Speak Like Natives! -Vol.5 Winter Shopping

Learn Japanese from natives!  

For those of you who are tired of studying Japanese from your minna no nihongo, and willing to speak more natural Japanese like natives, you clicked on the right page! 🙂

We post natives’ casual conversation skits for you to show how Japanese people talk in real life.There are useful key phrases you can try just from tomorrow. Enjoy!

Vol. 5 Winter Shopping

Situation

Winter is approaching, and It’s getting colder everyday. 
Aya is at the store window-shopping for some warm clothes.

Is she going to find something with a good deal!?

Conversation

Ten-in Clerk

何（なに）かお探（さが）しですか？

ええと…寒（さむ）くなってきたので、コートを探（さが）しています。

Ten in Clerk

それなら、今日（きょう）はこちらの冬物（ふゆもの）のコートが50%オフでお買（か）い得（どく）なんですよ！

本当（ほんとう）に？じゃあ、これ、着（き）てみてもいいですか？

Ten in Clerk

わぁ、とてもよく似合（にあ）いますね！今日（きょう）のスカートともよく合（あ）いますね。上品（じょうひん）な印象（いんしょう）になります！

ええ…おだて上手（じょうず）ですね！でも、それならこれ買（か）おうかな。

Ten in Clerk

ありがとうございます♡ お会計（かいけい）は、こちら、10％オフなので…。

ええ！？ちょっと待（ま）って、50%オフじゃないの？

Ten in Clerk

いえ…10%オフですね…

The voice inside Aya:

（聞き間違えた（ききまちがえた）みたい・・・。）
（kikimachigae ta mitai…)
（I must have misheard…)

ええと、やっぱりもう少（すこ）し考（かんが）えます！！

Key Phrases

1. 何かお探しですか？Nani ka osagashi desuka?
   – Are you looking for something？

It is a very typical phrase for sales staff to ask you if you need any help.
If you are just looking, you can answer :
「見（み）ているだけです。」
（miteirudake desu – just looking)

2. 〇〇%オフ 〇〇pa-sento ofu – XX% off

It’s used to describe the deal when products are on sale.
In a different way, you can also say 「5割引」（go wari biki – 50% off) 

3. お買い得 Okaidoku – good deal

It’s a word to say when something is a bargain, or on a very good sale like an example in conversation above.（Although there was a misunderstanding…)

4. これ、着てみてもいいですか？  Kore, kitemitemo iidesuka?
   – Can I try this on?

You can also say 「これを試着（しちゃく）できますか？」（kore wo shichaku dekimasuka?) It means the same but it is a little more formal way to ask.

5. とてもよく似合いますね Totemo yoku niaimasune
   – It looks great on you.

“似合う（Niau）” means that things go well together, or get along well.

In the conversation,
sales staff are saying the coat suits Aya and looks nice on her.
It is a very useful phrase to give someone a compliment about their outfit or belongings!

ex.) 新しいネックレス、とても似合ってるね！

Atarashii nekkuresu (necklace) totemo niatterune!
Your new necklace looks very nice on you! 

6. おだて上手ですね Odate jozu desune
   – You flatter me!

You can also say
「お世辞（せじ）が上手（じょうず）ですね」
（Oseji ga jozu desune）

Sales staff tend to flatter you and give so much compliments, and you end up buying things…

7. 聞き間違えた kikimachigaeta
   – misheard

In the conversation above,
Aya misheard “JYU(10)ppa-sento(%)”, as “GOJYU(50)ppa-sento(%)”.
There is a big difference between the two!

ex.) 約束の時間を聞き間違えて、早く到着した。
　　Yakusoku no jikan wo kikimachigaete, hayaku touchaku shita.
　　I misheard the appointment time and arrived early.