🤔🗑️📅❓

How to Say ‘Um, when is garbage day?’ in Japanese

あの、ゴミの日はいつですか。

ano gomi no bi wa itsu desu ka

[ah-NOH goh-mee noh nee-chee wah itsu dess kah]

💬 Usage Tip: Here は is said (wa), not (ha). Add か to the end of a polite sentence and it becomes a question, with no change in word order.

🇯🇵 In Japan: Garbage rules in Japan are strict and differ by neighborhood, so asking a neighbor is completely normal and appreciated. Putting trash out on the wrong day can cause real friction.

Phrase Breakdown

あの、ゴミの日は

ano gomi no bi wa

um, garbage day (topic)

あの is a polite hesitation word, like 'um'. The particle は is pronounced 'wa' here.

Example

あの、ゴミの日は何曜日ですか。

Um, what day of the week is garbage day?

Words in this phrase

あの

ano

[ah-NOH]

um; excuse me

A hesitation word used to get someone's attention politely or to soften a question.

Example

あのう、すみません。

Um, excuse me.

ゴミ

gomi

[goh-mee]

trash; garbage

ゴミ literally means garbage. As an insult it suggests worthlessness.

Example

人を利用するなんて、ゴミくずみたいなやつだ。

Using people like that, he is like human trash.

の

[noh]

of; linking particle

Connects 'usual' to 'road.'

Example

いつもの道を使いたいです。

I'd like to use the usual road.

日

[nee-chee]

day; date

Refers to the date part of a reservation.

Example

日時の日を先に決めます。

We decide the date part of the date and time first.

は

[wah]

topic marker

A particle that marks the topic of the sentence, as in 'as for...'.

Example

身長は百七十五センチです。

As for height, it is 175 centimeters.

いつですか。

itsu desu ka

when is it?

いつ means 'when'. ですか turns the sentence into a polite question.

Example

誕生日はいつですか。

When is your birthday?

Words in this phrase

いつ

itsu

[itsu]

when

Used to ask about time in a general sense, such as a starting date or schedule.

Example

いつから勤務できますか。

From when can you work?

です

desu

[dess]

is; am; are

Polite copula meaning 'is/am/are'.

Example

元気です。

I am well.

か

[kah]

question marker

Particle used at the end of a sentence to make it a question.

Example

大丈夫ですか。

Are you okay?

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