スーパー
sūpā[sɨːpa̠ː]
The English word 'supermarket' is translated into Japanese as スーパー (sūpā). If unsure, use スーパー. Wiktionary also lists スーパーマーケット (sūpāmāketto).
Meaning: store (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| スーパー | sūpā | [sɨːpa̠ː] (narrow) |
| スーパーマーケット | sūpāmāketto | [sɨːpa̠ːma̠ːke̞t̚to̞] (narrow) |
The term refers to a store.
What does it mean word for word?
スーパーマーケット is a loanword from the English 'supermarket'.
Which one should you use?
スーパー is an informal, shortened version of supāmaaketto.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
スーパー is an informal version and is the most common way to say supermarket in daily conversation.
How do you pronounce it?
sūpā
Did you know?
- In Japan, some supermarkets are located in the basements of department stores and are called デパ地下, meaning 'department store basement'.
- While スーパー refers to a general supermarket, a コンビニ is a convenience store. In Japan, these are distinct categories, and a コンビニ often stays open 24 hours while a スーパー may close early.
- While スーパー is a shortened version of the English 'supermarket', it is not related to the English adjective 'super' in the sense of 'excellent' or 'great'.
Examples in context
- 大きなスーパーがある。We have a big supermarket.This sentence shows how to use スーパー when describing the existence of a large store.Tatoeba #137746 by KK_kaku_, translation #275490 by CK
- スーパーに行きました。I've been to the supermarket.This sentence shows how to use スーパー to indicate you have been to the store.Tatoeba #4141464 by KK_kaku_, translation #253949 by CK
- スーパーで何買ったの？What did you buy at the supermarket?This sentence shows how to use スーパー when asking what someone purchased there.Tatoeba #12025837 by small_snow, translation #6436145 by CK
- 92 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hime and Yota are deciding where to buy food.
- 陽葵 Himari帰りにスーパーに寄ろうか。Kaeri ni sūpā ni yorō ka.Shall we stop by the supermarket on the way home?
- 陽太 Yotaいいよ。何を買う？Ii yo. Nani o kau?Sure. What are we buying?
- 陽葵 Himari牛乳と卵が欲しいな。Gyūnyū to tamago ga hoshii na.I want some milk and eggs.
- 陽太 Yotaじゃあ、駅前のスーパーに行こう。Jā, ekimae no sūpā ni ikō.Then, let's go to the supermarket in front of the station.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “supermarket” translations and entries スーパー, スーパーマーケット, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
