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Japanese for “Asking for directions”
You are walking in a Japanese town and cannot find the station. You politely stop a passerby to ask how to get there, how long it takes, and confirm the route.
Sample dialogue
You (Traveler)
すみません、駅はどこですか。sumimasen, eki wa doko desu ka.
Excuse me, where is the station?
Passerby
はい、この道をまっすぐ行ってください。hai, kono michi o massugu ittekudasai.
Yes, please go straight down this road.
You (Traveler)
まっすぐですね。駅まで、どのくらいかかりますか。massugu desu ne. eki made, dono kurai kakarimasu ka.
Straight ahead, right? How long does it take to get to the station?
Passerby
歩いて、10分くらいですよ。aruite, juppun kurai desu yo.
On foot, it's about ten minutes.
You (Traveler)
そうですか。あの角を右ですか。sou desu ka. ano kaku o migi desu ka.
I see. Is it right at that corner?
Passerby
はい、あの角を右に曲がってください。コンビニの前ですよ。hai, ano kaku o migi ni magattekudasai. konbini no mae desu yo.
Yes, please turn right at that corner. It's in front of the convenience store.
You (Traveler)
コンビニの前を右ですね。konbini no mae o migi desu ne.
So, turn right at the convenience store, correct?
Passerby
はい、そうです。右に曲がると、駅がすぐ見えますよ。hai, sou desu. migi ni magaru to, eki ga sugu miemasu yo.
Yes, that's right. Once you turn right, you can see the station right away.
どういたしまして。気をつけて行ってくださいね。douitashimashite. ki o tsuketeittekudasai ne.
You're welcome. Take care on your way.
Phrases you can use
すみません、～はどこですかsumimasen, ～ wa doko desu ka
Excuse me, where is ～?
Use this to politely get a stranger's attention and ask for a location.
すみません、トイレはどこですか。sumimasen, toire wa doko desu ka.
Excuse me, where is the restroom?
～まで、どのくらいかかりますか～ made, dono kurai kakarimasu ka
How long does it take to get to ～?
Ask this when you want to know the travel time to a place.
空港まで、どのくらいかかりますか。kuukou made, dono kurai kakarimasu ka.
How long does it take to get to the airport?
～ですね～ desu ne
That's ～, right?
Add ですね after repeating directions to confirm you understood correctly.
十時の電車ですね。juuji no densha desu ne.
The train at ten o'clock, right?
～を右に曲がってください～をみぎにまがってください～ o migi ni magattekudasai
Please turn right at ～
Use this polite request form when someone gives you directions with turns.
次の信号を左に曲がってください。tsugi no shingou o hidari ni magattekudasai.
Please turn left at the next traffic light.
Casual vs polite
Casualありがとう。arigatou.
Politeありがとうございます。arigatougozaimasu.
Casual thanks is ありがとう, used with friends. Use ありがとうございます with strangers or people you do not know well.
Casualまっすぐだね。massugu da ne.
Politeまっすぐですね。massugu desu ne.
Use だね with friends for confirming. Use ですね with a stranger to confirm the route politely.
Casualわかった。wakatta.
Politeわかりました。wakarimashita.
わかった is casual and used with friends. わかりました is polite and is the right choice when talking to a stranger like a passerby.
Culture tip
Japanese people are usually happy to help lost travelers, and they often explain directions using landmarks like konbini, banks, or big buildings. Starting with すみません is the polite way to get someone's attention, and a short thank-you at the end is always appreciated.
Ready to say it out loud?
On Tuned you can practice this scene in 3 steps: copy the model, build it up bit by bit, then role-play with an AI partner — at your level.