お金
Okane
Money. The thing that disappears faster on vacation than your self-control in a snack shop.
Talking about prices in Japanese is wonderfully practical. You will use it in shops, restaurants, online stores, train stations, markets, and those suspiciously cute places where you swear you are “just looking” and then somehow leave with five stationery items and a tiny cat plate.
The good news: Japanese money talk is pretty structured. Once you learn a few key words, question patterns, and common price expressions, you can understand what things cost, ask if something is expensive, talk about your budget, and even complain politely when a melon costs the same as a small appliance.
If you want a broader starter path, the Japanese learning hub is a solid place to keep going after this.
The Core Money Words You Will Use All The Time
| Kanji | Rōmaji | Meaning | Example (JP) | Example (Rōmaji) | Translation (EN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| お金 | okane | money | 日本では現金を使う店もあります。 | Nihon de wa genkin o tsukau mise mo arimasu. | In Japan, there are also shops that use cash. |
| 値段 | nedan | price | この値段は高いですね。 | Kono nedan wa takai desu ne. | This price is high, isn’t it? |
| 価格 | kakaku | price; cost | 価格が少し下がりました。 | Kakaku ga sukoshi sagarimashita. | The price went down a little. |
| 円 | en | yen | これは千円です。 | Kore wa sen en desu. | This is 1,000 yen. |
| 現金 | genkin | cash | 現金で払いました。 | Genkin de haraimashita. | I paid in cash. |
| カード | kādo | card | カードは使えますか。 | Kādo wa tsukaemasu ka. | Can I use a card? |
| 予算 | yosan | budget | 旅行の予算は五万円です。 | Ryokō no yosan wa go-man en desu. | The travel budget is 50,000 yen. |
| 会計 | kaikei | bill; check; payment | お会計をお願いします。 | O-kaikei o onegaishimasu. | The bill, please. |
How To Say Prices In Yen
Japanese prices are usually said with a number plus 円 (en). Nice and clean. No need to panic. The only real trick is getting used to Japanese number words.
円
En
Yen
Example sentence: この本は八百円です。
Kono hon wa happyaku en desu.
This book is 800 yen.
Very common price chunks:
| Kanji | Rōmaji | Meaning | Example (JP) | Example (Rōmaji) | Translation (EN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 百円 | hyaku en | 100 yen | このペンは百円です。 | Kono pen wa hyaku en desu. | This pen is 100 yen. |
| 五百円 | gohyaku en | 500 yen | 昼ご飯は五百円でした。 | Hirugohan wa gohyaku en deshita. | Lunch was 500 yen. |
| 千円 | sen en | 1,000 yen | 千円札がありますか。 | Sen en satsu ga arimasu ka. | Do you have a 1,000-yen bill? |
| 一万円 | ichi-man en | 10,000 yen | 一万円は大きいですね。 | Ichi-man en wa ōkii desu ne. | 10,000 yen is a big amount, huh. |
| 二千五百円 | ni-sen gohyaku en | 2,500 yen | このシャツは二千五百円です。 | Kono shatsu wa ni-sen gohyaku en desu. | This shirt is 2,500 yen. |
| 三万円 | san-man en | 30,000 yen | 新しい電話は三万円でした。 | Atarashii denwa wa san-man en deshita. | The new phone was 30,000 yen. |
Quick sanity saver: Japanese counts large amounts with 万 (man), which means 10,000. So 30,000 yen is 三万円, not some long dramatic string of thousands.
Useful Phrases For Asking About Price
These are the phrases that make daily life easier fast. They are simple, natural, and extremely worth memorizing.
