Guide · What you will hear
Japanese Convenience Store Checkout
9 situations · updated
A convenience store checkout in Japan is over quickly, and in that time a clerk may ask you four or five questions. They are usually the same questions, in much the same order.
You don’t need to understand the whole sentence. You just need to recognise which question it is, and know the smallest thing that answers it — usually a nod or a shake of the head.
Here is each one as you will actually hear it.
At a glance
The greeting when you walk in
What you hear
いらっしゃいませ
irasshaimase
Welcome / please come in
What it means
A set greeting, called out to the room whenever anyone walks in. It isn’t aimed at you personally, and it isn’t a question.
What you need to notice
It’s called out loudly, often while the clerk is busy with something else. Nothing follows it.
What to do
- You can just keep walking.
- A small nod is enough if you happen to catch the clerk’s eye.
Do you need to reply?
You don’t need to say anything back here. Walking straight past is fine.
If you missed it
You haven’t missed anything. The greeting carries no information you need.
The point card question
What 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?
ポイントカードはお持ちでしょうか
pointo kaado wa omochi deshou ka
アプリはお持ちですか
apuri wa omochi desu ka
Do you have the app?
What it means
They’re asking whether you have that chain’s point card or app.
What you need to notice
You may hear this early in the checkout, before anything is scanned. The words to listen for are ポイント (pointo) and カード (kaado).
What to do
- Shake your head once.
- Or say one of the lines below.
Do you need to reply?
This is a yes/no question and the clerk waits for an answer — but a small shake of the head counts as an answer.
いいえ
iie
“No.”
持っていません
motte imasen
“I don’t have one.”
If you missed it
If you’re not sure what you were asked this early on, just shake your head — if you don’t have a point card, that is the answer anyway.
Varies / context
Wording differs by chain, and some stores ask about a phone app rather than a physical card.
Shall I heat this up?
What you hear
温めますか
atatamemasu ka
Shall I warm it?
温めましょうか
atatamemashou ka
お弁当、温めますか
obentou, atatamemasu ka
The bento — shall I warm it?
What it means
You’ve bought something that can be microwaved — a bento, a filled rice ball, a pasta dish — and they’re offering to heat the food up for you.
What you need to notice
The question comes while the food is still in their hand. The sound to listen for is atatame.
What to do
- Nod for yes.
- Shake your head for no.
Do you need to reply?
They hold the item and wait. A nod or a head shake is a complete answer.
はい、お願いします
hai, onegai shimasu
“Yes, please.”
いいえ、けっこうです
iie, kekkou desu
“No, thank you.”
If you missed it
Point at the item and give a thumbs-up or a head shake.
Varies / context
Not everything that can be heated will prompt the question, and some stores only ask when you buy a bento.
Chopsticks, spoon or fork?
What you hear
お箸はお付けしますか
ohashi wa otsuke shimasu ka
Shall I add chopsticks?
スプーンはご利用ですか
supuun wa goriyou desu ka
Will you use a spoon?
お箸とスプーン、どちらになさいますか
ohashi to supuun, dochira ni nasaimasu ka
Chopsticks or a spoon — which will you have?
What it means
They’re asking whether to put chopsticks or a spoon in the bag, or which of them you want.
What you need to notice
お箸 (ohashi) = chopsticks, スプーン (supuun) = spoon, フォーク (fooku) = fork. If you hear two of those words joined by と (to, “and”), you’re being offered a choice rather than asked a yes/no question.
What to do
- Nod, or just say the word for the one you want.
- Shake your head if you don’t need any.
Do you need to reply?
One word is a complete answer here — you don’t need a full sentence.
はい
hai
“Yes.”
スプーンをお願いします
supuun o onegai shimasu
“A spoon, please.”
いりません
irimasen
“I don’t need any.”
If you missed it
Just say the word — supuun, fooku or ohashi. That’s enough.
Do you want a bag?
What you hear
レジ袋はご利用ですか
rejibukuro wa goriyou desu ka
Will you use a checkout bag?
袋にお入れしますか
fukuro ni oire shimasu ka
Shall I put it in a bag?
