Expressions essentielles en Japanese pour voyager

Survival basics

Five phrases that carry you from the arrivals gate to your first bowl of ramen. Open with すみません and doors open with it.

1. 1 こんにちは konnichiwa — Hello
2. 2 すみません sumimasen — Excuse me
3. 3 ありがとう arigatou — Thank you
4. 4 すみません、えきはどこですか。 sumimasen, eki wa doko desu ka — Excuse me, where is the station?
5. 5 これはいくらですか。 kore wa ikura desu ka — How much is this?

Getting around

Trains, buses and taxis — Japan's transport is famously punctual, and these phrases plug you straight into it.

1. 6 えき eki — Train station
2. 7 でんしゃ densha — Train
3. 8 バス basu — Bus
4. 9 タクシー takushii — Taxi
5. 10 このバスはえきにいきますか kono basu wa eki ni ikimasu ka — Does this bus go to the station?
6. 11 タクシーをよんでください takushii o yonde kudasai — Please call a taxi

Tickets and trains

From the ticket window to the platform. Rail is the best way around Japan — these phrases keep you moving through it.

1. 12 きっぷ kippu — Ticket
2. 13 かたみちきっぷをください katamichi kippu o kudasai — A one-way ticket, please
3. 14 おうふくきっぷをください oufuku kippu o kudasai — A round-trip ticket, please
4. 15 つぎのでんしゃはなんじですか tsugi no densha wa nanji desu ka — What time is the next train?
5. 16 どこでのりかえたらいいですか doko de norikaetara ii desu ka — Where should I transfer?
6. 17 ホーム hōmu — Platform

Flights, passports and luggage

The airport phrases that matter — including the sentence you'll hear before you say a word of Japanese.

1. 18 くうこう kuukou — Airport
2. 19 パスポートをみせてください pasupōto o misete kudasai — Please show your passport

   You'll hear this at immigration — now you'll recognize it.

3. 20 にもつはどこですか nimotsu wa doko desu ka — Where is my luggage?
4. 21 ひこうきがおくれている hikouki ga okurete iru — The plane is delayed

At the hotel

Check in, get the key, ask about checkout — the full hotel loop in four phrases.

1. 22 ホテルをよやくした hoteru o yoyaku shita — I booked a hotel
2. 23 チェックインしたいのですが chekkuin shitai no desu ga — I'd like to check in
3. 24 へやのかぎをください heya no kagi o kudasai — Please give me the room key
4. 25 チェックアウトはなんじですか chekkuauto wa nanji desu ka — What time is check-out?

In real life: buying a train ticket