| Kanji | Rōmaji | Meaning | Example (JP) | Example (Rōmaji) | Translation (EN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| いくらですか。 | Ikura desu ka. | How much is it? | このりんごはいくらですか。 | Kono ringo wa ikura desu ka. | How much is this apple? |
| これはいくらですか。 | Kore wa ikura desu ka. | How much is this? | すみません、これはいくらですか。 | Sumimasen, kore wa ikura desu ka. | Excuse me, how much is this? |
| 全部でいくらですか。 | Zenbu de ikura desu ka. | How much is it altogether? | この三つで全部でいくらですか。 | Kono mittsu de zenbu de ikura desu ka. | How much is it altogether for these three? |
| お会計お願いします。 | O-kaikei onegaishimasu. | The bill, please. | 食事の後で、お会計お願いしますと言いました。 | Shokuji no ato de, o-kaikei onegaishimasu to iimashita. | After the meal, I said, “The bill, please.” |
| レシートをください。 | Reshīto o kudasai. | Please give me a receipt. | 会社のためにレシートをください。 | Kaisha no tame ni reshīto o kudasai. | Please give me a receipt for my company. |
| カードは使えますか。 | Kādo wa tsukaemasu ka. | Can I use a card? | この店でカードは使えますか。 | Kono mise de kādo wa tsukaemasu ka. | Can I use a card at this shop? |
| 現金だけですか。 | Genkin dake desu ka. | Is it cash only? | ここは現金だけですか。 | Koko wa genkin dake desu ka. | Is this place cash only? |
| 少し高いです。 | Sukoshi takai desu. | It’s a little expensive. | そのバッグは少し高いです。 | Sono baggu wa sukoshi takai desu. | That bag is a little expensive. |
| 安いですね。 | Yasui desu ne. | It’s cheap / inexpensive, isn’t it? | この店の野菜は安いですね。 | Kono mise no yasai wa yasui desu ne. | The vegetables in this shop are inexpensive, aren’t they? |
| ちょうどあります。 | Chōdo arimasu. | I have exact change. | 千円ちょうどあります。 | Sen en chōdo arimasu. | I have exactly 1,000 yen. |
| おつり | O-tsuri | change | おつりは百円です。 | O-tsuri wa hyaku en desu. | Your change is 100 yen. |
| 割引 | waribiki | discount | 今日は二十パーセント割引です。 | Kyō wa nijū pāsento waribiki desu. | Today it is 20% off. |
Talking About Expensive And Cheap
Two words do a lot of heavy lifting here: 高い for expensive, and 安い for cheap or inexpensive. Easy pair. Very useful pair. Basically your wallet’s emotional vocabulary.
| Kanji | Rōmaji | Meaning | Example (JP) | Example (Rōmaji) | Translation (EN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 高い | takai | expensive; high | このホテルは高いです。 | Kono hoteru wa takai desu. | This hotel is expensive. |
| 安い | yasui | cheap; inexpensive | あのスーパーは安いです。 | Ano sūpā wa yasui desu. | That supermarket is inexpensive. |
| もっと安い | motto yasui | cheaper | もっと安い店を知っています。 | Motto yasui mise o shitteimasu. | I know a cheaper store. |
| かなり高い | kanari takai | quite expensive | その時計はかなり高いです。 | Sono tokei wa kanari takai desu. | That watch is quite expensive. |
| 手頃 | tegoro | reasonable; affordable | この店は手頃な値段です。 | Kono mise wa tegoro na nedan desu. | This shop has reasonable prices. |
| 無料 | muryō | free of charge | 水は無料です。 | Mizu wa muryō desu. | Water is free. |
高い
Takai
Expensive; high
Example sentence: このコーヒーはちょっと高いです。
Kono kōhī wa chotto takai desu.
This coffee is a little expensive.
安い
Yasui
Cheap; inexpensive
Example sentence: 駅前の店は安いです。
Ekimae no mise wa yasui desu.
The shop in front of the station is inexpensive.
Talking About Paying
If you can ask a price, the next step is paying for the thing without looking like your brain has quietly left the building.
| Kanji | Rōmaji | Meaning | Example (JP) | Example (Rōmaji) | Translation (EN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 払う | harau | to pay | あとで払います。 | Ato de haraimasu. | I will pay later. |
| 支払う | shiharau | to pay | 家賃を毎月支払います。 | Yachin o maitsuki shiharaimasu. | I pay rent every month. |
| 現金で払う | genkin de harau | to pay in cash | 私は現金で払いました。 | Watashi wa genkin de haraimashita. | I paid in cash. |
| カードで払う | kādo de harau | to pay by card | カードで払えますか。 | Kādo de haraemasu ka. | Can I pay by card? |
| 分けて払う | wakete harau | to split the bill | 昼ご飯は分けて払いました。 | Hirugohan wa wakete haraimashita. | We split the lunch bill. |
| 一緒に払う | issho ni harau | to pay together | 二人分を一緒に払います。 | Futari-bun o issho ni haraimasu. | I will pay for both together. |
払う
Harau
To pay
Example sentence: ここで払いますか。
Koko de haraimasu ka.
