# Shopping and money in Esperanto: prices, paying, banks

Source: https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/shopping-money/
Language: en
Updated: 2026-10-11

> Esperanto shopping words: aĉeti, vendi, pagi, kosti. Prices take -n (kostas dek eŭrojn). Plus banks, currencies (eŭro, eno) and a market dialogue.

To buy in Esperanto is ***aĉeti***, to sell ***vendi***, to pay ***pagi*** and to cost ***kosti***. A shop is a ***vendejo*** or ***butiko***, the price is the ***prezo*** and money is ***mono***. A price after *kosti* takes the ending *-n*: *Ĝi kostas dek du eŭrojn* – "It costs twelve euros." Pronunciation guides split words into syllables, with the stressed syllable in capitals.

## Shops and markets

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| shop, store | *vendejo* | ven-DE-jo | ReVo: a place for selling and buying; today it suggests a building or website |
| shop (on the street) | *butiko* | bu-TI-ko | ReVo: usually on the ground floor, selling retail |
| supermarket | *superbazaro*, *supervendejo* | su-per-ba-ZA-ro, su-per-ven-DE-jo | a big shop with a wide range of goods |
| department store | *ĉiovendejo* | ĉi-o-ven-DE-jo | "all-shop". *Magazeno* is a warehouse or a large shop, not a magazine |
| market, bazaar | *bazaro* | ba-ZA-ro | a hall or open-air place with many stalls |
| pharmacy | *apoteko* | a-po-TE-ko | where medicines are prepared and sold |
| bakery | *bakejo* | ba-KE-jo | where baked goods are made or sold |
| online shop | *retbutiko* | ret-bu-TI-ko | *reto* "net" + *butiko* |
| to go shopping | *butikumi* | bu-ti-KU-mi | ReVo: to visit shops to make various purchases |

Shop names follow one pattern: what is sold + *-vendejo*, as in *libr·o·vend·ej·o*. The suffix *-ej-* means "place" and *-ist-* a person who does something, so *vendisto* is a seller and *butikisto* a shopkeeper. See [word building](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/word-building/), [suffixes](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/suffixes/) and [jobs and work](https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/jobs-work/). Clothes, sizes and fitting-room phrases are on the [clothes](https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/clothes/) page, and quick shopping phrases for trips are on the [travel](https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/travel/) page.

## Buying, selling and paying

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| buy | *aĉeti* | a-ĈE-ti | *aĉeti de iu* "buy from someone" |
| sell | *vendi* | VEN-di | *vendi al iu* "sell to someone" |
| pay | *pagi* | PA-gi | *pagi por la libro* "pay for the book" |
| cost | *kosti* | KOS-ti | the price takes *-n*, see below |
| be worth | *valori* | va-LO-ri | *valori dek eŭrojn* "be worth ten euros" |
| price | *prezo* | PRE-zo | |
| discount | *rabato* | ra-BA-to | *fari rabaton* "give a discount" (ReVo) |
| receipt | *kvitanco* | kvi-TAN-co | ReVo: written proof of payment |
| cash desk, checkout | *kaso* | KA-so | *ĉe la kaso* "at the checkout" |
| cashier | *kasisto* | ka-SIS-to | *kaso* + *-isto* |
| customer | *kliento* | kli-EN-to | a regular buyer of a shop or firm |
| shopping bag | *aĉetsako* | a-ĉet-SA-ko | |
| shopping trolley | *aĉetĉareto* | a-ĉet-ĉa-RE-to | *ĉareto* "small cart" |
| wallet, purse | *monujo* | mo-NU-jo | *mono* + *-uj-* "container" |
| change (money back) | *restmono* | rest-MO-no | "rest-money" |
| tip | *trinkmono* | trink-MO-no | "drink-money" |
| expensive | *multekosta* | mul-te-KOS-ta | "much-costing" |
| cheap | *malmultekosta*, *malkara* | mal-mul-te-KOS-ta, mal-KA-ra | *mal-* gives the opposite |

*Kara* also means "dear, beloved", and ReVo labels its sense "expensive" archaic. ReVo also marks *pagi la manĝon* "pay the meal" as better avoided and suggests *pripagi la manĝon*; the plain form is *pagi por la manĝo*.

