Japanese Shopping Phrases

Asking the price

Two questions and three judgments — enough to navigate any price tag in Japan.

1. 1 これはいくらですか。 kore wa ikura desu ka — How much is this?
2. 2 ぜんぶでいくらですか。 zenbu de ikura desu ka — How much altogether?
3. 3 たかい takai — Expensive
4. 4 やすい yasui — Cheap
5. 5 たかすぎます takasugimasu — It's too expensive

Deals and discounts

Haggling isn't the culture in Japan, but discounts absolutely are — you just have to ask whether one exists.

1. 6 もっとやすいのはありますか motto yasui no wa arimasu ka — Is there a cheaper one?
2. 7 わりびき waribiki — Discount
3. 8 がくせいわりびきはありますか gakusei waribiki wa arimasu ka — Is there a student discount?
4. 9 むりょう muryou — Free of charge

Sizes, colors and trying on

Clothing-store survival: sizes run smaller than Western ones, so the bigger-size question earns its keep fast.

1. 10 サイズ saizu — Size
2. 11 Mサイズはありますか emu saizu wa arimasu ka — Do you have a medium?
3. 12 もっとおおきいサイズはありますか motto ookii saizu wa arimasu ka — Is there a bigger size?
4. 13 ほかのいろはありますか hoka no iro wa arimasu ka — Do you have other colors?
5. 14 しちゃくしてもいいですか shichaku shite mo ii desu ka — May I try this on?

Deciding and paying

The closing moves: commit, pay, and keep the receipt in case you change your mind.

1. 15 これをください。 kore o kudasai — I'll take this, please
2. 16 カードではらえますか kaado de haraemasu ka — Can I pay by card?
3. 17 げんきんではらいます genkin de haraimasu — I'll pay with cash
4. 18 レシートをください reshiito o kudasai — Receipt, please
5. 19 おつり otsuri — Change
6. 20 へんぴんはできますか henpin wa dekimasu ka — Can I return this?

In real life: paying at a small shop