How to Say ‘It’s about five minutes on foot.’ in Japanese
歩いて五分くらいですよ。
arui te go pun kurai desu yo
[ah-roo-ee teh goh foon koo-rai dess yoh]
💬 Usage Tip: Full natural answer: time estimate + [ですよ] to sound friendly and sure.
🇯🇵 In Japan: People may say this while pointing or giving a quick route; watch for gestures indicating which way to start.
Phrase Breakdown
歩いて
arui te
on foot; walking (te-form)
Te-form of 歩く (to walk). In directions, 歩いて〜 means “(if you go) on foot, ~.”
歩いて行きます。
I’ll go on foot.
Words in this phrase
歩い
arui
[ah-roo-ee]
walk (te-form stem)
Part of 歩いて; indicates “on foot.”
駅は歩いて五分くらいですよ。
The station is about a five-minute walk.
て
te
[teh]
te-form ending
Completes 歩いて (“by walking”).
歩いて五分くらいですよ。
It’s about a five-minute walk.
五分
go pun
five minutes
Time expression: 五 (five) + 分 (minutes) = 5 minutes.
駅まで五分です。
It’s five minutes to the station.
Words in this phrase
五
go
[goh]
five
Number 5 used for time in directions.
歩いて五分くらいですよ。
It’s about a five-minute walk.
分
pun
[foon]
minutes
Minute counter; 五分 is read ごふん.
歩いて五分くらいですよ。
It’s about a five-minute walk.
くらい
kurai
[koo-rai]
about / approximately
Makes the time approximate/natural: “about.”
歩いて五分くらいですよ。
It’s about a five-minute walk.
ですよ
desu yo
it is (you know) / (emphatic polite ending)
です + よ. よ adds emphasis or gives information to the listener (“FYI / you know”).
ここが入口ですよ。
This is the entrance, you know.
Words in this phrase
です
desu
[dess]
is (polite)
Polite copula. With よ, it sounds like giving helpful info to the listener.
歩いて五分くらいですよ。
It’s about a five-minute walk.
よ
yo
[yoh]
(emphasis) you know / (I’m telling you)
Adds gentle emphasis/assurance when giving directions. Often used by locals: 〜ですよ.
駅は近いですよ。
The station is close, you know.
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