(Japanese Phrases) Convenience Store Edition
When lining up at the cash register in Japanese convenience stores, you’ll often get asked lots of questions by the staff. If you know the following phrases, then you’ll be able to smoothly navigate through this ordeal! This time, we introduce some Japanese phrases that will come in useful at convenience stores.
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Below is an explanation using images and text. You'll be able to learn about stuff that isn't in the video, so please check it it out!
いらっしゃいませ。 [Irasshaimase]
いらっしゃいませ。 [Irasshaimase]
Welcome!
This is a familiar phrase that we've introduced many times before.
It is a greeting used to express the feeling of welcoming someone else. You'll often hear it when entering a shop or lining up at a cash register.
こちらをあたためますか。 [Kochira wo atatamemasuka?]
こちらをあたためますか。 [Kochira wo atatamemasuka?]
Do you want this microwaved?
はい。 [Hai.] ⇔ いいえ。[Iie]
Yes. ⇔ No.
Excluding cold dishes like salads, when you buy something like bento (boxed lunches), you will get asked if you'd like your purchase to be microwaved.
In Japan, bento - including the ones at convenience stores - are made to be eaten cold, so there's no actual need to heat them up. However, microwaving them makes them taste more delicious!
お箸をお付けしますか。 [Ohashi wo otsukeshimasuka?]
お箸をお付けしますか。 [Ohashi wo otsukeshimasuka?]
Do you want chopsticks?
はい。 [Hai.]
Yes.
You'll hear this when purchasing bento, salads, cup noodles, and other dishes.
Some customers have their own chopsticks and don't need disposable chopsticks, which is why the staff ask this question. Sometimes, the staff will just stick chopsticks into your bag without asking anything.
スプーンをお付けしますか。 [Supun wo otsukeshimasuka?]
スプーンをお付けしますか。 [Supun wo otsukeshimasuka?]
Do you want a spoon?
はい。 [Hai.]
Yes.
You'll hear this when buying things like pudding, yogurt, ice cream, and gratin.
ストローをお付けしますか。 [Sutoro wo otsukeshimasuka?]
ストローをお付けしますか。 [Sutoro wo otsukeshimasuka?]
Do you want a straw?
はい。 [Hai.]
Yes.
You'll hear this question when buying drinks in paper packaging that are 500ml - 1l in volume.
袋にお入れしますか。 [Fukuro ni oireshimasuka?]
袋にお入れしますか。 [Fukuro ni oireshimasuka?]
Do you want me to put this into a bag?
はい。 [Hai.]
Yes.
Many customers strive to be eco-friendly, so they'll refuse to use plastic bags when buying small items or bottled drinks, which is why this question is asked.
袋をお分けしますか。 [Fukuro wo owakeshimasuka?]
袋をお分けしますか。 [Fukuro wo owakeshimasuka?]
Do you want me to separate these into different bags?
はい。 [Hai.]
Yes.
Buying lots of things means that the bag will be heavy, which is why the staff will ask if you want to separate your purchases into different bags.
You'll also get asked this when buying hot and cold items, as well as when you buy cold things - like cold bottled drinks - that could drench your other purchases (especially newspapers or magazines) later on in the day.
このままで宜しいですか。 [Konomamade yoroshidesuka?]
このままで宜しいですか。 [Konomamade yoroshidesuka?]
Are you sure you don't need a bag?
はい。 [Hai.]
Yes.
You'll get asked this when buying small items or bottled drinks. This confirms that you don't need to put your purchase in a plastic bag. It's normal for them to add sticky tape with the store's logo to the item as proof of purchase.
ポイントカードは宜しいですか。 [Pointokado wa yoroshiidesuka?]
ポイントカードは宜しいですか。 [Pointokado wa yoroshiidesuka?]
Do you want to use your point card?
大丈夫です。[Daijoubudesu.]
No, I don't.
For stores that use point cards, they'll ask if you want the points made from your purchase to be added to the card.
大丈夫 [Daijoubu] originally meant that something was certain, and that nothing was wrong. Lately, however, it's been used to express people's need for something, or whether something is possible or not. Depending on the situation, its meaning changes.
レシートは宜しいですか。 [Reshito wa yoroshiidesuka?]
レシートは宜しいですか。 [Reshito wa yoroshiidesuka?]
Do you want your receipt?
大丈夫です。[Daijoubudesu.]
No thanks, I don't need it.
Most places will normally hand you a receipt, but you may get asked this if the receipt's still printing or the line's getting long. If you don't need it, there's a place near the cash register to throw it away.
年齢確認ボタンを押してください。 [Nenrei kakunin botan wo oshitekudasai.]
年齢確認ボタンを押してください。 [Nenrei kakunin botan wo oshitekudasai.]
Please press the "age verification" button.
はい。 [Hai.]
Okay.
Japan's laws state that you must be 20 years old or above to smoke or drink alcohol. When purchasing either of these items, this button will be shown, and you have to press it to complete your purchase.
During lunch time and other busy times of the day, people will line up to pay for their purchases. There are symbols on the floor that show you where to line up, so please pay attention to them!
The information in this article is accurate at the time of publication.
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