What the Konbini Cashier Is Asking You (and What to Say)
The questions a Japanese convenience store cashier asks, roughly in order, with simple replies. Covers heating food, chopsticks, bags, point cards, eating in and paying.
Konbini cashiers ask the same handful of questions every time, in roughly the same order, and faster than you'd like. Plenty of visitors just nod at all of them and hope for the best. About ten phrases is enough to actually answer.
If you miss one, すみません、もう一度お願いします (sumimasen, mou ichido onegai shimasu) means "sorry, once more please". You'll usually get it again, slower.
This one is a bento paid for by card. Buy a bottle of water and you'll skip half of it.
Staff
いらっしゃいませ。
Irasshaimase.
Welcome.
Staff
お弁当、温めますか？
Obentou, atatamemasu ka?
Shall I heat up your bento?
You
はい、お願いします。
Hai, onegai shimasu.
Yes, please.
Staff
お箸はおつけしますか？
Ohashi wa otsuke shimasu ka?
Would you like chopsticks?
You
はい、一膳お願いします。
Hai, ichizen onegai shimasu.
Yes, one pair please.
Staff
袋はご利用ですか？
Fukuro wa goriyou desu ka?
Do you need a bag?
You
大丈夫です。
Daijoubu desu.
I'm fine (no thanks).
Staff
ポイントカードはお持ちですか？
Pointo kaado wa omochi desu ka?
Do you have a point card?
You
持っていません。
Motte imasen.
I don't have one.
Staff
七百二十円になります。
Nanahyaku nijuu en ni narimasu.
That comes to 720 yen.
You
カードでお願いします。
Kaado de onegai shimasu.
By card, please.
Staff
ありがとうございました。
Arigatou gozaimashita.
Thank you very much.
The questions, one by one
Roughly in the order they come up, with a reply or two for each.
You hear
いらっしゃいませ
irasshaimase
Welcome (to the shop)
You say
—
Nothing. Staff say it to everyone who comes in, and customers don't usually answer.
You hear
温めますか？
atatamemasu ka?
Shall I heat it up?
You'll get this with bento, pasta and fried food. If you say yes, step aside while it's in the microwave so they can serve the next person.
You say
はい、お願いします。
hai, onegai shimasu
Yes, please.
いいえ、大丈夫です。
iie, daijoubu desu
No, that's fine.
You hear
お箸はおつけしますか？
ohashi wa otsuke shimasu ka?
Shall I add chopsticks?
The same pattern comes with スプーン (supuun, spoon) or フォーク (fooku, fork).
You say
はい、お願いします。
hai, onegai shimasu
Yes, please.
いりません。
irimasen
I don't need them.
You hear
袋はご利用ですか？
fukuro wa goriyou desu ka?
Will you use a bag?
Bags have cost a few yen since July 2020, which is why they always ask. Sometimes it's レジ袋 (rejibukuro) instead of 袋.
You say
お願いします。
onegai shimasu
Yes, please.
大丈夫です。
daijoubu desu
No thanks.
You hear
ポイントカードはお持ちですか？
pointo kaado wa omochi desu ka?
Do you have a point card?
You say
持っていません。
motte imasen
I don't have one.
大丈夫です。
daijoubu desu
No thanks.
You hear
店内でお召し上がりですか？
tennai de omeshiagari desu ka?
Will you be eating in the store?
They're not being nosy. Eat-in food is taxed at 10% and takeaway at 8%, so the till needs to know.
You say
持ち帰りで。
mochikaeri de
To take away.
はい、店内で。
hai, tennai de
Yes, eating in.
You hear
画面のタッチをお願いします。
gamen no tacchi o onegai shimasu
Please touch the screen.
The screen may also say 年齢確認 (nenrei kakunin, age check).
You say
—
Just tap the button. With alcohol or cigarettes you have to confirm you're over 20 on the customer screen, and the button usually says はい (yes).
You hear
お支払い方法は？
oshiharai houhou wa?
How will you pay?
At a lot of konbini the staff scan your items but you pay at a little machine on your side of the counter. If they point at it and say あちらでお願いします (achira de onegai shimasu), that's what they mean.
You say
現金で。
genkin de
Cash.
カードで。
kaado de
Card.
交通系ICで。
koutsuukei aishii de
With a transit IC card (Suica, PASMO and so on).
You hear
千円のお預かりです。二百八十円のお返しです。
sen en no oazukari desu. nihyaku hachijuu en no okaeshi desu.
I've taken 1,000 yen. Here's your 280 yen change.
You say
ありがとうございます。
arigatou gozaimasu
Thank you.
You hear
レシートはご利用ですか？
reshiito wa goriyou desu ka?
Do you need the receipt?
You say
大丈夫です。
daijoubu desu
No thanks.
領収書をお願いします。
ryoushuusho o onegai shimasu
A formal receipt, please (for expenses).
About the keigo
Konbini staff speak keigo (敬語), the honorific register, and it's very scripted. Three patterns account for most of it:
お〜ですか wraps a verb into a polite question about you: お持ちですか (do you have?), お召し上がりですか (will you eat?).
ご利用ですか (goriyou desu ka), "will you use?", covers bags, receipts and point cards.
〜になります after a price just means "that's".
You don't answer in keigo. Ordinary です and ます is what customers use. Keigo starts turning up on the JLPT at around N4, and a konbini till is the most repetitive way to hear it.
Vocabulary
Japanese
Reading
Romaji
English
温める
あたためる
atatameru
to heat up
お箸
おはし
ohashi
chopsticks
袋
ふくろ
fukuro
bag
レジ袋
レジぶくろ
rejibukuro
plastic checkout bag
ポイントカード
ポイントカード
pointo kaado
point card
店内
てんない
tennai
inside the store
持ち帰り
もちかえり
mochikaeri
takeaway
年齢確認
ねんれいかくにん
nenrei kakunin
age check
支払い
しはらい
shiharai
payment
現金
げんきん
genkin
cash
お釣り
おつり
otsuri
change (money)
レシート
レシート
reshiito
receipt
領収書
りょうしゅうしょ
ryoushuusho
formal receipt
レジ
レジ
reji
till, checkout
Test yourself
Flashcards
Tap a card to flip it, and press the speaker button to hear it. For longer listening practice, try the shopping test.