New here? This is lesson 62 of a free 240-lesson Japanese course.
San, sensei and excuse me in Japanese
Leo stops at the apartment gate with a small bow. A neat woman stands there with a ring of keys, not a tray. He calls her a clerk.
Masako hears him from the kissa door across the lane and puts him right. Then he checks her name the usual Tokyo way.
You will call shop staff, say san after a name, and use sensei for a doctor.
Call people by name. Do not use a bare you.
By the end of this lesson
Address people politely by name.
- 店員さん。Excuse me (to a clerk).
- 大野さんですか。Are you Ono-san?
- 石田先生、お願いします。Dr. Ishida, please.
- こちらは健太さんです。This is Kenta.
- 佐藤さん。Sato-san.
- 遥さんですね。You're Haruka, aren't you?
Scene — keys at the gate
Leo stands at the metal staircase of his building. Ono-san is at the gate with a ring of keys, not a shop tray.
Across the lane, Kissa Hotaru's door is open. Masako watches from the counter. Goro occupies two seats in the corner booth, coffee untouched.
Learn — san and sensei
These six lines call a clerk, check a name, and introduce a person.
Doctors take sensei. Other people take san after the name.
店員さん。
Excuse me (to a clerk).
When to use it: Use this to get a shop clerk's attention.
Learn it as one piece for a shop clerk.
大野さんですか。
Are you Ono-san?
When to use it: Use this to check you have the right person.
Learn it as one piece when you check a name.
Say it: Hold the long o in 大野.
石田先生、お願いします。
Dr. Ishida, please.
When to use it: Use this at a clinic when you ask for the doctor.
Learn it as one piece for a doctor by name.
Say it: Give ん in 先生 its own beat.
こちらは健太さんです。
This is Kenta.
When to use it: Use this to introduce someone by name.
Learn it as one piece when you introduce a person.
佐藤さん。
Sato-san.
When to use it: Use this to call someone by family name.
Learn it as one piece for a family name.
遥さんですね。
You're Haruka, aren't you?
When to use it: Use this when you think you know who someone is.
Learn it as one piece to check a name softly.
Story — not a clerk
Leo calls Ono-san a clerk at the gate. She holds keys, not a tray. Masako sets him straight from across the lane.
Highlighted phrases are the new lines. Turn on Show English if you want a gloss.
- Leo stops at the gate. Ono-san holds a ring of keys, not a tray.
Leo店員さん。Excuse me (to a clerk).- Masako calls over from the kissa door across the lane.
Masako大野さんは店員さんじゃありませんよ。Ono-san is not a clerk.- Leo大野さんですか。Are you Ono-san?
Onoはい、そうです。Yes, that's right.- She holds out the keys.
- Ono鍵をどうぞ。Here are the keys.
- Across the lane, Leo opens the clinic door.
- Leo石田先生、お願いします。Dr. Ishida, please.
Ishidaどうぞ。Go ahead.- Back at Kissa Hotaru. Goro's coffee sits untouched.
- Leo佐藤さん。Sato-san.
- Masakoはい、何ですか。Yes, what is it?
- Kenta stands at the counter in a shop apron.
- Masakoこちらは健太さんです。This is Kenta.
- Haruka steps in with a sketchbook.
- Leo遥さんですね。You're Haruka, aren't you?
Harukaはい、そうです。こんにちは。Yes, that's right. Hello.
Practice — pick the right name
Eleven short tasks wait in this round. You will listen, match names, fill a gap, and build a line.
Each one is small, so you move on quickly.
0 of 11 done
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Match the pairs
Japanese
店員さん。Drop the English here佐藤さん。Drop the English hereこちらは健太さんです。Drop the English hereEnglish
What do you say?
What do you say?
At the gate a small woman holds keys, not a tray. Check she is your landlady.
Find the mistake
Find the mistake
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
Are you Ono-san?
大野さん____か。
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
こんにちは。
Pick the reply
Ono says:
Pick the reply
レオさんですか。
Are you Leo?
And you reply with:
Build the line
Build the line
Are you Ono-san?
。
Tap the words in order.
Swap the word
Swap the word
Haruka walks in. You think you know her. Check softly.
遥さんです____。
True or false?
True or false?
You say this when you hand someone the keys.
What do you say?
What do you say?
Masako looks up from the counter. Call her by family name.
Say it — your turn to speak
You are Leo at the gate, then at the clinic and the kissa. When the cue is yours, tap the microphone and say the line.
Tap play first if you want to hear it. The recording stays on this device.
- Leo (you)A clerk is at the till. Get their attention.
A clerk is at the till. Get their attention.
店員さん。
Excuse me (to a clerk).
0 of 5 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Japanese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| 店員さん。 | Excuse me (to a clerk). | |
| 大野さんですか。 | Are you Ono-san? | |
| 石田先生、お願いします。 | Dr. Ishida, please. | |
| こちらは健太さんです。 | This is Kenta. | |
| 佐藤さん。 | Sato-san. | |
| 遥さんですね。 | You're Haruka, aren't you? |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Keep these names in your pocket. Open the Yak Cards for this lesson and run them on the train.
A short Yak Cards round keeps san and sensei ready at the door.
Open Yak Cards