UNIT 4
Shopping & Convenience Stores
Shopping & Convenience Stores
Lesson 5: Supermarket Words and Simple Questions
スーパーのことば — Shopping for Food in Japanese
⏱️ About 30 minutes ／ 📊 Level: Beginner (N5) ／ 🗣️ Speaking + Reading
Before You Start
Supermarkets in Japan — called スーパー — are full of fresh food, Japanese ingredients, and helpful staff. In this lesson, you’ll build your food vocabulary, learn how to ask questions about items you don’t recognize, and practice buying the right quantity of what you need.
What you’ll learn:
- Key supermarket food words — 野菜・果物・肉・魚・卵
- Ask where food sections are — 野菜はどこですか
- Ask what an unfamiliar item is — これは何ですか
- Buy a specific quantity — りんごを2つください
- Understand sale signs — セール・半額・割引
1. Key Phrases ／ きほんのフレーズ
野菜はどこですか。
Yasai wa doko desu ka.
Where are the vegetables?
肉はありますか。
Niku wa arimasu ka.
Do you have meat?
これは何ですか。
Kore wa nan desu ka.
What is this?
これは新しいですか。
Kore wa atarashii desu ka.
Is this fresh / new?
1つください。
Hitotsu kudasai.
One, please.
りんごを2つください。
Ringo o futatsu kudasai.
Two apples, please.
水を1本ください。
Mizu o ippon kudasai.
One bottle of water, please.
これはセールですか。
Kore wa seeru desu ka.
Is this on sale?
2. Phrase Notes ／ ポイント
① Asking where food sections are
Use 〇〇はどこですか for any food section. Here are the most useful ones:
野菜はどこですか。Where are the vegetables?
果物はどこですか。Where is the fruit?
肉はどこですか。Where is the meat?
魚はどこですか。Where is the fish?
お惣菜はどこですか。Where is the prepared food?
② これは何ですか — asking about unknown items
Japan has many unique food items that may be unfamiliar. これは何ですか (“What is this?”) is one of the most useful questions a beginner can ask. Point to the item and ask — staff are always happy to explain.
③ Counting items — 1つ、2つ、3つ
For general items, use 〜つ. For long/bottled items, use 〜本. For packs, use 〜パック.
りんごを2つください。Two apples, please.
水を1本ください。One bottle of water, please.
卵を1パックください。One pack of eggs, please.
④ Counting with つ — 1 to 5
1つ hitotsu — one 2つ futatsu — two 3つ mittsu — three
4つ yottsu — four 5つ itsutsu — five
⚠️ Common Mistake
Don’t use 〜つ for everything. Use 〜本 for bottles, cans, and long items (water, beer, asparagus). Use 〜パック for packs. As a beginner, pointing and saying これを2つください (“Two of these, please”) always works.
Don’t use 〜つ for everything. Use 〜本 for bottles, cans, and long items (water, beer, asparagus). Use 〜パック for packs. As a beginner, pointing and saying これを2つください (“Two of these, please”) always works.
3. Supermarket Food Words ／ スーパーのたんご
🥦 Vegetables & Fruit ／ 野菜・果物
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 野菜 | yasai | vegetables |
| 果物 | kudamono | fruit |
| トマト | tomato | tomato |
| にんじん | ninjin | carrot |
| 玉ねぎ | tamanegi | onion |
| りんご | ringo | apple |
| バナナ | banana | banana |
🐟 Meat, Fish & Dairy ／ 肉・魚・乳製品
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 肉 | niku | meat |
| 鶏肉 | toriniku | chicken |
| 牛肉 | gyuuniku | beef |
| 豚肉 | butaniku | pork |
| 魚 | sakana | fish |
| 卵 | tamago | eggs |
| 牛乳 | gyuunyuu | milk |
🍜 Japanese Food Items ／ 日本の食べもの
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 豆腐 | toofu | tofu |
| 納豆 | nattoo | natto (fermented soybeans) |
| 味噌 | miso | miso |
| 醤油 | shooyu | soy sauce |
| 米 | kome | rice (uncooked) |
| 漬物 | tsukemono | pickles |
| お惣菜 | osoozai | prepared side dishes |
4. Sale & Discount Signs ／ セールのことば
These signs appear on shelves and price tags at Japanese supermarkets.
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| セール | seeru | sale |
| 半額 | hangaku | half price 🎉 |
| 割引 | waribiki | discount |
| 特売 | tokubai | special sale |
| お買い得 | okaidoku | good deal |
| 本日限り | honjitsu kagiri | today only |
💡 The best sign to look for:
半額 = half price. This is the best deal you’ll find. Look for it on packaged items, especially later in the day when stores discount food nearing its sell-by date.
半額 = half price. This is the best deal you’ll find. Look for it on packaged items, especially later in the day when stores discount food nearing its sell-by date.
5. Conversation Practice ／ かいわ
💬 Conversation 1 — Looking for Vegetables
💬 Conversation 2 — Asking if They Have Eggs
💬 Conversation 3 — What Is This?
