Survival Japanese

Konbini & Shopping Japanese: The Phrases You'll Actually Use Every Day

You'll be in a convenience store more than any temple, restaurant, or train station combined — here's what the cashier is actually asking you.

The konbini (コンビニ, convenience store) is one of the most-used spaces in Japan — for snacks, yes, but also bill payments, ATM access, printing, concert ticket pickup, and surprisingly good hot food. It's also where you'll hit a wall of rapid-fire Japanese questions at checkout if nobody's warned you what's coming.

Here's exactly what's being asked, and how to answer without hesitating.

🛍️ The Checkout Questions You'll Hear Constantly

What they're asking Japanese Romaji
Do you need a bag? 袋はご利用ですか? Fukuro wa go-riyō desu ka?
Do you have a point card? ポイントカードはお持ちですか? Pointo kādo wa o-mochi desu ka?
Should I warm this up? 温めますか? Atatamemasu ka?
Do you need chopsticks / a spoon? お箸(スプーン)はお付けしますか? O-hashi (supūn) wa o-tsuke shimasu ka?
How will you be paying? お支払い方法は? O-shiharai hōhō wa?

Every one of these can be answered with a simple yes or no — you don't need full sentences:

English Japanese Romaji
Yes, please お願いします Onegaishimasu
No thank you, I'm okay 大丈夫です Daijōbu desu

"Daijōbu desu" is doing a lot of work here — it politely covers "no bag needed," "no chopsticks needed," "no need to warm it," all with the same phrase. This is genuinely the single most useful phrase for any checkout interaction.

💳 Paying

English Japanese Romaji
Cash 現金 Genkin
Credit card クレジットカード Kurejitto kādo
By card, please カードでお願いします Kādo de onegaishimasu

IC cards (Suica, Pasmo — see our guide to getting around Japan) work at nearly every konbini register too — just tap, no need to say anything at all. QR code payment apps (PayPay being the most common) are also widely accepted; you'll usually show your phone screen to the cashier or scan a code at the register yourself.

🔍 Finding Something in the Store

English Japanese Romaji
Where is ~? ~はどこですか? ~ wa doko desu ka?
Is there a bathroom? トイレはありますか? Toire wa arimasu ka?
Is there an ATM? ATMはありますか? ATM wa arimasu ka?

Not every konbini has a public bathroom, but many do (some require asking for a key, others are self-serve) — asking is completely normal.

⚠️ 7 Things That Trip Up First-Timers

  1. Freezing when asked a checkout question you didn't expect — "daijōbu desu" gets you out of almost any of them.
  2. Not realizing hot food needs to be requested warmed — if you want it hot, say "onegaishimasu" when asked "atatamemasu ka?"
  3. Assuming all konbini have public restrooms — many do, but it's not universal; ask first.
  4. Not knowing IC cards work at the register — no need to fumble for cash if you've already got one charged.
  5. Missing that konbini handle bill payments — utility bills, some taxes, and more can often be paid directly at the register with a printed barcode slip.
  6. Overlooking the ATM — many konbini ATMs (especially 7-Eleven's) reliably accept foreign cards, often more reliably than a bank branch.
  7. Being surprised by the checkout speed — service is fast; having your payment method ready before you reach the register helps everyone.

📋 Your Cheat-Sheet Recap

# English Japanese Romaji
1 Do you need a bag? 袋はご利用ですか? Fukuro wa go-riyō desu ka?
2 Should I warm this up? 温めますか? Atatamemasu ka?
3 Do you need chopsticks? お箸はお付けしますか? O-hashi wa o-tsuke shimasu ka?
4 Yes, please お願いします Onegaishimasu
5 No thank you, I'm okay 大丈夫です Daijōbu desu
6 By card, please カードでお願いします Kādo de onegaishimasu
7 Where is ~? ~はどこですか? ~ wa doko desu ka?
8 Is there a bathroom? トイレはありますか? Toire wa arimasu ka?
9 Is there an ATM? ATMはありますか? ATM wa arimasu ka?

New to Japanese phrases entirely? Start with our 20 essential survival phrases — konbini checkout is one of the first places you'll get to use them.

-Survival Japanese