N4 · 40 words

At the department store in Japanese

Floors, departments, trying things on, discounts, paying and having it wrapped.

Practise this list

From these 40 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.

More about this list

A Japanese department store is organised by floor and by 売(う)り場(ば), the sales area for one kind of goods, with food in the basement. Two things trip English speakers up. Discounts are counted in tenths: 三割引(さんわりびき) is thirty per cent off, not three. And floors are counted from the ground, so 二階(にかい) is the British first floor.

The words

Verb (2)

似合(にあ)うto suit; to look good onVerbN4

その青(あお)いセーター、よく似合(にあ)っていますよ。That blue jumper really suits you.

The clothes are the subject: 服(ふく)が似合(にあ)う.

包(つつ)むto wrapVerbN4

プレゼントなので、きれいに包(つつ)んでいただけますか。It is a present, so could you wrap it nicely?

Noun (35)

案内所(あんないじょ)information deskNounN4

分(わ)からないことは、一階(いっかい)の案内所(あんないじょ)で聞(き)いてください。If there is anything you are unsure of, please ask at the information desk on the ground floor.

売(う)り場(ば)department; sales floorNounN4

靴(くつ)の売(う)り場(ば)は何階(なんがい)ですか。Which floor is the shoe department on?

値札(ねふだ)price tagNounN3

値札(ねふだ)を見(み)て、びっくりしました。I looked at the price tag and got a shock.

地下(ちか)basement; undergroundNounN4

食料品(しょくりょうひん)は地下(ちか)一階(いっかい)で売(う)っています。Food is sold on the first basement floor.

屋上(おくじょう)roof (top)NounN4

夏(なつ)はデパートの屋上(おくじょう)でビールが飲(の)めます。In summer you can drink beer on the roof of the department store.

エスカレーターescalatorNounN4

エスカレーターで三階(さんがい)に上(あ)がってください。Please take the escalator up to the second floor.

食料品(しょくりょうひん)food (as goods)NounN4

この店(みせ)の食料品(しょくりょうひん)は少(すこ)し高(たか)いです。The food in this shop is a little expensive.

化粧品(けしょうひん)cosmeticsNounN4

化粧品(けしょうひん)の売(う)り場(ば)は一階(いっかい)です。The cosmetics department is on the ground floor.

婦人服(ふじんふく)women's clothingNounN4

婦人服(ふじんふく)は三階(さんがい)と四階(よんかい)です。Women's clothing is on the second and third floors.

紳士服(しんしふく)men's clothingNounN4

父(ちち)のシャツを紳士服(しんしふく)の売(う)り場(ば)で買(か)いました。I bought my father a shirt in the menswear department.

文房具(ぶんぼうぐ)stationeryNounN4

ノートやペンなどの文房具(ぶんぼうぐ)は五階(ごかい)です。Stationery such as notebooks and pens is on the fourth floor.

おもちゃtoyNounN4

子供(こども)の誕生日(たんじょうび)におもちゃを買(か)いました。I bought a toy for my child's birthday.

試着(しちゃく)trying on (clothes)NounN4

このズボンを試着(しちゃく)してもいいですか。May I try these trousers on?

Also a verb: 試着(しちゃく)する.

試着室(しちゃくしつ)fitting roomNounN4

試着室(しちゃくしつ)はあちらにございます。The fitting rooms are over there.

The sentence is in shop-staff politeness: ございます for あります.

種類(しゅるい)kind; typeNounN4

この店(みせ)にはいろいろな種類(しゅるい)のお茶(ちゃ)があります。This shop has many kinds of tea.

品物(しなもの)goods; articleNounN4

いい品物(しなもの)が多(おお)いですが、値段(ねだん)も高(たか)いです。There are a lot of good things, but the prices are high too.

商品(しょうひん)product; merchandiseNounN4

この商品(しょうひん)は今(いま)とても人気(にんき)があります。This product is very popular at the moment.

値段(ねだん)priceNounN4

この時計(とけい)の値段(ねだん)はいくらですか。How much is this watch?

