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When I go window shopping, the sales clerk would usually come near me asking what I like. How should I politely shoo them away? Can I simply say

いいえ、けっこうです

or something like

自分で見る

I know I can just ignore them and they get the body language that I just want to look by my own. What is the common way to say it?

I usually feel awkward especially in electronic shops like yodobashi or yamada. For bookshops, they just leave you alone. I guess electronic shops' clerks are agressive.

By the way, as a side question. Is there a word for "shoo" in Japanese? I know Japanese are polite but do they have it?

Nap
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  • You could always say something like "thank you" and then just keep looking around on your own. – summea Mar 21 '12 at 06:03
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    I feel that clerks at American electronic shops and stationary shops are much more annoying than those in Japanese shops. In Japan, clothing shops are the most annoying. –  Mar 21 '12 at 06:27
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    @sawa-san, Yes!! Clothing shops' clerks are sooo annoying here ~~ –  Mar 21 '12 at 06:35
  • Related: [Dismissing an expectation](http://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/4621/542) – Flaw Mar 21 '12 at 06:37
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    @sawa-san, Actually, your right. clothing store clerk are more aggressive. haha. – Nap Mar 21 '12 at 06:39
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    For "shoo", the first thing that popped into my mind was [`あっち行け！`](http://eow.alc.co.jp/%E3%81%82%E3%81%A3%E3%81%A1%E8%A1%8C%E3%81%91/UTF-8/), though it sounds fairly strong to me... – cypher Mar 21 '12 at 08:38
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    @cypher-san, Haha, how about 「シッシッ！」? (Just kidding) –  Mar 21 '12 at 10:15
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    What about `消【き】え失【う】せろ！` (Also just kidding) – istrasci Mar 21 '12 at 14:21
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    @cypher i dont think thats a good translation for shoo. that just means "Get away!" (my gf would say that in a joking way when she was annoyed O_o) – yadokari Mar 21 '12 at 16:49
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    @yadokari maybe not, but that's the way I always use "shoo!" in English lol – cypher Mar 21 '12 at 17:56
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    @yadokari-san, Ahh your gf would say that...?(゜゜) Haha, 消え失せろ sounds very rough and masculine to me like... "Get lost!" or "F**k off!", while あっち行け would be more like "Go away!/Get away!"... Hm but personally I'd say "あっち行って!" which would sound rather feminine (and I might add "シッシッ！" jokingly). –  Mar 21 '12 at 18:03
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    Can けっこう have the nuance of "enough!" as well as "I'm fine"? – Andrew Grimm Mar 22 '12 at 09:52
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    @cypher Lol for some reason あっち行け sounds like talking to a pet dog – Pacerier Mar 23 '12 at 03:25
  • @Nap If you don't mind being rude, perhaps "どけ" or "ほっとけ".. – Pacerier Mar 24 '12 at 00:26
  • They leave you alone in bookshops because they probably think you're a foreigner who can hardly read anything. :) – Kaz Mar 29 '12 at 00:19
  • Saying あっち行って (not to mention 行け) to a clerk is unimaginable, sorry. It is Brooklyn-feminine, not Fukuoka-feminine, haha. – Kaz Mar 29 '12 at 00:23

4 Answers4

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When the clerk asks me if I'm looking for anything particular (何かお探しですか?), I usually say あ、だいじょうぶです。 or あ、もうちょっと見てから。.

When the clerk says at places like boutiques よかったらどうぞ試着してみてくださいね～(Please try them on) or 他のサイズ/お色もご用意してますのでね～(We have different sizes/colours too), I say quite shortly あ、はい or あ、ども.

"to shoo away" = [追]{お}い[払]{はら}う...?

Troyen
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  • I have one clarification. why is it the shoo away translated as 追い払う? Doesn't it mean add payment? So your saying to the clerk that your adding payment even if you haven't bought anything? – Nap Mar 21 '12 at 07:16
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    @Nap-san... The verb 追い払う has nothing to do with 'to pay' or 'payment'... The verb 払う also means 'to brush away/to dust off', and 追う can mean 'to chase'. –  Mar 21 '12 at 08:05
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Normally just say something like「いや、ただ見ているだけです。」

salaryman
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I normally say "いいえ、結構です！". If you use "(いいえ、)大丈夫です" then you are consenting to their help.

Kekkou means more 'the situation is fine as it is', whereas daijoubu is 'ok'. There are some parts of town you can get yourself into trouble if you're not careful. (eg. "Masa-ji?" Never reply daijoubu!)

I often find that I have to be a little more direct, as there aren't many foreigners in my area who speak Japanese, so "今頃お手伝いは結構です" (I'm fine for the moment) or "いりません” (I don't need help!) usually does it. It's polite and to the point. The downside is that they might decide to have a conversation with you instead as you speak Japanese.

If everything else seems to be failing, then try getting down into unkoza (squatting like you're going to use one of holes in the ground) to look at something. If you're a guy you'll look like a hood/uncouth person, but it often has the desired effect.

Troyen
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mogg
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    (1) We never say 今頃[いまごろ]お手伝いは結構です. (2) Lol, what is "unkoza"? Is it standard Japanese? (3)「"いいえ大丈夫です" then you are consenting to their help」--> それは訪問販売と街頭のキャッチセールスの場合でしょ！OP's talking bout 'window shopping'! –  Mar 24 '12 at 16:18
  • I'm not meaning to be pedantic, but is there a reason you spelt "masa-ji" with one "s"? – Andrew Grimm Mar 25 '12 at 06:03
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    @AndrewGrimm-san, massageではなくてmasa-jiと書いたのは日本人が英語の発音が悪いことを暗に揶揄しているのではないかと。@mogg-san, 今頃お手伝いは結構ですdoesn't make sense. Maybe you're trying to say 今のところお手伝いは結構です? We wouldn't say that either, though. –  Mar 25 '12 at 17:33
  • @Chocolate Eigo o onegaishimasu? – Andrew Grimm Apr 18 '12 at 08:38
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    maybe he means うんこ座り?ドン引きだけどね。 – bright-star Dec 30 '13 at 04:01
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These clerks are doing their job exactly as if they were trained, and the behavior of clerks is something that every Japanese person is used to; it is expected. You are the customer (an important person) and you do not ignore an important person. They are not trying to sell you anything. The clerks will be very helpful if you do need something.

You do not have to say anything; it is not actually expected. I find myself smiling and making a tiny head movement (because the clerk is also an important person, and you do not ignore an important person).

Watch how locals react to the clerks and do the same thing.

Just play along and everyone feels good.

Kaz
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