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How to Say ‘What about a transit IC card?’ in Japanese

交通系ICカードはどうですか？

koutsuu kei IC kaado wa dou desu ka

[KOH-tsoo KAY eye-see kah-doh wah doh dess kah]

Phrase Breakdown

交通系ICカードは

koutsuu kei IC kaado wa

as for a transit IC card

The particle は is read 'wa' here. It marks the topic: 'kōtsūkei ai shī kādo wa'.

Example

交通系ICカードは便利です。

Transit IC cards are convenient.

Words in this phrase

交通

koutsuu

[KOH-tsoo]

transportation

Traffic or transport; used in commuting terms.

Example

交通が便利です。

Transportation is convenient.

系

kei

[KAY]

type; system

Suffix meaning a category or group of something.

Example

理系の学生です。

I am a science student.

[eye-see]

Refers to the 'IC' in IC card, like rechargeable transit smart cards such as Suica or PASMO.

Example

ICカードは便利です。

IC cards are convenient.

カード

kaado

[kah-doh]

card (credit/debit/IC card)

Loanword; used for credit/debit cards and sometimes point cards (context tells).

Example

カードで支払います。

I’ll pay by card.

は

[wah]

topic marker

は marks the topic of the sentence.

Example

空席はありますか。

Are there any seats available?

どうですか？

dou desu ka

how about it?

Pronounced 'dō desu ka', with a rising tone at the end. Here it asks whether this payment method works.

Example

明日はどうですか？

How about tomorrow?

Words in this phrase

どう

dou

[doh]

how

Question word used to ask how or in what way.

Example

どうしますか。

What will you do?

です

desu

[dess]

is; polite copula

A polite sentence ending used in formal conversation.

Example

少し伺いたいです。

I would like to ask a little.

か

[kah]

question marker

Placed at the end of a sentence to make it a question.

Example

A席はありますか。

Are there A seats available?

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