Title: MiniCore Japanese-EN / Booster: Tax-Free Shopping
Tags: MinicoreJapanese-EN booster-tax-free vocab sentence dialog-line recognition dialog

MinicoreJapanese: Menzei wa arimasu ka.
Native: 免税はありますか。
English: Do you do tax-free? (at the register)
Literal: tax-free [topic] exists ?
Notes: menzei — tax-free / duty-free, the word on all those red-and-white signs. Ask it before paying; smaller shops do the exemption right at the register.

MinicoreJapanese: Menzei kauntaa wa doko desu ka.
Native: 免税カウンターはどこですか。
English: Where is the tax-free counter?
Literal: tax-free counter [topic] where is ?
Notes: kauntaa — counter, the loanword. Department stores centralize the paperwork at one desk: buy first, then bring everything (with the receipts) here.

MinicoreJapanese: Zeikin wa ikura desu ka.
Native: 税金はいくらですか。
English: How much is the tax?
Literal: tax [topic] how-much is ?
Notes: zeikin — tax. Prices in Japan are often shown both ways (税込 with tax, 税抜 without); when the tag is ambiguous, Lesson 3's ikura sorts it out.

MinicoreJapanese: Reji wa doko desu ka.
Native: レジはどこですか。
English: Where is the checkout?
Literal: register [topic] where is ?
Notes: reji — the register / checkout. Big drugstores hide it behind the aisles; two words find it.

MinicoreJapanese: Reshiito, onegaishimasu.
Native: レシート、お願いします。
English: A receipt, please.
Literal: receipt, please
Notes: reshiito — receipt. For tax-free claims the receipt is the paperwork — ask for it, keep it with your passport until you fly.

MinicoreJapanese: Purezento desu.
Native: プレゼントです。
English: It's a present. (they'll offer to wrap it)
Literal: present is
Notes: purezento — present. Say this at any register and watch: Japan's gift-wrapping culture takes over, usually free, always beautiful. The single highest-return sentence in this pack.

MinicoreJapanese: Hako wa arimasu ka.
Native: 箱はありますか。
English: Do you have a box?
Literal: box [topic] exists ?
Notes: hako — box. For the omiyage that has to survive your suitcase.

MinicoreJapanese: Omiyage o sagashimasu.
Native: お土産を探します。
English: I'm looking for souvenirs. (announcing it invites help)
Literal: souvenir [obj] look-for
Notes: omiyage — souvenir, with Lesson 4's sagashimasu. Omiyage is a social institution here — regional, edible, beautifully boxed — and staff light up helping you choose one.

MinicoreJapanese: Saifu ga arimasen.
Native: 財布がありません。
English: My wallet is gone!
Literal: wallet [ga] exists-not
Notes: saifu — wallet, in Lesson 8's problem-kit pattern. Say it where you are; the kouban (Lesson 8) does the rest — and in Japan, lost wallets famously come back.

MinicoreJapanese: Ookii saizu wa arimasu ka.
Native: 大きいサイズはありますか。
English: Do you have a bigger size?
Literal: big size [topic] exists ?
Notes: saizu — size, with Lesson 3's ookii in front. Worth knowing: Japanese sizes run one to two steps smaller than Western ones — this question gets asked a lot.

MinicoreJapanese: Chiisai saizu wa arimasu ka.
Native: 小さいサイズはありますか。
English: Do you have a smaller size?
Literal: small size [topic] exists ?
Notes: The antonym pair, doing what it's done since Lesson 3.

MinicoreJapanese: Kono iro wa arimasu ka.
Native: この色はありますか。
English: Do you have this color? (pointing at a photo)
Literal: this color [topic] exists ?
Notes: iro — color. Lesson 2's kono plus a phone photo covers any color in existence — but four color words cover most of what you'll actually say:

MinicoreJapanese: Aka wa arimasu ka.
Native: 赤はありますか。
English: Do you have red?
Literal: red [topic] exists ?
Notes: aka — red. Colors in Japanese are nouns, so they drop straight into the frames — no adjective machinery, no guardrail trouble.

