#15

Telling the taxi driver your destination

猿の温泉までお願いします To the monkey hot spring, please.

Skit
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Photographer Mi Ya from China is on a photo shoot in Nagano. She’s trying to get to Jigokudani Yaen Koen by taxi.

Listen #15 (10 min.)

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Skit

Driver

どちらまで？

Dochira made?

Where to?

Mi Ya

猿の温泉までお願いします。

Saru no onsen made onegai-shimasu.

To the monkey hot spring, please.

Driver

はい、わかりました。

Hai, wakarimashita.

OK, certainly.

こちらは初めてですか。

Kochira wa hajimete desu ka.

Is this your first time here?

Mi Ya

はい、初めてです。

Hai, hajimete desu.

Yes it is.

猿の写真を撮りに行きます。

Saru no shashin o tori ni ikimasu.

I'm going to take pictures of the monkeys.

Driver

そうですか。

Soo desu ka.

Is that so?

今日は寒いから、猿がたくさん温泉に入ってますよ。

Kyoo wa samui kara, saru ga takusan onsen ni haitte masu yo.

It's cold today, so lots of them should be in the hot spring.

Vocabulary

どちら

dochira

where

猿

saru

monkey

温泉

onsen

hot spring

お願いする

onegai-suru

ask/please

はい

hai

yes

わかる

wakaru

understand

こちら

kochira

here (polite)

初めて

hajimete

first time

写真を撮る

shashin o toru

take a photo

行く

iku

go

そうですか

soo desu ka

is that so

今日

kyoo

today

寒い

samui

cold

たくさん

takusan

a lot

温泉に入る

onsen ni hairu

bathe in a hot spring

Key Phrase

Telling the taxi driver your destination

猿の温泉までお願いします。

Saru no onsen made onegai-shimasu.

To the monkey hot spring, please.

To tell the taxi driver your destination, say "[place] made onegai-shimasu." "Made" is a particle that means "to" and indicates the destination. "Onegai-shimasu" is the MASU-form of the verb "onegai-suru" or "to ask." It can be used when making requests.

Asking about a destination:
When you get in a taxi, the driver will ask "Dochira made (desu ka)" or “Where to?" Remember the phrase. "Dochira" is a polite way of saying "doko" or "where." It's what taxi drivers say when they address passengers.

Learn more!

Use It!

Listen

どちらまでですか。

Dochira made desu ka.

Where to?

空港までお願いします。

Kuukoo made onegai-shimasu.

To the airport, please.

Try It Out!

Try telling the taxi driver your destination

1Which of these three choices is the correct way to say this sentence in Japanese?

To Tokyo Skytree, please.

Tokyo Skytree

東京スカイツリー

Tookyoo Sukai-tsurii

1

Tookyoo Sukai-tsurii kara onegai-shimasu.

Sorry, wrong Answer.
2

東京スカイツリーまでお願いします。

Tookyoo Sukai-tsurii made onegai-shimasu.
3

Made onegai-shimasu Tookyoo Sukai-tsurii.

Sorry, wrong Answer.

2Say the sentence in Japanese, using the following word(s).

To XXX, please.

～までお願いします。

～made onegai-shimasu.

this hotel

このホテル

kono hoteru

Answer

このホテルまでお願いします。

Kono hoteru made onegai-shimasu.

3Say the sentence in Japanese, using the following word(s).

To XXX, please.

～までお願いします。

～made onegai-shimasu.

Yokohama Station

横浜駅

Yokohama-eki

Answer

横浜駅までお願いします。

Yokohama-eki made onegai-shimasu.

Step-up

How to use "onegai-shimasu"

Check out, please.: チェックアウト、お願いします。

Chekku-auto, onegai-shimasu.

Coffee, please.: コーヒー、お願いします。

Koohii, onegai-shimasu.

Check, please.: お会計、お願いします。

Okaikee, onegai-shimasu.

Learn more!

#15 Key Phrase

Kanji

Kuruma (car)

Culture

Haru-san’s Bagful of Advice

Taxis in Japan

Most airports, stations, hotels, and tourist spots have taxi stands. The driver will open and close the rear door by remote control. The fare is displayed on the meter. Tips are not expected.

The electronic sign on the front window displays the Kanji characters meaning "vacant”." At nighttime, the light on the roof of an available taxi is also illuminated.

"Vacant" sign

Trip tip