Chapter 17 — Movement, Transport, and Directions

You can describe things, express existence, talk about what you do and when you do it, make requests, grant permission, and narrate sequences of events. What you cannot yet do is get from one place to another — linguistically. This chapter gives you the verbs of movement, the particles that mark paths and means of transport, and the vocabulary for asking and understanding directions. These are among the most practically useful patterns in the language. If you travel to Japan, this chapter will get you from the station to the hotel.

17.1 Movement Verbs

Japanese has a small set of core movement verbs. You need all of them.

You already know くる as one of the two irregular verbs (Chapter 8). Its て-form is きて, its ない-form is こない, its た-form is きた. Review these if they are not automatic.

いく is a regular 五段 verb with one exception: its て-form is いって, not いいて. You learned this in Chapter 10 as the single exception to the く → いて pattern. Make sure you remember it. Every other form of いく is regular: いかない, いきます, いった.

かえる is 五段

This is worth repeating. かえる ends in える, which makes it look like a 一段 verb. It is not. It is 五段. Chapter 8 listed it explicitly among the deceptive いる/える verbs that are actually 五段. The consequences are real:

Every form is different. If you misclassify かえる, everything you produce is wrong. The same warning applies to はしる — it ends in いる but is 五段: はしります, はしらない, はしって, はしった.

Basic sentences with movement verbs

学校がっこうに 行いきます。 I go to school.

友ともだちが 来きます。 A friend is coming.

うちに 帰かえります。 I return home.

公園こうえんを 歩あるきます。 I walk through the park.

道みちを 走はしります。 I run along the road.

橋はしを 渡わたります。 I cross the bridge.

Notice that some of these use に and others use を. The difference is the topic of Section 17.4. For now, observe that に marks the destination you are heading toward, while を marks the space you move through.

17.2 Transport — で for Means

You already know the particle で as a marker of location where an action takes place (図書館としょかんで 勉強べんきょうします — "I study at the library"). で has a second function: it marks the means or instrument by which something is done. With movement verbs, で marks the mode of transport.

電車でんしゃで 行いきます。 I go by train.

バスで 行きます。 I go by bus.

車くるまで 行きます。 I go by car.

自転車じてんしゃで 行きます。 I go by bicycle.

タクシーで 行きます。 I go by taxi.

地下鉄ちかてつで 行きます。 I go by subway.

飛行機ひこうきで 行きます。 I go by airplane.

船ふねで 行きます。 I go by ship.

The pattern is consistent: [vehicle]で [movement verb]. The vehicle noun takes で, and the verb comes at the end.

The exception: on foot

"On foot" does not use で. You cannot say 足あしで 行きます to mean "go on foot." Instead, you use the て-form of 歩あるく:

歩あるいて 行きます。 I go on foot. (Literally: "walking, I go.")

This is a て-form chain, exactly like the ones you learned in Chapter 11. 歩いて connects to 行きます as a manner of movement. The structure is [て-form of manner verb] + [main movement verb]. You will see this pattern again with 走はしって 行きます ("go running") and other combinations.

Why not 足で? The particle で marks an instrument or vehicle — something you use. Your feet are not a vehicle in the same grammatical sense as a train or a car. The language treats walking as an action, not a tool. Do not overthink the logic. Just remember: 歩いて 行きます, not 足で 行きます.

Combining transport with destination

A full sentence includes the destination (に), the transport (で), and the verb:

駅えきに バスで 行きます。 I go to the station by bus.

空港くうこうに タクシーで 行きます。 I go to the airport by taxi.

学校がっこうに 自転車じてんしゃで 行きます。 I go to school by bicycle.

東京とうきょうに 新幹線しんかんせんで 行きます。 I go to Tokyo by bullet train.

Word order between the destination and the transport is flexible. Both 駅に バスで 行きます and バスで 駅に 行きます are grammatical. The verb must remain at the end.

17.3 Asking for and Understanding Directions

Key vocabulary

Before learning the grammar of directions, you need the words:

You already know 右みぎ and 左ひだり from Chapter 6 (location words). Here they combine with 曲まがる to express turning.

