Eriko Sato

Article / Updated 12-09-2021

When traveling in Japan, the words and phrases you'll use most frequently will be the common Japanese greetings (gashi). These Japanese greetings and goodbyes will quickly become second nature because you use them day in and day out with everyone you come across. In Japan, greetings are given great importance. It is considered rude to fail to greet someone or even to greet them in a lazy or offhand manner. The most common ways to greet someone in Japan are: Konnichiwa (Hi; Good afternoon.) Ohayō gozaimasu/Ohayō (Good morning [formal/informal]) Konbanwa (Good evening) Say Ohayō gozaimasu to your superior instead of Ohayō. And don't forget to bow when you greet them. As you've probably noticed, people in Japan also greet each other by bowing. A small head nod is a considered casual and is used when greeting family or friends. When greeting a superior, it is a sign of respect to use a deep, longer bow: roughly a 90-degree bend at the waist. Most Japanese people don't expect foreign travelers to understand bowing etiquette and so will usually accept a nod of the head or a handshake. How to ask "how are you?" How many times a day do you hear or say "How are you?" or "How's it going?" at the beginning of your conversations? So many times, in fact, that half the time, you don't even pay attention. These pleasantries are common in Japan as well. The Japanese phrase equivalent to “How are you?” is Genki desu ka, which literally means “Are you well?” Other common ways to ask how someone is doing are: Hajimemashite? (How do you do?) O-genki desu ka? (How are you? [formal]) Genki? (How are you? [informal]) Maiku-san wa? (How about you, Mike?) Responding to "how are you?" As you'd expect, when someone asks you how you're doing, there are many possible responses, such as: Hai, genki desu. (Yes, I'm fine.) Ē, māmā desu. (Well, so-so.) Hai, watashi mo genki desu. (Yes, I'm fine, too.) The particle mo in Watashi mo genki desu means "also." How to say goodbye in Japanese There are many ways to say goodbye in Japanese, such as: Mata ashita. (See you tomorrow.) Sayōnara. (Goodbye.) Oyasumi nasai. (Good night.) Say Shitsurei shimasu when you're parting from your superior. It literally means "I will be rude," but the general idea is to say "Excuse my rudeness of leaving you."

