Japanese course

Lesson 229 of 240

New here? This is lesson 229 of a free 240-lesson Japanese course.

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Helping a newcomer in Japanese

A new visitor joins Leo at Kissa Hotaru and orders a drink. When the visitor asks where to pay, Leo explains the local routine and why no tip is needed.

The visitor also asks about taking off shoes before going to a friend's home. Leo shares the simple rule without making the moment feel like a lecture.

Practise helpful, considerate lines for ordering and everyday customs. The goal is to make someone new feel welcome.

By the end of this lesson

Help a newcomer order and understand a few everyday customs.

  • ここでは、会計(かいけい)はレジでします。Here you pay at the register.
  • チップはいらないんです。You don't tip here.
  • 靴(くつ)を脱(ぬ)ぐところでは、脱(ぬ)いでください。Where people take their shoes off, please take them off.
  • メニュー、一緒(いっしょ)に見(み)ましょうか。Shall we look at the menu together?
  • 私(わたし)が来(き)たばかりのときも、同(おな)じでした。I was the same when I'd just arrived.
  • わからないことがあったら、聞(き)いてください。If something's unclear, just ask.

Scene — cash on the table

At Kissa Hotaru in Yanaka, Leo shares a table with a visitor who has just arrived in the neighbourhood. The visitor orders tea and asks how payment works.

By the door, the old black umbrella remains in its stand. Goro sits in the corner booth, his blend coffee still untouched.

Leo shares a table with the newcomer while tea and cash sit beside the cup.

Learn — local customs, kindly explained

These six lines help you guide a newcomer through ordering, payment, tipping, and shoes-off places.

They also let you offer to look at the menu and reassure someone who is still learning.

  1. Leo gestures toward the register as the newcomer asks where to pay.

    ここでは、会計(かいけい)はレジでします。

    Here you pay at the register.

    When to use it: Use this to explain where customers pay in a shop or cafe.

    で marks the place where the payment happens; レジ names the register.

  2. Leo reassures the newcomer that tipping is not customary.

    チップはいらないんです。

    You don't tip here.

    When to use it: Use this to gently explain that tipping is not expected.

    は presents チップ as the topic, while んです gives the explanation a gentle, explanatory tone.

    Say it: Keep the ん in いらないんです as a full nasal beat.

  3. Leo explains the custom of removing shoes when entering a home where shoes are taken off.

    靴(くつ)を脱(ぬ)ぐところでは、脱(ぬ)いでください。

    Where people take their shoes off, please take them off.

    When to use it: Use this when explaining the rule at a home or another shoes-off place.

    ところ means a place where an action happens; では limits the advice to those places.

  4. Leo and the newcomer look over the menu together before ordering tea.

    メニュー、一緒(いっしょ)に見(み)ましょうか。

    Shall we look at the menu together?

    When to use it: Offer this when someone would welcome help choosing from a menu.

    見ましょうか offers to do something together and checks whether the offer is welcome.

  5. Leo shares that he also felt this way when he had just arrived.

    私(わたし)が来(き)たばかりのときも、同(おな)じでした。

    I was the same when I'd just arrived.

    When to use it: Use this to reassure someone by sharing that you felt the same as a newcomer.

    も adds the meaning of also: you were in the same situation too.

  6. Leo invites the newcomer to ask whenever something is unclear, while Goro watches from the booth.

    わからないことがあったら、聞(き)いてください。

    If something's unclear, just ask.

    When to use it: Use this to invite someone to ask whenever they need help.

    あったら means if there is or comes up; here it introduces a possible question.

Story — a first visit to the kissa

A newcomer tries Kissa Hotaru for the first time and is unsure about the local routine. Leo helps with the menu, payment, and a question about shoes.

Highlighted phrases are the new lines. Turn on Show English if you want a gloss.

