Japanese for English speakers Cafe · Lesson 2

Asking about business hours

Ask about Japanese business hours — 何時から (nanji kara, from what time?) — using the hour counter 〜時 (ji) and 開店/閉店 (kaiten/heiten) for open/closed.

Conversation

  1. Kyle Kyle

    申し訳ございません、お客様！

    Mōshiwake gozaimasen, okyaku sama.

    We are very sorry, dear customer...

    Tip: <Mōshiwake gozaimasen> = I am very sorry (formal) <Okyaku sama> = "Dear customer"

  2. Kyle Kyle

    今、喫茶店は閉店です

    Ima, kissaten wa hēten desu

    ... now, the cafe is closed

    Tip: <Ima> = Now <Kissaten> = Japanese-style coffee shop <Hēten> = Shop closed

  3. Shelladonna Shelladonna

    そうですか。明日、何時からですか？

    Sō desu ka? ashita, nanji kara desu ka?

    Oh, is it? What time do you open tomorrow?

    Tip: <Ashita> = Tomorrow <Ji> = Counter for hours in a day. Counters are a special type of word used with numbers in Japanese <Kara> = From (a certain time or a certain place)

  4. Kyle Kyle

    明日、九時からです

    Ashita, kuji kara desu

    Tomorrow, we are open from nine o'clock

    Tip: <Kuji> = Nine o'clock

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

How do you ask what time a shop opens?

何時から(開いていますか/ですか) (nanji kara desu ka) — 'from what time?'. から marks the starting time.

What is a 喫茶店 (kissaten)?

A traditional Japanese-style coffee shop — often retro, serving coffee, tea, and light meals like toast and pasta.

How do you say 'o'clock' in Japanese?

Use the counter 時 (ji) after a number: 1時 (ichiji), 2時 (niji), 9時 (kuji). Some pronunciations are irregular.

What does 申し訳ございません mean?

A very formal apology — 'we are very sorry'. Used by businesses and staff in customer-service situations.

Test yourself

Pick the English translation for each line from this lesson. Wrong answers are pulled from other Japanese lessons.

4 quick questions on what you just heard.

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