割引(わりびき)discountNounN4

学生(がくせい)は一割(いちわり)の割引(わりびき)があります。Students get a ten per cent discount.

Also as a suffix: 二割引(にわりびき), twenty per cent off.

半額(はんがく)half priceNounN4

夜(よる)八時(はちじ)を過(す)ぎると、お弁当(べんとう)が半額(はんがく)になります。After eight in the evening the boxed lunches go half price.

セールsaleNounN4

来週(らいしゅう)から夏(なつ)のセールが始(はじ)まります。The summer sale starts next week.

売(う)り切(き)れsold outNounN4

申(もう)し訳(わけ)ありませんが、その色(いろ)は売(う)り切(き)れです。I am very sorry, but that colour is sold out.

税込(ぜいこ)みtax includedNounN4

この値段(ねだん)は税込(ぜいこ)みですか。Does this price include tax?

The opposite is 税抜(ぜいぬ)き, before tax.

消費税(しょうひぜい)consumption taxNounN4

値段(ねだん)に消費税(しょうひぜい)は入(はい)っていません。The consumption tax is not included in the price.

支払(しはら)いpaymentNounN4

お支払(しはら)いはカードでもいいですか。May I pay by card?

Usually お支払(しはら)い at the till.

現金(げんきん)cashNounN4

この店(みせ)は現金(げんきん)しか使(つか)えません。This shop only takes cash.

クレジットカードcredit cardNounN4

クレジットカードで払(はら)います。I will pay by credit card.

領収書(りょうしゅうしょ)receipt (formal, with a name)NounN4

会社(かいしゃ)の名前(なまえ)で領収書(りょうしゅうしょ)をお願(ねが)いします。Could I have a receipt made out to my company, please?

The formal receipt for expenses; the printed till slip is a レシート.

レシートreceipt (till slip)NounN4

レシートは袋(ふくろ)に入(い)れておきますね。I will put the receipt in the bag for you.

紙袋(かみぶくろ)paper bagNounN4

紙袋(かみぶくろ)を一枚(いちまい)いただけますか。Could I have a paper bag, please?

交換(こうかん)exchangeNounN4

サイズが合(あ)わないので、交換(こうかん)してもらえますか。It is the wrong size, so could I exchange it?

Also a verb: 交換(こうかん)する.

返品(へんぴん)returning goodsNounN3

セールの商品(しょうひん)は返品(へんぴん)できません。Sale items cannot be returned.

Also a verb: 返品(へんぴん)する.

営業時間(えいぎょうじかん)opening hoursNounN4

営業時間(えいぎょうじかん)は午前(ごぜん)十時(じゅうじ)から午後(ごご)八時(はちじ)までです。Opening hours are from ten in the morning to eight in the evening.

閉店(へいてん)closing (time); closing downNounN4

まもなく閉店(へいてん)の時間(じかん)です。It will soon be closing time.

Also a verb: 閉店(へいてん)する.

開店(かいてん)opening (time); opening of a new shopNounN4

駅前(えきまえ)に新(あたら)しいパン屋(や)が開店(かいてん)しました。A new bakery has opened in front of the station.

Also a verb: 開店(かいてん)する.

na-adjective (2)

派手(はで)showy; loud (of colours)na-adjectiveN4

この色(いろ)は私(わたし)にはちょっと派手(はで)です。This colour is a bit loud for me.

地味(じみ)plain; soberna-adjectiveN4

仕事(しごと)には地味(じみ)な色(いろ)のスーツを着(き)ます。I wear a suit in a sober colour for work.

Counter (1)

〜割(わり)tenth; ten per centCounterN4

セールで、全部(ぜんぶ)三割(さんわり)安(やす)くなっています。Everything is thirty per cent cheaper in the sale.

One 割(わり) is a tenth, so 五割(ごわり) is half.

Back to the quiz ↑

Missing a word? Look it up in the dictionary

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

Hear and recognise these words in the listening trainer