#6

Checking where public transportation is headed

この電車は池袋に行きますか Does this train go to Ikebukuro?

Skit
Video

Subtitles

English
Japanese
None

It's Tam’s first day to go to her university. She’s at the station, but she’s not sure the train she’s about to board is the right one.

Listen #6 (10 min.)

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Skit

Tam

すみません。

Sumimasen.

Excuse me.

Station staff

はい。

Hai.

Yes.

Tam

この電車は池袋に行きますか。

Kono densha wa Ikebukuro ni ikimasu ka.

Does this train go to Ikebukuro?

Station staff

いいえ、行きません。

Iie, ikimasen.

No, it doesn’t.

池袋は山手線です。

Ikebukuro wa Yamanote-sen desu.

Ikebukuro is on the Yamanote Line.

Tam

山手線はどこですか。

Yamanote-sen wa doko desu ka.

Where is the Yamanote Line?

Station staff

3番線です。

San-ban-sen desu.

Platform number three.

Tam

わかりました。

Wakarimashita.

I see.

ありがとうございます。

Arigatoo gozaimasu.

Thank you very much.

Vocabulary

すみません

sumimasen

excuse me

はい

hai

yes

この

kono

this

電車

densha

train

池袋

Ikebukuro

Ikebukuro

行く

iku

go

いいえ

iie

no

山手線

Yamanote-sen

Yamanote Line

どこ

doko

where

3

san

three

～番線

～ban-sen

platform number XXX

わかる

wakaru

understand

ありがとうございます

arigatoo gozaimasu

thank you very much

Key Phrase

Checking where public transportation is headed

この電車は池袋に行きますか。

Kono densha wa Ikebukuro ni ikimasu ka.

Does this train go to Ikebukuro?

To ask where public transportation is going, say "Kono [vehicle] wa [place] ni ikimasu ka." "Kono" means "this" and goes before a noun. It shows you're asking about the vehicle in front of you. The particle "ni" indicates the destination. "Ikimasu" is the verb "iku" or "to go" in the MASU-form.

Learn more!

Use It!

Listen

この電車は秋葉原に行きますか。

Kono densha wa Akihabara ni ikimasu ka.

Does this train go to Akihabara?

いいえ、行きません。秋葉原は１番線です。

Iie, ikimasen. Akihabara wa ichi-ban-sen desu.

No, it doesn’t. Akihabara is platform number one.

Try It Out!

Try checking where public transportation is headed

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

Does this bus go to the airport?

bus | airport

バス | 空港

basu | kuukoo

1

このバスは空港に行きますか。

Kono basu wa kuukoo ni ikimasuka.
2

Kono basu wa kuukoo no ikimasuka.

Sorry, wrong Answer.
3

Kono basu wa kuukoo ni ikimasu.

Sorry, wrong Answer.

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

Does this [vehicle] go to [place]?

この【vehicle】は【place】に行きますか。

Kono 【vehicle】 wa 【place】 ni ikimasu ka.

train | Shinjuku

電車 | 新宿

densha | Shinjuku

Answer

この電車は新宿に行きますか。

Kono densha wa Shinjuku ni ikimasu ka.

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

Does this [vehicle] go to [place]?

この【vehicle】は【place】に行きますか。

Kono 【vehicle】 wa 【place】 ni ikimasu ka.

Shinkasen bullet train | Hiroshima

新幹線 | 広島

Shinkansen | Hiroshima

Answer

この新幹線は広島に行きますか。

Kono Shinkansen wa Hiroshima ni ikimasu ka.

Step-up

Numbers

1: ichi

2: ni

3: san

4: yon

5: go

6: roku

7: nana

8: hachi

9: kyuu

10: juu

Learn more!

#10 Step-up

Kanji

Sakura (cherryblossoms)

Culture

Haru-san’s Bagful of Advice

Railway System in Japan

Japan's railway system spreads across the country. Big cities, in particular, are filled with lines, including subways. They’re also connected by Shinkansen bullet trains and express trains, making long-distance travel convenient.

Japan's railway system has many lines

To buy a ticket, first, check the price on the fare list. Then, insert the money in the ticket machine. If you get a prepaid IC card, you can just touch in and out at ticket gates. The fare is deducted automatically.

Remember that stations and trains are very crowded in rush hours.

Trip tip