コンビニ・Convenience Stores
Hey guys, I haven’t been very active recently as I’ve had a lot of stuff to do in my personal life recently and now my final semester at uni has started as well! I’ve got two courses left for my TESOL graduate certificate which I’m pretty excited about. I need to start looking into work experience and volunteering. So much to do, so little time. Anyway, thanks to a lovely anon I’m going to do a post on useful expressions to use when visiting the コンビニ in Japan!
コンビニ is the Japanese abbreviation for ‘convenience stores’ and there are thousands all over Japan! They’re usually open for 24 hours and you can get really cheap and yum meals and snacks at convenience stores, as well as a variety of hot and cold drinks, manga, magazines, and daily necessaries. Convenience stores also like to bring out seasonal products and limited edition items and food products for their customers. They usually always have ATMS so you can get cash out (this is probably one of the best places for foreigners to go to get cash out when in Japan and using an overseas credit card), but you can also pay for your bills there too.
The major convenience store chains in Japan are 7-Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart. Check out this article for more information regarding what services are available at convenience stores in Japan! You guys should also check out this video I found on basic expressions at a convenience store! It shows both the Japanese and English translation in the video so you can take notes.
Below are some vocabulary and expressions that you might come across or need to use while at a コンビニ! I’ve tried to list the most common or popular foods and items that you’ll come across at convenience stores, but of course this is just my opinion! So feel free to reblog this post and add to it.
Vocabulary:
Cash・現金・げんきん
Convenience store・コンビニ「コンビニエンスストア」
Credit card・カード「クレジットカード」
Deep fried・フライ
Expensive・高い・たかい
Grilled・焼く・やく
Magazine・雑誌・ざっし
Manga・漫画・マンガ
Money・お金・おかね
New release・新発売・しんはつばい
Part-timer・アルバイト
Price・原価・げんか
Raw・生・なま
Seared・炙り・あぶり
Seasonal/Limited・季節限定・きせつげんてい
Storeclerk・店員・てんいん
Sweet・甘い・あまい
Toilet・トイレ
Umbrella・傘・かさ
Bread・パン
Calpis・カルピス
Coffee・コーヒー
Cup noodle・カップヌードル
Eggs・卵・たまご
French croquette・コロッケ
Fried pork cutlet sandwich・トンカツサンド
Fruit・果物・くだもの
Hi-chew・ハイチュウ
Jagariko・じゃがりこ (my favourite Japanese chips)
Japanese boxed lunch・弁当・べんとう
Milk・牛乳・ぎゅうにゅう
Milk tea・ミルクティー
Omelette rice・オムライス
Pork bun・肉まん・にくまん
Rice ball・御握り・おにぎり／お結び・おむすび
Ramen・ラーメン
Seaweed・海苔・のり
Spanish flan・プリン
Vegetables・野菜・やさい
Yakisoba・焼きそば・やきそば
Expressions:
Certainly.・かしこまりました。
Check, please.・お会計お願いします。・おかいけいおねがいします。
Do you want it warmed up?・温めますか。・あたためますか。***
How much is it?・いくらですか。
I’ll take this.・これ下さい。・これください。
I will pay with ~~.・～～で払います。・～～ではらいます。
Next customer please.・お次のお客様。・おつぎのおきゃくさま。
Please wait a moment.・ちょっと待って下さい・ちょっとまってください。*
Then, please.・それからお願いします。・それからおねがいします。**
Thank you.・ありがとうございます。
Welcome!・いらっしゃいませ！
We hope to see you again.・またお越し下さいませ。・またおこしくださいませ。
What are you looking for?・何をお探しですか。・なにをおさがしですか
Notes:
- * can be said when you need a moment to get your change together, and once you’ve got your change ready and place it down you can say **.
- They usually have a small plate on the counter where you should place your cash. You shoudn’t give it to them in their hand directly.
- It’s unncessary to reply when a staff member greets you with “いらっしゃいませ”, but if you feel awkward not saying anything back you could simply reply with “こんにちは” and bow your head slightly. You don’t have to say things like “hello” and “goodbye” during these types of transcations. Just make sure to thank them when you leave!
- *** = If you purchase something that can be heated up then the staff will ask you if you would like it heated up. They might ask it about things that could surprise you too, like おにぎり！