Japanese for Ramen Ticket Machines: Asking About Customizations Before You Order
Learn polite Japanese questions for asking ramen shop staff about customizations, toppings and free options before you buy a ticket, using 〜はできますか and 〜を選べますか.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
At many ramen shops you pay at a ticket machine (券売機, kenbaiki) before you sit down, which means you have to decide about toppings and portion size before you order. This lesson teaches you how to ask staff what can be adjusted before you buy, using polite question forms. The key skill is not memorizing one shop's menu but learning to ask 〜はできますか (can I do ~?) and 〜を選べますか (can I choose ~?). Because each shop offers different options, the question itself is what you take from shop to shop. You will also learn the words カスタマイズ (customization), 無料 (free), トッピング (topping), and the useful opener 先に聞いてもいいですか (may I ask first?).
By the end, you can…
- ask a staff member whether a customization such as noodle firmness or portion size is possible.
- ask whether a topping can be chosen or added, and whether it is free.
- politely check with staff before paying at the ticket machine.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
カスタマイズはできますか。
Can I customize it?
Kasutamaizu wa dekimasu ka.
A general opening question at the entrance or near the ticket machine. It invites staff to tell you what is adjustable at their shop.
麺の硬さは選べますか。
Can I choose the firmness of the noodles?
Men no katasa wa erabemasu ka.
Use 選べますか when you are choosing among set options, such as 硬め (katame, firmer) or 普通 (futsuu, normal).
トッピングは無料ですか。
Are the toppings free?
Toppingu wa muryō desu ka.
Asks specifically about cost. 無料 means free of charge; staff may answer that some are free and others are not.
大盛りはできますか。
Can I get a large portion?
Ōmori wa dekimasu ka.
大盛り (oomori) is a larger serving of noodles. Use 〜はできますか for actions or changes, not for choosing between listed items.
先に聞いてもいいですか。
May I ask first?
Saki ni kiite mo ii desu ka.
A polite way to pause before paying. Useful when the machine is in front of you and you need information before inserting money.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Use 〜はできますか to ask whether an action or change is possible: カスタマイズはできますか (Can I customize it?), 大盛りはできますか (Can I get a large portion?). Use 〜を選べますか when you are choosing among options the shop provides: 麺の硬さを選べますか (Can I choose the noodle firmness?), トッピングを選べますか (Can I choose the toppings?). The particle は marks the topic, and を marks the thing chosen. Both are polite question forms suitable for staff.
When to use it
Ask at the entrance or while standing at the ticket machine, before inserting money. Start with すみません (sumimasen) to get attention, then ask カスタマイズはできますか. If staff say yes, follow with a specific question such as 麺の硬さは選べますか or トッピングは無料ですか. If you are not ready to buy, say 先に聞いてもいいですか to signal that you need information first. Available options differ by shop, so treat the answer as local information, not a general rule.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
すみません、先に聞いてもいいですか。
Excuse me, may I ask first?Sumimasen, saki ni kiite mo ii desu ka.はい、どうぞ。
Yes, go ahead.Hai, dōzo.カスタマイズはできますか。麺の硬さは選べますか。
Can I customize it? Can I choose the noodle firmness?Kasutamaizu wa dekimasu ka. Men no katasa wa erabemasu ka.麺の硬さは選べます。トッピングは有料のものもあります。
You can choose the noodle firmness. Some toppings are paid options.Men no katasa wa erabemasu. Toppingu wa yūryō no mono mo arimasu.A little context goes a long way
Politeness in a ramen shop is usually light but respectful. すみません plus a question in です・ます form is enough; you do not need honorific keigo. Staff may be busy during peak hours, so keep questions short and ask before paying. If the shop is crowded, 先に聞いてもいいですか shows you are aware of the line. Answers about free toppings or sizes are shop-specific and can change, so ask rather than assume.
One thing to watch for
Asking トッピングを無料しますか, treating 無料 as a verb meaning 'to make free.'
Try this instead: 無料 is a noun or na-adjective, not a verb. Ask トッピングは無料ですか (Are the toppings free?) or 無料でできますか (Can it be done for free?). For choosing, use トッピングを選べますか.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You want to know if you can make the noodles firmer. What do you ask?
Show a sample answer
麺の硬さは選べますか。
This asks whether the noodle firmness can be chosen. 麺の硬さはできますか is also understandable, but 選べますか fits choosing among options such as 硬め and 普通.
2You are not sure whether a topping costs extra. What do you ask?
Show a sample answer
トッピングは無料ですか。
This directly asks whether toppings are free. If you want to ask about one specific topping, you can say このトッピングは無料ですか.
3You need information before putting money in the ticket machine. What polite opener can you use?
Show a sample answer
先に聞いてもいいですか。
This asks permission to ask first. ちょっと聞いてもいいですか is also polite and natural in the same situation.
Before you buy at a ramen ticket machine, ask カスタマイズはできますか, then follow with 〜はできますか for changes and 〜を選べますか for choices. Options vary by shop, so the question is the skill.
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