Step 1: How much is this?

A: "Kore wa ikura desuka?"
(How much is this?)
B: "Sanzen yen desu."
(It's 3,000 yen.)

Sentence in detail:

"kore"(this) 
"wa"(particle "wa")-If you would like to review this, please go back to lesson 4. 
"ikura"(how much) 
"desuka" -"desu" is the verb which means "is" in English. "ka" is used for question sentences. In other words, if you put "ka" after "desu", you are asking a question. 
"sanzen"(three thousand)-If you would like to review numbers, go back to lesson 3. 

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Step 2: Position Words

"ko-re"(this) -indicates something close to the speaker. If there is something near you or in front of you, you can use "kore". Note: Please pronunce like "co-lay". 
"so-re"(that) -indicates something close to the listener(person whom you speak to). Note: "so-re" is NOT either "sore" or "soar". Please pronunce it like "so lay". 
"a-re"(that) -indicates something away from both the speaker and the listener. Note: "a-re" is NOT "are". Please pronunce it like "a lay". 

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Step 3: Examples
"Ko-re wa ringo desu."(This is an apple.) 
"A-re wa neko desu."(That is a cat.) Note: A cat is away from you. 
"So-re wa tokei desu."(That is a clock.) 
Do they help you to understand the position words? If you still do not understand them, please go back to the previos step or e-mail me if you wish.


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Step 4: What is this(that)?

"Ko-re wa nan desuka?" (What is this?) -"nan" means "what" in English. 
Can you tell me how to ask "what is that?" in Japanese? Hint: What is "that" in Japanese?

"So-re(A-re) wa nan desuka?" (What is that?) -If you are talking about something near a person who listens to you, you use "so-re". If you talking about something away from both you and your friend, you use "a-re" instead. 

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Step 5: Let's go shopping!
Since now you know most of the necessary sentences to enjoy shopping in Japan(using Japanese), you are ready to go shopping! In this step, I will show you the conversation between the store clerk and the customer. Some of the sentences are new, but I will give you the explanation. So, please relax and take a look at these sentences.

A(Clerk): "Irasshai mase."
(Can I help you?)
B(Customer): "eeto, so-re o misete kudasai."
(Well, can I see that? ["so-re" indicates something near the clerk(A).]

"eeto" -means the same as "well". It does not mean anything. 
"misete kudasai" -means "please show me" or "Can I see~?". 
A: "Hai, douzo."
(Yes. Here you are.)
B: "Ko-re wa ikura desuka?"
(How much is this? ["ko-re" indicates something near the customer(B).]) A: "So-re wa gosen en(yen) desu."
(That is 5,000 yen. [The clerk(A) uses "so-re" because the good the customer(B) mentions is near the customer.])
B: "A-re wa ikura desuka?"
(How much is that? [Note: The customer uses "a-re" because the good he indicates is away from both the customer and the clerk(B).])
A: "A-re wa nanasen en(yen) desu."
(That is 7,000 yen. [The clerk(A) also uses "a-re" because the good he indicates is away from both the customer and the clerk(B).])
B: "Ja, a-re o kudasai."
(Well then, I take that one. [The thing the customer(B) wants to buy is away from both the customer and the clerk(B).])
A: "Arigatou gozaimasu."
(Thank you very much)