Japanese people are generally friendly to foreign travelers, but many might feel a bit shy if you suddenly start speaking to them in English. So, it’s important to be a bit careful with how you approach them.
Here’s a bad example:
“Hey, can you help me with directions?”
And here’s an even worse example:
“I’m trying to find Ueno Station. Can you tell me how to get there?”
Since Japanese people have had English education for a long time, many can understand the meaning of these sentences. However, they might struggle with listening comprehension and give you a confused look like, “Huh, what?”
When you think about it, you might feel like you need to memorize some basic Japanese before traveling to Japan. Japanese phrases for asking directions, ordering at a restaurant, shopping, finding restrooms, telling a taxi driver your destination, buying tickets — it would be great to learn them all, but it can be quite challenging. It’s also a hassle to speak Japanese while constantly referring to notes or your smartphone.
For people in such situations, it’s handy to remember the following phrase:
“Chotto ii desu ka?”
It means “Can I ask you something?” and is commonly used in Japan when approaching strangers. It’s a phrase you can use anytime, anywhere when you’re in need. The person you say it to will most likely respond with “Yes” (はい in Japanese). After that, you can simply speak slowly in English, about half the usual speed.
“I’m (Take a break) looking (Take a break) for (Take a break) Ueno Station.”
Just use “Chotto ii desu ka?” to start, and then continue speaking slowly in English. Give it a try and practice! It’s much easier than saying “Sumimasen, Ueno eki wa dokodesu ka?” or “Tokyo eki e no ikikata o oshiete kudasai,” right?
Now, let’s practice:
“Chotto ii desu ka?”
“Chotto ii desu ka?”
“Chotto ii desu ka?”