Article / Updated 11-08-2021

When making plans, appointments, and travel arrangements in Japanese-speaking countries, you need to be able to state dates and other calendar terms in Japanese. Understanding the days of the week, the months of the year, and how to tell time in Japanese can help you to avoid confusion. Days of the week The Japanese names for the days of the week all end with yōbi. Japanese Pronunciation English getsuyôbi geh-tsoo-yooo-bee Monday kayôbi kah-yooo-bee Tuesday suiyôbi soo-ee-yooo-bee Wednesday mokuyôbi moh-coo-yooo-bee Thursday kinyôbi keen-yooo-bee Friday doyôbi doh-yooo-bee Saturday nichiyôbi nee-chee-yooo-bee Sunday Other phrases used to indicate the days of the week include: kyō (kyohh) (today) kinō (kee-nohh) (yesterday) ashita (ah-shee-tah) (tomorrow) In Japanese, the words for the months of the year are based on the numbers 1–12 and end in the Japanese word for month: gatsu. ichi-gatsu (ee-chee-gah-tsoo) (January) ni-gatsu (nee-gah-tsoo) (February) san-gatsu (sahn-gah-tsoo) (March) shi-gatsu (shee-gah-tsoo) (April) go-gatsu (goh-gah-tsoo) (May) roku-gatsu (roh-coo-gah-tsoo) (June) shichi-gatsu (shee-chee-gah-tsoo) (July) hachi-gatsu (hah-chee-gah-tsoo) (August) ku-gatsu (coo-gah-tsoo) (September) jū-gatsu (juuu-gah-tsoo) (October) jūichi-gatsu (juuu-ee-chee-gah-tsoo) (November) jūni-gatsu (juuu-ni-gah-tsoo) (December) Days of the month When referring to the days of the month in Japanese, you'll see that they are full of irregularities: Days of the Month tsuitachi the first futsuka the second mikka the third yokka the fourth itsuka the fifth muika the sixth nanoka the seventh yôka the eighth Kokonoka the ninth tôka the tenth jûichi-nichi the 11th jûni-nichi the 12th jûsan-nichi the 13th jûyokka the 14th jûgo-nichi the 15th jûroku-nichi the 16th jûshichi-nichi the 17th jûhachi-nichi the 18th jûku-nichi the 19th hatsuka the 20th nijûichi-nichi the 21st nijûni-nichi the 22nd nijûsan-nichi the 23rd nijûyokka the 24th nijûgo-nichi the 25th nijûroku-nichi the 26th nijûshichi-nichi the 27th nijûhachi-nichi the 28th nijûku-nichi the 29th sanjû-nichi the 30th sanjûichi-nichi the 31st You can use the following phrases as a guide when talking about dates in Japanese: Kyō wa nan-nichi desu ka? (What is today's date?) Kyō wa jūroku-nichi desu. (Today is the 16th.) Kyō wa nanyōbi desu ka? (What day is it today?) Getsuyōbi desu. (It's Monday.) Telling time The time of day can be described in general terms or specific times. The following words can be used to describe the general time of day: asa (ah-sah) (morning) hiru (hee-roo) (noon) gogo (goh-goh) (afternoon) ban (bahn) (evening) yoru (yoh-roo) (night) When expressing time between the hours, use these terms to break things down: ji (o'clock) jikan (hour) gozen (a.m.) gogo (p.m.) yíkèzhōng (quarter hour) fun (minute) byō (second) han (half) Japanese commonly uses the 24-hour clock for all official listings, such as plane and train schedules. For every hour after noon, just add an hour. So, 2:15 p.m. is 14:15 (jūyo-ji jūgo-fun). When you want to know a specific time of day, you can ask, "Ima nan-ji desu ka?" (What time is it now?) The following are some examples of specific times. On the Clock ichi-ji 1 o'clock ni-ji 2 o'clock san-ji 3 o'clock yo-ji 4 o'clock go-ji 5 o'clock roku-ji 6 o'clock shichi-ji 7 o'clock hachi-ji 8 o'clock ku-ji 9 o'clock jû-ji 10 o'clock jûichi-ji 11 o'clock jûni-ji 12 o'clock shichi-ji jûgo-fun 7:15 jûichi-ji go-fun mae 10:55 (5 minutes to 11) gozen jûichi-ji 11 a.m. You can use the following phrases as a guide when talking about time in Japanese: Jūichi-ji jūgo-fun desu. (It's 11:15.) Nan-ji kara desu ka? (From what time?) Nan-ji made desu ka? (Until what time?) Ni-ji kara go-ji made desu. (It's from 2 to 5.) Nan-ji ni demasu ka? (At what time are you leaving?) San-ji ni demasu. (I'll leave at 3.) Nan-jikan kakarimasu ka? (How many hours does it take?) Ni-jikan kakarimasu. (It takes two hours.)

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-11-2021

If you're learning Japanese, you need the basics — numbers, questions, and phrases—for meeting, greeting, and being polite. In Japanese, verbs change according to whether they're negative or affirmative but not according to the person who's the subject of the action. Japanese also has particles rather than the articles and prepositions of English — all of which adds up to a fascinating learning experience.

