Japanese You Keep Seeing: 「ポイントカードはお持ちですか？」と聞かれたらどう答える？｜Japanese Grammar (N5–N3)

( A drugstore cashier asking Joy “Pointo kādo wa omochi desu ka?”, as Joy searches her purse, Raya holds up a smartphone barcode, Ken points, and an orange cat bats a keychain)

Welcome to “Japanese You Keep Seeing”!

You’ve mastered “Fukuro wa dou shimasu ka?” (Do you want a bag?), but as soon as you say yes or no, the cashier hits you with the second boss question of Japanese checkout lanes: ポイントカードはお持ちですか？ (Pointo kādo wa omochi desu ka?). Japan is a cashless, point-card-loving society, so almost every store—convenience stores, drugstores, supermarkets—will ask you this. Let’s learn how to breeze through this question with confidence!

🗣 Conversation Scene

Joy, Ken, and Raya are purchasing some travel snacks and toiletries at a busy Tokyo drugstore. Joy goes to the register to pay, and the cashier immediately checks for a rewards card.

Clerk

Line 1: ポイントカードはお持ちですか？ Line 2: Pointo kādo wa omochi desu ka? Line 3: (Do you have a point card?)

いらっしゃいませ。 Tポイントやdポイントなどの、ポイントカードはお持ちですか？ (Welcome. Do you have a T-Point, d-Point, or any other point card?)

Joy

ポ…ポイント？ないです！ (Po… Point? I don’t have one!)

Raya

I have the app on my phone! 📱 ここにバーコードがあります。(The barcode is right here.)

💡 Explanation: The Point Card Rush

Japan is highly famous for its loyalty system. Nearly every store lets you collect points on purchase, which can later be used as cash. Because of this, cashiers must check with you at the register every single time.

1. Breaking down the phrase 🧩

Let’s dissect ポイントカードはお持ちですか？ (Pointo kādo wa omochi desu ka?): ✅ ポイントカード (Pointo kādo): Reward/loyalty card. ✅ お持ちですか (Omochi desu ka): The humble/polite way of asking “Do you carry/have?” (from motsu – to hold or own).

2. How to say “No” (I don’t have one / I don’t need one) 🔴

If you don’t have a card or simply don’t want to collect points, try these quick and natural responses: ✅ ないです (Nai desu): “I don’t have one.” (Very natural and fast). ✅ 持っていないです (Motte inai desu): “I don’t carry one.” ✅ 大丈夫です (Daijoubu desu): “I’m fine.” (Politely implying “no thank you”).

3. How to say “Yes” (Showing the card or digital app) 🟢

If you do have a point card or want to collect points using an app: ✅ はい、あります (Hai, arimasu): “Yes, I have one.” ✅ これです (Kore desu): “It’s this.” (Perfect while handing them a physical card or showing your phone screen’s barcode!). ✅ アプリでお願いします (Apuride onegaishimasu): “With the app, please.” (If you are loading it via your smartphone).

💎 Pro Tip: The Smartphone “App” Showdown

These days, physical plastic cards are slowly fading, and most Japanese point systems are integrated into smartphone apps. If you want to acquire points, just open the app barcode on your phone, hold it up slightly, and say: 「画面、お願いします」 (Gamen, onegaishimasu – Scan the screen, please).

🔥 Practice Quiz

Q1. A register clerk asks you, “Pointo kādo wa omochi desu ka?”. What are they asking? A. Do you have an ecobag? B. Do you have a rewards/point card?

Answer: B “Pointo kādo” translates directly to “point card/reward card”. They want to know if they should credit you some points!

Q2. You do NOT have a point card and just want the checkout to continue normally. What is the most common response? A. Nai desu (or “Daijoubu desu”) B. Hai, arimasu.

Answer: A (Nai desu / Daijoubu desu) Nai desu (I do not have) or Daijoubu desu (I’m fine) tells the cashier to scan the next item right away.

Q3. You want to scan your phone app’s barcode. What is a polite way to show and confirm you want to scan it? A. Gamen, onegaishimasu. (Screen please) B. Fukuro kudasai. (A bag please)

Answer: A (Gamen, onegaishimasu.) “Gamen” (screen) and “onegaishimasu” (please) is the perfect short phrase to get your screen scanned.

Ready to master the Ko-So-A-Do system?

Want to dive deeper? Check out our official Beginner’s Grammar Book for more examples, detailed explanations, and practice exercises to perfect your Japanese pointing skills!