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How to Say ‘Excuse me, do you have selvedge denim?’ in Japanese

すみません、セルビッチデニムはありますか。

sumi mase n seru bitchi denimu wa ari masu ka

[soo-mee mah-seh n SEH-roo BEET-chee DEH-nee-moo wah ah-ree mahs kah]

Phrase Breakdown

すみません、

sumi mase n

excuse me,

A polite opener for getting a shop clerk's attention.

Example

すみません、これはいくらですか。

Excuse me, how much is this?

Words in this phrase

すみ

sumi

[soo-mee]

excuse me; sorry

A polite attention-getter and light apology. Used to call a pharmacist/staff or to be polite before asking for help.

Example

すみません、薬剤師さん。

Excuse me, pharmacist.

ませ

mase

[mah-seh]

polite negative (part of ません)

「ませ」 is part of 「ません」, the polite negative form.

Example

はいていません。

I haven’t vomited.

ん

[n]

Negative verb ending

The ending used to make the verb negative in a sentence.

Example

私は行きません。

I am not going.

セルビッチデニムは

seru bitchi denimu wa

selvedge denim (topic)

The item you're asking about, marked by the topic particle は (pronounced 'wa').

Example

セルビッチデニムは人気です。

Selvedge denim is popular.

Words in this phrase

セル

seru

[SEH-roo]

sel (part of selvedge)

First part of the loanword for selvedge, the self-finished edge of woven fabric.

Example

セルビッチのジーンズが好きです。

I like selvedge jeans.

ビッチ

bitchi

[BEET-chee]

-vedge (part of selvedge)

Second part of the loanword for selvedge; it only has meaning together with セル.

Example

セルビッチは裾で見えます。

You can see the selvedge at the hem.

デニム

denimu

[DEH-nee-moo]

denim

Loanword for the sturdy cotton twill fabric used for jeans.

Example

デニムのジャケットを買いました。

I bought a denim jacket.

は

[wah]

topic marker

は marks the topic of the sentence.

Example

空席はありますか。

Are there any seats available?

ありますか。

ari masu ka

do you have (it)?

A polite question asking whether something is available.

Example

Mサイズはありますか。

Do you have a medium size?

Words in this phrase

あり

ari

[ah-ree]

there is; have

Stem of ある, used for existence of things or to ask if something is available.

Example

パンフレットがあります。

There are pamphlets.

ます

masu

[mahs]

polite verb ending

A standard polite ending added to verbs, often used in customer service and formal speech.

Example

予約を確認します。

I will confirm the reservation.

か

[kah]

question marker

Placed at the end of a sentence to make it a question.

Example

A席はありますか。

Are there A seats available?

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