Online Language School

Nihon-shiki romanization (recommended)
watasi ha tyuugoku kara kimasita Hepburn romanization
watashi wa chuugoku kara kimashita

In this lesson you will learn to give and understand traffic directions. Take a look at the following sentences:

Please turn right at that corner.	あの角かどを右みぎに曲まがってください。 ano kado wo migi ni magatte kudasai.
Go straight at the traffic light.	信しん号ごうをまっすぐ行いってください。 singou wo massugu itte kudasai.

Even though normally the word at is translated with に or with で, in the above sentences the particle を is used.

The particle を is often used to indicate motion through something, and together with motion verbs often means through, from or past. The particle を indicates a point that is between the origin, which would be marked with the particle から, and the destination, which would be marked with the particle へ or に.

(We) ran through the forest.	林はやしを走はしりました。 hayasi wo hasirimasita.
The canoe went down the river.	カヌーは川かわを下くだった。 kanuu ha kawa wo kudatta.

Question	Answer
corner	角かど kado
to bend; to turn	曲まがる magaru
to turn right	右みぎに曲まがる migi ni magaru
Please turn right at that corner.	あの角かどを右みぎに曲まがってください。 ano kado wo migi ni magatte kudasai.
road, street, way	道みち miti
side	側がわ gawa
junior high school; middle school	中ちゅう学がっ校こう tyuugakkou
Junior high school is on the left side of the road.	中ちゅう学がっ校こうは道みちの左ひだり側がわにある。 tyuugakkou ha miti no hidari gawa ni aru.
to cross over	渡わたる wataru
to turn left	左ひだりに曲まがる hidari ni magaru
hotel	ホテル hoteru
Cross the road and turn left. The hotel is on the right side of the street.	道みちを渡わたって、左ひだりに曲まがってください。ホテルは道みちの右みぎ側がわにあります。 miti wo watatte, hidari ni magatte kudasai. hoteru ha miti no migi gawa ni arimasu.
blue	青あお ao
I like blue.	青あおが好すきだ。 ao ga suki da.
traffic light; signal	信しん号ごう singou
blue^{also green for traffic lights}	青あおい aoi
The (traffic) light is green.	信しん号ごうは青あおいです。 singou ha aoi desu.
straight, direct	まっすぐ massugu
to go straight	まっすぐいく massugu iku
Go straight at the traffic light.	信しん号ごうをまっすぐ行いってください。 singou wo massugu itte kudasai.
to run	走はしる hasiru
(We) ran through the forest.	林はやしを走はしりました。 hayasi wo hasirimasita.
canoe	カヌー kanuu
to descend; to go down	下くだる kudaru
The canoe went down the river.	カヌーは川かわを下くだった。 kanuu ha kawa wo kudatta.
Please go around the corner.	角かどを曲まがってください。 kado wo magatte kudasai.