Article / Updated 01-13-2020

Learning the proper way to make introductions in Japanese can help you get off to the right start. The Japanese language is more formal than American English. Consequently, introductions in Japanese follow more of a pattern than they sometimes do in the United States. If you know someone who can introduce you to the others in a group that is best. But if you don't know anyone, you can always introduce yourself. Say Totsuzen desu ga, jiko shōkai sasete kudasai (Pardon me, may I introduce myself.) to get things started. Start with a greeting. The simplest greeting is Konnichiwa, which means Hello or Good Afternoon. Introduce yourself. The two most common ways to introduce yourself are Watashi no namae wa __________ desu. (My name is __________.) or Watashi wa Sumisu __________ desu (I'm __________.). Inquire about his or her name. Use the more formal form because you're meeting the person for the first time: O-namae wa nan desu ka. (What's your name?) O-namae wa? (Your name?) Place a respectful title after other people's names, but not after your own name. San is the most commonly used respectful title placed after other people's family names or given names, regardless of their gender or marital status. Sama is a formal respectful title that you use after family names of your clients, customers, or those to whom respect is due. When addressing your superiors, place their job titles, if available, after their family name, instead of using respectful titles. After they tell you their name you should express pleasure. Common ways to express this are Yoroshiku. (Nice to meet you.) Yoroshiku onegai itashimasu. (It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. These steps cover the basic introduction process. But you don't need to stop; there you could also take this opportunity to talk about where each of you is from. To tell them where you're from, say Amerika kara desu. (I'm from America.) To ask where the person is from, you can say Dochira kara desu ka. (Where are you from?) If you want to talk about where you live on the other hand, you can say Doko ni sunde imasu ka. (Where do you live?) Put the steps together and see how it comes together in a conversation. Angela: Konnichiwa. Watashi no namae wa Angela desu. (Hello. My name is Angela.) Kenji: Watashi wa Kenji desu. (I'm Kenji.) Angela: Yoroshiku. (Nice to meet you!) Kenji: Kochira koso. (Likewise.) Angela: Watashi wa Amerikajin desu. Dochira kara desu ka. (I'm American. Where are you from?) Kenji: Shusshin wa Tōkyō desu. Ôsaka de sodachimashita. (I was born in Tokyo. I grew up in Osaka.) Amerika no dochira kara desu ka. (Where in the United States are you from?) Angela: San Furanshisuko kara desu. (I'm from San Francisco.) Kenji-san, kochira wa watashi no tomodachi desu. Steven-san desu. (Kenji, this is my friend. This is Steven.) Kenji: Yoroshiku onegai itashimasu. (It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.) Steven: Kochira koso. (Likewise.)

