About This Lesson
Use Getting a Shopping Bag and Paying for Groceries to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
私は買い物袋を忘れました。
wah-tah-SHEE wah kye-moh-noh boo-koo-roh oh wah-soo-reh-mah-SHEE-tah I forgot my shopping bag.
B
ここで袋を買えます。
KOH-koh deh boo-koo-roh oh kyeh-mahss You can buy a bag here.
A
買い物袋があると助かります。
kye-moh-noh boo-koo-roh gah ah-roo toh tah-soo-kah-ree-mahss A shopping bag would help.
B
カードで払いますか、それとも現金ですか。
KAH-doh deh hah-rah-ee-mahss kah, soh-reh-toh-moh GEN-keen dess kah Will you pay by card or cash?
A
カードで払います。
KAH-doh deh hah-rah-ee-mahss I'll pay by card.
B
レシートは必要ですか。
reh-SHEE-toh wah hee-TSOO-YOH dess kah Do you need a receipt?
A
レシートを袋に入れてください。
reh-SHEE-toh oh boo-koo-roh nee ee-reh-teh koo-DAH-sigh Please put the receipt in the bag.
B
こちらが買ったものです。
koh-CHEE-rah gah KAH-tah moh-noh dess Here are your groceries.
A
私は今、買ったものを持てます。
wah-tah-SHEE wah ee-MAH, KAH-tah moh-noh oh moh-TEH-mahss I can carry them now.Word by Word
私
「私」 means “I,” referring to the speaker. It is commonly used to identify yourself, often before the topic marker は; here the speaker says that they forgot the shopping bag.
は
「は」 marks 「私」 as the topic of the statement, so the sentence is about the speaker. It commonly follows the person or thing being discussed and can also introduce a contrast.
買い物
「買い物」 means shopping and contributes that meaning to 「買い物袋」, a shopping bag. It can be placed before a noun to describe something related to shopping; here it specifies the kind of bag.
袋
「袋」 means a bag, including the bag mentioned in 「買い物袋」 and 「袋を」. At a shop, it is used when asking for or buying a bag, and it can take を when it is the object of an action.
を
「を」 marks the direct object of an action. In 「買い物袋を忘れました」, it shows that the shopping bag is what was forgotten; it commonly follows the thing someone forgets, buys, or carries.
忘れました
「忘れました」 means “forgot” in this dialogue and is a polite form related to 「忘れる」. It describes the speaker’s completed mistake, and it commonly follows the object that was forgotten, marked by を.
ここ
「ここ」 means “here,” referring to the shop or place where the conversation is happening. In 「ここで」 it identifies the place where the bag can be bought; it commonly appears before a location particle for an action.
で
「で」 marks the place or method connected with an action. In 「ここで」 it marks the place of buying, and in 「カードで」 it marks the payment method; at a checkout, it helps specify where or how an action takes place.
買えます
「買えます」 means “can buy” or “can be bought” in 「ここで袋を買えます」. It is the polite potential form related to 「買う」, and it is useful when explaining that a purchase is possible at a particular place.
が
「が」 marks the noun phrase that is the subject or the item being identified. In 「買い物袋があると」 it marks the bag that is available, while in 「こちらが」 it marks the items being presented; it is common when introducing or identifying something.
ある
「ある」 expresses that an inanimate thing exists or is available. In 「買い物袋があると」, the availability of a shopping bag is the condition that would be helpful; it is commonly used with objects rather than people.
と
「と」 means “if” or “when” here, connecting 「買い物袋がある」 with its result. In 「買い物袋があると助かります」, it presents having a bag as the condition for something being helpful; it commonly follows a condition before describing its result.
助かります
「助かります」 means “that would help” or “that would be helpful” in this conversation. It is a polite form related to 「助かる」 and is useful when expressing gratitude or explaining that someone’s help would make a situation easier.
カード
「カード」 means “card,” specifically the payment card in this checkout conversation. In 「カードで払います」 it is followed by で to show the payment method; it is used when stating or asking how payment will be made.
