Latest / Learn Japanese with Fexingo / Japanese At The Post Office Basics
Transcript
- Lucas: Welcome back to Learn Japanese with Fexingo. I'm Lucas. Luna: And I'm Luna! Hey everyone. It's so good to be back at the mic with you. Lucas: It really is. We've covered groceries, laundry, and even dry cleaning lately. Luna: Right. But today we're doing something different. Something postal. Lucas: Exactly. Today we are going to the post office. In Japanese, that is 'yūbin-kyoku'. So if you need to go there, you can say 'yūbin-kyoku ni ikitai desu'. Luna: Yūbin-kyoku ni ikitai desu. I want to go to the post office. Okay, I feel ready. What is the first thing you do when you walk in? Lucas: You usually have a specific goal. Maybe you just want to mail a letter. Or maybe you have a big package. Let's start with the general question: 'How should I send this?' That phrase is 'Todokeru ni wa dō sureba ii desu ka?' Luna: Todokeru ni wa dō sureba ii desu ka? How should I send this? That sounds very polite. Let me try it again. Lucas: Go ahead. Luna: Todokeru ni wa dō sureba ii desu ka? There it is. Todokeru means to deliver or send. Ni wa marks the topic. Dō means how. Sureba ii desu ka is the conditional request form. Lucas: Spot on. You use this when you hand an item to the clerk and aren't sure which service fits best. Let's practice it one more time together. Luna: Todokeru ni wa dō sureba ii desu ka? Todokeru ni wa dō sureba ii desu ka? Got it. Lucas: Great. Now, imagine the clerk asks if you want standard mail or something faster. You might just need stamps for a simple letter. The phrase for 'Please give me stamps' is 'Kirifuji o kudasai'. Wait, no, that's flowers. It's 'Kiriwata o kudasai'? No. It is simply 'Kirifuji' is not right. It is 'Kiri-wata'? No. The word for stamp is 'Kitte'. So, 'Kitte o kudasai'. Luna: Kitte o kudasai? Please give me stamps? Oh, I was thinking of cotton wool earlier. Kitte makes sense. Kitte. O. Kudasai. Lucas: Yes. Kitte o kudasai. It's short and clear. If you need multiple, you can say 'Kitte o ikko kudasai' for one stamp, but usually just asking for them works. Luna: Kitte o kudasai. Kitte o kudasai. Okay, I have my stamps. Now what if I want to know if I can track where my letter goes? Not all mail has tracking. Lucas: That is a great point. Standard letters often don't have tracking. To ask if there is a tracking number, you say 'Tsuiroku bangō wa arimasu ka?' Luna: Tsuiroku bangō wa arimasu ka? Is there a tracking number? Tsuiroku means trace or track. Bangō is number. Arimasu ka is is there? Lucas: Exactly. Tsuiroku bangō wa arimasu ka? Use this if you are sending something important and need proof of delivery. Luna: Tsuiroku bangō wa arimasu ka? Tsuiroku bangō wa arimasu ka? I like that one. It feels very professional. Lucas: It is. And speaking of important things, sometimes you need to send valuables or documents that must be signed for upon arrival. This is called 'registered mail' or 'shori'. To say you want to send it via registered mail, you say 'Shori de okuritai desu'. Luna: Shori de okuritai desu? I want to send it by registered mail? Shori is registered. De is the particle for method. Okuritai desu is I want to send. Lucas: Perfect breakdown. Shori de okuritai desu. This adds security because the recipient has to sign for it. Luna: Shori de okuritai desu. Shori de okuritai desu. Okay, I feel like I could handle a lot of paperwork now. Lucas: I bet you could. Finally, before you leave, you probably want to know when it will arrive. The question is 'Itsugoro tsukimasu ka?' Luna: Itsugoro tsukimasu ka? When approximately will it arrive? Itsugoro is around when. Tsukimasu is arrive. Lucas: Correct. Itsugoro tsukimasu ka? The clerk will tell you if it's domestic or international. Domestic is usually three days. International varies. Luna: Itsugoro tsukimasu ka? Itsugoro tsukimasu ka? Wow. That was five phrases. Let's recap them quickly so they stick. Lucas: Good idea. First, to ask how to send something: Todokeru ni wa dō sureba ii desu ka? Luna: Todokeru ni wa dō sureba ii desu ka? Lucas: Second, to ask for stamps: Kitte o kudasai. Luna: Kitte o kudasai. Lucas: Third, to ask for a tracking number: Tsuiroku bangō wa arimasu ka? Luna: Tsuiroku bangō wa arimasu ka? Lucas: Fourth, to request registered mail: Shori de okuritai desu. Luna: Shori de okuritai desu. Lucas: And fifth, to ask when it arrives: Itsugoro tsukimasu ka? Luna: Itsugoro tsukimasu ka? Those sound much easier than I thought. Lucas: They do. And remember, practicing these small phrases makes the whole experience less stressful. Luna: Totally. If Fexingo has been helping you make actual progress with these phrases, your support really matters. A couple of dollars a month is genuinely what keeps these episodes free and ad-free for everyone. You can find us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo — that's F. E. X. I. N. G. O. Just a small contribution helps us keep making this content for you. Lucas: Thanks for listening, Luna. It's appreciated. Luna: Anytime. So, back to the post office. Imagine I have a box. I walk up to the counter. Lucas: Okay, set the scene. You have a box. Luna: Excuse me. Todokeru ni wa dō sureba ii desu ka? How should I send this? Lucas: The clerk smiles. They ask if it's fragile. You say yes. You decide to use registered mail. Luna: Shori de okuritai desu. I want to send it by registered mail. Lucas: They weigh it. They ask for payment. You hand over cash and ask for the receipt. Luna: Kitte o kudasai? No, wait. I already paid. I just need to know the details. Tsuiroku bangō wa arimasu ka? Is there a tracking number? Lucas: They write it down. You look at the date on the slip. Luna: Itsugoro tsukimasu ka? When approximately will it arrive? Lucas: They say three days. You smile and say thank you. Luna: Arigatou gozaimasu. It flows so naturally now. I didn't even think about grammar. Lucas: That's the goal. You just speak from memory and habit. Luna: I feel confident. I could send a gift to Tokyo tomorrow. Lucas: Or anywhere else in the world. These phrases work everywhere. Luna: Let's repeat the main list one last time. Todokeru ni wa dō sureba ii desu ka? Kitte o kudasai? No, wait. Kitte o kudasai. Tsuiroku bangō wa arimasu ka? Shori de okuritai desu? Itsugoro tsukimasu ka? Lucas: Perfect. You nailed it. Keep practicing these until they feel easy. Luna: Will do. See you next time!