When you're out shopping in Japan, you'll definitely come across a デパート (depāto), which means a department store. It's a large store with many different sections, like clothes, cosmetics, food, and household items. Think of it like a big mall, but all under one roof. You can find almost anything you need in a デパート, and they often have restaurants and cafes too. They are usually found in bigger cities and can be a great place to experience Japanese shopping culture.
When discussing places to shop in Japan, one term you'll encounter frequently is デパート (depāto). This word is a direct loanword from English, referring to a 'department store'. You'll find these large retail establishments in most major Japanese cities, often connected to train stations for convenience. They typically offer a wide range of goods, from clothing and cosmetics to household items and gourmet food.
You're learning Japanese, and one essential word you'll encounter is デパート (depaato). It simply means 'department store.' This isn't a complex term, but knowing when and where you'll hear it can help you understand its practical use. Let's look at how デパート comes up in everyday Japanese conversations, whether you're talking about work, school, or just catching up on the news.
- DEFINITION
- A large retail establishment offering a wide range of consumer goods in different departments. In Japan, these often include food halls, restaurants, and luxury brands.
§ At Work: Talking About Retail and Business
If you're in a business setting in Japan, especially in retail, marketing, or urban development, you'll definitely hear デパート. It's a key term for discussing sales, customer trends, and even property. For example, a colleague might discuss sales figures for products sold at a department store.
今期の売上はデパート部門で好調でした。
Translation hint: 'Sales this quarter were strong in the department store division.'
新しいデパートの開店に向けて、準備を進めています。
Translation hint: 'We are preparing for the opening of a new department store.'
§ At School: Conversations About Shopping and Socializing
Among students, デパート comes up naturally when discussing weekend plans, shopping trips, or even part-time jobs. Japanese department stores are often social hubs, not just places to buy things. You might hear:
週末に友達とデパートへ買い物に行く予定です。
Translation hint: 'I plan to go shopping at the department store with friends this weekend.'
デパートの地下食品街はいつも賑やかです。
Translation hint: 'The basement food hall of the department store is always bustling.'
§ In the News: Economic and Cultural Reporting
News reports frequently mention デパート when discussing economic trends, consumer spending, or even cultural events. Since department stores are significant economic indicators and cultural landmarks, they often feature in headlines.
大手デパートの売上が回復傾向にあります。
Translation hint: 'Sales at major department stores are showing a recovery trend.'
年末商戦に向けて、各デパートが準備を進めています。
Translation hint: 'Each department store is preparing for the year-end sales season.'
§ Other Common Uses
Beyond these specific contexts, you'll hear デパート in many other situations, such as:
- When giving directions: 「駅前のデパートの隣です。」 (It's next to the department store in front of the station.)
- Discussing gifts: 「誕生日のプレゼントはデパートで買いました。」 (I bought the birthday present at the department store.)
- Comparing shopping options: 「スーパーよりデパートの方が品揃えが豊富です。」 (Department stores have a wider selection than supermarkets.)
Understanding these various scenarios will help you recognize and use デパート naturally. It's a fundamental word for anyone living in or visiting Japan, as department stores play a significant role in urban life and consumer culture.
How Formal Is It?
"私は本日、銀座の百貨店で新しい時計を購入しました。 (Today, I bought a new watch at a department store in Ginza.)"
"週末はデパートで買い物をすることが多いです。 (I often shop at department stores on weekends.)"
"ねえ、デパート行かない？ (Hey, wanna go to the department store?)"
"ママ、デパートでおもちゃ買って！ (Mommy, buy me a toy at the department store!)"
