2013年3月22日金曜日

Japanese announcements at the station

People who live in Japan have many chances to ride trains during their daily commutes or for some other reason. Each time you hear a lot of announcements at the station or in a train, don’t you? My students often ask me, “What are they saying?” So, I am solving this mystery today.

Well, the first word you remember and can guess its meaning on your own is “mamonaku”, isn’t it? The sentence starting with “mamonaku” is usually as follows:

1. Mamonaku san-ban-sen ni Shibuya-yuki ga mairimas.
mamonaku: soon
san-ban-sen ni: to platform number 3
Shibuya-yuki: (a train) going to Shibuya
mairimas: to come
 
Because it is dangerous when a train is approaching, the next announcement will be like this.
2. Hakusen/ kiiroi sen no uchigawa ni sagatte, o-machi kudasai.
hakusen: the white line
kiiroi sen: the yellow line
uchigawa ni: on the inside
sagarimas: to move back sagatte: the imperative form
kudasai: please o-machi kudasai: please wait. (“O” is an honorific prefix.)
 
Many warnings are starting from now.
3. Teniomtsu o door ni hasamarenai you go-chui kudasai.
tenimotsu: handbag
door ni: by the door
hasamu: to put something between hasamareru (a passive form): to be put  between, to get caught in hasamarenai (a negative passive form): not to get caught in
you: do something in a such way that… hasamarenai you go-chui kudasai.: Be careful so that you don’t get your handbags caught.
chui: care, attention go-chui kudasai: Please be careful, Please watch out, Please take caution (“go” is an honorific prefix.)
 
The warnings continue...
4. Door ga shimarimas. Go-chui kudasai.
shimarimas: to close
 
When the doors close, you should not do the following.
5. Kakekomi josha wa o-yame kudasai.
kakekomi: a dash/dart/rush
josha: boarding
yamemasu: to stop/quit
 
The next warning is very common at the London Tube, too. It is imprinted in my mind because I always heard it.
6. Ashimoto ni go-chui kudasai.
ashimoto: at your feet
 
You have to mind your step because of the following reason.
7. Densha to homu no aida ga hiroku aiteorimas.
densha: a train
homu: a platform
aida: between
hiroku: widely
aiteimas: to be open aiteorimas: a humble form
 
And, there is of course information about the station or train transfer.
8. Tsugi wa Shinjuku. Norikae no go-annai des.
tsugi: the next one/stop
norikae: a train transfer
annai: guidance, information (“go” is an honorific prefix.)
 
I hope this helps you. From tomorrow, please try listening to the announcements carefully at the station or in a train. I really think you will understand the meaning now.


Trains during rush hour in Tokyo are so packed that I can’t stand it, but Japanese trains are punctual and some have TV screens on the wall. I think there are many impressive points.
Also, there are funny trains in the countryside to attract customers. I took a shamisen train in Aomori in which you can enjoy a shamisen live performance. A kotatsu train makes you warm inside of the train during winter. An omocha (toy) train looks like a little toy museum. Sleeping trains are now very popular among girls because they have girls’ parties on them.

*Watch the video, too!