Master Japanese N4: Shopping — Price, Quantity, & Comparison

Welcome to your definitive N4 guide to mastering shopping transactions in Japanese. Whether you are hunting for bargains in Tokyo or ordering online, this guide will teach you how to discuss prices, specify quantities, and compare products like a native speaker.

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1. Talking About Price: Beyond the Basics

To ask for a price, use 〜はいくらですか (How much is...?). At the N4 level, you must also master expressing limitations on your budget using だけ (only - positive) and しか...ない (only - negative implication).

Key Grammar: だけ vs. しか...ない

• だけ (Dake): Simply states a limit. It is followed by a positive verb.
• しか (Shika) ... ない (Nai): Implies that the amount is insufficient or less than expected. It must always pair with a negative verb.

Examples:

• 予算（よさん）は５千円（ごせんえん）だけあります。
  Yosan wa gosen-en dake arimasu.
  "I have only 5,000 yen (and that is fine/neutral)."予算千円
• 財布（さいふ）に千円（せんえん）しかありません。
  Saifu ni sen-en shika arimasen.
  "I have only 1,000 yen (and that is not enough)."財布千円

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2. Expressing Quantities with Precision

When shopping, place the counter after the particle marking the object, or directly before the verb.

• Structure: [Noun] + [Particle] + [Quantity] + [Verb]
• Example: りんごを三（みっ）つ買（か）いました。 (I bought three apples.)三買

Essential N4 Shopping Counters:

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3. Comparing Products (比較 - Hikaku)

As an N4 learner, you must master the three core patterns of comparison:

Pattern A: Comparing Two Items (A is more than B)

$$\text{A は B より [Adjective] です}$$

• Example: この靴（くつ）はあの靴より安（やす）いです。
  Kono kutsu wa ano kutsu yori yasui desu.
  "These shoes are cheaper than those shoes."靴安

Pattern B: Asking for a Preference (Which of the two...?)

$$\text{A と B と どちらが [Adjective] ですか}$$
$$\text{Response: A のほうが [Adjective] です}$$

• Example:
  Q: ビールとワインとどちらが安いですか。
  Biiru to wain to dochira ga yasui desu ka?
  "Which is cheaper, beer or wine?"
  A: ビールのほうが安いです。
  Biiru no hō ga yasui desu.
  "Beer is cheaper."安

Pattern C: Superlatives (The most...)

$$\text{[Group/Range] の中で A が一番（いちばん） [Adjective] です}$$中一番

• Example: この店（みせ）の中で、このカバンが一番高（たか）いです。
  Kono mise no naka de, kono kaban ga ichiban takai desu.
  "Out of everything in this store, this bag is the most expensive."店中一番高

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4. Practical Dialogue: At the Electronics Store

Apply these rules in a real-world context. Read the dialogue below:

客（きゃく - Customer）: すみません、このヘッドホンとあのヘッドホンと、どちらのほうが音（おと）がいいですか。
Sumimasen, kono heddohon to ano heddohon to, dochira no hō ga oto ga ii desu ka?
"Excuse me, between these headphones and those headphones, which one has better sound?"客音

店員（てんいん - Clerk）: こちらのほうが少し高いですが、音は一番いいですよ。
Kochira no hō ga sukoshi takai desu ga, oto wa ichiban ii desu yo.
"This one is a bit more expensive, but the sound is the best."店員少高音一

客: そうですか。今、財布に１万円しかありませんが、足（た）りますか。
Sō desu ka. Ima, saifu ni ichiman-en shika arimasen ga, tarimasu ka?
"I see. I only have 10,000 yen in my wallet right now; is that enough?"客今財布万円

店員: はい、消費税（しょうひぜい）込（こ）みで９千円ですから、足りますよ！
Hai, shōhizei komi de kyūsen-en desu kara, tarimasu yo!
"Yes, it is 9,000 yen including consumption tax, so it's enough!"店員消費税込

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Quick Review Challenge

Can you translate this sentence using today's grammar?

"Out of these three shirts, the blue one is the cheapest."
(Answer: この三枚のシャツの中で、青いのが一番安いです。)三枚中青一番