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

An important form of Japanese courtesy is knowing how to refer to people. When meeting people in Japan, be sure to use the appropriate formal title. San is the most commonly used respectful title placed someone's first or last name, regardless of their gender or marital status. Sama is a more formal respectful title — use it after the family names of your clients, customers, or those to whom respect is due. san (a polite/neutral respectful title) Sumisu-san (Mr. Smith) Maikeru-san (Michael) Tanaka-san (Ms. Tanaka) Sandora-san (Sandra) sama (formal respectful title) Sumisu-sama (Mr. Smith) Tanaka-sama (Ms. Tanaka) Place a respectful title after the other people’s names, but not after your own name. When addressing your superiors at work or school, place their job titles after their family name instead of using respectful titles. For example, if Mr. Brown is your teacher, address him as Buraun-sensei (sensei means teacher) instead of Buraun-sama) Personal pronouns The next most common way to refer to people is by using personal pronouns. In Japanese, the pronouns (you and they) are complicated by gender and formality. You'll use slightly different variations of these words depending on who you are referring to and how well you know them. The personal pronouns in Japanese are Watashi (I) anata (you [singular]) kare (he) kanojo (she) watashi-tachi (we) anata-tachi (you [plural]) karera (they [M]) kanojora (they [F]) karera (they [M, F, or mixed group]) In Japanese conversations, pronouns are often dropped, and the use of anata especially is avoided. If anata can’t be dropped, it’s replaced by the person’s name. For example, instead of saying "Hey, Ken. Is this your book?" the Japanese say something like, "Hey, Ken. Is this Ken’s book?" It may sound strange to you, but it is perfectly fine and is preferred for Japanese. What to call family and friends It is also helpful to know the correct vocabulary term for referring to people based on their age, gender, or relationship to you. In Japanese, family terms also have a plain form and a polite form. Use the plain form to refer to your own family members in front of others. Use the polite form to refer to someone else’s family members. For example, "my father" would be watashi no chichi and "Ms. Yamada’s father" would be Yamada-san no otōsan. And "My father met Ms. Yamada’s father" would be Watashi no chichi wa Yamada-san no otōsan ni aimashita. Plain forms and polite forms are also called humble forms and respectful forms. otoko no hito (man) otto/goshujin (husband) onna no hito (woman) tsuma/okusan (wife) otoko no ko (boy) onna no ko (girl) kazoku (family) kodomo/okosan (child [plain/polite]) chichi/otōsan (father [plain/polite]) haha/okāsan (mother [plain/polite]) musuko/musukosan (son [plain/polite]) musume/musumesan (daughter [plain/polite]) ani/onīsan (older brother [plain/polite]) otōto/otōtosan (younger brother [plain/polite]) ane/onēsan (older sister [plain/polite]) imōto/imōtosan (younger sister [plain/polite]) tomodachi (friend) In conversations, shujin is often used instead of otto to refer to one’s own husband, and kanai is often used instead of tsuma to refer to one’s own wife. However, when wives are talking to their husbands, they often address them with anata, which literally means "you," but actually means something like "honey" or "dear" in English. When addressing your older family members (other than your spouse), use the polite form. When addressing your younger family members or your spouse, use their first name or nickname. You really have to understand the difference between "addressing" and "referring to" to get this right. "Addressing" is when you’re talking to the person and calling him or her, mostly to get attention. "Referring" is when you aren’t talking to the person, but talking about him or her to someone else.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Know how to ask for help in Japanese before you have an actual emergency. Save valuable time in a crisis by knowing simple Japanese words and phrases to cover emergencies with illness or theft. The simplest way to ask for assistance is Tasukete! (tah-sue-keh-teh), which means Help! You can also use the phrase Tasukete kudasasimasen ka. (tah-sue-keh-teh coo-dah-sah-shee-ma-sen-ka) (Will you help me!) or Chotto tasukete kudasai. (Help me, please). Of course, you might need different kinds of help depending on the situation. Legal emergencies If you're experiencing a legal emergency of some kind, you want to ask for the police, which is keisatsu (kehh-sah-tsoo) in Japan. The following words and phrases might also come in handy. Keisatsukan (police officer) Dorobō (Thief!) Hittakuri ni aimashita. (I've been robbed.) Keisatsu o yonde kudasai. (Please call the police.) Ryōjikan wa doko desu ka. (Where is the consulate?) Taishikan no denwa bangō wa nan-ban desu ka? (What is the embassy's phone number?) Medical emergencies Most emergencies that happen in foreign countries are medical. The most efficient way to get the help you need is to know how to ask for the right kind of help and to be able to explain what's wrong. The following vocabulary words can help you get to the right person to assist you. To ask for a doctor say isha. To ask for a hospital say byōin. To call for an ambulance say kyuu-kyuu desu. To get medicine as for yakkyoku. To ask for a nurse say kangoshi. Once you are able to talk to the right person, you can use the following words to explain what's wrong. jiko (accident) byouki (sick) itami (pain) zutsuu (headache) kega (injury) ishiki fumei (unconscious) The following phrases might come in handy during an emergency. Tasukete kudasai. (Please help!) Chotto wakarimasen. (I don't know.) Iki ga dekimasen. (I can't breathe.) Byōin wa doko desu ka. (Where is a hospital?) Asupirin wa arimasu ka. (Do you have any aspirin?) Atama ga itai desu. (I have a headache.) Iki ga dekimasen. (I cannot breathe.) Kanojo wa kaidan kara ochimashita. (She fell down the stairs.) Kare wa kibun ga warukute, netsu ga arimasu. netsu ga arimasu. (He is feeling sick and has a high fever.) Byōin wa doko desu ka. (Where is the hospital?) Dono byōin ga ichiban chikai desu ka. (Which hospital is the closest?) Kyūkyūsha o yonde kudasai. (Please call the ambulance.)