袋はお使いになりますか
fukuro wa otsukai ni narimasu ka
What it means
They’re asking whether you want a plastic bag. Taking one may add a small charge.
What you need to notice
The word to listen for is 袋 (fukuro, “bag”), often said as レジ袋 (rejibukuro).
What to do
- Nod if you want a bag.
- If you don’t, shake your head and hold up what you’ve bought.
Do you need to reply?
They can’t finish adding up your total until they know, but a nod or a shake of the head is answer enough.
お願いします
onegai shimasu
“Yes, please.”
いりません
irimasen
“I don’t need one.”
If you missed it
If you end up without a bag and you did want one, point at the bags on the counter and say onegai shimasu.
Varies / context
The price and the wording differ from shop to shop, and some don’t ask at all — they simply don’t bag small items.
How are you paying?
What you hear
お支払いはどうされますか
oshiharai wa dou saremasu ka
How will you pay?
お支払い方法は
oshiharai houhou wa
Payment method?
現金ですか、カードですか
genkin desu ka, kaado desu ka
Cash, or card?
What it means
They need to know how you’re paying before the register can go ahead.
What you need to notice
支払い (shiharai) = payment. 現金 (genkin) = cash. カード (kaado) = card.
What to do
- Hold up the cash or the card you’re going to use — that answers the question without a word.
- Or say one word.
Do you need to reply?
The register can’t go ahead until they know, but simply showing your cash or card counts as an answer.
現金で
genkin de
“Cash.”
カードで
kaado de
“Card.”
If you missed it
Just show what you’re paying with.
Varies / context
Which payment methods are accepted differs from store to store, and at some registers you tap or insert your card on a separate reader facing you.
Press the button on the screen
What you hear
こちらのボタンを押してください
kochira no botan o oshite kudasai
Please press this button.
こちらにタッチをお願いします
kochira ni tacchi o onegai shimasu
Please touch here.
年齢確認をお願いします
nenrei kakunin o onegai shimasu
Age confirmation, please.
What it means
They’re asking you to touch something on the screen facing you — for example, to confirm your age when you’re buying alcohol or tobacco.
What you need to notice
こちら (kochira) means “this one” or “here”, and the clerk points at the screen while saying it.
What to do
- Look where they’re pointing, and press the button that’s highlighted.
Do you need to reply?
This is an instruction, not a question — doing it is the answer.
If you missed it
Follow the clerk’s hand — the button they want is the one they’re pointing at.
Varies / context
If you buy alcohol or tobacco, you may be asked to confirm your age on the screen. The wording differs from shop to shop.
The total
What you hear
◯◯円になります
[amount] en ni narimasu
It comes to ... yen.
お会計、◯◯円です
okaikei, [amount] en desu
The bill is ... yen.
What it means
This is what you owe. It’s a statement, not a question.
What you need to notice
The sentence ends in 円 (en, “yen”), followed by narimasu or desu. Spoken numbers are the hardest thing to catch — and the thing you least need to catch.
What to do
- Look at the small screen facing you beside the register — the amount is shown there.
- Pay by card, or hand over a banknote larger than the total and take the change.
Do you need to reply?
You don’t need to say anything here — paying is the answer.
If you missed it
You don’t need to understand a spoken price here. The amount is shown on the screen, and handing over a larger banknote works either way.
Varies / context
Some registers have a screen facing you; others don’t.
The goodbye
What you hear
ありがとうございました
arigatou gozaimashita
Thank you.
またお越しくださいませ
mata okoshi kudasaimase
Please come again.
What it means
That’s the end of it — you’re done.
What you need to notice
It comes as they hand you the bag or the receipt.
What to do
- Take your things and go.
Do you need to reply?
You don’t need to answer. A short thank-you is fine if you want to say something.
ありがとう
arigatou
“Thanks.”
If you missed it
Nothing comes after it.
None of these questions have a wrong answer. You can say no to every one of them: you don’t need a point card, you don’t need the food heated up, you don’t need chopsticks or a spoon, and you don’t need a bag. That is still a perfectly ordinary way to buy something.
And if you lose track completely, the six ways to recover in the guide on not understanding what staff said will get you through.