Do I pay here?
Useful Shop And Restaurant Expressions
Now for the language that shows up in the wild: signs, menus, store counters, and receipts.
| Kanji | Rōmaji | Meaning | Example (JP) | Example (Rōmaji) | Translation (EN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 税込み | zeikomi | tax included | この値段は税込みです。 | Kono nedan wa zeikomi desu. | This price includes tax. |
| 税抜き | zeinuki | before tax; tax excluded | 税抜きで千円です。 | Zeinuki de sen en desu. | It is 1,000 yen before tax. |
| 合計 | gōkei | total | 合計は二千円です。 | Gōkei wa ni-sen en desu. | The total is 2,000 yen. |
| 半額 | hangaku | half price | この弁当は半額です。 | Kono bentō wa hangaku desu. | This boxed lunch is half price. |
| 特売 | tokubai | special sale | 今日は卵が特売です。 | Kyō wa tamago ga tokubai desu. | Eggs are on special sale today. |
| セール | sēru | sale | 今週はセールがあります。 | Konshū wa sēru ga arimasu. | There is a sale this week. |
| 品切れ | shinagire | sold out; out of stock | その商品は品切れです。 | Sono shōhin wa shinagire desu. | That product is out of stock. |
| 領収書 | ryōshūsho | receipt | 領収書をもらいました。 | Ryōshūsho o moraimashita. | I received a receipt. |
税込み and 税抜き matter. A lot. Nothing ruins a neat budget faster than realizing the “final” price was feeling a bit fictional.
Talking About Budget And Cost
Sometimes you are not just asking the price. You are talking about whether something fits your plans, your wallet, or your attempt to pretend you are being responsible.
| Kanji | Rōmaji | Meaning | Example (JP) | Example (Rōmaji) | Translation (EN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 予算 | yosan | budget | 予算は一万円です。 | Yosan wa ichi-man en desu. | The budget is 10,000 yen. |
| 費用 | hiyō | expense; cost | 旅行の費用は高かったです。 | Ryokō no hiyō wa takakatta desu. | The trip cost was high. |
| 料金 | ryōkin | fee; charge | 入場料金はいくらですか。 | Nyūjō ryōkin wa ikura desu ka. | How much is the admission fee? |
| 家賃 | yachin | rent | 東京の家賃は高いです。 | Tōkyō no yachin wa takai desu. | Rent in Tokyo is expensive. |
| 送料 | sōryō | shipping fee | 送料は無料です。 | Sōryō wa muryō desu. | Shipping is free. |
| 手数料 | tesūryō | handling fee; service fee | 手数料がかかります。 | Tesūryō ga kakarimasu. | A service fee applies. |
予算
Yosan
Budget
Example sentence: 予算内で買いたいです。
Yosan-nai de kaitai desu.
I want to buy it within my budget.
Mini Patterns You Can Reuse Anywhere
These little sentence frames are gold. Swap in new nouns and you can suddenly survive a surprising number of shopping situations.
