Shop staff approaching

Recognise staff offering help or inviting you to look, so you can answer with miteru dake desu.

nanika osagashi desu kaare you looking for something?; can I help you find anything?
goran kudasaiplease take a look
nanika goyou desu kacan I help you?; what do you need?
maidothanks as always; hi there (shopkeeper's greeting)

Mix-ups Nanika osagashi (looking for something?) and nanika goyou (need anything?) are near twins.

nanika osagashi desu ka

are you looking for something?; can I help you find anything?

Shop staff ask it while you browse; answer miteru dake desu (just looking) or name what you want.

casual

irasshaimase. nanika osagashi desu ka?

Hello. Are you looking for anything?

いらっしゃいませ。何かお探しですか？

Written 何かお探しですか · なにかおさがしですかWho said to youHeard 32× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles

formal

please take a look

Shop staff, guides and presenters say it to point you at something; also common in announcements.

The respectful form of mite kudasai. Douzo goran kudasai means feel free to look around.

casual

kochira no shashin o goran kudasai.

Please take a look at this photo.

こちらの写真をご覧ください。

Written ご覧ください · ごらんくださいWho said to youHeard 59× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles

can I help you?; what do you need?

Staff or a receptionist ask it when you walk up, or someone asks it at the door; say what you want.

Goyou means your business or errand. From a stranger it can sound cool, like what do you want here?

casual

sumimasen, nanika goyou desu ka?

Excuse me, can I help you?

すみません、何かご用ですか？

Written 何かご用ですか · なにかごようですかWho said to youHeard too rare in film subtitles to count

polite maido arigatou gozaimasu

thanks as always; hi there (shopkeeper's greeting)

Shopkeepers say maido arigatou gozaimasu to customers; in Osaka a bare maido! is a friendly hello.

Literally every time. Maido ari is the clipped market-stall version.

casual

maido! kyou wa nani ni suru?

Hi there! What'll it be today?

毎度！今日は何にする？

polite

maido arigatou gozaimasu. mata okoshi kudasai.

Thank you as always. Please come again.

毎度ありがとうございます。またお越しください。

Written 毎度 · まいど · 毎度ありがとうございますWho said to youHeard too rare in film subtitles to count