Absolute Beginner Season 2 S2 #16 - Spending Time on Japanese Public Transportation
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In this episode of Learn Japanese | JapanesePod101.com, hosts Jessie and Motoko dive into practical Japanese phrases for discussing transportation routes, focusing on how to ask and answer 'how do you get somewhere?' using the structure 'Person は何で [place] に行きますか?'. The lesson centers on a real-life scenario where Taylor and Masato plan a trip to Masato's house, requiring a train, bus, and walk—highlighting Japan's efficient but multi-step transit system. A key grammar point introduced is それから (sorekara), meaning 'then' or 'and then', used to sequence travel steps. The episode also teaches essential vocabulary like 遠い (far) and 近い (near), and demonstrates how to simplify responses by omitting obvious subjects and destinations. Listeners are guided through repetition drills and pattern recognition to build confidence in real-world conversations.
Use 何で + place + 行きますか to ask 'How do you get to [place]?'
Respond with means of transportation + で + place to say 'I'm going by [transportation] to [place]'
Omit the subject and destination in answers when context is clear, like '電車で行きます' (We're going by train)
Use それから to sequence travel steps: 'Train, then bus, then walk'
Learn 遠い (far) and 近い (near) to describe distances in Japanese
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Introduction and Lesson Recap
Jessie welcomes listeners and Motoko reviews the previous lesson on saying 'not here' using ～にありません.
Lesson Focus: Transportation Vocabulary
Motoko introduces the main topic: talking about means of transportation like train, bus, and walking.
Dialogue Analysis: Planning a Trip
The hosts analyze a conversation where Taylor and Masato plan a journey involving train, bus, and walking to Masato's house.
Grammar Breakdown: それから (Then)
Explanation of それから as a time-sequence connector used to describe travel steps in order.
Vocabulary: 遠い and 近い
Teaches the words for 'far' (遠い) and 'near' (近い), with pronunciation practice and context.
“The fact that they're always punctual is pretty incredible when compared to other countries.”
“Trains and buses are almost always on time in Japan.”
“It's really common to use trains and buses to get to places in Japan.”
Hosts
Motoko
person
Jessie
person
Masato
person
Taylor
person
JapanesePod101.com
organization
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