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In most shops, prices are labeled. Consumption tax (5%) is included in that price.

Bargaining is not a common practice in Japan. You can try at the privately owned small shops, and electric appliance stores especially in Akihabara, Tokyo (famous tourist destination for shopping).

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So, let's start!

*Where can I buy electric appliances? - Denka seihin wa doko de kae masuka?

*Is there a convenience store nearby? - Chikaku ni konbiniensu sutoa wa ari masuka?

*What time does the pharmacy closes? - Yakkyoku wa nan-ji ni heiten desuka?

*Does that store have variety of products? - Sono mise wa shurui ga hōfu desuka?

(denka seihin: electric appliances / tabemono: food / fuku: clothes

dokode?: at where? (doko: where + de: at)

kau (kai masu): to buy (kae masu: can buy)

chikaku: nearby

konbiniensu sutoa: convenience store / sūpā: supermarket / yakkyoku: pharmacy

mise: store, shop

kaiten: opening (of the store) / heiten: closing (of the store)

shurui ga hōfu: full of variety (shurui: kinds, hōfu: plenty, abundant))

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Are you looking for something? - Nanika osagashi desuka?

*I'm looking for second-hand computers. - Chūko no konpyūta o sagashi te imasu.

*Where's camera section? - Kamera uriba wa doko desuka?

*Watch section is on the 3rd flr. - Tokei uriba wa san-kai desu.

(sagasu: to look for, to search

_te (tte) imasu: doing something right now (present progressive)

chūko: second-hand / shinpin: brand-new

konpyūta: computer / kamera: camera / tokei: watch

_uriba: _section (for sale))

Basic Rules:

verb + te (tte) + imasu = present progressive form

Affirmative: te imasu (present) / te imashita (past)

Negative: te imasen (present) / te imasen deshita (past)

Wuestion: te imasuka? (present) / te imashitaka? (past)

Examples: tabe te imasu (I'm eating), ka tte imashita (I was buying), tsuka tte imasendeshita (I was not using)

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Can I try this on? - Shichaku dekimasuka?

*Can I back order? - Toriyose wa dekimasuka?

*Can you do alteration? - Sunpō naoshi wa dekimasuka?

* Can I return? - Henpin wa deki masuka?

(shichaku: trying to put clothes on

toriyose: back order

sunpō naoshi: alteration (sunpo: size + naoshi: fix)

henpin: return (of the purchased goods))

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:

*How is it? - Ikaga desuka?

*Little small. - Sukoshi chiisai desu

*It fits. I'll take this. - Chōdo ii desu. Kore ni shimasu.

*Little short. - Sukoshi mijikai desu.

(sukoshi: little

ōkii: large / chiisai: small

nagai: long / mijikai: short

ikaga desuka?: How is it? (polite) / dō desuka? (informal)

chōdo ii: just right (it fits) (chōdo: just + ii: right, good))

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*Do you have a little smaller size? - Mōsukoshi chiisai saizu wa ari masuka?

* L size is out of stock. - Eru saizu wa shinagire desu.

*How long does it take for back order? - Toriyose wa donokurai kakarimasuka?

*Then, please (back order). / Then, no thanks. - Dewa, onegaishimasu. / Dewa, kekkō desu.

(mōsukoshi: little more (mō: more + sukoshi: little)

saizu: size

shinagire: out of stock

dewa: then)

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*Do you have a little lighter color? - Mōsukoshi akarui iro wa arimasuka?

*white, black, red, blue, yellow - shiro, kuro, aka, ao, kiiro

*green, orange, pink - midori, orenji, pinku

*purple, brown, gray - murasaki, chairo, haiiro

*Do you have a pink color with the same design? - Onaji dezain de pinku wa arimasuka?

(akarui: light / kurai: dark

iro: color

onaji: same

dezain: design)

Basic Rules:

Colors:

People know most colors in English. Try with the Japanese way of pronunciation.

howaito (white), burakku (black), reddo (red), buruu (blue), ierō (yellow), guriin (green)

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Can it be a little cheaper? - Mōsukoshi yasuku nari masuka?

*Can it be cheaper if I bought two? - Futatsu kattara yasuku nari masuka?

*How much in total? - Zenbu de ikura desuka?

*How about 7,500 yen? - Nana-sen go-hyaku en de dōdesuka?

*Then I'll take it. / Then, no thanks. - Dewa, kore ni shimasu. / Dewa, kekkō desu.

(yasui: cheap

naru: become (yasu ku naru: becomes cheap)

kau: to buy (ka ttara: if I buy)

zenbu: all

_de dōdesuka?: How about_? (inpolite)

dewa: then)

Basic Rules:

adjectives or adverbs + ku (or ni) + naru = become_

Affirmative: ku nari masu (present) / ku nari mashita (past)

Negative: ku narimasen (present) / ku narimasendeshita (past)

Question: ku nari masuka? (present) / ku nari mashitaka? (past)

Examples: taka ku nari masu (become expensive), chiisaku takuarimasen (doesn/t become small), shizuka ni nari mashita (became quiet)

verb + ta (tta) + ra = if I _

Examples: i ttara (if I go), tabe tara (if I eat), shi tara (if I do)

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I had fun learning the colors. It's easy right? Pinku is my favorite color. What about yours?