Now that you've learned movement verbs and their particles, you're missing one thing — the actual destinations and vehicles. This article covers the essential N5 vocabulary for places and transport, so you can finally say complete sentences like "take the train to the library."
Shops: ~屋 vs ~店
Japanese shop names use two suffixes: ~屋 (や) and ~店 (てん). The rough rule:
- ~屋: Traditional, smaller shops (has a "craftsman" feel)
- ~店: Modern, larger establishments
| Japanese | Reading | English | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 本屋 | ほんや | Bookstore | Also 書店 (しょてん) |
| パン屋 | ぱんや | Bakery | パン = bread (from Portuguese) |
| 花屋 | はなや | Flower shop | |
| 肉屋 | にくや | Butcher shop | |
| 魚屋 | さかなや | Fish shop | |
| 寿司屋 | すしや | Sushi restaurant | |
| 八百屋 | やおや | Greengrocer | 八百 = "800" (meaning many varieties) |
パン comes from Portuguese "pão," not English. Japanese bakeries (パン屋) typically sell various flavored breads. メロンパン (melon bread) is one of Japan's most iconic bakery items — it's named for its melon-like cracked surface, not its flavor.
Public Facilities
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 図書館 | としょかん | Library |
| 病院 | びょういん | Hospital |
| 郵便局 | ゆうびんきょく | Post office |
| 銀行 | ぎんこう | Bank |
| 学校 | がっこう | School |
| 大学 | だいがく | University |
| 工場 | こうじょう | Factory |
| デパート | でぱーと | Department store |
| スーパー | すーぱー | Supermarket |
| コンビニ | こんびに | Convenience store |
| レストラン | れすとらん | Restaurant |
| 公園 | こうえん | Park |
コンビニ is short for コンビニエンスストア (convenience store). Japan's convenience stores are incredibly dense and versatile — you can buy food, pay utility bills, pick up packages, and even print documents there.
Transport
These are the nouns you'll pair with で when using movement verbs:
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 電車 | でんしゃ | Train (electric) |
| バス | ばす | Bus |
| タクシー | たくしー | Taxi |
| 地下鉄 | ちかてつ | Subway |
| 新幹線 | しんかんせん | Shinkansen (bullet train) |
| 飛行機 | ひこうき | Airplane |
| 船 | ふね | Ship / Boat |
| 自転車 | じてんしゃ | Bicycle |
| 自動車 | じどうしゃ | Automobile |
| 車 | くるま | Car (casual) |
電車 vs 地下鉄: 電車 runs on the surface or elevated tracks, while 地下鉄 runs underground. Tokyo's JR Yamanote Line is 電車; Tokyo Metro is 地下鉄. In casual conversation, 電車で covers any rail transport.
Shinkansen Fun Fact
The 新幹線 (しんかんせん) is Japan's high-speed railway, reaching up to 320 km/h. The most famous route is the Tokaido Shinkansen (Tokyo to Osaka), taking about 2 hours and 15 minutes. The Shinkansen is often called the "bullet train" due to its sleek shape.
Sentence Practice
Put places and transport into movement verb patterns:
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| バスで学校に行きます。 | I go to school by bus. |
| パン屋でメロンパンを買いました。 | I bought melon bread at the bakery. |
| 寿司屋で寿司を食べます。 | I eat sushi at the sushi restaurant. |
| タクシーで家に帰ります。 | I go home by taxi. |
| 電車で会社へ行きます。 | I go to work by train. |
| 飛行機で日本へ行きます。 | I'm going to Japan by plane. |
Notice the two uses of で:
- Transport + で + movement verb = go/come by XX (means)
- Place + で + action verb = do something at XX (location)
Summary
- Traditional shops use ~屋 (本屋, パン屋); modern ones use their names (デパート, スーパー)
- Public facilities: 図書館, 病院, 郵便局, 銀行...
- Transport pairs with で: 電車で, バスで, 飛行機で
- Walking uses 歩いて, not で
- 電車 = above-ground train, 地下鉄 = subway; 電車で casually covers all rail
Self-Check
Q1. How do you say "bakery" in Japanese?
Show answer
パン屋 (ぱんや)
パン (bread) + 屋 (shop). パン comes from Portuguese.
Q2. Say "go to Osaka by Shinkansen" in Japanese.
Show answer
新幹線で大阪に行きます。
Transport uses で (新幹線で), destination uses に (大阪に).
Q3. In 「図書館で本を読みます」and「図書館に行きます」, what do で and に express respectively?
Show answer
- 図書館で本を読みます → で marks the location where an action takes place (reading books at the library)
- 図書館に行きます → に marks the destination of movement (going to the library)
Same place, different particles, completely different relationships.