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Going To Different Shops

This lesson gives you how to speak, behave while shopping at different places.This will be great practic for you.

Restaurants are great, but if you want to save time or money, shop for food. If you go to a supamaketto (sooo-pahh-mahh-keht-toh; supermarket), you can get most of the items you need in one trip, including:

• aisukurimu (ah-ee-soo-koo-reee-moo; ice cream)
• gyunyti (gyooo-nyooo; milk)
• jusu (jooo-soo; juice)
• o-kome (oh-koh-meh; uncooked rice)
• pan (pahn; bread)
• tamago (tah-mah-goh; eggs)

You can find these niku (nee-koo; meats) at a nikuya-san (nee-koo-yah-sahn; meat store):

• butaniku (boo-tah-nee-koo; pork)
• gyuniku (gyooo-nee-koo; beef)
• shichimencho (shee-chee-mehn-chohh; turkey)
• toriniku (toh-ree-nee-koo; chicken)
• hamu (hah-moo; ham)
• soseji (sohh-sehh-jee; sausage)

You can buy yasai (yah-seh-ee; vegetables) and kuda-mono (koo-dah-moh-noh; fruits) in supermarkets, but if you go to a farm stand or a yaoya-san (yah-oh-yah-sahn; produce store/greenmarket), you'll get the freshest produce. Include some of the following healthful items on your shoppingu risuto (shohp-peen-goo ree-soo-toh; shopping list):

• jagaimo (jah-gah-ee-moh; potatoes)
• mikan (mee-kahn; oranges)
• ninjin (neen-jeen; carrots)
• piman (peee-mahn; green peppers)
• remon (reh-mohn; lemons)
• retasu (reh-tah-soo; lettuce)
• ringo (reen-goh; apples)
• tamanegi (tah-mah-neh-gee; onions)
• ichigo (ee-chee-goh; strawberries)

Buying fresh fish

The Japanese are big fish eaters. If you're a fish lover, too, a fish market is the place for you. Remember the names of your favorite fish when you make the trip:

• maguro (mah-goo-roh; tuna)
• masu (mah-soo; trout)
• sake (sah-keh; salmon)
• tal (tah-ee; red snapper)
• tara (tah-rah; cod)

Negotiating Prices

Kaimono (kah-ee-moh-noh; shopping) can be exciting. Visiting different mise (mee-seh; stores), checking out all the items, and comparing nedan (neh-dahn; prices) is my idea of a great afternoon. Are you good at asking for nebiki (neh-bee-kee; discounts)? You can't just expect a discount - you have to be firm about asking for it. Here are a few phrases for talking about nedan:

• Ikura desu ka. (ee-koo-rah deh-soo kah; How much is it?)
• Chotto takai desu. (choht-toh tah-kah-ee deh-soo; It's a little expensive.)
• Mo chotto yasuku shite kudasai. (mohh choht-toh yah-soo-koo shee-teh koo-dah-sah-ee; Make it a bit cheaper please.)
• Mama yasui desu ne. (mahh mahh yah-soo-ee deh-soo neh; It's relatively cheap.)

Conjugate the u-verb kau (to buy). Watch out for the w sound that appears in the negative form.

Paying for your Purchases

If you're going shopping, you need a kurejitto kado (koo-reh-jeet-toh kahh-doh; credit card) or some o-satsu (oh-sah-tsoo; bills) and a few koka (kohh-kah; coins). When you harau (hah-rah-oo; pay), don't forget your o-tsuri (oh-tsoo-ree; change).

Conjugate the u-verb harau (hah-rah-oo; to pay). Watch out for the w sound that shows up in the negative form.