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Japanese · JLPT Band 1 (N5) · Chapter 33

なにで いきますかHow do you get there?

Nani de ikimasu ka?

Talking about transport and getting around. Vocabulary: densha, basu, chikatetsu, kuruma, jitensha, hikouki, takushii, eki, kippu, noru, aruite. Key grammar: "how you go" (the means) is said with noun + "de": "basu de ikimasu" (I go by bus), "densha de ikimasu" (by train), "kuruma de ikimasu" (by car). For walking it is "aruite ikimasu" (I go on foot). "Noru" (to board) uses "ni": "basu ni norimasu" (I get on the bus). English speakers tend to use "ni" for the means even with "iku": "basu ni ikimasu" ✗ → "basu de ikimasu" ✓. Kana corner: the sound of "de", the small "tsu" of "notte".

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Dialogue

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バスに いきます? バスで いきます?— basu ni ikimasu? basu de ikimasu?

  1. YukiマMaイiクkuさsaんn、かkaいiしゃshaにniなnaにniでdeいiきkiまmaすsuかka？Mike, how do you get to work?
  2. MikeまMaいiにniちchiバbaスsuにniいiきkiまmaすsu。I go by bus every day. (slip: with "iku", the means takes "de", not "ni" → basu de ikimasu)
  3. Yuki「いIくku」のnoしゅshuだdaんnはwa「でde」でdeすsu：「バbaスsuでdeいiきkiまmaすsu」。The means with "iku" is "de": "basu de ikimasu".
  4. MikeあA、バbaスsuでdeいiきkiまmaすsu。そSoしshiてteえeきkiでdeでdeんnしゃshaにniのnoりriまmaすsu。Ah, I go by bus. And I get on the train at the station.
  5. YukiそSoのnoとおtōりri！「いIくku」＝「でde」、「のnoるru」＝「にni」でdeすsuねne。Exactly! "iku" = "de", "noru" = "ni".
  6. MikeちChiかkaいiとtoきkiはwaあaるruいiてteいiきkiまmaすsu！When it is near, I go on foot!

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きょうとへ いきましょう— Let's go to Kyoto

  1. MikeユYuキkiさsaんn、しゅうshūまmaつtsuきょうKyōとtoへeなnaにniでdeいiきkiまmaすsuかka？Yuki, how do we get to Kyoto this weekend?
  2. YukiしShiんnかkaんnせseんnでdeいiきkiまmaしょうshō。はHaやyaくkuてteべbeんnりriでdeすsu。Let's go by shinkansen. It is fast and convenient.
  3. MikeきKiっpぷpuはwaどdoこkoでdeかkaいiまmaすsuかka？Where do we buy the tickets?
  4. YukiえEきkiでdeかkaいiまmaすsu。とうTōきょうkyōえeきkiでdeしshiんnかkaんnせseんnにniのnoりriまmaすsu。We buy them at the station. We get on the shinkansen at Tokyo Station.
  5. MikeいIいiでdeすsuねne！きょうKyōとtoでdeはwaタtaクkuシーshīでdeおoてteらraにniいiきkiまmaしょうshō。Great! In Kyoto, let's go to the temples by taxi.
  6. YukiたTaのnoしshiみmiでdeすsuねne！じゃあJā、きkiっpぷpuをoかkaいiまmaしょうshō。I'm looking forward to it! Well then, let's buy the tickets.

Vocabulary

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でdeんnしゃsha

nountrain (electric)

バbaスsu

nounbus

ちchiかkaてteつtsu

nounsubway

くkuるruまma

nouncar

じjiてteんnしゃsha

nounbicycle

ひhiこうkōきki

nounaeroplane

タtaクkuシーshī

nountaxi

えeきki

nounstation

きkiっpぷpu

nounticket

のnoるru

verbto ride, board (→ norimasu)

あaるruいiてte

adverbon foot, walking

Grammar

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The "de" of means: basu de ikimasu

Explanation

How you go (the means) is said by putting "de" after the vehicle: "basu de ikimasu" (I go by bus), "densha de ikimasu" (by train), "kuruma de ikimasu" (by car), "jitensha de ikimasu" (by bike). "De" matches the English "by". For walking you do not use "de"; you say "aruite ikimasu" (I go on foot). Note: "noru" (to board) uses "ni": "basu ni norimasu", "densha ni norimasu". So "ni" with a vehicle is only for "noru". English speakers tend to use "ni" for the vehicle even with "iku": "basu ni ikimasu" ✗ → "basu de ikimasu" ✓. Remember: "iku" = "de", "noru" = "ni".

Examples

  • わたしは バスで がっこうに いきます。I go to school by bus.
  • ちかてつで かいしゃに いきます。I go to work by subway.
  • えきで でんしゃに のります。I get on the train at the station.
  • うちは ちかいので、あるいて いきます。My home is near, so I go on foot.

Kana

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「で」と「のって」の おと— The sounds of "de" and "notte"

Read the sentences:

  • バスで いきますbasu de ikimasuI go by bus
  • でんしゃに のりますdensha ni norimasuI get on the train
  • あるいて いきますaruite ikimasuI go on foot
  • えきで きっぷを かいますeki de kippu o kaimasuI buy a ticket at the station

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