Turning right and left

右みぎに 曲まがります。 I turn right.

左ひだりに 曲がります。 I turn left.

The direction takes に because it is the target of the turning movement. 曲がる is 五段: 曲がります, 曲がらない, 曲がって, 曲がった.

Giving directions with て-form chains

Directions in Japanese are typically given as a sequence of instructions connected by the て-form, ending with ください. You learned てください (polite request) in Chapter 11. Directions are one of its most common real-world applications.

まっすぐ 行いってください。 Please go straight.

次つぎの 信号しんごうを 右みぎに 曲まがってください。 Please turn right at the next traffic light.

ふたつめの 角かどを 左ひだりに 曲がってください。 Please turn left at the second corner.

Longer direction sequences chain multiple て-forms before the final ください:

まっすぐ 行って、次の 信号を 右に 曲がってください。 Please go straight and turn right at the next traffic light.

この 道みちを まっすぐ 行って、交差点こうさてんを 渡わたって、左に 曲がってください。 Please go straight along this road, cross the intersection, and turn left.

駅えきを 出でて、右に 曲がって、五ご分ふんぐらい 歩あるいてください。 Please exit the station, turn right, and walk for about five minutes.

Each instruction is in its て-form, and only the final verb takes ください. This is exactly the same clause-chaining pattern from Chapter 11, applied to a specific context. If you understood て-form chains there, you understand them here.

Asking for directions

The most basic way to ask for directions:

すみません、駅は どこですか。 Excuse me, where is the station?

すみません、郵便局ゆうびんきょくは どう 行きますか。 Excuse me, how do I get to the post office?

ここから 駅まで どう 行きますか。 How do I get from here to the station?

どう means "how" and is an interrogative you have seen in earlier chapters. どう いきますか asks literally "how do I go?" — the natural way to ask for directions to a specific place.

17.4 を for Traversal

In Chapter 9 you learned を as the direct object marker: 本ほんを 読よみます ("I read a book"), 水みずを 飲のみます ("I drink water"). With movement verbs, を takes on a different function: it marks the space through which movement occurs.

道みちを 歩あるきます。 I walk along the road.

橋はしを 渡わたります。 I cross the bridge.

公園こうえんを 走はしります。 I run through the park.

交差点こうさてんを 渡ります。 I cross the intersection.

この 道を まっすぐ 行いきます。 I go straight along this road.

In none of these sentences is the road, bridge, or park a direct object being acted upon. You are not doing something to the road — you are moving through it. The を here marks the path or route of movement.

How to tell the difference

Context makes it clear. を with a non-movement verb marks a direct object: 本を 読よむ (read a book). を with a movement verb and a path-like noun marks traversal: 道を 歩あるく (walk along the road).

There is also a structural clue. Direct-object を typically answers the question なにを ("what?"): なにを 読みますか — 本を 読みます. Traversal を typically answers どこを ("where through?"): どこを 歩きますか — 公園を 歩きます.

を vs. に with movement verbs

This distinction is important. Compare:

公園に 行いきます。 I go to the park. (The park is the destination.)

公園を 走はしります。 I run through the park. (The park is the path.)

に marks where you end up. を marks where you pass through. If you go to the park and stop there, use に. If you run through the park as a route, use を.

Another pair:

橋はしに 行きます。 I go to the bridge. (The bridge is the destination.)

橋を 渡わたります。 I cross the bridge. (The bridge is the path you traverse.)

This is not interchangeable. 橋に 渡ります is ungrammatical. You cross through a bridge, not to it. Similarly, 道みちを 行きます means "go along the road," while 道に 行きます would oddly mean "go to the road" as a destination.

Directions use traversal を

This is why direction instructions use を with 信号しんごう, 交差点こうさてん, and 角かど:

信号を 右みぎに 曲まがってください。 Turn right at the traffic light.

The 信号 is not the destination. It is the point you pass through as you turn. Hence を, not に.

