I'd like to go to Ashinko, how can I get there? -- Ashinko e ikitai-n desu ga dou ittara ii deshou ka. NOTE: [X] made/e ikitai-n desu ga dou ittara ii deshou ka. Use this pattern when you are planning to go or actually going somewhere. Ittara is the conditional form of the verb ikimasu. How can I get to Izu by train? -- Izu e wa densha de wa dou ittara ii deshou ka. How does Mr. Smith get to his office? -- Sumisu-san wa kaisha made douyatte ikimasu ka. NOTE: [X] made/e douyatte ikimasu ka. This pattern is used to ask how another person gets to the office and so on. get on (take) -- norimasu get off -- orimasu change (trains, etc.) -- norikaemasu transportation / things you ride -- norimono the Hikari (bound) for Shinosaka -- Shinoosaka-yuki no Hikari NOTE: destination+yuki+no bus (bound) for Shibuya -- Shibuya-yuki no basu the L train -- L no densha the 38 bus -- sanjuuhachi-ban no basu the 38 bus (bound) for Japantown -- nihonmachi-yuki no sanjuuhachi-ban no basu 19th and Taraval (to mention the cross street) -- 19th to Taraval no kousaten ni imasu the last stop, station -- shuuten Where is the bus/train (bound) for Shibuya? -- Shibuya-yuki wa doko deshou ka. (I) get on (take) the Yamanote Line at Ebisu (Station). -- Ebisu de Yamanote-sen ni norimasu. NOTE: [Place] de [train/line, etc.] ni norimasu. (I) get off the train at Mitaki (Station). -- Mitaki de densha o orimasu. NOTE: [Place] de [train/line, etc.] o orimasu. (I) change from the Yamanote Line to the Chuo Line at Shinjuku (Station). -- Shinjuku de Yamanote-sen o Chuuou-sen ni norikaemasu. NOTE: [Place] de [train/line, etc.] o [train/line, etc.] ni norikaemasu. (You) go out the south exit. -- Minami-guchi kara/o demasu. NOTE: [Place to leave] kara/o demasu. (I) get on the Chuo Main Line, and get off at Masumoto. -- Chuuou-honsen ni notte, Matsumoto de orimasu. Note: The te-form of the verb is used to combine the sentences. Please change to the Yamanote Line at Shibuya and go to Shinjuku. -- Shibuya de Yamonote-sen ni norikaete, Shinjuku made itte kudasai. (I) changed to the Yamanote Line at Shibuya and went to Shinjuku. -- Shibuya de Yamanote-sen ni norikaete, Shinjuku made ikimashita. May I ask you something? (lit. Could you give me some information, please?) -- Chotto oshiete kuremasen ka. NOTE: ...[verb-te] kuremasen ka OR: [verb-te] kudasai; kudasai is a request, kuremasen ka is therefore more polite. Sure. (lit. That's fine) = answer to a request -- Ee, ii desu yo. Yes, what can I do for you? (lit. What will it be?) = answer to a request -- Hai, nan deshou ka. Well..., ______is a little bit troublesome. = answer to a request -- [Troublesome factor] wa chotto... Could you write in Roman letters, please? Sure. -- Rooma-ji (written in Katakana) de kaite kuremasen ka. Ee, ii desu yo. NOTE: Marker de is used because Roman letters are considered a tool. Could you come at 3:00 tomorrow, please? Well, 3:00 is a little bit... -- Ashita san-ji ni kite kuremasen ka. San-ji wa chotto... Could you draw a map. Sure. -- Chizu o kaite kuremasen ka. Ee, ii desu yo. Excuse me, may I ask you something. Yes, what can I do for you? -- Sumimasen, chotto oshiete kuremasen ka. Hai, nan deshou ka. Mr. Smith, (you said) you lived in Hiro, right? -- Sumisu-san, otaku wa Hiroo deshita yo ne. NOTE: [Information-past tense] yo ne. This patterm is used to confirm information that you remember from some time ago. first (of all) -- mazu and then -- sorekara or tsugi ni or soshite (interchangable) totally, all together -- zenbu de How long would it take altogether to get there? -- Zenbu de dono gurai kakaru deshou ka. Thanks for everything. -- Iroiro arigatou. Any time (it's) my pleasure. -- Itsu demo douzo.