道を尋ねる：自信を持って道案内を求めよう
Asking for directions · a free Japanese immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
すみません、駅はどこですか？
Excuse me, where is the train station?
Literal Excuse me, station as for where is it?
A go-to phrase for stopping a stranger politely. すみません grabs attention without being rude, and どこですか asks for a location directly.
- は marks 駅 (station) as the topic of the sentence
- どこ is the question word for 'where'
- ですか is the polite question ending
まっすぐ行って、右に曲がってください。
Please go straight and turn right.
Literal Straight go, to the right turn please.
Two actions linked with the te-form before a polite request. This is the core pattern for giving and receiving step-by-step directions.
- まっすぐ means 'straight ahead' and acts as an adverb
- 行って is the te-form of 行く (to go), used to chain actions
- 右に uses に to indicate direction of movement
- ～てください is a standard polite request form
コンビニの隣にあります。
It is next to the convenience store.
Literal Convenience store's next-to exists.
Uses the pattern [landmark]の[location noun]にあります to describe where something is relative to a familiar reference point.
- の connects コンビニ and 隣 to form a location phrase
- に indicates the location of existence
- あります is used for inanimate objects to express existence
ここから歩いて何分かかりますか？
How many minutes does it take to walk from here?
Literal From here walking how many minutes does it take?
A practical question to judge travel time. ここから sets the starting point, 歩いて describes the mode of travel, and かかります expresses duration.
- ここから means 'from here'; から marks a starting point
- 歩いて is the te-form of 歩く (to walk), used as a manner adverb
- 何分 means 'how many minutes'
- かかります means 'it takes' for time or cost
地図を見せていただけますか？
Could you show me a map?
Literal Map (object) show — could I receive?
A very polite request using ～ていただけますか. More deferential than ～てください, this form is ideal when speaking to a stranger or shop staff.
- 地図 means 'map'; を is the object marker
- 見せて is the te-form of 見せる (to show)
- ～ていただけますか is a highly polite request: 'Could you please…?'
バス停はこの近くにありますか？
Is there a bus stop near here?
Literal Bus stop as for this nearby exists?
Checks for the existence of a nearby facility. この近く combines この (this) with 近く (vicinity) to anchor the question to the current location.
- バス停 means 'bus stop'
- この近く means 'near here / in this vicinity'
- に with あります marks where something exists
- か at the end creates a yes/no question
二つ目の信号を左に曲がってください。
Please turn left at the second traffic light.
Literal Second traffic light (object) to the left turn please.
Uses ordinal numbering with 目 to specify a precise landmark. を here marks the point at which the action occurs, rather than a direct object.
- 二つ目 means 'the second one'; 目 turns a number into an ordinal
- 信号 means 'traffic light'
- を can mark a location of action (passing through or turning at)
- 左に indicates the direction of the turn
この道で合っていますか？
Am I on the right road?
Literal This road on, is it correct?
A handy phrase for self-checking with a passerby. 合っています uses the te-iru progressive form of 合う (to be correct/match) to ask if the current situation is right.
- この道 means 'this road'
- で marks the road as the place/means of the action
- 合っています is the て-いる form of 合う, meaning 'is it a match / is it right?'
お手洗いはどちらにありますか？
Where is the restroom?
Literal Restroom as for which direction exists?
Uses the polite どちら (which direction / where) instead of the plainer どこ, making this the appropriate form when addressing shop staff or someone in a formal setting.
- お手洗い is a polite word for restroom; お is an honorific prefix
- どちら is a politer alternative to どこ, literally 'which direction'
- に with あります pinpoints the location of something
もう一度言っていただけますか？
Could you please say that one more time?
Literal One more time saying — could I receive?
An essential rescue phrase. もう一度 requests repetition, and ～ていただけますか softens the ask into a polite, non-embarrassing request.
- もう一度 means 'one more time'
- 言って is the te-form of 言う (to say)
- ～ていただけますか is the polite request form, used for requests to strangers
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
駅（えき）
train station
駅はどこですか？
Where is the train station?
