Getting around
バス
次、止まります。
Next stop.
You hear this when the doors close or the next stop is called. It is written down too, so a missed word does not end the ride.
How the language is used
Japanese is what you use with a shop, a bus driver, and a temple office.
In this city
- Language
- Japanese
- Also heard
- Mostly Japanese
- A local word
- 鹿 — A deer.
- Writing
- Japanese script
What people say
Ordinary lines from this city: the ride, the counter, the food, and the greeting.
The counter
店
これください。
This one, please.
This line is a whole order. You do not need a longer sentence.
Food
寺
ありがとうございます。
Thank you.
The order is built in short pieces like this one.
The street
公園
写真いいですか。
May I take a photo?
People keep this line short. It is enough for the moment.
The language through the day
Japanese is the language from the station to the corner shop. Staff use polite forms. A shorter answer is still understood.
Around Nara Park, Naramachi, the Todai-ji approach, this is the ordinary sound of the day.
A first day in Nara can run on four lines: “次、止まります。”, “これください。”, “ありがとうございます。”, and “写真いいですか。”. Each one is already a complete moment.
If you are new here
- Stops, prices, and shop signs are written in Japanese script.
- Staff use polite forms. A shorter answer from you is still understood.
- If a spoken line goes past you, read the screen or the board. In Nara, the stop and the price are written down.
One local word: 鹿. It means A deer..
Places you can see
- Tōdai-ji — A great temple housing a large bronze Buddha.
- Nara Park — An open park of lawns, trees, and free-roaming deer.
- Kasuga Taisha — A shrine at the edge of the forest, known for its lanterns.
Food
You try local dishes and simple sweets. You order them in Japanese.
Getting around
Buses and trains link the park to the station. You confirm the stop in Japanese.
Daily life
You ask before you photograph, buy a sweet, and find a gate, in Japanese.
A few everyday phrases
Japanese
| Phrase | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| こんにちは | Konnichiwa | Hello |
| ありがとう | Arigatō | Thank you |
| おはよう | Ohayō | Good morning |
| 私の名前は… | Watashi no namae wa… | My name is… |
