The station, the bank, the post office, the shops — and the words for the doors you go in and out of.
Many place names are built from a few kanji that keep coming back: 館 is a public building, as in 図書館 and 映画館; 局 an office, as in 郵便局; 屋 a shop, as in 本屋. Once you know them you can often guess a sign before you can read it. The sentence for where something is follows one pattern: 銀行は駅の前にあります — the bank is in front of the station.
The words
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Verb (2)
開くto open (of a shop, a door)VerbN5
銀行は九時に開きます。The bank opens at nine.
Something opens by itself; you open it with 開ける.
閉まるto close (of a shop, a door)VerbN5
郵便局は五時に閉まります。The post office closes at five.
Something closes by itself; you close it with 閉める.
Noun (37)
駅stationNounN5
駅の前で待っています。I'll be waiting in front of the station.
銀行bankNounN5
この近くに銀行はありますか。Is there a bank near here?
病院hospital; doctor's surgeryNounN5
風邪をひいたので、病院へ行きました。I had a cold, so I went to the doctor's.
Also a small clinic, not only a large hospital.
郵便局post officeNounN5
郵便局で切手を買いました。I bought stamps at the post office.
店shop; restaurantNounN5
この店は何時までですか。How late is this shop open?
Any business with a counter: a shop, a café or a restaurant.
公園parkNounN5
日曜日は子供と公園へ行きます。On Sundays I go to the park with my children.
学校schoolNounN5
学校は家から歩いて十分です。School is ten minutes' walk from home.
図書館libraryNounN5
図書館では静かにしてください。Please be quiet in the library.
町town; part of a cityNounN5
私の町には大きい川があります。There's a big river in my town.
Also the town centre, where the shops are.
デパートdepartment storeNounN5
デパートの地下でお弁当を買いました。I bought a packed lunch in the basement of the department store.
The basement floors usually sell food.
スーパーsupermarketNounN5
スーパーで牛乳と卵を買います。I buy milk and eggs at the supermarket.
コンビニconvenience storeNounN5
コンビニは二十四時間開いています。Convenience stores are open twenty-four hours a day.
喫茶店café; coffee shopNounN5
駅の前の喫茶店で会いましょう。Let's meet at the café in front of the station.
The older, traditional kind of café.
カフェcaféNounN5
カフェで友達を待っています。I'm waiting for a friend in a café.
レストランrestaurantNounN5
今晩はレストランで食べましょう。Let's eat at a restaurant this evening.
Usually a Western-style restaurant.
食堂canteen; dining hall; simple restaurantNounN5
大学の食堂は安くておいしいです。The university canteen is cheap and good.
映画館cinemaNounN5
映画館は駅の隣にあります。The cinema is next to the station.
美術館art museum; galleryNounN5
美術館で古い絵を見ました。I saw some old paintings at the art museum.
博物館museumNounN4
博物館は月曜日が休みです。The museum is closed on Mondays.
For history and science; art goes to 美術館.
動物園zooNounN5
動物園でパンダを見ました。I saw a panda at the zoo.
大使館embassyNounN5
大使館でビザをもらいました。I got my visa at the embassy.
交番police boxNounN5
道が分からないときは、交番で聞いてください。If you don't know the way, ask at a police box.
A small local police post; officers there also give directions.
教会churchNounN4
日曜日の朝は教会へ行きます。On Sunday mornings I go to church.
本屋bookshopNounN5
本屋で雑誌を買いました。I bought a magazine at the bookshop.
花屋floristNounN5
花屋で母に花を買いました。I bought flowers for my mother at the florist's.
八百屋greengrocerNounN5
八百屋で野菜を買います。I buy vegetables at the greengrocer's.
Literally "eight hundred shop", for the many things it sells.
美容院hairdresser's; beauty salonNounN4
明日、美容院へ行きます。I'm going to the hairdresser's tomorrow.
Not 病院, hospital: びよう has one beat more than びょう.
薬局pharmacy; chemist'sNounN4
薬局で薬をもらいました。I got my medicine at the pharmacy.
広場square; open spaceNounN4
駅の前の広場に人がたくさん集まっています。A lot of people have gathered in the square in front of the station.
商店街shopping streetNounN4
商店街で買い物をしました。I did some shopping in the shopping street.
プールswimming poolNounN5
夏は毎日プールで泳ぎます。In summer I swim in the pool every day.
建物buildingNounN5
あの白い建物は何ですか。What is that white building?
ビルbuilding (modern, multi-storey)NounN5
駅の前に高いビルがあります。There's a tall building in front of the station.
From "building", shortened — not a bill.
入口entranceNounN5
入口はこちらです。The entrance is this way.
Also written 入り口.
出口exitNounN5
出口は右にあります。The exit is on the right.
場所place; locationNounN5
静かな場所で勉強したいです。I want to study somewhere quiet.
所placeNounN5
私が住んでいる所はとても静かです。The place where I live is very quiet.
Often written in kana, ところ, especially in grammar patterns.
Suffix (1)
〜屋shop; seller (after a noun)SuffixN5
パン屋は朝七時から開いています。The bakery is open from seven in the morning.
Also the person who runs it, politely with さん: パン屋さん.
This list belongs to Transport and travel — ten lists and 401 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.
