JLPT N5 Lesson 7: Shopping and Money

Overview

Shopping is one of the most practical and frequent activities you will engage in while visiting or living in Japan. Whether you are at a convenience store (konbini), a supermarket, or a department store, being able to inquire about prices and request items is essential for daily survival. This lesson builds upon your knowledge of basic sentence structures and introduces the vocabulary of commerce and the logic of Japanese counters.

In this lesson, you will learn how to ask "How much is this?", how to request items politely, and how to use specific counters for different types of objects. These skills bridge the gap between simple self-introductions and functional, real-world communication. Mastering these patterns will prepare you for more complex interactions in future lessons, such as ordering at restaurants or asking for directions.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson you can:

• Ask for the price of an item using "いくらですか".
• Request items politely using "〜をください".
• Correctly use counters for small objects (個), long objects (本), and flat objects (枚).
• Inquire about the existence of products in a store using "〜はありますか".
• Understand basic transaction vocabulary like "receipt" and "change."

New Vocabulary

Japanese	Reading	Romaji	English	Part of Speech
いくら	いくら	ikura	how much	noun
高い	たかい	takai	expensive/high	i-adjective
安い	やすい	yasui	cheap/inexpensive	i-adjective
ください	ください	kudasai	please give me	expression
円	えん	en	yen	noun
個	こ	ko	counter for small items	counter
本	ほん	hon	counter for long items	counter
枚	まい	mai	counter for flat items	counter
おつり	おつり	otsuri	change (money)	noun
レシート	レシート	reshīto	receipt	noun
レジ	レジ	reji	cash register	noun
デパート	デパート	depāto	department store	noun
スーパー	スーパー	sūpā	supermarket	noun
コンビニ	コンビニ	konbini	convenience store	noun
買い物	かいもの	kaimono	shopping	noun

Grammar Points

1. Asking for Price: [Noun] は いくらですか

Structure: [Noun] + は + いくら + ですか

To ask the price of an item, place the item at the beginning of the sentence followed by the topic marker "は" (wa) and the question word "いくら" (ikura), which means "how much."

Japanese	Reading	Romaji	English
これはいくらですか。	これはいくらですか。	Kore wa ikura desu ka.	How much is this?
その本はいくらですか。	そのほんはいくらですか。	Sono hon wa ikura desu ka.	How much is that book?
このりんごはいくらですか。	このりんごはいくらですか。	Kono ringo wa ikura desu ka.	How much is this apple?
ケーキはいくらですか。	ケーキはいくらですか。	Kēki wa ikura desu ka.	How much is the cake?

Common mistake: ❌ これのいくらですか → ✓ これはいくらですか — "No" (の) indicates possession; use "wa" (は) to mark the topic you are asking about.

2. Requesting Items: [Noun] を ください

Structure: [Noun] + を + ください

When you want to buy something, use the object particle "を" (o) followed by "ください" (kudasai), which means "please give me." If you are specifying a quantity, place the counter after the noun.

Japanese	Reading	Romaji	English
水をください。	みずをください。	Mizu o kudasai.	Water, please.
これを二つください。	これをふたつください。	Kore o futatsu kudasai.	Please give me two of these.
パンを三つください。	ぱんをみっつください。	Pan o mittsu kudasai.	Three breads, please.
そのペンを一本ください。	そのぺんをいっぽんください。	Sono pen o ippon kudasai.	One of those pens, please.

Common mistake: ❌ 水ください → ✓ 水をください — While casual speech sometimes drops particles, in a polite shopping context, always include "o" (を).

Dialogues

Dialogue 1: At a Convenience Store

A customer is buying a drink and a sandwich.

Clerk: いらっしゃいませ。 (Irasshaimase / Welcome.) Customer: こんにちは。このおにぎりはいくらですか。 (Konnichiwa. Kono onigiri wa ikura desu ka. / Hello. How much is this rice ball?) Clerk: それは150円です。 (Sore wa hyaku-gojū-en desu. / That is 150 yen.) Customer: じゃあ、これを二つください。 (Jā, kore o futatsu kudasai. / Then, please give me two of these.) Clerk: はい、300円です。 (Hai, sanbyaku-en desu. / Yes, that is 300 yen.) Customer: これもください。 (Kore mo kudasai. / Please give me this too.) Clerk: はい、レシートです。 (Hai, reshīto desu. / Here is your receipt.) Customer: ありがとう。 (Arigatō. / Thank you.)

Dialogue 2: At a Stationery Store

A customer is looking for pens.

Customer: すみません、ペンはありますか。 (Sumimasen, pen wa arimasu ka. / Excuse me, do you have pens?) Clerk: はい、あります。こちらです。 (Hai, arimasu. Kochira desu. / Yes, we do. They are over here.) Customer: このペンはいくらですか。 (Kono pen wa ikura desu ka. / How much is this pen?) Clerk: それは200円です。 (Sore wa nihyaku-en desu. / That is 200 yen.) Customer: 安いですね。これを三本ください。 (Yasui desu ne. Kore o sanbon kudasai. / It's cheap, isn't it? Please give me three of these.) Clerk: はい、600円です。 (Hai, roppyaku-en desu. / Yes, that is 600 yen.)

Grammar Drills

Exercise 1: Fill in the blank

1. このケーキは＿＿＿ですか。(How much is this cake?)
2. 水を＿＿＿ください。(Please give me one water - use counter)
3. ＿＿＿はありますか。(Do you have a receipt?)
4. その本を＿＿＿ください。(Please give me two of those books - use counter)
5. このペンは＿＿＿です。(This pen is 100 yen.)

Answer Key:

1. いくら 2. 一つ (hitotsu) 3. レシート 4. 二つ (futatsu) 5. 百円 (hyaku-en)

Translation Practice

English → Japanese

1. How much is this?
2. Please give me three apples.
3. Do you have a pen?
4. That is 500 yen.
5. Please give me one of these (long objects).

Japanese → English 6. このりんごはいくらですか。 7. これを二枚ください。 8. レシートをください。 9. その本は高いです。 10. コンビニはありますか。

Answer Key:

1. これはいくらですか。 2. りんごを三つください。 3. ペンはありますか。 4. それは五百円です。 5. これを一本ください。 6. How much is this apple? 7. Please give me two of these (flat items). 8. Please give me the receipt. 9. That book is expensive. 10. Is there a convenience store?

Cultural Note

In Japan, the interaction at a reji (cash register) is highly ritualized. You will often hear the clerk say "Irasshaimase" (Welcome) as you enter. When you hand over money, it is standard practice to place it on the small plastic tray provided on the counter rather than handing it directly to the clerk. This is considered more hygienic and polite.

Additionally, Japanese stores are famous for their efficiency. You will almost always be asked if you want a receipt (reshīto), and in many places, they will ask if you need a bag (fukuro). Learning to respond with "Hai, onegaishimasu" (Yes, please) or "Iie, kekkou desu" (No, thank you) will make your shopping experience much smoother.

Self-Check

1. What is the difference between "kore" and "sore" when asking for a price?
2. Why do we use different counters like "ko," "hon," and "mai"?
3. How do you politely ask for something you see in a store?
4. Translate: "This bag is 1000 yen."
5. Reflect: Why is it important to know the word for "receipt" in Japan?