Idioms & Expressions
"デパートの屋上 (depaato no okujou)"
department store rooftop (often featuring a playground or garden)
子供たちはデパートの屋上で遊んだ。 (Kodomotachi wa depaato no okujou de asonda.) - The children played on the department store rooftop.
neutral"デパートの地下 (depaato no chika)"
department store basement (often for food or specialty items)
デパートの地下で美味しいパンを見つけた。 (Depaato no chika de oishii pan o mitsuketa.) - I found delicious bread in the department store basement.
neutral"デパートコスメ (depaato kosume)"
department store cosmetics (high-end makeup/skincare brands)
彼女はいつもデパートコスメを使っている。 (Kanojo wa itsumo depaato kosume o tsukatte iru.) - She always uses department store cosmetics.
neutral"デパート巡り (depaato meguri)"
department store hopping/browsing
週末はデパート巡りをして過ごした。 (Shuumatsu wa depaato meguri o shite sugoshita.) - I spent the weekend browsing department stores.
neutral"デパート包み (depaato tsutsumi)"
department store wrapping (often implies neat, high-quality wrapping)
プレゼントをデパート包みにしてもらった。 (Purezento o depaato tsutsumi ni shite moratta.) - I had the present wrapped in department store style.
neutral"デパートの紙袋 (depaato no kamibukuro)"
department store paper bag (often a status symbol or used for re-gifting)
彼女はデパートの紙袋をたくさん持っていた。 (Kanojo wa depaato no kamibukuro o takusan motte ita.) - She had many department store paper bags.
neutral"デパートガール (depaato gaaru)"
department store girl (an old-fashioned term for a female department store employee, often implying elegance)
昔はデパートガールという言葉があった。 (Mukashi wa depaato gaaru toiu kotoba ga atta.) - There used to be a term 'department store girl'.
neutral"デパート開店 (depaato kaiten)"
department store opening (refers to the start of business hours)
デパート開店と同時に人々が押し寄せた。 (Depaato kaiten to douji ni hitobito ga oshiyoseta.) - People rushed in as soon as the department store opened.
neutral"デパートの催事 (depaato no saiji)"
department store event/special fair (e.g., a food fair, exhibition)
今週、デパートで北海道物産展の催事がある。 (Konshuu, depaato de Hokkaido bussanten no saiji ga aru.) - This week, there's a Hokkaido product fair event at the department store.
neutral"デパートに勤める (depaato ni tsutomeru)"
to work at a department store
私の友人はデパートに勤めている。 (Watashi no yuujin wa depaato ni tsutomete iru.) - My friend works at a department store.
neutralHow to Use It
デパート (depāto) is a direct loanword from the English word "department." It refers to a large retail store that sells a wide range of consumer goods.
You'll often hear it in everyday conversations when people are talking about shopping or meeting up at a department store.
Examples:
- 「週末にデパートで買い物をします。」(Shūmatsu ni depāto de kaimono o shimasu.) - I'll do some shopping at the department store on the weekend.
- 「駅前のデパートで会いましょう。」(Ekimae no depāto de aimashō.) - Let's meet at the department store in front of the station.
One common mistake is overusing the full English loanword "デパートメントストア" (depātmento sutoa). While technically correct, it's very rarely used in casual Japanese. Stick to the shortened form デパート (depāto).
Another potential mistake for beginners might be confusing it with other types of stores. For example, a supermarket (スーパー, sūpā) is for groceries, and a convenience store (コンビニ, konbini) is for quick purchases. A department store like デパート offers a much broader range of products, including clothing, cosmetics, household goods, and often restaurants.
Test Yourself 30 questions
Which of these is a 'department store'?
デパート (depāto) specifically means 'department store' in Japanese.
You want to buy clothes and various other items. Where would you most likely go?
デパート (depāto) is a department store, which sells many different kinds of goods.
What is the Japanese word for 'department store'?
デパート is the direct translation for 'department store'.
You can buy food at a デパート.
Many department stores have a food floor or basement where groceries and prepared foods are sold.
デパート usually sells only one type of product.
Department stores (デパート) are known for selling a wide variety of goods, not just one type.
デパート is a place to watch movies.
A movie theater (えいがかん) is a place to watch movies, not a department store (デパート).
This sentence means 'I go to the department store.'
This sentence means 'This is a bag from the department store.'
This sentence means 'I shop at the department store.'
