A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "Is this on sale" in Spanish
Learn how to ask if an item is on sale in Spanish with this helpful phrasebook entry featuring pronunciation, context, and common alternatives.
¿Está esto en oferta?
ehs-TAH EHS-toh ehn oh-FEHR-tahneutral
Spanish TTS · 0:01
Use this phrase when browsing a retail store, boutique, or market in Latin America and you want to know if a specific item has a discounted price. It is perfect when an item is placed near a sale sign but isn't clearly marked, or when you want to confirm a discount with a store clerk before heading to the register.
Alternatives
- ¿Tiene descuento?better when asking generally if a discount can be applied to an item
- ¿Está rebajado?better when referring to an item that looks like its price was recently marked down
- ¿Está en promoción?better when referring to store-wide deals or special marketing offers like buy-one-get-one
Ways to get it wrong
Using 'en venta' for 'on sale'
Saying 'en venta' literally means 'for sale' (available to buy), so use 'en oferta' instead to specify that it has a discounted price.
Dropping the opening question mark
Always include the inverted '¿' in written Spanish to signal the start of a question and maintain proper punctuation.
A small cultural note
In many Latin American supermarkets and department stores, prices are fixed, but asking if something is 'en oferta' is a standard way to check for unadvertised clearance. In informal open-air markets (tianguis or mercados), rather than asking if it's on sale, shoppers often negotiate directly by asking for a discount or a price reduction.
Frequently asked
how do you say is it on sale in spanish
The most common way to say it is '¿Está esto en oferta?'. You can also simply point to the item and ask '¿Tiene descuento?' to see if a discount applies.
difference between en oferta and en venta
'En oferta' means an item is discounted or on sale for a lower price. 'En venta' simply means the item is available for purchase and is not necessarily discounted.
how to ask for a discount in spanish politely
You can politely ask a vendor or clerk '¿Me podría hacer un descuento?' or '¿Es el mejor precio que me puede dar?'. This works well in informal markets but should generally be avoided in major retail chain stores.
