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Shops and counters usage

RvBVakama

後輩
21 Sep 2014
81
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If I were to try to buy photographs in a shop and had this conversation do I use "mai" or not?

me: I would like to buy these (holding some photos)
register attendant: How many
Now do I reply with 'san mai' or just 'san'?
me: san mai kudasai
me: san onegaishimasu
Also which please do I use, I understand 'kudasai' to mean 'please' and 'onegaishimasu' to mean 'could you please' (so if you want someone to do something for you, such as pass something from afar you would use onegaishimasu)

Now if I were ordering takoyaki a piece a time (I have no clue if you can actually order takoyaki 1 by 1) and they asked how many do I simply reply 'go kudasai' or 'go onegaishimasu' or something with a counter on the end of 'go' maybe a counter for round objects?
Thanks for any replies :D

PS. I used English and Japanese because I don't enough Japanese to write the conversation out in full Japanese.
 
"Will work" is the operative phrase there. There is often a gap between "correct" and "will work". In our studies we should strive for "correct" but in real-life situations we are often relieved if we can come up with "will work".
 
"Will work" is the operative phrase there. There is often a gap between "correct" and "will work". In our studies we should strive for "correct" but in real-life situations we are often relieved if we can come up with "will work".
Okay then. 👍
 
"Will work" is the operative phrase there. There is often a gap between "correct" and "will work". In our studies we should strive for "correct" but in real-life situations we are often relieved if we can come up with "will work".
And this is my life...
 
To mean three photographs, Japanese people would use "san mai" rather than "mittsu". "Mittsu" is not incorrect, though.
 
So both 'san mai' and 'mittsu' (but only up to ten) will work. Interesting, thanks.
In that sense saying san and holding up 3 fingers will also work. As would saying "suri-" (three). But these are less desirable options than the two above.
 
In that sense saying san and holding up 3 fingers will also work. As would saying "suri-" (three). But these are less desirable options than the two above.
I probably would hold up 3 fingers and say "san kudasai". "kudasai" is the correct 'please' to use in this instance?
 
I probably would hold up 3 fingers and say "san kudasai". "kudasai" is the correct 'please' to use in this instance?
kudasai is good but if you're going to do that, you may as well throw in the appropriate counter and be totally correct. san-mai for photos. san-ko for round objects like the takoyaki example. Or use mittsu for the generic '3'.
 
kudasai is good but if you're going to do that, you may as well throw in the appropriate counter and be totally correct. san-mai for photos. san-ko for round objects like the takoyaki example. Or use mittsu for the generic '3'.
so holding up 3 fingers and saying "mittsu kudasai" is okay?
 
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