Late-night snack run

Japanese at a convenience store: konbini words and phrases

You're friends, grabbing snacks at a convenience store late at night. Mei speaks first, in casual Japanese: plain forms, without です and ます, the way friends and family talk. Here is how it can begin, and the phrases and words worth having ready.

casualWith Mei, at the convenience store

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How Mei opens the conversation

Mei always speaks first. This is the scene's own opening line, with a reply you could give back at the same level:

ねえ、見みて！新あたらしいプリンが出でてる！買かっちゃおうかな…
Nē, mite! Atarashii purin ga deteru! Kacchaō ka na…
Hey, look! There's a new pudding out! Maybe I'll just get it…
You could say
いいね！私わたしも買かう！
Ii ne! Watashi mo kau!
Nice! I'll get one too!

Other ways it can begin

No two conversations go the same way, and the first line changes too. Each of these can open the scene:

あ、おでん始はじまってる！大根だいこん、いる？
A, oden hajimatteru! Daikon, iru?
Oh, they've started the oden! Want a daikon?
You could say
いいね、食たべたい！
Ii ne, tabetai!
Nice, I want one!
見みて、この雑誌ざっし、電車でんしゃの特集とくしゅうだって！
Mite, kono zasshi, densha no tokushū datte!
Look, this magazine has a train special!
You could say
へえ、見みせて見みせて。
Hē, misete misete.
Ooh, let me see, let me see.
さっきまで課題かだいやってたんだ。お腹なかぺこぺこ。
Sakki made kadai yatteta n da. Onaka pekopeko.
I was working on my assignment till just now. I'm starving.
You could say
大変たいへんだったね。
Taihen datta ne.
That sounds rough.
夜中よなかのコンビニって、なんかわくわくするよね。
Yonaka no konbini tte, nanka wakuwaku suru yo ne.
Convenience stores in the middle of the night are kind of exciting, right?
You could say
わかる、静しずかでいいよね。
Wakaru, shizuka de ii yo ne.
Totally, it's nice and quiet.
肉にくまん、まだあったかいって！一個いっこ食たべる？
Nikuman, mada attakai tte! Ikko taberu?
The pork buns are still warm! Want one?
You could say
食たべる！ありがとう。
Taberu! Arigatō.
Yes please! Thanks.

Phrases worth knowing here

Lines for what you do at the convenience store, each with when you'd say it.

新作しんさくのアイス出でてる！Shinsaku no aisu deteru!There's a new ice cream out!Say it when you spot a new product in the freezer or on the shelf — great for getting Mei excited.
おでん、まだあるかなOden, mada aru kanaI wonder if they still have oden.Muttered on the way in late at night, when the hot food counter might be sold out.
これ、半分はんぶんこしない？Kore, hanbunko shinai?Wanna split this?Use when you want a snack but not the whole thing — 半分こ is childish-cute and very friendly.
肉にくまん温あたためてもらおうよNikuman atatamete moraō yoLet's get them to heat up the pork bun.Say it to your friend before paying, when you want the clerk to microwave something.
期間限定きかんげんていだって！Kikan gentei datte!It says limited edition!Reading a label out loud as an excuse to buy it — a very convenience-store line.

Words you'll hear

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
コンビニ	konbini	convenience store
夜食やしょく	yashoku	late-night snack/meal
肉にくまん	nikuman	steamed pork bun (counter food)
おでん	oden	oden (simmered snacks by the register)
からあげ	karaage	fried chicken
アイス	aisu	ice cream
新商品しんしょうひん	shinshōhin	new product
レジ	reji	checkout register
温あたためる	atatameru	to heat up (food)
半分はんぶん	hanbun	half (as in: let's split it)

How polite to be

casual Here Mei speaks casual Japanese: plain forms, without です and ます, the way friends and family talk, and the replies suggested to you match the level you'd use back. The guide to keigo explains the three levels, and when each is right.

Eating out somewhere else? The guide to ordering food in Japanese walks through a whole meal, from the door to the check.

Try it out loud

In Unsubtitled, Mei says these lines in their own voice, and answers whatever you say back, typed or dictated, with furigana, romaji, and a translation until you no longer need them.

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More scenes with Mei

Or see every scene, with all four characters.