One of the most essential navigation words in Japan
まっすぐ
straight ahead
まっすぐ行ってください。
Please go straight.
Often the first word in a direction sequence
右（みぎ）
right (direction)
右に曲がってください。
Please turn right.
Always paired with に for directional movement
左（ひだり）
left (direction)
左に曲がると見えます。
If you turn left, you'll see it.
Opposite of 右（みぎ）, used identically with に
近く（ちかく）
nearby, close
駅の近くにあります。
It is near the station.
Used with の to express proximity to a specific landmark
信号（しんごう）
traffic light
次の信号を右に曲がってください。
Please turn right at the next traffic light.
A key landmark reference in street directions
隣（となり）
next to, neighboring
銀行の隣にあります。
It is next to the bank.
Pattern: [place]の隣に, always uses の before it
向こう（むこう）
over there, beyond
橋の向こうにあります。
It is beyond the bridge.
Implies something further away, past a reference point
角（かど）
corner
角を曲がると見えます。
You'll see it when you turn the corner.
Useful for pinpointing intersections as landmarks
かかります
it takes (time or cost)
歩いて十分かかります。
It takes ten minutes on foot.
Subject is the time or money required; 何分かかりますか is a set phrase
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
田中さんは知らない町で迷ってしまいました。近くにいた女性に声をかけて、「すみません、駅はどこですか？」と聞きました。女性は笑顔で「まっすぐ行って、二つ目の信号を右に曲がってください。コンビニの隣にあります。歩いて五分くらいかかりますよ」と教えてくれました。田中さんはよく聞こえなかったので、「もう一度言っていただけますか？」とお願いしました。女性は親切にゆっくりともう一度説明してくれました。
Sentence by sentence
知らない町で迷ってしまいました
got lost in an unfamiliar town
知らない modifies 町 (town) as 'a town one doesn't know.' 迷ってしまいました uses the てしまう construction to express an unintended or regrettable completed action.
近くにいた女性に声をかけて
called out to a woman nearby
近くにいた is a relative clause modifying 女性: 'a woman who was nearby.' 声をかける is a set phrase meaning 'to approach and speak to someone.'
まっすぐ行って、二つ目の信号を右に曲がってください
please go straight and turn right at the second traffic light
Two instructions chained with the te-form. 二つ目の uses ordinal numbering with 目. を marks the traffic light as the point of action, and 右に specifies the turn direction.
歩いて五分くらいかかりますよ
it takes about five minutes on foot
歩いて describes the manner of travel. くらい softens the estimate to 'about.' よ at the end is a sentence-final particle that asserts information helpfully.
ゆっくりともう一度説明してくれました
explained it once more, slowly
ゆっくり means 'slowly.' もう一度 means 'one more time.' てくれる indicates that someone performed an action as a kindness toward the speaker or a third party close to them.
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
～ていただけますか — Polite Request Form
Attach ていただけますか to the te-form of a verb to make a very polite request. It literally means 'Could I receive [action] from you?' and is more deferential than ～てください. Use it with strangers, shop staff, or anyone you want to address respectfully — especially when asking for help or clarification.
[Verb te-form] + いただけますか
もう一度言っていただけますか？
Could you please say that one more time?
地図を見せていただけますか？
Could you show me a map?
ゆっくり話していただけますか？
Could you please speak more slowly?
駅まで案内していただけますか？
Could you please guide me to the station?
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to Japanese: 'Excuse me, where is the station?'
Hint Start with すみません to get someone's attention politely.
Complete the sentence: 二つ目の___を左に曲がってください。 (Turn left at the second _____.)
Hint Think about what you see at a busy intersection that tells traffic when to stop and go.
What does this mean? 「地図を見せていただけますか？」
Hint ～ていただけますか is a very polite way to make a request.
You want to ask 'Is there a bus stop near here?' Which is correct?
Make this request more polite using ～ていただけますか： 「もう一度言ってください。」
Hint Replace ください with いただけますか to sound more respectful.
That’s today’s phraseberry.
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