Japanese for Freshness: Ask 'Is This Fresh?' and 'When Was This Picked?'
Learn to ask about freshness and harvest time in Japanese when buying produce or fish. Includes polite phrases, a shopping dialogue, and common mistakes.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When you buy fresh food in Japan, whether at a supermarket, a farmers' market, or a fish shop, you often want to know if something is fresh or when it was harvested. This lesson teaches you two essential questions: 'Is this fresh?' and 'When was this picked?' You will learn the key word shinsen (fresh) and the verb toreta (was picked/harvested). You will also practice polite forms that are appropriate for talking to shop staff. By the end, you can confidently ask about freshness and understand simple answers.
By the end, you can…
- ask 'Is this fresh?' in Japanese.
- ask 'When was this picked?' in Japanese.
- understand simple answers about freshness and harvest time.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
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これは新鮮ですか。
Is this fresh?
Kore wa shinsen desu ka.
General polite question for any food item. Use when pointing at a specific item. Note: shinsen (新鮮) means 'fresh' and is written with the characters for 'new' + 'fresh'.
これはいつ採れましたか。
When was this picked?
Kore wa itsu toremashita ka.
Use for produce (vegetables, fruit) that is harvested. Toremashita is the polite past tense of toreru (to be picked/harvested). Note: toreru here is the potential form of toru (to pick), literally 'could be picked/got'.
新鮮ですか。
Is it fresh?
Shinsen desu ka.
Shorter version without kore wa. Use when the item is already clear from context.
今日採れましたか。
Was it picked today?
Kyō toremashita ka.
Ask if the produce was harvested today. Kyō means today.
いつ入荷しましたか。
When did it arrive (in the store)?
Itsu nyūka shimashita ka.
For fish or other items that are not 'picked' but delivered. Nyūka means arrival of goods. Note: nyūka is a noun; nyūka shimashita is 'arrived/was received'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To ask about freshness, use the na-adjective shinsen (fresh) plus desu ka to make a polite question. For example: Kore wa shinsen desu ka. (Is this fresh?) To ask when something was picked, use itsu (when) and the past tense toremashita ka. For example: Kore wa itsu toremashita ka. (When was this picked?) You can also replace kore wa with the name of the item, such as ringo wa (as for apples). The verb toreru means 'to be harvested' or 'to be picked' and is used for fruits and vegetables. For fish, use nyūka shimashita ka (did it arrive?) instead.
When to use it
Use these questions when you are at a shop or market and want to check the freshness of produce, fish, or other perishable food. For example, at a vegetable stand, you can point to a tomato and ask: Kore wa itsu toremashita ka. (When was this picked?) If you are at a fish counter, ask: Kore wa shinsen desu ka. (Is this fresh?) or Itsu nyūka shimashita ka. (When did it arrive?) These questions are polite and appropriate for speaking to shop staff. Avoid using them with friends or family in a casual setting; instead, use the plain form: Kore, shinsen? (Is this fresh?) or Itsu toreta? (When was it picked?).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
すみません、このトマトは新鮮ですか。
Excuse me, is this tomato fresh?Sumimasen, kono tomato wa shinsen desu ka.はい、今朝採れましたよ。
Yes, it was picked this morning.Hai, kesa toremashita yo.そうですか。いつ採れましたか。
I see. When was it picked?Sō desu ka. Itsu toremashita ka.今日の朝です。とても新鮮ですよ。
This morning. It's very fresh.Kyō no asa desu. Totemo shinsen desu yo.A little context goes a long way
In Japan, freshness is highly valued, especially for fish and vegetables. Shop staff often voluntarily tell you when something was harvested or arrived. When asking, a polite tone with desu ka is standard. Using casual forms with staff can seem rude. Also, note that shinsen is used for food; the word is pronounced with even stress, shin-sen, not with emphasis on the first syllable. If you are at a farmers' market, asking itsu toremashita ka shows genuine interest and often leads to a friendly conversation.
One thing to watch for
Using 'atarashii' (new) instead of 'shinsen' (fresh) for food.
Try this instead: 'Atarashii' means new in general, not fresh for food. For food freshness, use 'shinsen'. For example, say 'Kore wa shinsen desu ka.' not 'Kore wa atarashii desu ka.'
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'Is this fresh?' politely in Japanese?
Show a sample answer
これは新鮮ですか。 (Kore wa shinsen desu ka.)
This uses 'kore wa' (this) + 'shinsen' (fresh) + 'desu ka' (polite question). You can also omit 'kore wa' if the item is clear.
2What is the polite past tense of 'toreru' (to be picked)?
Show a sample answer
採れました (toremashita)
'Toremashita' is the polite past form. Use it to ask 'When was this picked?' as in 'Itsu toremashita ka.'
3How would you ask 'When did this arrive?' for fish at a store?
Show a sample answer
これはいつ入荷しましたか。 (Kore wa itsu nyūka shimashita ka.)
For fish, use 'nyūka shimashita ka' (did it arrive) instead of 'toremashita ka' (was it picked). 'Nyūka' means arrival of goods.
Use 'shinsen desu ka' for freshness and 'itsu toremashita ka' for harvest time. For fish, ask 'itsu nyūka shimashita ka'. Always use polite forms with shop staff.
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