Spanish Phrase
¿Esto está en oferta?
Meaning
The speaker is asking whether the item they are pointing at is being sold at a discounted price. It’s a polite, neutral way to inquire about a possible sale.
When to use
Use this question in shops, markets, or online stores when you want to know if a product is currently on sale. It works both in formal settings (e.g., a department store) and informal ones (e.g., a street market).
✦Grammar Breakdown
Estoestáenoferta
Esto (demonstrative pronoun)
Used to point to a specific object that is near the speaker; it functions as the subject of the sentence.
está (verb estar)
Third‑person singular of estar, used for temporary states or locations; here it links the subject with the condition ‘en oferta’.
en oferta (prepositional phrase)
Literally ‘in offer’; the set phrase used to indicate that an item is being sold at a reduced price.
🗨In Conversation
¿Esto está en oferta?
Is this on sale?
Sí, tiene un 20 % de descuento.
Yes, it has a 20 % discount.
✕Common Mistakes
¿Esto es en oferta?
Use ‘está’ (temporary state) instead of ‘es’ (essential characteristic).
¿Esto está oferta?
The preposition ‘en’ is required; ‘oferta’ alone sounds like a noun, not a condition.
¿Esto está en la oferta?
Avoid adding an extra article before ‘oferta’; the correct set phrase is ‘en oferta’, not ‘en la oferta’.
↔Alternatives
¿Esto tiene descuento?
Does this have a discount?
¿Hay oferta en esto?
Is there an offer on this?
¿Lo venden rebajado?
Do they sell it reduced?
Cultural Tip
In most Spanish‑speaking countries the phrase ‘en oferta’ is the standard way to talk about a sale. In some regions you’ll also hear ‘en rebaja’ or simply ‘rebajado’. When asking in a store, a friendly tone and a smile go a long way; vendors often respond with the exact discount percentage or suggest a similar item on promotion.