#47

Asking how to do something

どうやってするんですか How do you do it?

Skit
Video

Subtitles

English
Japanese
None

The residents of "Haru-san House" are visiting Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine in Kyoto.

Listen #47 (10 min.)

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Skit

おみくじだよ。

Omikuji da yo.

This tells your fortune.

どうやってするんですか。

Doo yatte surun desu ka.

How do you do it?

箱を振ってみて。

Hako o futte mite.

Try shaking the box.

3番です。

San-ban desu.

Number three.

はい、どうぞ。

Hai, doozo.

Here you go.

あ、大吉だ。

A, daikichi da.

Oh, it's a daikichi.

だいきち？どういう意味ですか。

Daikichi? Doo iu imi desu ka.

Daikichi? What does that mean?

とてもいい運勢ですよ。

Totemo ii unsee desu yo.

It means your fortune is very good.

Vocabulary

おみくじ

omikuji

fortune-telling slip

どうやって

doo yatte

how

する

suru

箱

hako

box

振る

furu

shake

3番

san-ban

number three

はい

hai

yes

どうぞ

doozo

here you are

大吉

daikichi

great luck

どういう

doo iu

what kind of

意味

imi

meaning

とても

totemo

very

いい

good

運勢

unsee

fortune

Key Phrase

Asking how to do something

どうやってするんですか。

Doo yatte surun desu ka.

How do you do it?

To ask how to do something, such as when you're doing it for the first time, say "Doo yatte -n desu ka." "Doo yatte" means "how." You use "-n desu ka" when you don't understand something and want an explanation. It comes after the verb's dictionary form.

Learn more!

Verbs

Use It!

Listen

すみません。これ、どうやって食べるんですか。

Sumimasen. Kore, doo yatte taberun desu ka.

Excuse me. How do I eat this?

そちらのたれにつけて、お召し上がりください。

Sochira no tare ni tsukete, omeshiagari kudasai.

Please dip it in that sauce and eat it.

Try It Out!

Try asking how to do something

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

Excuse me. How do I use this?

this | use

これ | 使う

kore | tsukau

1

Sumimasen. Kore, tsukaun desu ka doo yatte.

Sorry, wrong Answer.
2

すみません。これ、どうやって使うんですか。

Sumimasen. Kore, doo yatte tsukaun desu ka.
3

Sumimasen. Kore, doo yatte tsukauka desu ka.

Sorry, wrong Answer.

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

Excuse me. How do I XXX?

すみません。どうやって～んですか。

Sumimasen. Doo yatte ～n desu ka.

wear

着る

kiru

Answer

すみません。どうやって着るんですか。

Sumimasen. Doo yatte kirun desu ka.

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

Excuse me. How do I XXX?

すみません。どうやって～んですか。

Sumimasen. Doo yatte ～n desu ka.

charge

チャージする

chaaji-suru

Answer

すみません。どうやってチャージするんですか。

Sumimasen. Doo yatte chaaji-surun desu ka.

Bonus Phrase: どういう意味ですか。

Doo iu imi desu ka.

What does that mean?

Add to My NotebookAdded to My Notebook

People's voices

It's used when you don't understand what was said and want to know what it means.

Kanji

tama (ball)

Culture

Haru-san’s Bagful of Advice

Omikuji: Trying Your Luck!

You can draw "omikuji" at shrines and temples. They usually have your fortune written on long, narrow slips of paper. Fortune includes "daikichi" or "great luck," "kichi" or "good luck," and "kyoo" or "bad luck." They also give advice about daily life, including health, work, and romance.

大吉[daikichi]= great luck

吉[kichi]= good luck

凶[kyoo]= bad luck

If you draw an "omikuji" with bad luck, some believe you can change it to good luck by tying the slip to a tree branch or some other designated place on the grounds.

Trip tip