How to Shop at a Convenience Store in Japanese (コンビニ Phrases)
The コンビニ (konbini) is where you'll have your most frequent Japanese exchanges, and they follow a tight script. Learn the handful of questions staff ask and the short answers, and the whole thing becomes effortless.
Short and polite; staff use keigo
Convenience-store exchanges are quick. You can be brief and polite (お願いします, 大丈夫です); staff will speak to you in keigo. The key skill is recognizing their set questions so you can answer fast.
Your requests
袋をください。
Fukuro o kudasai.
A bag, please.
温めてください。
Atatamete kudasai.
Please heat it up.
お箸をください。
Ohashi o kudasai.
Chopsticks, please.
これでお願いします。
Kore de onegai shimasu.
This, please. (handing items over)
Paying
カードで払えますか？
Kādo de haraemasu ka?
Can I pay by card?
現金でお願いします。
Genkin de onegai shimasu.
Cash, please.
Suicaで。
Suica de.
With Suica. (IC card)
大丈夫です。
Daijōbu desu.
No, I'm fine. (declining politely)
What the staff will ask
袋はご利用ですか？
Fukuro wa goriyō desu ka?
Do you need a bag? (they ask)
温めますか？
Atatamemasu ka?
Shall I heat it up? (they ask)
お箸はおつけしますか？
Ohashi wa otsuke shimasu ka?
Shall I add chopsticks? (they ask)
ポイントカードはお持ちですか？
Pointo kādo wa omochi desu ka?
Do you have a point card? (they ask)
Tips to sound natural
- Plastic bags now cost a few yen — say 袋をください if you want one, or 大丈夫です to decline.
- For hot food, they'll ask 温めますか? — answer はい (yes) or 大丈夫です (no thanks).
- 大丈夫です is your all-purpose polite "no thanks" for bags, chopsticks, and point cards.
- You can pay almost any way: 現金 (cash), カード, or IC cards like Suica and PASMO.
Now practice it out loud
Reading phrases isn't speaking them. Rehearse this exact scene with an AI partner in Japanese, at your level — and get feedback after.
Practice Japanese free