French Phrase
Ça coûte combien au Canada ?
Meaning
This question asks for the price of something when you are in Canada. It is the informal, spoken way to inquire about cost, suitable for a shop, a restaurant, or a conversation with a local.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are traveling in Canada, comparing prices online, or simply curious about how expensive a product or service is in the Canadian market. It works in both French‑speaking regions (like Quebec) and with French‑speaking staff abroad.
✦Grammar Breakdown
ÇacoûtecombienauCanada?
Ça (demonstrative pronoun)
‘Ça’ is the informal spoken form of ‘cela’, used here to refer to the item whose price you’re asking about.
coûte (verb)
Third‑person singular present of ‘coûter’ – ‘to cost’. It agrees with the implied subject ‘ça’.
combien (interrogative adverb)
Used to ask ‘how much?’. It follows the verb when the verb already expresses the notion of price.
au = à + le
The preposition ‘à’ (to/at) contracts with the definite article ‘le’ to form ‘au’, meaning ‘in’ or ‘at’ a place.
Canada (proper noun)
Country name; no article is needed in French when it follows a preposition.
🗨In Conversation
Ça coûte combien au Canada ?
How much does it cost in Canada?
Environ 30 dollars canadiens pour une tasse de café.
About 30 Canadian dollars for a cup of coffee.
✕Common Mistakes
C’est combien au Canada ?
‘C’est combien’ asks the price of a specific item you’re pointing at, while ‘Ça coûte combien’ is more general and grammatically matches the verb ‘coûter’.
Ça coûte combien au le Canada ?
‘Au’ already includes the article ‘le’; adding another ‘le’ is redundant.
Combien ça coûte au Canada ?
The order is acceptable in very informal speech, but the standard spoken form places ‘combien’ after the verb: ‘Ça coûte combien…’.
↔Alternatives
Quel est le prix au Canada ?
What is the price in Canada?
C’est combien au Canada ?
How much is it in Canada?
Combien ça coûte au Canada ?
How much does it cost in Canada?
Cultural Tip
Canada is officially bilingual, but French is predominantly spoken in Quebec and some parts of New Brunswick. When you ask a price in French, locals will appreciate the effort, especially in Quebec where many shopkeepers are used to hearing both French and English. Remember that prices are usually quoted in Canadian dollars (CAD), not euros or US dollars.