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How to Say ‘Regular roads, please.’ in Japanese

下の道でお願いします。

shita no michi de o negai shi masu

[shee-TAH noh mee-chee de o neh-guy shee mahs]

🇯🇵 In Japan: It's perfectly normal to state your route preference to avoid tolls. Drivers expect passengers to choose.

Phrase Breakdown

下の道で

shita no michi de

by the ordinary roads

下の道 means the regular streets. で (de) marks the route, like 'by' or 'via'.

Example

下の道で行きましょう。

Let's take the ordinary roads.

Words in this phrase

下

shita

[shee-TAH]

below; lower; ordinary (road)

Means 'under/below'; with 道 it means local surface roads, not the elevated expressway.

Example

机の下にかばんがあります。

There is a bag under the desk.

の

[noh]

of; linking particle

Connects nouns, often showing possession or describing one noun with another.

Example

日本の文化が好きです。

I like Japanese culture.

道

michi

[mee-chee]

road; route

Means road, path, or route. In a taxi, it refers to the way to go.

Example

一番早い道でお願いします。

Please take the fastest route.

で

[de]

by; with; using

A particle that shows the method or means used to do something.

Example

カードで払えますか。

Can I pay by card?

お願いします。

o negai shi masu

please

This is a polite request. Here it means 'Please take that route.'

Example

これでお願いします。

This one, please.

Words in this phrase

お

[o]

polite prefix

Used before nouns to make them polite.

Example

お茶をどうぞ。

Please have some tea.

願い

negai

[neh-guy]

request; favor

願い refers to a wish or request, and in お願い it forms a polite request expression.

Example

お願いがあります。

I have a request.

し

shi

[shee]

do (stem)

Verb stem used as part of the fixed polite request phrase.

Example

注文をお願いし、ます。

I would like to place the order, please.

ます

masu

[mahs]

polite verb ending

A standard polite ending added to verbs, often used in customer service and formal speech.

Example

予約を確認します。

I will confirm the reservation.

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