Asking for directions

Sentence patterns you can use as is—just swap in the place name.

1. すみません、駅えきはどこですか。

   Excuse me, where's the train station?

2. トイレはどこにありますか。

   Where's the bathroom?

3. この近ちかくにコンビニはありますか。

   Is there a convenience store around here?

4. ここから遠とおいですか。

   Is it far from here?

5. すみません、もう一度いちどお願ねがいします。

   Excuse me, could you say that again, please?

   The one sentence you need most when you didn't understand — better than pretending you did and walking off in the wrong direction.

Stop a stranger on the street and practice following directions and getting a rough idea of how long the walk will take.

1. the one asking

   すみません、郵便局ゆうびんきょくはどこですか。

   Excuse me, where's the post office?
2. Passerby

   この道みちをまっすぐ行いってください。

   Go straight down this road.
3. Passerby

   二ふたつ目めの角かどを左ひだりです。

   Turn left at the second corner.

   Japanese directions count corners (角), not blocks.
4. the one asking

   歩あるいて何分なんぷんぐらいですか。

   About how long does it take to walk there?
5. Passerby

   五分ごふんぐらいですよ。

   About five minutes.

   ぐらい means "about"; Japanese speakers almost always add it when talking about times and quantities.
6. the one asking

   分わかりました。ありがとうございます。

   Got it, thank you.
7. Passerby

   いいえ、気きをつけて。

   You're welcome. Take care.