Japanese for English speakers Hospital · Lesson 4

Transportation

Use the particle で (de) to express means of transport — 何で行きますか (how are we going?) — with バス (bus), 電車 (train), 原付 (moped). Plus the direction particle へ (e).

Conversation

  1. Bolin Bolin

    お祭りへ何で行きますか？

    omatsuri e nani de ikimasu ka?

    How are we getting to the festival?

    Tip: <nani de> = literally "by what". It means "riding which means of transport"? <e> = particle that indicates the destination of a travel or movement. Like "to" in English in a sentence: "I'm going TO the park" Note: <nani de> can also be pronounced <nan de>, but in that case it can also be translated as "why, for what reason"

  2. Bolin Bolin

    バスはどうですか？

    basu wa dō desu ka?

    What about the bus?

  3. Yaya Yaya

    バスは遅いですね

    basu wa osoi desu ne

    The bus is slow

  4. Yaya Yaya

    原付で行きましょう！

    gentsuki de ikimashō!

    Let's take the moped!

    Tip: <gentsuki> = moped, scooter

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

How do you say 'by what means' in Japanese?

何で (nan de or nani de). Note that nan de can also mean 'why' depending on context — sentence structure tells you which.

へ vs に for direction?

Both indicate movement toward a place. へ emphasises direction (toward); に emphasises arrival (at). Often interchangeable.

What is 原付 (gentsuki)?

A moped or 50cc scooter — a popular cheap form of transport in Japan, with its own driver's licence category.

Test yourself

Pick the English translation for each line from this lesson. Wrong answers are pulled from other Japanese lessons.

4 quick questions on what you just heard.