| Pattern | Rōmaji | Meaning | Example (JP) | Example (Rōmaji) | Translation (EN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ___ はいくらですか。 | ___ wa ikura desu ka. | How much is ___? | この傘はいくらですか。 | Kono kasa wa ikura desu ka. | How much is this umbrella? |
| ___ は高いです。 | ___ wa takai desu. | ___ is expensive. | このホテルは高いです。 | Kono hoteru wa takai desu. | This hotel is expensive. |
| ___ は安いです。 | ___ wa yasui desu. | ___ is inexpensive. | この店のパンは安いです。 | Kono mise no pan wa yasui desu. | The bread in this shop is inexpensive. |
| ___ で払います。 | ___ de haraimasu. | I will pay by ___. | カードで払います。 | Kādo de haraimasu. | I will pay by card. |
| ___ をください。 | ___ o kudasai. | Please give me ___. | レシートをください。 | Reshīto o kudasai. | Please give me a receipt. |
| ___ は無料です。 | ___ wa muryō desu. | ___ is free. | このアプリは無料です。 | Kono apuri wa muryō desu. | This app is free. |
Common Money Questions In Real Life
Here are some full, ready-to-use lines that sound natural and helpful in actual conversation.
| Kanji | Rōmaji | Meaning | Example (JP) | Example (Rōmaji) | Translation (EN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| これ、いくらでしたか。 | Kore, ikura deshita ka. | How much was this? | 昨日買った服、これ、いくらでしたか。 | Kinō katta fuku, kore, ikura deshita ka. | That clothing you bought yesterday, how much was it? |
| もう少し安いものはありますか。 | Mō sukoshi yasui mono wa arimasu ka. | Do you have something a little cheaper? | すみません、もう少し安いものはありますか。 | Sumimasen, mō sukoshi yasui mono wa arimasu ka. | Excuse me, do you have something a little cheaper? |
| 予算は五千円ぐらいです。 | Yosan wa go-sen en gurai desu. | My budget is about 5,000 yen. | プレゼントの予算は五千円ぐらいです。 | Purezento no yosan wa go-sen en gurai desu. | My budget for the gift is about 5,000 yen. |
| クレジットカードは使えますか。 | Kurejitto kādo wa tsukaemasu ka. | Can I use a credit card? | ここでクレジットカードは使えますか。 | Koko de kurejitto kādo wa tsukaemasu ka. | Can I use a credit card here? |
| 別々に払えますか。 | Betsubetsu ni haraemasu ka. | Can we pay separately? | 三人ですが、別々に払えますか。 | Sannin desu ga, betsubetsu ni haraemasu ka. | There are three of us; can we pay separately? |
| 税込みですか。 | Zeikomi desu ka. | Is tax included? | この値段は税込みですか。 | Kono nedan wa zeikomi desu ka. | Is tax included in this price? |
Common Mistakes And Easy Fixes
A few traps show up again and again. Luckily, they are very fixable.
- Using only numbers without 円
Better: 千円です。
Sen en desu.
It is 1,000 yen. - Mixing up 高い and 大きい
高い means expensive or high. 大きい means big.
Correct: このかばんは高いです。
Kono kaban wa takai desu.
This bag is expensive. - Forgetting tax words
税込み and 税抜き can change what you actually pay. Sneaky little detail. Important little detail. - Saying a budget too vaguely
Better: 予算は一万円です。
Yosan wa ichi-man en desu.
My budget is 10,000 yen. - Not asking about payment type
Use: カードは使えますか。
Kādo wa tsukaemasu ka.
Can I use a card?
Quick Reference Summary
| Japanese | Rōmaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| お金 | okane | money |
| 値段 | nedan | price |
| 円 | en | yen |
| いくらですか。 | ikura desu ka | How much is it? |
| 高い | takai | expensive |
| 安い | yasui | cheap; inexpensive |
| 現金 | genkin | cash |
| カード | kādo | card |
| お会計お願いします。 | o-kaikei onegaishimasu | The bill, please. |
| 割引 | waribiki | discount |
| 税込み | zeikomi | tax included |
| 予算 | yosan | budget |
If you can say いくらですか, understand 円, and use 高い and 安い, you already have a practical survival kit for money talk in Japanese. Add カードは使えますか and お会計お願いします, and suddenly shops and restaurants feel much less mysterious. For more everyday Japanese that actually helps in real situations, this useful Japanese guide is a smart next step.
Yak takeaway: money vocabulary is not glamorous, but it is deeply useful. Learn it once, use it forever, and save yourself from nodding politely at a cashier while having absolutely no idea what just happened.
