Easy! Conversations in Japanese at convenience stores
2022.04.24
- Q. When I buy something at a convenience store, a staff asks me several questions in Japanese. I sometimes can’t understand what they say. Also, I don’t know how to answer them.
- A. Customers are asked various kinds of questions by staffs of convenience store in Japanese. Let’s learn about the questions and how to answer them.
- いらっしゃいませ
(Irassyaimase) Welcome!
→When you enter a convenience store, firstly you hear this word. This is just a greeting.
2. お次の方どうぞ
(Otsugi no kata douzo) Next in line, please./ Next person, please.
→When you are waiting in a line to make a payment, you will hear this word. When you are at the top of the line and hear this word, please go to the cashier who is raising his/her hand.
3. ポイントカードはお持ちですか？/ポイントカードはよろしいですか？
(Point card wa omochi desuka?/Point card wa yoroshii desuka?) Do you have a point card?
→When you pay at the casher, you are always asked this question. If you don’t have any point cards which can be used at the convenience store, you say 「ありません(Arimasen) I don’t have it.」. If you have it, you can say 「お願いします(Onegaisimasu) Here you are.」and show it to a cashier.
4. 年齢確認ボタンを押してください
(Nenrei kakuninn button wo oshite kudasai) Please push the age verification button.
→When you buy alcohol or tobacco, cashier will ask you to push the age verification button. You do not have to answer this word. Please just push the button which is shown on the screen.
5. こちらは温めますか？
(Kochira wa atatamemasuka?) Would you like it warmed up?
→When you buy boxed lunch or pasta, you are asked this question. If you want cashier to warm up your food, you can say「はい、お願いします。(Hai, onegai shimasu.) Yes, please.」.If you do not want to cashier to warm up your food, you can say「いいえ、大丈夫です。(Iie daijoubudesu.)No, thank you.」.
6. かしこまりました。少々お待ちください。
(Kashikomarimasita. Shoushou omachi kudasai.) Certainly. Please wait a moment.
→When you answer yes to the previous question, you are told like this.
7. お待たせいたしました
(Omataseitashimashita.) Thank you for waiting.
→After finishing warming up your food, the cashier will say this word. You don’t have to answer this word.
8. ○○はお使いになりますか？
(○○wa otsukaini narimasuka?) Do you need ○○？
→○○ can be spoons, forks, chopsticks or straws. When you need them, you can say 「はい、お願いします。(Hai, onegaishimasu.)Yes, please.」. When you don’t need them, you can say「いいえ、大丈夫です。(Iie, daijoubudesu.) No, thank you.」.
9. 袋はお分けしますか？
(Fukuro wa owake shimasuka?) Would you like to put hot items and cold items into different plastic bags？
→When you buy cold items and warm items at the same time, you are asked this question. If you want to separate cold ones and warm ones, you can say 「はい、お願いします。(Hai, onegaishimasu.) Yes, please.」.If you don’t mind, you can say 「いいえ、大丈夫です。(Iie, daijoubudesu.) No, thank you.」.
10. 袋にお入れしますか？
(Fukuro ni oireshimasuka?) Do you need a plastic bag?
→If you need a plastic bag, you can say 「はい、お願いします。(Hai, onegaishimasu.) Yes, please.」.If you don’t need it, you can say「いいえ、大丈夫です。(Iie, daijoubudesu.) No, thank you.」.A plastic bag costs 3~5 yen.
11. シールでよろしいでしょうか?/このままでよろしいでしょうか？
(Shi-ru de yoroshii deshouka?/Konomama de yoroshii deshouka?) Can I put a tape here to show you have paid?
→This question also ask you whether you need a plastic bag or not. When you say「大丈夫です。(daijoubudesu.)No problem.」, the cashier will put a tape on what you buy and you will not get a plastic bag. If you say 「袋をお願いします。(Fukuro wo onegaishimasu.)Can I have a plastic bag, please?」, you will get a plastic bag.
12. レシートはよろしいですか？
(Reshi-to wa yoroshiidesuka?) Do you need a receipt?
→After making a payment, you will be asked whether you need a receipt or not. If you need it, you can say 「お願いします。(Onegaishimasu.) Yes, please.」. If you don’t need it, you can say 「大丈夫です。(Daijoubudesu.)No, thank you.」.
- Please also refer to the following page.
Easy to remember! Conversations in Japanese at restaurants
https://social-b.net/baiyu/en/restaurant20220501en/
Tips for buying foods cheaper at a supermarket
https://social-b.net/baiyu/en/supermarket0903en/
- If you have further inquiries, please feel free to ask questions from the link below.