Latest / Learn Japanese with Fexingo / Japanese Convenience Store - Paying at Counter
Transcript
- Lucas: Welcome back to another small step in your Japanese journey. I am Lucas, and this is Learn Japanese with Fexingo. We are so glad you are here. Luna: And I am Luna! Hey everyone. Last time we were talking about laundry and dryers, which felt very necessary. But today? Today feels exciting. Lucas: It does. Because we are stepping into one of the most important places in Japanese daily life. The convenience store. Or konbini. Luna: Oh my gosh. I love konbinis. They have everything. Food, drinks, tickets, even batteries. It is like a magic box. Lucas: Exactly. And knowing just five phrases lets you do almost anything there. We are going to keep it simple. Just five key moments. Let us start with ordering food. Luna: Okay. So if I want an onigiri, a rice ball, what do I say? Lucas: Right. Here is the phrase. Listen closely. おにぎり、一つください. Luna: o ni gi ri... hitotsu... kudasai. O-nigiri, hitotsu kudasai. Lucas: Perfect. Onigiri, hitotsu kudasai. It literally means 'Rice ball, please give me one.' It is polite and direct. Luna: I like that. It feels easy. So, onigiri, hitotsu kudasai. If I want two? Lucas: You change the number. Ni-tsu. Onigiri, futatsu kudasai. But for now, let us stick to one. おにぎり、一つください. Say it again. Luna: O-nigiri, hitotsu kudasai. Got it. That was smooth. Lucas: Very smooth. Now, imagine you have your onigiri. You walk to the counter. What is the next thing you need to tell the cashier? Luna: I need to tell them I am paying right there. Not later. Lucas: Yes. In many countries, you might take items to a separate register. In Japan, you often just say you are paying at the counter where you picked them up. Luna: Okay. How do I say 'I will pay at the register'? Lucas: Here it is. レジで払います. Luna: Re-ji-de harai-masu. Reji de haraimasu. Lucas: Spot on. Reji de haraimasu. Reji means register or counter. Haraimasu comes from harau, which means to pay. So, 'At the register, I pay.' Luna: Reji de haraimasu. Simple. I can repeat that all day. Lucas: Good. Let us put them together. You pick up your onigiri. You walk over. You say: おにぎり、一つください. Then you add: レジで払います. Luna: O-nigiri, hitotsu kudasai. Reji de haraimasu. Wow. That sounds like I belong there. Lucas: You do. You sound very natural. But wait. Sometimes you are hungry on a cold night. You want your onigiri warm. Luna: Oh yes. A warm rice ball is the best. How do I ask for that? Lucas: You ask them to heat it in the microwave. Here is the phrase. 電子レンジで温めてください. Luna: Denshi renji de atatamete kudasai. Denshi renji de atatamete kudasai. Lucas: Excellent. Denshi renji de atatamete kudasai. Denshi renji is microwave. Atatamete is warm up. Kudasai is please. So, 'Please warm it up in the microwave.' Luna: Denshi renji de atatamete kudasai. I love saying that. It makes me feel fancy. Lucas: It does make you feel capable. Okay, final scenario. You buy something late at night. You wonder if the store closes soon. Luna: Right. Some stores close early. But konbinis are usually open twenty-four hours. Still, good to know. Lucas: True. But let us learn the question anyway. 何時まで営業していますか. Luna: Nan-ji made eigyō shite imasu ka. Nan-ji made eigyō shite imasu ka. Lucas: Perfect pronunciation. Nan-ji made eigyō shite imasu ka. Nan-ji is what time. Made is until. Eigyō shite imasu ka is 'are you operating?' So, 'Until what time are you open?' Luna: Nan-ji made eigyō shite imasu ka. That is super useful for travel. Lucas: It is. One last tiny detail. After you pay, the clerk asks a standard question. Do you remember it? Luna: Oh! The bag question. Is it 'Do you need a bag'? Lucas: Yes. 袋は必要ですか. Fukuro wa hitsuyō desu ka. It means 'Is a bag necessary?' Luna: Fukuro wa hitsuyō desu ka. Yeah, I know this one. Usually I say no, because I try to reuse bags. Lucas: Smart. Eco-friendly and saves money. Okay, let us review our full set. We have five phrases for the konbini adventure. Luna: Let's do it. First: おにぎり、一つください. Lucas: Second: レジで払います. Luna: Third: 電子レンジで温めてください. Lucas: Fourth: 何時まで営業していますか. Luna: Fifth: 袋は必要ですか. Lucas: Beautiful. You have the tools. Next time you are in Tokyo, Osaka, or anywhere with a konbini, you will be ready. Luna: I am already planning my trip. Just thinking about warm onigiri makes me happy. Lucas: That is the spirit. Before we go, I want to mention something important. If Fexingo has been helping you make actual progress with this language, consider supporting the show. Luna: Yeah. Your support keeps these episodes ad-free and high quality. It really helps us keep making content for you. Lucas: If it was worth a coffee to you, that is the link — buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. That is F. E. X. I. N. G. O. Luna: Thank you so much. It means the world to us. Back to the topic. Imagine you are standing at the counter. Lucas: You point to the shelf. You smile. You say: おにぎり、一つください. Luna: The clerk nods. You take your item. You say: レジで払います. Lucas: Then you add: 電子レンジで温めてください. Luna: The clerk heats it. You wait. It smells amazing. You pay. And you hear: 袋は必要ですか. Lucas: You shake your head. No bag. You walk out with your warm dinner. It is a small moment. But it is yours. Luna: It feels great. Practice these phrases till we chat again. See you next time!