🙋🪪📝❓

How to Say ‘Excuse me, I'd like to ask about my residence card application.’ in Japanese

すみません、在留カードの申請について聞きたいんですが。

sumi mase n zairyuu kaado no shinsei ni tsui te kiki tai n desu ga

[sue-mee mah-SEH n zai-RYOO kah-doh noh SHEEN-say ni TSOO-ee te kee-KEE tie n dess gah]

🇯🇵 In Japan: Starting with すみません to get a staff member's attention, then trailing off with が, is the standard polite way to approach a counter in Japan.

Phrase Breakdown

すみません、

sumi mase n

Excuse me,

A polite way to get someone's attention before asking a question. Say it 'su-mi-ma-sen' with a soft 'n' at the end.

Example

すみません、駅はどこですか。

Excuse me, where is the station?

Words in this phrase

すみ

sumi

[sue-mee]

excuse

A stem used in polite expressions like apologies or getting someone's attention.

Example

すみません、コンサートのチケットについて聞きたいです。

Excuse me, I would like to ask about the concert tickets.

ませ

mase

[mah-SEH]

polite verb form (here part of 'sumimasen')

The polite auxiliary 'masu' in its stem form 'mase', followed by 'n' to make it negative. Together with 'sumi' it forms 'sumimasen', meaning 'excuse me'.

Example

まだ決まっていません。

It hasn't been decided yet.

ん

[n]

(negative ending)

Contracted form of the polite negative ending, as in ありません.

Example

今日は時間がありません。

I don't have time today.

在留カードの申請について

zairyuu kaado no shinsei ni tsui te

about the residence card application

在留カード (zairyuu kaado) is the residence card, and 申請 (shinsei) means application. について means 'about'. Hold the long 'yuu' in zairyuu.

Example

ビザの申請について質問があります。

I have a question about the visa application.

Words in this phrase

在留

zairyuu

[zai-RYOO]

residence (of foreigners); stay

Staying or residing in a country, used for foreign residents' status.

Example

在留資格を確認します。

We will check your residence status.

カード

kaado

[kah-doh]

card

The second part of 'credit card'.

Example

クレジットカードで支払えます。

I can pay by credit card.

の

[noh]

A linking particle connecting nouns, like 'of' or showing description.

Example

前の方が見やすいです。

The front area is easier to see from.

申請

shinsei

[SHEEN-say]

application; request

A formal request submitted for approval.

Example

申請が通りました。

The application was approved.

に

[ni]

Used to indicate direction or point of action.

Example

学校に行きます。

I go to school.

つい

tsui

[TSOO-ee]

about (part of について)

Stem of つく used in the set phrase について, meaning 'about; concerning'.

Example

ビザについて質問があります。

I have a question about my visa.

て

[te]

indicates a connection

Connecting particle used in various grammatical structures.

Example

駅に向かっている。

Heading towards the station.

聞きたいんですが。

kiki tai n desu ga

I'd like to ask...

聞きたい means 'want to ask'. んですが softens the request and invites the listener to help. The 'n' flows straight into 'desu ga'.

Example

道を聞きたいんですが。

I'd like to ask for directions...

Words in this phrase

聞き

kiki

[kee-KEE]

ask; hear

Stem of 聞く, here meaning to ask someone something.

Example

受付で聞きました。

I asked at the reception.

たい

tai

[tie]

want to

Added to a verb stem to express the speaker's desire to do something.

Example

前の方の席を予約したいです。

I want to reserve seats toward the front.

ん

[n]

(explanatory n)

Casual form of の; adds a tone of seeking or giving an explanation, often before です.

Example

どうしたんですか。

What happened?

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.

が

[gah]

(softening ending)

Ending a sentence with ga softens a request politely.

Example

お願いしたいんですが。

I'd like to ask a favor...

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