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Develop a Japanese shopping vocabulary to gain a new cultural experience when traveling. Whether you're shopping for clothes, food, or souvenirs, you can use the following Japanese phrases to help you find just the right thing. The following phrases will be useful no matter what kind of shopping you plan on doing. Are ga ii desu. (I like that one over there.) Îe, ii desu. (No thank you.) Irasshaimase! (Welcome!) Nani o o-sagashi desu ka. (What are you looking for?) Ikura? (How much?) Shopping in Japan doesn't need to be expensive. There are a number of 100-yen shops throughout Japan that offer great prices on a wide variety of products. Daiso is one of the most popular 100-yen shop chains. The following words can be used in a variety of shopping situations. o-kane (money) genkin (cash) kurejitto kâdo (credit card) takai (expensive) ôkii desu (big; tall; large) genka (price) chîsai desu (small) kaban (bag) Places to shop Many people think of Japan as a shopping mecca. You can find a wide variety of stores that sell everything from traditional products and antiques to the latest electronic gadgets. The first step to a successful shopping expedition is to know where to shop. But if you need to go to a specific kind of store, the following terms can help. mise (store) Shobou (bookstore) Doraggusutoa (drugstore) Konbini (convenience store) Disukauntosutoa (discount store) depâto (department store) sôpâmâketto (supermarket) kanbutsuya (grocery store) Grocery shopping There are a variety of types of stores in Japan where people go grocery shopping. They range from small Mom and Pop stores in the residential neighborhoods to larger supermarkets and even a Costco or two in the larger towns. The following words can help you when shopping for food. kôhî (kohh-heee) (coffee) gyûnyû (gyooo-nyooo) (milk) bîru (beee-roo) (beer) wain (wah-een) (wine) o-kome (oh-koh-meh) (uncooked rice) niku (nee-koo) (meat) butaniku (boo-tah-nee-koo) (pork) toriniku (toh-ree-nee-koo) (chicken) sakana (sah-kah-nah) (fish) tamago (eggs) yasai (yah-sah-ee) (vegetables) kudamono (koo-dah-moh-noh) (fruit) pan (pahn) (bread) Japanese nouns don't have a singular/plural distinction or a masculine/feminine distinction. They are also not preceded by an article like a or the. You may wonder how the Japanese would know whether you want one fish or multiple fish when they hear you order sakana (fish). Actually, the only way to distinguish the number of the items you want is to either guess from the context or ask Ikura (how many?). Clothes shopping In Japan, most clothing is sold at either department stores (called depâto) or discount stores (Disukauntosutoa). The following words and phrases can help you shop for clothing in Japan. Kuroi doresu o sagashite imasu. (I am looking for a black dress.) Kore wa ikaga desu ka. (How about this one?) Ikaga is the polite version of the question word dô (how). Are ga ii desu. (I like that one over there.) Kite mite mo ii desu ka. (May I try it on?) Shichakushitsu wa doko desu ka. (Where is the fitting room?) Kore wa chîsasugimasu. (This one is too small.) Kore wa ôkisugimasu. (This one is too big.) Kore no eru-saizu wa arimasu ka. (Do you have this in size large?) Kore o kudasai. (I'll take this one.) Kore o onegai shimasu. (This one, please.) Kono shatsu wa ikura desu ka. (How much is this shirt?) Kono sukââto o kudasai. (I would like to purchase this skirt.) Kono tokei wa takai desu. (This watch is expensive.) Kurejitto kâdo de haratte mo ii desu ka. (May I pay by credit card?) Kore o henpin shite mo ii desu ka. (May I return this item?) Sçru wa itsu kara desu ka. (When will the sale start?) Many Japanese department stores offer huge discount sales during the two biggest gift-giving seasons: the months of June and July (O'chugen) and December and January (O'seibo). wanpîsu (wahn-peee-soo) (dress) bôshi (bohh-shee) (hat) shatsu (shah-tsoo) (shirt) burausu (boo-rah-oo-soo) (blouse) sûtsu (sooo-tsoo) suit jînzu (jeeen-zoo) (jeans) zubon (zoo-bohn) pants sçtâ (sehh-tahh) sweater jaketto (jah-keht-toh) jacket kutsu (koo-tsoo) shoe Common colors The following words describe the most common colors. Some colors are expressed by adjectives, although others are expressed by nouns. kuroi desu (black) aoi desu (blue) akai desu (red) shiroi desu (white) kiiroi desu (yellow) midori (green)

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

By mastering the basics of polite conversation, you can put yourself and the person you're talking with at ease. There are some essential conversation words and phrases that everyone should master before traveling to Japan. These words and expressions are sure to come up in most everyday conversations. Courtesy phrases Being polite are just as important in Japan as they are in America. The following words and phrases cover most of the pleasantries required for polite conversation. After all, learning to say the expressions of common courtesy before traveling to Japan is just good manners. Hai. (yes) Īe. (no; Oh, it's nothing.) Dōzo. (please) Arigatō. (Thanks [informal]) Dōmo arigatō gozaimasu. (Thank you very much.) Dō itashimashite. (You're welcome.) Tabun. (Maybe.) Īe, ii desu. (No, thank you.) Gomennasai. (Sorry!) Sumimasen. (I'm sorry.) Chotto sumimasen. (Excuse me.) Chotto literally means "a little," but it's used to soften the expression in Chotto sumimasen. Mochiron. (of course) Ā, sō desu ka. (Oh, I see.) Hai shows agreement, and Īe shows disagreement. They correspond to "yes" and "no" in English if the question is affirmative, but they become reversed when the question is negative. Phrases for travelers There are some phrases that are particularly helpful to international travelers. Below are several phrases that might come in handy during your stay in Japan. Nihongo ga wakarimasen. (I don't understand Japanese.) Nihongo ga amari hanasemasen. (I don't speak Japanese well.) Mō ichido itte kudasai. (Can you say it again?) Mō ichido onegai shimasu. (One more time, please.) Yukkuri onegai shimasu. (Slowly, please.) Chotto tasukete kudasai. (Help me, please.) Eigo ga wakarimasu ka. (Do you understand English?) "Train" wa Nihongo de nan desu ka. (How do you say "train" in Japanese?) Chotto wakarimasen. (I don't know.) Wakarimasen can mean either "I don't know" or "I don't understand." When you mean I don't know, add chotto to soften it. Daijōbu desu ka. (Are you all right?) Hai, daijōbu desu. (Yes, I'm all right.)

