will be pricey or overrated. In opposite, you can buy every items from there with suitable prices; not very expensive and not too much cheap. That may be the fact I like about this shopping center. The last thing I bought from here is a pair of earphones for my laptop.
https://www.speakpipe.com/voice-recorder/msg/61ycgtdlhmwq0juq
Hi Robylta,
Thanks for sharing your voice message! Your city sounds like a wonderful place for window shopping if you're into fashion :-)
And I liked your tip for getting online bargains too.
Best wishes,
Jo (LearnEnglish team)
My favorite type of shop is the shopping mall, where you can find different kinds of products of great brands. So, it is easy to choose a gift for someone if you don't know exactly what to buy, because there are several options under the same roof. I enjoy going window shopping and look for bargains, because regularly you can afford for them and you can get the best of both worlds, buying products of high quality by low prices. The last thing I bought was a beautiful dress on sale with 40% off. On the other hand, in the shopping mall, you can find leisure spaces too, such as a playground, movie theater and several alternatives to eat, such as restaurants, fast food as Burger king or cafes.
I often go to the shopping mall near my house. There are many stores there which offer different items.
I particularly enjoy browsing the aisles of the tool section in the shopping center. I like looking at the items on display, but I also like the demonstrations. It also gives me ideas for the DIY projects I have to do at home.
Hi every one:
Actually, I don't enjoy shopping, but I find interesting going in to the markets, and find out the diferent types of products that are in, amazing!!, is another culture, another world (just to know, not to buy it).
Definitely, buy books in the book store, is my passion.
Hi rgc,
I can relate to your passion about buying books in a bookshop. I love wandering down all the aisles and flicking through the pages of new books. And finding one that I want to buy.
What was the last book that you bought? Do you remember? The last time I was in a bookshop I actually bought a book voucher for my son. For every birthday I always try to buy him a book or a book voucher.
~ Tina ツ
Hi everyone!
I also love buying books in bookshops, but sometimes I buy them online when there are good prices. Sometimes I get disappointed becouse the letters are too small, but it's okey when it's on sale.
The last book I bought was "Don Quijote de la Mancha" from a beautiful Penguin edition, I haven't read it yet because I'm reading other books.
It's really sweet that you give for your son a book for every birthday, that's such a nice gift!
Best regards,
Angela
I often go to the supermarket near my home every weekend. I really enjoy that time because it’s my chance to go out, as I’m quite an introverted person and usually go straight home after work. I usually buy fresh food such as meat, seafood, and organic vegetables. I prefer supermarkets to open-air markets because they have better hygiene standards, which makes me feel more confident about the food I buy.
As you, I also go to the supermarket every week, to buy fruits and vegetables, buy sometimes at the open-air markets we can find fresher vegetables. NILDETE - BRAZIL
Hi friends,
my favorite store is clothing store because i love finding unique and beautiful clothes
Hi guys!
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Hi everyone,
My favourite shop is a small clothes shop in Bologna. I like their clothes because they are nice and colourful, but not too expensive. The last thing I bought was a beautiful grey and pink shoulder bag.
My favorite shop is local market in my town. My wife and I sometimes go there to purchase some fruits and vegetables. I believe that they are so fresh. In addition, I really enjoy going window in Decathlon where we can see a lot of sport tools like bike, shoes, fishing tools and else. I bought a mountain bike there last time. I've always like to have a boat. So If I could afford this, I would buy it.
Shopping is a lavish activity for me, so I fully enjoy the event along with my family, whenever possible. Monthly grocery is a regular activity and its done from departmental stores like Spar, Metro or sometimes from a local chain. But when it's about family gala, taking advantage of synergy, we spread in our favourite sections. My wife and her mother visits crockery stalls and clothing, my daughter likes stationery section, my little one explore sports items and chocolates and I, myself, visit electronics, music systems and sometimes perfumes, shirts and shoe stores.
I can't identify any specific favourite place for shopping, it actually depends upon my internal environment and mood. Sometimes I choose old architecture, an old place/hotel to sit quietly and have a cup of coffee. Sometimes it could be a road side "dhaba" to have an omelette and dry bread (specially while travelling on the highway) to the nearby cities, the irresistible smell of boiling milk and tea, cease the tyres and urge to halt-on. In rainy season I look for nearby shops to collect all necessary things quickly, like candles, dry milk, matchbox, some extra dry meals and bread/ butter.
When it comes some official engagement, I don't prefer economical and I go for A class shopping. Usually it's not planned, actually once in a blue moon but it's worthwhile. I am a bonafide customer of a few local brands. The major advantage to shop from these prominent entities is a vibrant and spacious window display, so normally it's a quick job.
Quaid
November 1st, 2025.
Hi Quaid,
Thanks for your comment! I liked reading about your shopping habits! It sounds as if you and your family really enjoy a good day out at the shops :-)
Best wishes,
Jo (LearnEnglish team)
Hi everyone
Actually I'm not really into shopping but I like to go to technology stores when you can find the most modern devices and have a good look on what new and trendy in the field of technology
I like online shopping. I always buy books from the Net. I’m interested in reading books. I bought books two days ago.
One of my favourite shops is beauty shop. They offer myriad of cosmetic types: from foundation to blush to lipstick. What I like about them is the fact these shops remain fragrant and vibrant all the time. The last thing I have bought was a skincare product necessary for day today wear which was Sunscreen.
Hi everyone,
my favourite shop is Mydin supermarket cause there so much easy to access necessities which is fresh food like fish, clothing, shoes, personal items and etc. I like that supermarket cause they sell in wholesale price. Lastly, I buy rice to eat with my family.
Hi guys,
My favorite type of shop is hardware. I realy like it because you can find a lot of quality tools and you can also find inspiration for new projects.