Course Overview
Completion requirements
5-Week Japanese for Travel Course
Course Overview
This intensive course will teach you essential Japanese phrases, cultural basics, and practical vocabulary for traveling in Japan. Each week builds on the previous, focusing on real-world situations you'll encounter.
Week 1: Foundation & Basic Greetings
Goal: Master essential greetings and basic sentence structure
Key Phrases to Learn:
- Konnichiwa (こんにちは) - Hello (afternoon)
- Ohayou gozaimasu (おはようございます) - Good morning
- Konbanwa (こんばんは) - Good evening
- Arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) - Thank you very much
- Sumimasen (すみません) - Excuse me/I'm sorry
- Eigo ga wakarimasu ka? (英語が分かりますか？) - Do you understand English?
- Nihongo ga wakarimasen (日本語が分かりません) - I don't understand Japanese
- Watashi no namae wa ---- desu (私の名前は-----です)- My name is -----
Grammar Focus:
- Basic sentence structure (Subject-Object-Verb)
- Polite vs. casual forms (stick to polite for travel)
- Question formation with "ka"
Cultural Notes:
- Bowing basics
- When to use different greetings
- Importance of politeness levels
Practice Activities:
- Role-play meeting someone new
- Practice pronunciation with audio resources
- Write out phrases in hiragana (if learning script)
Week 2: Navigation & Transportation
Goal: Get around Japan confidently
Key Phrases:
- Doko desu ka? (どこですか？) - Where is it?
- [Place] wa doko desu ka? ([場所]はどこですか？) - Where is [place]?
- Eki wa doko desu ka? (駅はどこですか？) - Where is the station?
- Kore wa ikura desu ka? (これはいくらですか？) - How much is this?
- Kippu wo kudasai (切符をください) - A ticket, please
- Hidari/Migi (左/右) - Left/Right
- Massugu (まっすぐ) - Straight ahead
- Tsugi no (次の) - Next
- Mae/Ushiro (前/後ろ) - Front/Back
Transportation Vocabulary:
- Densha (電車) - Train
- Chikatetsu (地下鉄) - Subway
- Basu (バス) - Bus
- Takushii (タクシー) - Taxi
- Kuukou (空港) - Airport
- Shinkansen (新幹線) - Bullet train
Practice Activities:
- Practice asking for directions
- Learn major station names in your destination cities
- Role-play buying train tickets
Week 3: Food & Dining
Goal: Order food and navigate restaurants
Essential Restaurant Phrases:
- Menyuu wo onegaishimasu (メニューをお願いします) - Menu, please
- Kore wo onegaishimasu (これをお願いします) - This one, please
- Oishii desu (おいしいです) - It's delicious
- Okaikei onegaishimasu (お会計お願いします) - Check, please
- Gochisousama deshita (ごちそうさまでした) - Thank you for the meal
- Biru wo kudasai (ビールをください) - Beer, please
- Mizu wo kudasai (水をください) - Water, please
Common Food Items:
- Gohan (ご飯) - Rice
- Sakana (魚) - Fish
- Niku (肉) - Meat
- Yasai (野菜) - Vegetables
- Ramen (ラーメン) - Ramen
- Sushi (寿司) - Sushi
- Tempura (天ぷら) - Tempura
- Udon (うどん) - Udon noodles
Dietary Restrictions:
- Bejitarian desu (ベジタリアンです) - I'm vegetarian
- Arerugi ga arimasu (アレルギーがあります) - I have allergies
- Sakana wa taberaremasen (魚は食べられません) - I can't eat fish
Practice Activities:
- Practice ordering from a Japanese menu
- Learn to read basic food kanji
- Role-play restaurant interactions
Week 4: Shopping & Accommodation
Goal: Handle hotel check-ins and shopping
Hotel Phrases:
- Yoyaku shite imasu (予約しています) - I have a reservation
- Chekku-in onegaishimasu (チェックインお願いします) - Check-in, please
- Heya no kagi wo kudasai (部屋の鍵をください) - Room key, please
- Asagohan wa nanji desu ka? (朝ご飯は何時ですか？) - What time is breakfast?
- Wai-fai wa arimasu ka? (Wi-Fiはありますか？) - Is there Wi-Fi?
Shopping Expressions:
- Kore wa ikura desu ka? (これはいくらですか？) - How much is this?
- Motto yasui no wa arimasu ka? (もっと安いのはありますか？) - Do you have anything cheaper?
- Kono saizu wa arimasu ka? (このサイズはありますか？) - Do you have this size?
- Fukuro wa iranai desu (袋はいらないです) - I don't need a bag
- Kurejitto kaado de (クレジットカードで) - By credit card
Numbers 1-10,000:
- 1-10: ichi, ni, san, shi/yon, go, roku, shichi/nana, hachi, kyuu, juu
- 100: hyaku
- 1000: sen
- 10000: ichiman
Practice Activities:
- Practice numbers and prices
- Role-play hotel check-in
- Practice shopping conversations
Week 5: Emergency & Advanced Situations
Goal: Handle problems and have deeper conversations
Emergency Phrases:
- Tasukete kudasai (助けてください) - Help me, please
- Byouki desu (病気です) - I'm sick
- Isha wo yonde kudasai (医者を呼んでください) - Please call a doctor
- Keisatsu wo yonde kudasai (警察を呼んでください) - Please call the police
- Michi ni mayoimashita (道に迷いました) - I'm lost
Useful Conversation Starters:
- Dochira kara kimashita ka? (どちらから来ましたか？) - Where are you from?
- Nihon wa dou desu ka? (日本はどうですか？) - How is Japan?
- Osusume wa nan desu ka? (おすすめは何ですか？) - What do you recommend?
- Shashin wo totte kudasai (写真を撮ってください) - Please take a photo
Cultural Experiences:
- Onsen (温泉) - Hot springs
- Omatsuri (お祭り) - Festival
- Jinja (神社) - Shrine
- Otera (お寺) - Temple
Final Review Topics:
- Combining phrases for complex requests
- Reading basic signs and menus
- Understanding common responses
Practice Activities:
- Full conversation simulations
- Create your own travel scenarios
- Practice emergency situations
Daily Study Schedule (30-45 minutes)
Monday: New Vocabulary
- Learn 8-10 new words/phrases
- Practice pronunciation
- Write phrases multiple times
Tuesday: Grammar Focus
- Study grammar pattern of the week
- Create original sentences
- Practice with example dialogues
Wednesday: Listening Practice
- Use Japanese learning apps or YouTube
- Listen to travel-focused content
- Practice shadowing (repeating after audio)
Thursday: Speaking Practice
- Role-play scenarios
- Record yourself speaking
- Practice with language exchange partners
Friday: Cultural Learning
- Learn about Japanese customs
- Watch travel vlogs about Japan
- Study cultural do's and don'ts
Weekend: Review & Integration
- Review all phrases from the week
- Take practice quizzes
- Plan how to use phrases in real situations
(No announcements have been posted yet.)