When something you bought does not work, start by identifying the item and describing the problem. This fictional dialogue practises a request for an exchange and the shop’s next step. It does not set out legal rights or a real retailer’s policy. Pay attention to what is requested and what is actually agreed.
Read the shop exchange
| Καλημέρα. Αγόρασα αυτόν τον φορτιστή χθες, αλλά δεν λειτουργεί. | Good morning. I bought this charger yesterday, but it does not work. |
| Έχετε την απόδειξη; | Do you have the receipt? |
| Ναι, ορίστε. Μπορώ να τον αλλάξω; | Yes, here you are. Can I exchange it? |
| Ας τον ελέγξουμε πρώτα. | Let’s check it first. |
| Βεβαίως. | Of course. |
| Θα χρειαστούμε περίπου δέκα λεπτά. | We will need about ten minutes. |
| Εντάξει, θα περιμένω εδώ. | All right, I’ll wait here. |
Identify the item and the problem
Αγόρασα means “I bought”. Χθες means yesterday. Αυτόν τον φορτιστή identifies this charger, and δεν λειτουργεί says it does not work. The word-list form is ο φορτιστής; after αγόρασα, the object phrase uses αυτόν τον φορτιστή. Describe the fault you know rather than inventing a technical cause.
Recognise the receipt question
Έχετε την απόδειξη; asks whether you have the receipt. Ναι, ορίστε means “Yes, here you are”. Η απόδειξη is the noun with its article; την απόδειξη is the form used as the object here. The customer has a receipt in this exercise. The exchange does not explain what would happen without one.
Ask for a solution
Μπορώ να τον αλλάξω; asks “Can I exchange it?”. Τον refers to the masculine noun φορτιστής. It is not a form you can copy unchanged for every product. The employee replies Ας τον ελέγξουμε πρώτα — “Let’s check it first”. Πρώτα means first: the reply proposes a check, not an immediate exchange or refund.
Understand the next step
Θα χρειαστούμε περίπου δέκα λεπτά means “We will need about ten minutes”. Περίπου makes the time approximate. Θα περιμένω εδώ means “I’ll wait here”. The customer agrees to wait, but the dialogue ends before the check is finished. We do not know whether the charger will be exchanged, repaired or returned unchanged.
Check what was agreed
- What item did the customer buy, and when?
- Does the customer have the receipt?
- Does the shop immediately agree to an exchange?
- What does the customer agree to do next?
See the answers
1. A charger, yesterday. 2. Yes. 3. No; the shop proposes checking it first. 4. Wait there while the check takes place.
Practise a different purchase date
Repeat the first sentence, replacing χθες with την περασμένη εβδομάδα, last week. Then practise the receipt question and answer. Finish by asking Μπορώ να τον αλλάξω; and responding Ας τον ελέγξουμε πρώτα. Retell the conversation in your own language and keep the final outcome unknown: the exercise only establishes the next step.