払います
「払います」 means “pay” in the polite statement 「カードで払います」. It is a polite form related to 「払う」 and commonly follows the payment method marked by で when a customer states how they will pay.
か
「か」 marks a polite question at the end of 「払いますか」 and 「ですか」. In this dialogue it also helps present a choice between card and cash; it is commonly used when asking for confirmation or a decision.
それとも
「それとも」 means “or else” and introduces the second choice in 「カードで払いますか、それとも現金ですか」. It is useful in questions that offer alternatives, especially after the first option has already been mentioned.
現金
「現金」 means cash, the alternative payment method in this checkout question. It is used as a noun in 「現金ですか」 to ask whether the payment will be cash; at a shop, it names one possible way to pay.
です
「です」 gives 「現金ですか」 a polite identification-question ending, roughly asking whether the payment is cash. It is commonly used after a noun in polite speech, including short questions about a choice or status.
レシート
「レシート」 means receipt, referring to the purchase record at the checkout. It is the item being discussed in 「レシートは必要ですか」 and 「レシートを袋に入れてください」; it can be the topic or the object of an action.
必要
「必要」 means “needed” or “necessary” in 「レシートは必要ですか」. With ですか, it asks whether the receipt is needed; it is useful when checking whether someone requires an item or service.
に
「に」 marks the destination or container into which something is placed. In 「袋に入れてください」 it shows that the bag is where the receipt should go; it commonly follows the destination of putting or moving something.
入れて
「入れて」 means “put in” in 「レシートを袋に入れてください」. It is the te-form related to 「入れる」 and links the placing action to the polite request ending ください; it commonly follows the object and comes before the destination marked by に.
ください
「ください」 makes the preceding action a polite request in 「入れてください」, meaning “please put it in.” It commonly follows a te-form when asking another person to do something, such as a service request at a shop.
こちら
「こちら」 means “here” or “this one” in a polite way. In 「こちらが買ったものです」, it politely points to the groceries being presented; it is useful when handing over or identifying an item for another person.
買った
「買った」 means “bought” and modifies 「もの」 in 「買ったもの」, identifying the items as things that were purchased. It is the past form related to 「買う」 and can be placed before a noun to describe something connected with a completed purchase.
もの
「もの」 means “thing” or “items” in 「買ったもの」. Together with 「買った」, it refers to the groceries that were bought; it is useful for referring generally to an item or group of items without naming each one.
今
「今」 means “now,” referring to the present moment. In 「私は今、買ったものを持てます」 it indicates that the speaker is able to carry the items at this time; it commonly appears near the action or ability being described.
持てます
「持てます」 means “can carry” or “can hold” the purchased items in this dialogue. It is the polite potential form related to 「持つ」, and it is useful when saying that someone is able to carry or hold a particular object.
Grammar Points
〜てください
レシートを袋に入れてください。
reh-SHEE-toh oh boo-koo-roh nee ee-reh-teh koo-DAH-sighPlease put the receipt in the bag.
Use the て-form + ください to make a polite request. 入れる becomes 入れてください.
可能形（〜えます／〜てます）
カードで払えます。
KAH-doh deh hah-rah-eh-mahssYou can pay by card.
The potential form expresses ability or possibility. 買う becomes 買えます, and 持つ becomes 持てます.
Japanese Vocabulary
カード
noun
KAH-doh
card
ここ
adv
KOH-koh
here
レシート
noun
reh-SHEE-toh
receipt
現金
noun
GEN-keen
cash
助かる
verb
tah-soo-KAH-roo
to be helpful
助かります
袋
noun
boo-koo-roh
bag
入れる
verb
ee-REH-roo
to put in
入れてください
買い物袋
noun
kye-moh-noh boo-koo-roh
shopping bag
買う
verb
KAH-oo
to buy
買えます
必要
adj
hee-TSOO-YOH
necessary; needed
必要です
払う
verb
hah-rah-oo
to pay
払います
忘れる
verb
wah-soo-REH-roo
to forget
忘れました
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
shopping bag
Show Answer
買い物袋to buy
Show Answer
買えますto forget
Show Answer
忘れましたto be helpful