Speakin' Japanese: Catching a train

When trying to navigate a train station, try using these phrases.

“Douyatte kippu ga kae masuka?” = How can I buy a ticket?
“Douyatte” = How

“DouyattePASMO ni chaaji deki masuka?” = How can I charge on my PASMO (IC card)?
“Douyatte Shinjuku made ike masuka?” = How can I go to Shinjuku?
“Douyatte norikaetara iidesuka?” = How can I change the train?

“Tsugi no tokkyu wa nanji desuka?” = When does next express come?
“Nanji” = “When” or “What time”

“Shuuden wa nanji desuka?” = What time is the last train?
“Shihatsu wa nanji desuka?” = What time is the first train?
( “Shuden” = “Last train”; “Shihatsu” = First train)

“Doko de norikae tara iidesuka?” = Where can I change my train?
“Doco” = Where

“Doko e ikimasuka?” = Where are you going?
“Doko kara kimashitaka?” = Where did you come from?
“Doko de kippu ga kaemasuka?” = Where can I buy a ticket?
(“de” = “at”;  “kara” = “from”;   “e” = “to”)

“Dooshite densha ga ugokanai no desuka?” = Why isn’t this train moving?
“dooshite” = “why”

“Dooshite otsuriga denai no desuka?”= Why hasn’t my change come out (from the ticket machine?)
“Dooshite Konnani konde irunodesuka?” = Why is this train so crowded?

“Densha ni kaban wo wasure mashita.” = I left forgot my bag on the train.
“Densha wo machigae mashita.” = I took a wrong train.
“wasure mashita” = forgot or left
“machigae mashita” = take a mistake

takiguchi.takahiro@stripes.com

Pronunciation key: “A” is short (like “ah”); “E” is short (like “get”); “I” is short (like “it”); “O” is long (like “old”); “U” is long (like “tube”); and “AI” is a long “I” (like “hike”). Most words are pronounced with equal emphasis on each syllable, but “OU” is a long “O” with emphasis on that syllable.