Learn how to ask if a store has a specific item
Now Playing: Lesson Audio
Get a breakdown of the dialogue and translations instantly with the Premium line-by-line Audio. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Get this lessonβs key vocab, their translations and pronunciations. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Unlock Lesson Notes and Transcripts for every single lesson. Sign Up for a Free Lifetime Account and Get 7 Days of Premium Access.
| Welcome to Can-Do Japanese by JapanesePod101.com. |
| In this lesson, youβll learn how to ask if a store has something in Japanese. |
| For example, "Is there any salt?" is |
| γγγ― γγγΎγγγ(Shio wa arimasu ka.) |
| Haruto Sasakiis at a small grocery store and wants to buy some salt. |
| He gets the clerk's attention and asks if the store has some salt. |
| Before you hear the conversation, let's preview some of its key components. |
| γγ (shio) |
| "salt" |
| γγ |
| γγ |
| γγ‘γ (kochira) |
| "here" |
| γγ‘γ |
| γγ‘γ |
| Listen to the conversation. Focus on Haruto's question. |
| Ready? |
| γγΏγΎγγγγγγ― γγγΎγγγ(Sumimasen, shio wa arimasu ka.) |
| γ―γγγγ‘γγ§γγ(Hai, kochira desu.) |
| Once more with the English translation. |
| γγΏγΎγγγγγγ― γγγΎγγγ(Sumimasen, shio wa arimasu ka.) |
| "Excuse me, is there any salt?" |
| γ―γγγγ‘γγ§γγ(Hai, kochira desu.) |
| "Yes, it's here." |
| Let's break down the conversation. |
| Do you remember how Haruto asks, |
| "Excuse me, is there any salt?" |
| γγΏγΎγγγγγγ― γγγΎγγγ(Sumimasen, shio wa arimasu ka.) |
| First is γγΏγΎγγ (sumimasen), meaning "excuse me," in this context. γ-γΏ-γΎ-γ-γ. γγΏγΎγγ. |
| Next is γγ (shio), "salt." γ-γ. γγ. |
| After this is γ― (wa), the topic-marking particle. γ―. γ―. |
| It marks "salt" as the topic of the sentence. Think of it like "as for" in the expression "as for salt." |
| Next is γγγΎγ (arimasu), meaning "there is," γγγΎγ. γγγΎγγ |
| γγγΎγ (arimasu) is a polite form the verb γγ (aru), meaning "to exist." γγ. |
| Last is γ (ka), the question-marking particle. γ. γγ |
| This particle turns the sentence into a question. |
| All together, it's γγΏγΎγγγγγγ― γγγΎγγγ(Sumimasen, shio arimasu ka.) This literally means, "Excuse me, As for salt, there is?" but it translates as "Excuse me, is there any salt?" or "Do you have any salt?" |
| γγΏγΎγγγγγγ― γγγΎγγγ(Sumimasen, shio arimasu ka.) |
| This question pattern is useful in a lot of situations β not just when you want to know if a shop carries a certain item. |
| Letβs take a closer look at the response. |
| Do you remember how the shop clerk says, "Yes, itβs here." |
| γ―γγγγ‘γγ§γγ(Hai, kochira desu.) |
| First is γ―γ (hai), "yes." γ―γ. γ―γγ |
| This answers Haruto's question. |
| Next is, γγ‘γγ§γ (kochira desu) meaning, "It's here." γγ‘γγ§γγ |
| Note, the shopkeeper says this while gesturing in the direction of the salt. |
| First is γγ‘γ (kochira), a polite word meaning "here." γγ‘γ. γγ‘γγ |
| And last is γ§γ (desu). In this case, it's like the "is" in "it is." γ§γγ |
| Together, it's γγ‘γγ§γ (kochira desu). This literally means, "Here [it] is" but it translates as "It's here." γγ‘γγ§γ. |
| This is a shortened form of γγγ― γγ‘γγ§γγ(Sore wa kochira desu.) "As for that, here [it] is." |
| The phrase γγγ― (sore wa), "as for that," is inferred through context, as the speaker is responding to a question about the salt, and therefore it is omitted. |