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

How do you ask basic questions in Japanese? Well, Japanese interrogative words mean the same as they do for English: who, what, when, where, why, and how. By knowing basic Japanese interrogatives, you'll be able to express your questions, even without an extensive vocabulary. For example, say you're at a street market and you want find a shirt that you like. You could ask the vendor "Kono shatsu wa ikura desu ka?" ("How much is this shirt?"). But if you don't know enough vocabulary, you can simply point to the shirt and say "Ikura?" and the seller will understand that you want to know the price. Dare (dah-reh) (Who) Nani (nah-nee) (What) Itsu (ee-tsoo) (When) Doko (doh-koh) (Where) Dôshite (dohh-shee-tay) (Why) Dô (dohh) (How) Ikaga (ee-kah-gah) (How) Polite form. Ikura (ee-koo-rah) (How much? How many?) Dore (doh-reh) (Which one?) In Japanese, all questions Japanese end in the particle ka. Here's a look at some different ways to put these question words into a variety useful phrases. Ano hito wa dare desu ka. (Who is that person over there?) Kore wa nan desu ka. (What is this?) Are wa nan desu ka. (What is that over there?) Are wa Fujisan desu ka. (Is that Mount Fuji?) O-namae wa nan desu ka. (What is your name?) Otearai wa doko desu ka. (Where is the restroom?) Dochira kara kimashita ka. (Where are you from?) Tanjôbi wa itsu desu ka. (When is your birthday?) Itsu ikimasu ka. (When will you go [there]?) Nan-ji ni shimarimasu ka. (What time do you close?) Densha wa nan-ji nidemasu ka. (At what time does the train leave?) Chekkuauto wa nan-ji desu ka. (When is checkout time?) Kore wa ikura desu ka. (How much is this?)

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Visiting Japan can be expensive, so it's crucial to have a good understanding of Japanese money and banking phrases. Whether you're just visiting or you're planning to live in Japan for a while, the best way to ensure that you get the most for your money is to be familiar with these common financial terms. o-kane (money) ginkō (bank) kawasere-to (exchange rate) toraberāzu chekku (traveler's checks) In Japan, the monetary system is based on the yen. Economically, it is almost always best to exchange your U.S. dollars for the local currency. In fact, exchanging money is the most common banking need for travelers. In the following conversation, a traveler exchanges his U.S.money for yen. Joe: Kyō no kawase rēto wa ikura desu ka. (What's the exchange rate today?) Banker: Kyō no kawase rēto wa ichi-doru hyaku-nijū-ni-en desu. (Today's exchange rate is 122 yen for 1 dollar.) Joe: Hyaku-doru ryōgae shitai n-desu ga. (I would like to exchange $100.) Personal checks are rarely used in Japan. So, if you're going to Japan, you're very likely to open a regular savings account rather than a checking account. The following phrases give you a guideline to follow when forming your own questions about other banking needs while staying in Japan. Ikura kaeraremasu ka. (How much can I change?) Shiten wa ikutsu arimasu ka. (How many branches do you have?) Amerika ni wa shiten ga arimasu ka. (Do you have any branches in the U.S.?) Toraberāzu chekku o kaitai n-desu ga. (I would like to buy traveler's checks.) Kono toraberāzu chekku o genkin ni shitai n-desu ga. (I'd like to cash this traveler's check.) Futsū yokin kōza o hirakitai n-desu ga. (I would like to open a savings account.)