MinicoreJapanese: Shiro ga ii desu.
Native: 白がいいです。
English: I'll take the white one.
Literal: white [ga] good is
Notes: shiro — white, choosing with Lesson 5's preference frame.

MinicoreJapanese: Kuro no kaban wa arimasu ka.
Native: 黒のかばんはありますか。
English: Do you have a black bag?
Literal: black of bag [topic] exists ?
Notes: kuro — black, glued to any noun with Lesson 2's no.

MinicoreJapanese: Ao mo arimasu ka.
Native: 青もありますか。
English: Is there blue too?
Literal: blue also exists ?
Notes: ao — blue, riding Lesson 5's mo. Swap any of the four colors through any of these frames; that's the whole system.

MinicoreJapanese: Shichakushitsu wa doko desu ka.
Native: 試着室はどこですか。
English: Where is the fitting room?
Literal: fitting-room [topic] where is ?
Notes: shichakushitsu — the fitting room. Heads-up before you go in: shoes come off at the step (Lesson 7's genkan rule follows you everywhere), and many shops hand you a face cover for pullovers.

MinicoreJapanese: Shichaku, ii desu ka.
Native: 試着、いいですか。
English: May I try it on?
Literal: trying-on, good is ?
Notes: shichaku — trying on. Lesson 7's permission frame, garment in hand. Wait for the douzo.

MinicoreJapanese: Menzei, onegaishimasu.
Native: 免税、お願いします。
English: Tax-free, please.
Literal: tax-free, please
Notes: The whole procedure in two words — said at the register or the counter, passport already coming out of your bag. Everything after this sentence is their job, not yours.

MinicoreJapanese: menzei
Native: 免税
English: tax-free
Notes: *Menzei, onegaishimasu.*

MinicoreJapanese: kauntaa
Native: カウンター
English: counter
Notes: *menzei kauntaa* — the tax-free desk

MinicoreJapanese: zeikin
Native: 税金
English: tax
Notes: *Zeikin wa ikura desu ka.*

MinicoreJapanese: reji
Native: レジ
English: register / checkout
Notes: *Reji wa doko desu ka.*

MinicoreJapanese: reshiito
Native: レシート
English: receipt
Notes: the tax-free paperwork

MinicoreJapanese: omiyage
Native: お土産
English: souvenir
Notes: *Omiyage o sagashimasu.*

MinicoreJapanese: purezento
Native: プレゼント
English: present
Notes: *Purezento desu.* — free wrapping

MinicoreJapanese: hako
Native: 箱
English: box
Notes: *Hako wa arimasu ka.*

MinicoreJapanese: saifu
Native: 財布
English: wallet
Notes: *Saifu ga arimasen.*

MinicoreJapanese: saizu
Native: サイズ
English: size
Notes: *Ookii / chiisai saizu wa arimasu ka.*

MinicoreJapanese: iro
Native: 色
English: color
Notes: *Kono iro wa arimasu ka.*

MinicoreJapanese: aka
Native: あか
English: red
Notes: colors are nouns — slot them anywhere

MinicoreJapanese: ao
Native: あお
English: blue
Notes: *Ao mo arimasu ka.*

MinicoreJapanese: shiro
Native: しろ
English: white
Notes: *Shiro ga ii desu.*

MinicoreJapanese: kuro
Native: くろ
English: black
Notes: *kuro no kaban* — black + *no* + noun

MinicoreJapanese: shichaku
Native: 試着
English: trying on
Notes: *Shichaku, ii desu ka.*

MinicoreJapanese: shichakushitsu
Native: 試着室
English: fitting room
Notes: shoes off at the step

MinicoreJapanese: Go-shichaku nasaimasu ka.
Native: ご試着なさいますか。
English: want to try it on?
Notes: *Hai, onegaishimasu.* / *Iie, daijoubu desu.*

MinicoreJapanese: Gosen-en ijou de menzei ni narimasu.
Native: 五千円以上で免税になります。
English: tax-free from ¥5,000
Notes: check your total, add an omiyage if close

MinicoreJapanese: Nihon kokunai de wa kaifuu shinaide kudasai.
Native: 日本国内では開封しないでください。
English: don't open the sealed bag in Japan
Notes: keep it sealed until you fly

