Back to Situations

Discussing Occasion and Preferences

The florist asks about the specific occasion (e.g., birthday, anniversary, sympathy) and the customer describes their preferences regarding type of flowers, colors, and budget.

Dialogue

Listen and follow along with the conversation

1
Lisa (Female)
Hi there! Welcome to The Petal Place. What can I help you find today?
2
John (Male)
Hi Lisa. I'm looking for a special bouquet. It's my wife's birthday next week.
3
Lisa (Female)
Oh, how lovely! Happy early birthday to her. Do you have anything specific in mind, like her favorite flowers or colors?
4
John (Male)
She loves roses, especially pink or peach ones. And she's a big fan of lilies too. I'm hoping for something elegant, but not too over the top.
5
Lisa (Female)
Pink roses and lilies, got it. That's a beautiful combination. And what kind of budget are you working with today, if you don't mind me asking?
6
John (Male)
Around $70 to $80 perhaps? I'm open to suggestions if something really catches your eye.
7
Lisa (Female)
Perfect! With that budget, we can definitely create something stunning with lovely fresh roses and fragrant lilies. Let me show you a few options. We have some gorgeous 'Sweet Avalanche' roses right now.

Vocabulary

Essential words and phrases from the dialogue

bouquet

A bouquet is a bunch of flowers arranged together, often for gifts like birthdays. Use it when talking about buying flowers.

elegant

Elegant means stylish and graceful, not too flashy. It's useful for describing preferences in clothes, designs, or flowers.

over the top

Over the top means too much or excessive, like something too dramatic. Use it to politely say you want something simple.

budget

A budget is the amount of money you plan to spend. In shopping, ask or state your budget to get suitable options.

stunning

Stunning means very beautiful or impressive, often used to compliment something like flowers or outfits.

fragrant

Fragrant means having a pleasant smell. It's common when describing flowers or perfumes.

gorgeous

Gorgeous means extremely beautiful or attractive. Use it to praise something visually appealing, like flowers or people.

Key Sentences

Important phrases to remember and practice

What can I help you find today?

This is a polite shop greeting to start a conversation. It's useful for service workers; the question form invites the customer to explain their needs.

I'm looking for a special bouquet.

This states your purpose clearly. Use it when shopping for gifts; 'looking for' is a common phrase for expressing what you want.

Do you have anything specific in mind?

This asks for details about preferences. It's great for salespeople; 'in mind' means what someone is thinking or planning.

She loves roses, especially pink or peach ones.

This describes preferences using 'loves' for strong liking and 'especially' to highlight favorites. Useful for sharing details about others.

What kind of budget are you working with?

This politely asks about spending limit. 'Working with' means using or dealing with; add 'if you don't mind' to be courteous.

I'm open to suggestions.

This shows flexibility for advice. 'Open to' means willing to consider; use it in shopping to encourage recommendations.

Let me show you a few options.

This offers choices politely. 'Let me' suggests permission to help; useful in sales to guide customers to products.