  1. The visitor has chosen tea and asks Leo how payment works before taking out their wallet.
  2. Visitorこんにちは。Hello.
  3. Leoこんにちは。Hello.
  4. Visitorメニューを見(み)せてください。Can I see the menu?
  5. Leoメニュー、一緒(いっしょ)に見(み)ましょうか。Shall we look at the menu together?
  6. Visitor紅茶(こうちゃ)をください。Black tea, please.
  7. Masakoかしこまりました。Certainly.
  8. Visitor会計(かいけい)はどこですればいいですか。Where should I pay?
  9. Leoここでは、会計(かいけい)はレジでします。Here you pay at the register.
  10. The visitor takes out some cash and places it beside the cup.
  11. Visitorチップも置(お)いたほうがいいですか。Should I leave a tip too?
  12. Leoチップはいらないんです。You don't tip here.
  13. Masakoお会計(かいけい)はレジでお願(ねが)いいたします。Please pay at the register.
  14. The visitor picks up the cash, takes it to the register, and pays.
  15. Visitorこのあと友達(ともだち)の家(いえ)に行(い)くんですが、靴(くつ)はどうすればいいですか。I'm going to a friend's home after this. What should I do about my shoes?
  16. Leo靴(くつ)を脱(ぬ)ぐところでは、脱(ぬ)いでください。Where people take their shoes off, please take them off.
  17. Visitor日本(にっぽん)の習慣(しゅうかん)はまだ分(わ)からないことが多(おお)くて、少(すこ)し緊張(きんちょう)します。There are still many customs I don't understand, so I'm a little nervous.
  18. Leo私(わたし)が来(き)たばかりのときも、同(おな)じでした。I was the same when I'd just arrived.
  19. Leoわからないことがあったら、聞(き)いてください。If something's unclear, just ask.
  20. Visitorありがとうございます。Thank you.
  21. Goro watches from the booth. His blend coffee remains untouched.

Practice — help with the small details

Ten tasks revisit the new phrases in several useful ways. Listen for the payment rule, choose a kind response, build a line, and check particles.

Then put a short exchange in order.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    A newcomer asks whether to leave a tip. Gently explain that tipping is not needed here.

  3. Pick the reply

    Visitor says:

    このあと友達(ともだち)の家(いえ)に行(い)くんですが、靴(くつ)はどうすればいいですか。

    I'm going to a friend's home after this. What should I do about my shoes?

    And you reply with:

  4. Build the line

    Shall we look at the menu together?

    、。

    Tap the words in order.

  5. Fill the gap

    I was the same when I'd just arrived.

    私(わたし)が来(き)たばかりのとき____、同(おな)じでした。

  6. Find the mistake

  7. What do you say?

    You are at the counter and want to ask Masako to show you the menu.

  8. What do you say?

    You have chosen black tea and are ready to order it politely.

  9. Match the pairs

    Japanese

    ここでは、会計(かいけい)はレジでします。Drop the English here
    チップはいらないんです。Drop the English here
    靴(くつ)を脱(ぬ)ぐところでは、脱(ぬ)いでください。Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Japanese, or tap one and then the other.

  10. Put the chat in order

    1. VisitorWhat comes first?
    2. Leo…
    3. Visitor…
    4. Leo…

    Tap the line that comes next, or drag it into the chat.

Say it — show them the way

Imagine you are Leo helping a new visitor at Kissa Hotaru. When the cue is yours, say the line that fits the moment.

Tap play first if you want to hear the model. This is a recording activity, not a pronunciation score.

  1. Masakoいらっしゃいませ。Welcome.
  2. Leo (you)Offer to look at the menu together.

    メニュー、一緒(いっしょ)に見(み)ましょうか。

    Shall we look at the menu together?

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

JapaneseEnglish
ここでは、会計(かいけい)はレジでします。Here you pay at the register.
チップはいらないんです。You don't tip here.
靴(くつ)を脱(ぬ)ぐところでは、脱(ぬ)いでください。Where people take their shoes off, please take them off.
メニュー、一緒(いっしょ)に見(み)ましょうか。Shall we look at the menu together?
私(わたし)が来(き)たばかりのときも、同(おな)じでした。I was the same when I'd just arrived.
わからないことがあったら、聞(き)いてください。If something's unclear, just ask.
Next: lesson 230The neighborhood meeting

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Save these helpful phrases for your next cafe visit. Open the Yak Cards for this lesson and practise them on the train.

A quick review helps you offer practical help without making a newcomer feel awkward.

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