| γγ‘γγ§γ (kochira desu). |
| All together, it's γ―γγγγ‘γγ§γ (hai, kochira desu), "Yes, it's here." γ―γγγγ‘γγ§γ. |
| γ―γγγγ‘γγ§γγ(Hai, kochira desu.) |
| The pattern is |
| ITEM γ― γγγΎγγγ(wa arimasu ka.) |
| ITEM βis there any?" |
| ITEM γ― γγγΎγγγ (wa arimasu ka.) |
| To use this pattern, simply replace the {ITEM} placeholder with the thing you're looking for. |
| Imagine you're looking for milk. |
| γγ γγ«γ γ (gyΕ«nyΕ«). γγ -γ-γ«γ -γ. γγ γγ«γ γγ |
| Say, "Is there any milk?" |
| Ready? |
| γγ γγ«γ γγ―γγγΎγγγ(GyΕ«nyΕ« wa arimasu ka.) |
| "Is there any milk?" |
| γγ γγ«γ γγ―γγγΎγγγ(GyΕ«nyΕ« wa arimasu ka.) |
| In most cases, Japanese doesn't make a distinction between singular and plural nouns. You'll use the same pattern when you're looking for salt, or an apple, or a dozen apples. |
| For example, γγγγ― γγγΎγγγ(Ringo wa arimasu ka.) can translate as βAre there any apples?β Or βIs there an apple?β depending on the number of apples. |
| The English translation may alternate between singular and plural, but the Japanese pattern remains the same. |
| Again, the key pattern is |
| ITEM γ― γγγΎγγγ(wa arimasu ka.) |
| ITEM βis there any?" |
| ITEM γ― γγγΎγγγ(wa arimasu ka.) |
| Letβs look at some more examples. |
| Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers. |
| γγγ― γγγΎγγγ(Shio wa arimasu ka.) |
| "Is there any salt?" |
| γγγ― γγγΎγγγ(Shio wa arimasu ka.) |
| γγ γγ«γ γγ― γγγΎγγγ(GyΕ«nyΕ« wa arimasu ka.) |
| "Is there any milk?" |
| γγ γγ«γ γγ― γγγΎγγγ(GyΕ«nyΕ« wa arimasu ka.) |
| γγγγ― γγγΎγγγ(Ringo wa arimasu ka.) |
| "Are there any apples?" |
| γγγγ― γγγΎγγγ(Ringo wa arimasu ka.) |
| γγγγγ― γγγΎγγγ(KoshΕ wa arimasu ka.) |
| "Is there any pepper?" |
| γγγγγ― γγγΎγγγ(KoshΕ wa arimasu ka.) |
| γγ¨γγ―γγ©γγ§γγγ(SatΕ wa doko desu ka.) |
| "Where is the sugar?" |
| γγ¨γγ―γγ©γγ§γγγ(SatΕ wa doko desu ka.) |
| Did you notice how the last speaker used a different pattern? |
| γγ¨γγ―γγ©γγ§γγγ(SatΕ wa doko desu ka.) |
| "Where is the sugar?" |
| First is γγ¨γ (satΕ), βsugar.β γγ¨γ. γγ¨γ. |
| After this is γ― (wa), the topic-marking particle. γ―γ |
| It marks γγ¨γ (satΕ), βsugar,β as the topic of the sentence. Think of it like "as for" in the expression "as for sugar." |
| Next is γ©γ (doko), βwhere.β γ©γ. γ©γ. |
| After this is γ§γ (desu). Here, itβs like the βisβ in βwhere is.β γ§γ. |
| Last is the particle, γ (ka), the question-marking particle. γ. |
| This particle turns the sentence into a question. |
| All together, itβs γγ¨γγ―γγ©γγ§γγγ(SatΕ wa doko desu ka.) This literally means βas for sugar, where [it] is,β but it translates as, βWhere is the sugar?β γγ¨γγ― γ©γγ§γγγ |
| You should be aware of this pattern, but you wonβt need it for this lesson. |
| Let's review the new words. |
| γγ γγ«γ γ(gyΕ«nyΕ«) |
| "milk" |
| γγ γγ«γ γ |
| γγ γγ«γ γ |
| γγγ (ringo) |
| "apple." |
| γ-γ-γ |
| γγγ |
| γγγγ (koshΕ) |
| "pepper." |
| γ-γγ-γ |
| γγγγγ |
| γγ¨γ (satΕ) |
| "sugar" |
| γγ¨γ |
| γγ¨γ |
| Let's review. |
| Respond to the prompts by speaking aloud. Then repeat after me, focusing on pronunciation. |
| Ready? |
| Do you remember how to say |
| βExcuse me.β |
| γγΏγΎγγ (sumimasen) |
| γγΏγΎγγ (sumimasen) |
| And how to say the question-marking particle? |
| γ (ka) |
| γ (ka) |
| Do you remember the polite way to say "there is?" |
| γγγΎγ (arimasu) |
| γγγΎγ (arimasu)γ |
| And how to say βsalt?β |
| γγ (shio) |