## How prices work in a sentence

A price is a measure, like a length or a weight, and a measure after a verb takes *-n*. The reference grammar PMEG explains the Fundamento sentence *Kvar metroj da tiu ĉi ŝtofo kostas naŭ frankojn* "four metres of this cloth cost nine francs": *naŭ frankojn* is a measuring complement that shows the cost, not an object. ReVo agrees and marks *kosti* as intransitive. Number words never change; the noun after them takes *-j* from *du* upwards, and *-n* for the price. See [the accusative](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/accusative/), [numbers](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/numbers/) and the [number converter](https://esperantopedia.org/tools/numbers/).

| Esperanto | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| *Kiom kostas unu kilogramo da pomoj?* | How much is a kilogram of apples? | *da* joins an amount to the thing measured |
| *Ili kostas du eŭrojn kaj kvindek cendojn.* | They cost 2.50 euros. | both nouns take *-n* |
| *La libro valoras dek eŭrojn.* | The book is worth ten euros. | PMEG: *valori* also takes a measure |
| *Mi pagis dek eŭrojn por la libro.* | I paid ten euros for the book. | money is the object, the goods follow *por* |
| *Mi aĉetis ĝin por dek eŭroj.* | I bought it for ten euros. | after *por* the price has no *-n* |
| *Mi pagis per kreditkarto.* | I paid by credit card. | *per* "by means of" |
| *Mi pagos kontante.* | I will pay cash. | *kontante* "in cash" |
| *Tiu ŝtofo kostas po dek eŭrojn por metro.* | That cloth costs ten euros a metre. | *po* stands before the amount |

PMEG warns against *kostas dek eŭrojn po metro*: *po* belongs before the sum that repeats. PMEG also suggests *por* for clear buying and selling and *kontraŭ* for other exchanges, but says the line is often blurred; ReVo uses both for sales.

## Banks and money

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| bank | *banko* | BAN-ko | a branch is a *bankejo* |
| bank account | *bankkonto* | bank-KON-to | savings account: *ŝparkonto* |
| cash machine, ATM | *bankaŭtomato*, *monaŭtomato* | ban-kaŭ-to-MA-to, mo-naŭ-to-MA-to | ReVo lists both, plus *elpagaŭtomato* |
| credit card | *kreditkarto* | kre-dit-KAR-to | bank card: *bankokarto*. A debit card is *debetkarto* in a text quoted by ReVo |
| coin | *monero* | mo-NE-ro | |
| banknote | *monbileto* | mon-bi-LE-to | ReVo marks *banknoto* as better avoided |
| deposit | *deponi* | de-PO-ni | |
| withdraw | *elpreni* | el-PRE-ni | *elpreni monon el la bankaŭtomato* |
| save (money) | *ŝpari* | ŜPA-ri | savings: *ŝparaĵoj* |
| lend, borrow | *prunti* | PRUN-ti | see below |
| interest | *interezo* | in-te-RE-zo | |
| owe | *ŝuldi* | ŜUL-di | debt: *ŝuldo* |
| salary | *salajro* | sa-LAJ-ro | |

*Prunti* works in both directions, and ReVo gives both senses: *Mi pruntis al li monon* is "I lent him money", *Mi pruntis monon de amiko* "I borrowed money from a friend". For clarity use *pruntedoni* "lend" and *pruntepreni* "borrow"; ReVo lists both and calls the two-word spelling (*prunte doni*) more regular. The loan itself is a *prunto*.

## Currencies

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| euro | *eŭro* | EŬ-ro | ReVo: *Ĝi kostas dek eŭrojn kaj kvindek cendojn* |
| dollar | *dolaro* | do-LA-ro | USA, Canada, Australia, Singapore and others |
| pound sterling | *pundo* | PUN-do | *funto* is the weight, about half a kilogram |
| yen | *eno* | E-no | not *jeno*, which means "the following" |
| ruble | *rublo* | RU-blo | Russia and Belarus |
| zloty | *zloto* | ZLO-to | Poland; plural *zlotoj* |
| franc | *franko* | FRAN-ko | Switzerland, several African states and, formerly, Belgium, France and Luxembourg |
| yuan | *juano* | ju-A-no | China |

A country's money is its *valuto* "currency"; a unit of money is a *monunuo*. Names are ordinary lower-case nouns: *unu dolaro*, *dek dolaroj*, *dek dolarojn* as a price. Subunits include *cendo* "cent", *penco* "penny" and *kopeko* "kopeck" (a hundredth of a ruble). The yen is spelled like *eno* "interior", so only the context tells them apart.

**The spesmilo.** Esperanto once had its own money. The *spesmilo* (₷) was proposed in 1907 by René de Saussure and used before World War I, mainly through the Ĉekbanko Esperantista, an Esperanto cheque bank. One *spesmilo* was 1,000 *spesoj*, worth 0.733 g of pure gold or roughly half a US dollar. English Wikipedia calls it obsolete. PMEG quotes *Mia ringo valoras tri kaj duonon da spesmiloj* – "My ring is worth three and a half spesmilos."

