Translation guide
In Japanese, referring to sales staff depends on context, formality, and the type of sales. Common terms include 販売員 for general retail, 営業担当 for corporate sales, and 店員 for store clerks. The choice varies by industry and politeness level.
A person who sells products in a store or shop.
Standard term for a salesperson in a retail setting. Neutral and widely understood.
彼女はデパートの販売員です。
She is a sales clerk at a department store.
General term for a store clerk or shop assistant. Can refer to any staff in a store, not exclusively sales.
店員に在庫を聞いてみます。
I'll ask a sales clerk about the stock.
Refers to a salesperson, often in a market stall or street vendor context. Can sound slightly old-fashioned or informal.
市場の売り子が大声で呼び込みをしている。
The market vendor is loudly calling in customers.
A person who handles sales for a company, often visiting clients or managing accounts.
Common term for a person in charge of sales in a corporate context. Often used in business settings.
営業担当者に連絡してください。
Please contact the sales representative.
Informal term for a male salesperson in a company. Can be used generically but is gendered.
Gendered term; use 営業担当 for gender-neutral contexts.
彼はトップの営業マンだ。
He is a top salesperson.
Similar to 営業担当, often used in industries like insurance or real estate.
セールス担当者が訪問してきた。
A sales representative came to visit.
Referring to the sales team or department as a whole.
Commonly used in retail or service industries to refer to sales staff collectively.
販売スタッフを募集しています。
We are hiring sales staff.
The sales department in a company. Refers to the organizational unit, not individuals.
営業部に配属されました。
I was assigned to the sales department.
Addressing or referring to sales staff politely, e.g., in a store.
When speaking to or about sales staff in a store, it's common to use お店の人 (store person) or スタッフさん (staff member) to be polite without a specific job title.
お店の人に聞いてみよう。
Let's ask the sales staff.
スタッフさん、これはどこにありますか？
Excuse me, staff, where is this?
Polite way to refer to a store clerk. Adding さん makes it respectful.
店員さんに包装をお願いしました。
I asked the sales clerk to wrap it.
販売員 specifically means a salesperson focused on selling products. 店員 is a broader term for any store staff, including cashiers and stockers. 営業担当 is used in corporate sales, often involving client visits and negotiations.
In Japanese, it's common to use すみません (excuse me) to get a staff member's attention rather than calling them by a title. If you need to refer to them, お店の人 or スタッフさん is safe and polite.