| γγ (shio) |
| Do you remember how Haruto Sasaki says, |
| "Excuse me, is there any salt?" |
| γγΏγΎγγγγγγ― γγγΎγγγ(Sumimasen, shio arimasu ka.) |
| γγΏγΎγγγγγγ― γγγΎγγγ(Sumimasen, shio arimasu ka.) |
| Do you remember how to say "yes?" |
| γ―γ (hai) |
| γ―γ (hai) |
| And do you remember how the clerk says, |
| "Yes, it's here." |
| γ―γγγγ‘γγ§γγ (Hai, kochira desu.) |
| γ―γγγγ‘γγ§γγ |
| Do you remember the word for "apple?" |
| γγγ (ringo) |
| γγγ (ringo) |
| And the word for "sugar?" |
| γγ¨γ (satΕ) |
| γγ¨γ (satΕ) |
| Do you remember the word for "milk?" |
| γγ γγ«γ γ (gyΕ«nyΕ«) |
| γγ γγ«γ γ (gyΕ«nyΕ«) |
| Let's practice. |
| Imagine you are Haruto Sasaki, and youβre at the grocery store. Get the shopkeeperβs attention, and ask if there are any apples, or γγγ. |
| Ready? |
| γγΏγΎγγγγγγγ― γγγΎγγγ(Sumimasen, ringo wa arimasu ka.) |
| γ―γγγγ‘γγ§γγ(Hai, kochira desu.) |
| Listen again and repeat. |
| γγΏγΎγγγγγγγ― γγγΎγγγ(Sumimasen, ringo wa arimasu ka.) |
| γγΏγΎγγγγγγγ― γγγΎγγγ(Sumimasen, ringo wa arimasu ka.) |
| Now ask if there is any sugar, or γγ¨γ (satΕ). |
| Ready? |
| γγ¨γγ― γγγΎγγγ(SatΕ wa doko desu ka.) |
| γ―γγγγ‘γγ§γγ(Hai, kochira desu.) |
| Listen again and repeat. |
| γγ¨γγ― γγγΎγγγ(SatΕ wa doko desu ka.) |
| γγ¨γγ― γγγΎγγγ(SatΕ wa doko desu ka.) |
| Letβs try one more. |
| Imagine youβre Ben Lee. Ask if there is any milk, or γγ γγ«γ γ (gyΕ«nyΕ«). |
| Ready? |
| γγ γγ«γ γγ―γγγΎγγγ(GyΕ«nyΕ« wa arimasu ka.) |
| γ―γγγγ‘γγ§γγ(Hai, kochira desu.) |
| Listen again and repeat. |
| γγ γγ«γ γγ― γγγΎγγγ(GyΕ«nyΕ« wa arimasu ka.) |
| γγ γγ«γ γγ― γγγΎγγγ(GyΕ«nyΕ« wa arimasu ka.) |
| In this lesson, you learned how to ask if a store has something. This plays an essential role in the larger skill of shopping at a grocery store. Letβs review. |
| Do you remember how to say "please?" |
| γγ γγ (kudasai) |
| γγ γγ (kudasai) |
| And how to say "that?" |
| γγ (sore) |
| γγ (sore) |
| Do you remember how to say, "That, please?" |
| γγγ γγ γγγ (Sore o kudasai.) |
| γγγ γγ γγγ(Sore o kudasai.) |
| Imagine you're Jack Jones, and you're at a grocery store, and you'd like to buy water. |
| Do you remember how to say "water" in Japanese? |
| γΏγ (mizu) |
| γΏγ (mizu) |
| Ask the clerk for water. |
| γΏγγ γγ γγγ(Mizu o kudasai.) |
| γ―γγγ©γγγ(Hai, dΕzo.) |
| Listen again and repeat. |
| γΏγγ γγ γγγ(Mizu o kudasai.) |
| γΏγγ γγ γγγ(Mizu o kudasai.) |
| You remembered that you also wanted to buy milk |
| Do you remember how to say "milk" in Japanese? |
| γγ γγ«γ γ (gyΕ«nyΕ«) |
| γγ γγ«γ γ (gyΕ«nyΕ«) |
| Now ask the clerk if the store has milk. |
| Ready? |
| γγΏγΎγγγγγ γγ«γ γ γγγΎγγγ(Sumimasen, gyΕ«nyΕ« wa arimasu ka.) |
| γ―γγγγ‘γγ§γγ (Hai, kochira desu.) |
| Listen again and repeat. |
| γγΏγΎγγγγγ γγ«γ γ γγγΎγγγ(Sumimasen, gyΕ«nyΕ« wa arimasu ka.) |
| γγΏγΎγγγγγ γγ«γ γ γγγΎγγγ(Sumimasen, gyΕ«nyΕ« wa arimasu ka.) |
| Well done! This is the end of this lesson. |
| In this lesson, you learned how to ask if a store has something, an essential skill for shopping at a grocery store. |
| Remember, these Can Do lessons are about learning practical language skills. |
| What's next? |
| Show us what you can do. |
| When you're ready, take your assessment. |
| You can take it again and again, so try anytime you like. |
| Our teachers will assess it, and give you your results. |
| Keep practicing β and move on to the next lesson! |
Comments
Hide