週末はよくあの大きい___に行きます。
文脈から、大きい買い物をする場所として「デパート」が最も適切です。
誕生日のプレゼントを買いに___へ行きました。
プレゼントを買う場所として「デパート」が最も自然です。
駅前の新しい___はいつも人でいっぱいです。
駅前で人々で賑わう商業施設として「デパート」が当てはまります。
セール期間中なので、___はとても混雑していました。
セールが行われる場所として「デパート」が適切です。
屋上には子供たちが遊べるスペースがある___もあります。
屋上に遊び場がある商業施設は「デパート」が一般的です。
高級ブランド品は、たいてい___の１階にあります。
高級ブランド品を取り扱う場所として「デパート」が適切です。
You want to buy new clothes. Write a short message to your friend suggesting you go to a department store together this weekend.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
週末、新しい服を買いにデパートに行きませんか？
Imagine you went to a department store and found a really good sale. Write two sentences describing what you bought and that it was a good deal.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
昨日デパートでとてもいいセールがありました。欲しかったカバンをお得に買えました。
Write a short email to a Japanese colleague asking if there is a department store near your hotel where you can buy souvenirs.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
ホテル近くに、お土産が買えるデパートはありますか？
Why is B going to the department store?
Read this passage:
A: 週末、何か予定ある？ B: うん、新しい靴が欲しいから、デパートに行くつもりだよ。 A: いいね！どこのデパートに行くの？ B: 駅前の大きいデパートだよ。色々なブランドがあるから。
Why is B going to the department store?
B states, '新しい靴が欲しいから、デパートに行くつもりだよ。' (I want new shoes, so I'm planning to go to the department store.)
B states, '新しい靴が欲しいから、デパートに行くつもりだよ。' (I want new shoes, so I'm planning to go to the department store.)
What can you find on the basement floor of this department store?
Read this passage:
このデパートは、地下に食品売り場があります。新鮮な野菜や魚、お惣菜も充実しているので、毎日の買い物にも便利です。上階には、ファッションや生活用品のフロアがあります。
What can you find on the basement floor of this department store?
The passage states, '地下に食品売り場があります。新鮮な野菜や魚、お惣菜も充実しているので...' (There is a food section in the basement. Fresh vegetables, fish, and deli items are also abundant...)
The passage states, '地下に食品売り場があります。新鮮な野菜や魚、お惣菜も充実しているので...' (There is a food section in the basement. Fresh vegetables, fish, and deli items are also abundant...)
What did Tanaka-san buy at the department store?
Read this passage:
田中さんは、誕生日プレゼントを探しにデパートに行きました。たくさんの商品の中から、お母さんが好きそうなスカーフを見つけました。少し高かったですが、とても喜んでくれるだろうと思って買いました。
What did Tanaka-san buy at the department store?
The passage says, 'お母さんが好きそうなスカーフを見つけました。' (She found a scarf that her mother would probably like.)
The passage says, 'お母さんが好きそうなスカーフを見つけました。' (She found a scarf that her mother would probably like.)
This sentence describes a new department store opening in front of the station. The particle 'が' marks 'デパート' as the subject, but is often omitted in more casual speech or when the context is clear. In this exercise, the provided words already form a natural Japanese sentence structure without requiring additional particles.
This sentence means 'I enjoyed shopping at the department store on the weekend.' '週末は' sets the time, 'デパートで' indicates the location of the action, and '買い物を楽しんだ' describes the action of enjoying shopping.
This sentence translates to 'That department store has many luxury brands.' 'そのデパートには' specifies the department store and the location, '高級ブランドが' identifies the luxury brands as the subject, and 'たくさん入っている' means 'many are in/it contains many.'
/ 30 correct
Perfect score!
Related Content
This Word in Other Languages
Related Phrases
More daily_life words
もう少し
B1A little more.
じゅうしょ
A2The particulars of the place where someone lives.
住所
A2address, residence
～後
A2after
目覚まし
B1Alarm clock. A clock that makes a noise to wake someone up.
目覚まし時計
B1An alarm clock.
ひとりで
A2Alone.
~のに
B1Even though; despite (particle/conjunction).
ごぜん
A2Morning (a.m.).
煩い
B1Noisy; annoying.