## A conversation at the market

| Who | Esperanto | English |
|---|---|---|
| seller | *Bonan tagon! Kion vi deziras?* | Good day! What would you like? |
| buyer | *Bonan tagon. Kiom kostas unu kilogramo da pomoj?* | Hello. How much is a kilogram of apples? |
| seller | *Du eŭrojn kaj kvindek cendojn.* | Two euros fifty. |
| buyer | *Bone, mi aĉetos du kilogramojn. Ĉu vi havas ankaŭ pirojn?* | Fine, I'll buy two kilograms. Do you have pears too? |
| seller | *Jes, ili estas pli malmultekostaj: ili kostas unu eŭron kaj kvindek cendojn.* | Yes, they are cheaper: one euro fifty. |
| buyer | *Mi prenos unu kilogramon.* | I'll take one kilogram. |
| seller | *Ĉio kune kostas ses eŭrojn kaj kvindek cendojn.* | Altogether that is 6.50 euros. |
| buyer | *Jen dudek eŭroj.* | Here are twenty euros. |
| seller | *Dankon. Jen via restmono: dek tri eŭroj kaj kvindek cendoj.* | Thanks. Here is your change: 13.50 euros. |
| buyer | *Dankon. Ĉu mi povas ricevi kvitancon?* | Thank you. May I have a receipt? |
| seller | *Certe. Ĝis revido!* | Of course. Goodbye! |

## Common questions

### How do you say "How much does it cost?" in Esperanto?

*Kiom kostas ĝi?* (KI-om KOS-tas ĝi). To name the thing, put it after the verb: *Kiom kostas la pomoj?* – "How much are the apples?" The answer has *-n*: *Ili kostas du eŭrojn.*

### Does the price take -n after kosti?

Yes: *Ĝi kostas dek eŭrojn*. PMEG calls this *-n* a measuring complement, not an object, and ReVo marks *kosti* as intransitive. After *esti* or *por* the price has no *-n*: *La prezo estas dek eŭroj*, *por dek eŭroj*.

### What is the difference between butiko and vendejo?

Both mean "shop". ReVo defines *butiko* as a street-level shop selling retail, and *vendejo* as any place for selling and buying. A market with stalls is a *bazaro*; ReVo says *merkato* is never a place, only the market in the economic sense.

### What is the yen in Esperanto?

*Eno*, as in *Ĝi kostas cent enojn* – "It costs a hundred yen" (the word is in ReVo and Esperanto Wikipedia; ReVo's own example is *ĉiu telero kostas 100 enojn*). *Jeno* is a different word, meaning "the following".

### Is there an Esperanto currency?

Historically yes: the *spesmilo*, proposed in 1907 and used before World War I. English Wikipedia describes it as obsolete.

## Sources

- [ReVo: vendi, vendejo, ĉiovendejo, butikumi](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/vend.html), [butiko, butikisto, retbutiko](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/butik.html), [bazaro, superbazaro](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/bazar.html), [merkato](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/merkat.html), [magazeno](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/magaze.html)
- [ReVo: apoteko](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/apotek.html), [bakejo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/bak.html), [librovendejo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/libr.html), [aĉeti](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/acxet.html), [aĉetsako](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/sak.html), [ĉaro, aĉetĉareto](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/cxar1.html)
- [ReVo: pagi](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/pag.html), [kosti](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/kost.html), [valori](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/valor.html), [prezo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/prez.html), [rabato](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/rabat.html), [kvitanco](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/kvitan.html), [kaso, kasisto](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/kas.html), [kliento](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/klient.html), [kara](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/kar.html)
- [ReVo: mono, monero, monujo, restmono, trinkmono](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/mon.html), [monunuo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/unu.html), [kontante](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/kontan.html), [kreditkarto, bankokarto](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/kart.html), [debetkarto](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/debet.html), [bankkonto, ŝparkonto](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/kont.html), [bankaŭtomato, monaŭtomato](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/auxtom.html), [banknoto](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/not.html)
- [ReVo: banko, bankejo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/bank.html), [deponi](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/depon.html), [ŝpari](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/sxpar.html), [prunti](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/prunt.html), [interezo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/intere1.html), [ŝuldi](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/sxuld.html), [salajro](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/salajr.html), [valuto](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/valut.html)
- [ReVo: eŭro](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/euxr.html), [dolaro](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/dolar.html), [pundo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/pund.html), [eno (yen)](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/en1.html), [eno (interior)](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/en.html), [rublo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/rubl.html), [zloto](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/zlot.html), [franko](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/frank.html), [juano](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/juan.html), [cendo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/cend.html), [penco](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/penc.html), [kopeko](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/kopek.html), [speso, spesmilo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/spes.html)
- [PMEG: N-finaĵo por mezuro (kostas naŭ frankojn, valoras … spesmiloj)](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/rolmontriloj/n/mezuro.html)
- PMEG: [por](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/rolmontriloj/rolvortetoj/aliaj_rolvortetoj/por.html), [per](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/rolmontriloj/rolvortetoj/aliaj_rolvortetoj/per.html), [po](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/rolmontriloj/rolvortetoj/aliaj_rolvortetoj/po.html), [kontraŭ](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/rolmontriloj/rolvortetoj/lokaj_rolvortetoj/kontrau.html)
- [Wikipedia: Spesmilo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spesmilo), [Vikipedio: Spesmilo](https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spesmilo), [Wikipédia: Spesmilo](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spesmilo)
- [Vikipedio: Japana eno](https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japana_eno)