A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "Can i return this" in French
Ask to return an item in a French shop with this polite and standard phrase.
Puis-je le retourner ?
pweeZH luh ruh-turn-AYneutral
French TTS · 0:01
Use this when you've bought something and realized it's not right, or it's faulty. Approach the sales assistant at the counter where you paid.
Alternatives
- Je peux le retourner ?Slightly more casual, but still very common and acceptable.
- Est-ce que je peux le retourner ?A more formal sentence structure, but also perfectly fine.
Ways to get it wrong
Pronouncing 'puis-je'
The 's' in 'puis' is pronounced, and the 'je' links smoothly.
Forgetting 'le'
You need to specify 'le' (it) to refer to the item you want to return.
Silent 's' in 'retourner'
The final 'er' in 'retourner' is pronounced like 'ay', not with a silent 'r'.
A small cultural note
While this phrase is standard, French shops often have a strict policy on returns, especially for items that are not faulty. It's always good to check the receipt or ask about the return policy before buying.
The same phrase in other languages
Frequently asked
How to say can I return this in French?
The most standard way is 'Puis-je le retourner ?'. You can also use the slightly more casual 'Je peux le retourner ?'.
What does 'retourner' mean?
'Retourner' means 'to return' an item. 'Le' refers to the item itself.
Is it easy to return things in France?
It depends on the shop and their policy; non-faulty items might be harder to return than in some other countries. Always check the policy or your receipt.
