N4 · 40 words

Shopping

Buying, paying and the phrases heard at every till.

Shop Japanese is formal on one side of the counter and short on the other. Staff speak in set phrases that need no reply — いらっしゃいませ is not answered — while the customer gets by with a handful of short ones: これをください, これにします, and 大丈夫(だいじょうぶ)です with a small shake of the head when offered something you do not want. Much of what staff say is polite speech you will only need to recognise, such as 少々(しょうしょう)お待(ま)ちください.

The words

Verb (12)

買うto buyVerbN5

スーパーで牛乳(ぎゅうにゅう)を買(か)いました。I bought some milk at the supermarket.

売るto sellVerbN5

あの店(みせ)では古(ふる)い本(ほん)を売(う)っています。That shop sells second-hand books.

売れるto sell (well); to be soldVerbN4

この本(ほん)はよく売(う)れています。This book is selling well.

払うto payVerbN4

今日(きょう)は私(わたし)が払(はら)います。I'll pay today.

How you pay takes で: 現金(げんきん)で払(はら)う.

足りるto be enoughVerbN4

すみません、お金(かね)が少(すこ)し足(た)りません。Sorry, I'm a little short of money.

Mostly heard in the negative: 足(た)りない, not enough.

見せるto showVerbN5

すみません、その時計(とけい)を見(み)せてください。Excuse me, could you show me that watch?

探すto look forVerbN4

安(やす)いカメラを探(さが)しています。I'm looking for a cheap camera.

合うto fit; to suit; to matchVerbN4

この靴(くつ)はサイズが合(あ)いません。These shoes are not the right size.

Sounds like 会(あ)う, to meet, but is another word with its own kanji.

並ぶto queue; to line upVerbN4

レジの前(まえ)に人(ひと)がたくさん並(なら)んでいます。A lot of people are queuing at the till.

要るto needVerbN5

袋(ふくろ)は要(い)りません。I don't need a bag.

Sounds like いる, to be, but conjugates as a different verb: 要(い)ります, 要(い)らない.

取り替えるto exchange; to swapVerbN4

小(ちい)さかったので、大(おお)きいのと取(と)り替(か)えてもらいました。It was too small, so they changed it for a bigger one.

混むto be crowdedVerbN4

日曜日(にちようび)のスーパーはとても混(こ)んでいます。The supermarket is very crowded on Sundays.

Mostly in the ている form; also written 込(こ)む.

This list belongs to Shopping, money and services — seven lists and 280 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.