Asking for directions to metro: Understanding directions given back to you
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Key Phrases
すみません。地下鉄の駅はどこですか。
sumi mase n chika tetsu no eki wa doko desu ka
Excuse me. Where is the subway station?
この道をまっすぐ行ってください。それから、二つ目の角を右に曲がってください。
kono michi o massugu itsu te kudasai sore kara futa tsu me no kado o migi ni magatsu te kudasai
Go straight, then turn right at the second corner.
左側にあります。歩いて五分ぐらいです。
hidarigawa ni ari masu arui te go pun gurai desu
It’s on the left, about five minutes on foot.
Skills You'll Learn
Ask for directions politely and clearly (e.g., “Where is…?”).
丁寧に道をたずねる（〜はどこですか／すみません）。
teinei ni michi o tazuneru
Understand and follow route instructions (straight, second corner, turn right/left).
道案内の表現を理解する（まっすぐ、二つ目の角、右に曲がってください、左側）。
michi annai no hyougen o rikai suru
Confirm information and respond appropriately (repeat back, say you understand, thank someone).
確認・応答ができる（〜ですね、わかりました、ありがとうございます／どういたしまして、気をつけて）。
kakunin outou ga dekiru
Lesson Roleplay
Imagine you’re walking in a Japanese city and you stop a local to ask where the subway station is. They give you simple step-by-step directions (go straight, turn right at the second corner), tell you the station will be on your left, and estimate it’s about a five-minute walk.
すみません、地下鉄の駅はどこですか。
sumi mase n chika tetsu no eki wa doko desu ka
Excuse me, where is the subway station?
ああ、この道をまっすぐ行ってください。
aa kono michi o massugu itsu te kudasai
Oh, please go straight down this road.
まっすぐですか。
massugu desu ka
Straight?
はい。それから、二つ目の角を右に曲がってください。
hai sore kara futa tsu me no kado o migi ni magatsu te kudasai
Yes. Then turn right at the second corner.
二つ目の角を右ですね。
futa tsu me no kado o migi desu ne
Right at the second corner.
Lesson Vocabulary & Phrases
すみません。
sumi mase n
Excuse me.
🇯🇵 [すみません。] is the normal way to get a stranger's attention before asking directions. It's polite and very common in everyday situations.
See breakdown →どこ
doko
Where
ですか
desu ka
(question ending) / Is it...?
💬 [ですか] makes a polite question. You can attach it to lots of things: [トイレですか。] "Is it the toilet?" or [ここですか。] "Is it here?".
See breakdown →どこですか。
doko desu ka
Where is it?
地下鉄
chika tetsu
Subway
駅
eki
Station
地下鉄の駅
chika tetsu no eki
Subway station
💬 Put [の] between two nouns and the first describes the second: [地下鉄の駅] is "the station of the subway," so "subway station." You can reuse this pattern with places too, like [東京の駅] "a station in Tokyo" or "Tokyo's station," depending on context.
See breakdown →は
ha
Topic marker (as for...)
💬 [は] is written [は] but here it's said (wa), not (ha). After the topic, the sentence often gives the key information about it: [地下鉄の駅は] ... [どこですか。].
See breakdown →地下鉄の駅はどこですか。
chika tetsu no eki wa doko desu ka
Where is the subway station?
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