💬 Conversation 4 — Buying Fruit
💬 Conversation 5 — Asking About a Discount
6. Vocabulary ／ たんご
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| スーパー | suupaa | supermarket |
| 野菜 | yasai | vegetables |
| 果物 | kudamono | fruit |
| 肉 | niku | meat |
| 魚 | sakana | fish |
| 卵 | tamago | eggs |
| 牛乳 | gyuunyuu | milk |
| 米 | kome | rice (uncooked) |
| 豆腐 | toofu | tofu |
| 納豆 | nattoo | natto |
| 醤油 | shooyu | soy sauce |
| 賞味期限 | shoomi kigen | best-before date |
| 半額 | hangaku | half price |
| 割引 | waribiki | discount |
7. Check Your Understanding ／ クイズ
Think about each question first. The answer and explanation are shown below each one.
Q1. How do you ask “Where are the vegetables?” in Japanese?
A. 野菜はどこですか。 B. 野菜はいくらですか。 C. 野菜は何時ですか。
Answer: A
野菜はどこですか = “Where are the vegetables?” 野菜 = vegetables, どこ = where. いくら means “how much” and 何時 means “what time.”
野菜はどこですか = “Where are the vegetables?” 野菜 = vegetables, どこ = where. いくら means “how much” and 何時 means “what time.”
Q2. How do you ask “Do you have eggs?” in Japanese?
A. 卵はありますか。 B. 卵はどこですか。 C. 卵は何ですか。
Answer: A
〇〇はありますか = “Do you have 〇〇?” Use this when you want to check if the store stocks something. どこですか asks for location, 何ですか asks “what is it?”
〇〇はありますか = “Do you have 〇〇?” Use this when you want to check if the store stocks something. どこですか asks for location, 何ですか asks “what is it?”
Q3. What does 「これは何ですか。」 mean?
A. What is this? B. How much is this? C. Where is this?
Answer: A
これは何ですか = “What is this?” 何 (nani/nan) means “what.” This is essential when you see an unfamiliar Japanese food item.
これは何ですか = “What is this?” 何 (nani/nan) means “what.” This is essential when you see an unfamiliar Japanese food item.
Q4. How do you say “Two apples, please” in Japanese?
A. りんごを2つください。 B. りんごを2時ください。 C. りんごを2円ください。
Answer: A
2つ (futatsu) = two items. Use 〜つ for counting general items. 2時 means “2 o’clock” and 2円 means “2 yen” — completely different!
2つ (futatsu) = two items. Use 〜つ for counting general items. 2時 means “2 o’clock” and 2円 means “2 yen” — completely different!
Q5. What does the sign 「半額」 mean?
A. half price B. expensive C. fresh today
Answer: A
半額 = half price. 半 means “half” and 額 means “amount/price.” This is one of the best deals to look for at a Japanese supermarket!
半額 = half price. 半 means “half” and 額 means “amount/price.” This is one of the best deals to look for at a Japanese supermarket!
8. Match the Meaning ／ れんしゅう
Match each Japanese word with its English meaning. Check your answers below.
野菜 → ______
果物 → ______
肉 → ______
魚 → ______
卵 → ______
牛乳 → ______
豆腐 → ______
Choices: A. fish B. eggs C. vegetables D. tofu E. milk F. fruit G. meat
Answers: 野菜 = C ／ 果物 = F ／ 肉 = G ／ 魚 = A ／ 卵 = B ／ 牛乳 = E ／ 豆腐 = D
🚀 Mini Mission
Today’s mission: Practice supermarket Japanese.
At your next supermarket visit, try these:
野菜はどこですか。／ 卵はありますか。／ これは何ですか。／ りんごを2つください。
And look for the signs: セール・半額・割引
📘 Review ／ まとめ
In this lesson, you built your supermarket vocabulary and learned four essential shopping patterns.
〇〇はどこですか。(Where is it?)
〇〇はありますか。(Do you have it?)
これは何ですか。(What is this?)
〇〇を2つください。(Two of 〇〇, please.)
〇〇はありますか。(Do you have it?)
これは何ですか。(What is this?)
〇〇を2つください。(Two of 〇〇, please.)
💡 When you see 半額, it means half price — grab it! And remember: これは何ですか is your best friend when you see an unfamiliar Japanese food.
FAQ
Q. What is 納豆 and should I try it?
納豆 is fermented soybeans — sticky, strong-smelling, and an acquired taste that many Japanese people love for breakfast. It’s very nutritious. When you see it at the supermarket and wonder what it is, point and say これは何ですか. Whether to try it is entirely up to you!
Q. What is the difference between 賞味期限 and 消費期限?
賞味期限 (best-before date) means the food is at its best quality before this date, but is often still safe after. 消費期限 (expiration date) means you should not eat it after this date — it’s a safety deadline. Always check the date on fresh items like meat and fish.
Q. Can I use 〜つ for everything when counting?
For most small items (fruit, vegetables, rice balls), 〜つ works fine. But Japanese has special counters for bottles and long items (〜本) and packs (〜パック). As a beginner, using これを2つください with pointing always gets your message across clearly.
🌿 Practice with a real teacher
Want to Practice with a Teacher?
Supermarket vocabulary and food questions open up a whole new world in Japan. Practice ordering, asking questions, and reading signs with a professional teacher in a free trial lesson.
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