MinicoreJapanese: At the tax-free counter
Notes: Traveler: Sumimasen. Menzei kauntaa wa doko desu ka.
Excuse me — where is the tax-free counter?
[excuse-me. tax-free counter [topic] where is ?]
Clerk: Ni-kai desu.
The second floor. (floor words are Lesson 4 listening material)
[second-floor is]
Traveler: Menzei, onegaishimasu.
(upstairs) Tax-free, please.
[tax-free, please]
Clerk: Reshiito to pasupooto, onegaishimasu.
Your receipts and passport, please.
[receipt and passport, please]
Traveler: Hai, douzo.
Yes — here you are.
[yes, here-you-are]
Clerk: Nihon kokunai de wa kaifuu shinaide kudasai.
Please don't open it inside Japan. (the sealed-bag rule — see the script below)
[Japan domestic in [topic] unseal-not-please]
Traveler: Wakarimashita. Arigatou gozaimasu.
Understood. Thank you.
[understood. thank you (full polite form)]

MinicoreJapanese: Sumimasen. Menzei kauntaa wa doko desu ka.
Native: すみません。免税カウンターはどこですか。
English: Excuse me — where is the tax-free counter?
Literal: excuse-me. tax-free counter [topic] where is ?

MinicoreJapanese: Ni-kai desu.
Native: 二階です。
English: The second floor. (floor words are Lesson 4 listening material)
Literal: second-floor is

MinicoreJapanese: Reshiito to pasupooto, onegaishimasu.
Native: レシートとパスポート、お願いします。
English: Your receipts and passport, please.
Literal: receipt and passport, please

MinicoreJapanese: Wakarimashita. Arigatou gozaimasu.
Native: わかりました。ありがとうございます。
English: Understood. Thank you.
Literal: understood. thank you (full polite form)

MinicoreJapanese: Shop scripts
Notes: Clerk: Go-shichaku nasaimasu ka.
Would you like to try it on? → answer: Hai, onegaishimasu. / Iie, daijoubu desu.
[(honorific) trying-on do ?]
Clerk: Gosen-en ijou de menzei ni narimasu.
Tax-free starts from 5,000 yen. → the threshold answer to your menzei question
[5000-yen above at tax-free becomes]
Clerk: Nihon kokunai de wa kaifuu shinaide kudasai.
Please don't open it inside Japan. → the sealed consumables bag; keep it sealed until you fly
[Japan domestic in [topic] unseal-not-please]

MinicoreJapanese: The threshold question
Notes: Traveler: Sumimasen. Menzei wa arimasu ka.
Excuse me — do you do tax-free?
[excuse-me. tax-free [topic] exists ?]
Clerk: Menzei wa zeinuki gosen-en ijou no okaiage de, pasupooto no go-teiji ga hitsuyou to narimasu.
Tax-free applies to purchases of 5,000 yen and up before tax, and we'll need to see your passport.
[(too fast — that's the point)]
Traveler: Yukkuri onegaishimasu.
Slowly, please.
[slowly, please]
Clerk: Gosen-en kara desu. Pasupooto, onegaishimasu.
From 5,000 yen. Your passport, please.
[5000-yen from is. passport, please]

MinicoreJapanese: Sumimasen. Menzei wa arimasu ka.
Native: すみません。免税はありますか。
English: Excuse me — do you do tax-free?
Literal: excuse-me. tax-free [topic] exists ?

MinicoreJapanese: Menzei wa zeinuki gosen-en ijou no okaiage de, pasupooto no go-teiji ga hitsuyou to narimasu.
Native: 免税は税抜き五千円以上のお買い上げで、パスポートのご提示が必要となります。
English: Tax-free applies to purchases of 5,000 yen and up before tax, and we'll need to see your passport.
Literal: (too fast — that's the point)

MinicoreJapanese: Gosen-en kara desu. Pasupooto, onegaishimasu.
Native: 五千円からです。パスポート、お願いします。
English: From 5,000 yen. Your passport, please.
Literal: 5000-yen from is. passport, please