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Study in the app →Japanese · JLPT Band 1 (N5) · Chapter 23
ふくと いろ Clothes and colours
Clothes and colour words: shatsu, zubon, wanpiisu, saizu, iro, akai, aoi, kuroi, shiroi, kiru. The key grammar is colour i-adjective + noun: akai shatsu, aoi wanpiisu. Colour words are i-adjectives ending in "~i" and go before the noun. English speakers make the mistake of dropping the "i" and saying "aka shatsu" — say "akai shatsu". Kana corner: pronouncing the colour words. Culture: Japanese shopping and service.
Dialogue
あお？ あおい？ — ao? aoi?
- Yuki マイクさん、なにを かいたいですか？ Mike, what do you want to buy?
- Mike あお シャツを かいたいです。 I want to buy a blue shirt. (slip: colours are i-adjectives → "aoi shatsu", not "ao shatsu")
- Yuki 「あおい」です：いろは い-けいようしです。あおい シャツ。 It is "aoi": colours are i-adjectives. Aoi shatsu.
- Mike あ、あおい シャツを かいたいです。 Ah, I want to buy a blue shirt.
Dialogue
ふくやで — At the clothes shop
- Mike あかい シャツを かいたいです。 I want to buy a red shirt.
- てんいん サイズは？ おおきい シャツも ちいさい シャツも あります。 What size? We have both big shirts and small shirts.
- Mike ちいさい シャツが いいです。いくらですか。 A small shirt is good. How much is it?
- てんいん せんえんです。 It's one thousand yen.
Vocabulary
| 汉字 | Pinyin | POS | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| シャツ | shatsu | n. | shirt |
| ズボン | zubon | n. | trousers |
| ワンピース | wanpīsu | n. | dress |
| サイズ | saizu | n. | size |
| いろ | iro | n. | colour |
| あかい | akai | adj. | red (i-adj) |
| あおい | aoi | adj. | blue (i-adj) |
| くろい | kuroi | adj. | black (i-adj) |
| しろい | shiroi | adj. | white (i-adj) |
| きる | kiru | v. | to wear (→ kimasu) |
Grammar
いろの い-けいようし ＋ めいし Colour i-adjective + noun
いろの ことば「あかい・あおい・くろい・しろい」は「〜い」で おわる い-けいようしです。めいしの まえに つけて つかいます：あかい シャツ、あおい ワンピース、くろい くつ。「です」を つける ときも い-けいようしの ルールと おなじです：この シャツは あかいです。えいごを はなす ひとは、「い」を おとして「あか シャツ」と いう まちがいを します — いろの ことばは かならず「い」を つけて「あかい シャツ」。
The colour words "akai, aoi, kuroi, shiroi" are i-adjectives ending in "~i". Use them before a noun: akai shatsu, aoi wanpiisu, kuroi kutsu. When you add "desu" the i-adjective rule is the same: kono shatsu wa akai desu. English speakers make the mistake of dropping the "i" and saying "aka shatsu" — colour words always keep the "i": akai shatsu.
- あかい シャツを かいたいです。 Akai shatsu o kaitai desu. I want to buy a red shirt.
- あおい ワンピースは たかいです。 Aoi wanpīsu wa takai desu. The blue dress is expensive.
- くろい くつは やすいです。 Kuroi kutsu wa yasui desu. The black shoes are cheap.
- この シャツは おおきいです。ちいさい サイズが いいです。 Kono shatsu wa ōkii desu. Chiisai saizu ga ii desu. This shirt is big. A small size is better.
Culture
にほんの かいもの Shopping in Japan
When you walk into a shop in Japan, the first thing you hear is "irasshaimase" (welcome). Prices are fixed and there is no tipping. You put your money on a small tray, and your change is returned politely. Knowing these three things makes shopping much easier.
"Irasshaimase"
When a customer enters, the shop clerk says "irasshaimase". It means "welcome", and you do not have to answer. Japanese service is very polite — this is called "omotenashi". The clerk hands you goods with both hands and places them carefully in a bag. It makes shopping a pleasant experience.
Prices and tipping
In Japanese shops, prices are fixed. People almost never haggle — you pay the price on the tag as it is. And the most important thing: there is no tipping in Japan. Not in restaurants, not in taxis — no tip is needed. In fact, offering a tip can leave the other person confused. Just pay the marked price and you are fine.
The money tray and wrapping
When you pay at the checkout, you do not put the money in the clerk's hand — you place it on a small tray. The clerk counts your change and returns it with both hands. If you buy a gift, they will wrap it very beautifully. This careful wrapping is one of the pleasures of shopping in Japan.
In short: at a shop you hear "irasshaimase", prices are fixed, there is no tipping, and you put your money on the tray. Knowing these manners makes shopping in Japan even more enjoyable. Enjoy your shopping!
kana
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