densha aruiha basu de iku.

to go

Breakdown of densha aruiha basu de iku.

• 電車でんしゃ: train
• で: means particle
• バス: bus

Questions & Answers about densha aruiha basu de iku.

Why is there no subject, like I or we, in this sentence?

Japanese often leaves out the subject when it is already understood from context.

So 電車あるいはバスで行く。 can mean:

• I’ll go by train or bus
• We go by train or bus
• (Someone) goes by train or bus

The listener usually figures out who is doing the action from the situation. This is very normal in Japanese.

What does あるいは mean here?

あるいは means or.

In this sentence, it connects 電車 and バス, so the meaning is by train or bus.

It has a slightly more formal or written feel than some other ways to say or. In everyday conversation, learners will often hear:

• 電車かバスで行く。
• 電車とかバスで行く。 (depending on nuance)

So あるいは is correct, but it can sound a bit more formal or literary.

Why is で used after 電車あるいはバス?