17.5 Distance and Duration

When someone gives you directions, you often want to know how far away the destination is. Japanese expresses distance in terms of time, not meters or kilometers (in casual conversation, at least).

歩あるいて + duration

歩あるいて 十じゅっ分ぷんぐらいです。 It is about ten minutes on foot.

歩いて 二十にじゅっ分ぷんぐらいです。 It is about twenty minutes on foot.

ぐらい means "about" or "approximately." It follows the number and counter directly. You will hear it constantly in direction-giving contexts because exact durations are rarely stated.

ここから ～まで + transport + duration

The full pattern for stating distance:

ここから 駅えきまで 歩あるいて 十五じゅうご分ふんぐらいです。 From here to the station, it is about fifteen minutes on foot.

駅から 空港くうこうまで 電車でんしゃで 三十さんじゅっ分ぷんぐらいです。 From the station to the airport, it is about thirty minutes by train.

ここから 病院びょういんまで バスで 十分ぐらいです。 From here to the hospital, it is about ten minutes by bus.

から means "from" and まで means "to" or "until." Together they mark the start and end points of a journey. The transport (で or あるいて) and the duration follow. です at the end makes it a polite statement.

～時間じかん for hours

Minutes use ～分ふん/～分ぷん, which you learned in Chapter 7. For longer durations, you need ～時間 (hours of duration):

Note: よじかん (four hours), not よんじかん. This parallels よじ (four o'clock) from the time system.

For hours and minutes combined:

一いち時間じかん 二十にじゅっ分ぷん one hour and twenty minutes

二に時間じかん半はん two and a half hours (半はん = half)

ここから 大阪おおさかまで 新幹線しんかんせんで 二時間半ぐらいです。 From here to Osaka, it is about two and a half hours by bullet train.

17.6 Transport Vocabulary

New vocabulary introduced in this chapter. The ピッチ column indicates pitch accent: ⓪ = flat (heiban), ① = drops after mora 1, ② = drops after mora 2, and so on.

Transport

Direction and Location

Places

17.7 Movement and Direction Verbs

Note the pair のる and おりる. のる (to get on) is 五段: のります, のらない, のって. おりる (to get off) is 一段: おります, おりない, おりて. They are used with を for getting off (バスを おります) and に for getting on (バスに のります).

17.8 Listening Notes

Directions in natural speech come fast. A Japanese speaker giving you directions on the street will typically produce a rapid chain of て-forms with minimal pausing, often while pointing. You will not catch every word. That is normal. Here is how to cope.

Focus on the key words. In any set of directions, the critical information is carried by a small number of words: まっすぐ (straight), 右みぎ (right), 左ひだり (left), 信号しんごう (traffic light), 交差点こうさてん (intersection), and a distance like 五ご分ふん (five minutes). If you catch these, you can navigate even if you miss the connecting grammar.

Watch for pointing. Japanese speakers will almost always point or gesture while giving directions. Even if you miss the words, follow the hands. A gesture toward the right combined with something-something-曲がって tells you to turn right.

Te-form chains are your friend. Each て marks a boundary between one instruction and the next. Listen for the て sound. Every time you hear it, a new instruction begins. まっすぐ 行って — that is one instruction. 右に 曲がって — that is the next. The final instruction ends with ください or a polite verb form.

Ask for confirmation. If you are not sure you understood, repeat back what you heard:

右に 曲がりますか。 I turn right?

信号の 次つぎですか。 After the traffic light?

Japanese speakers generally respond well to confirmation questions. They will correct you if you misunderstood or confirm with はい if you got it right.

Common phrases you will hear:

この 道みちを まっすぐ 行いって... Go straight along this road...

次の 信号を... At the next traffic light...

右みぎがわに あります。 It is on the right side.

左ひだりがわに あります。 It is on the left side.

がわ means "side." 右がわ = right side, 左がわ = left side. These are not in the formal vocabulary list but appear constantly in direction-giving.

17.9 Reading Passage — 郵便局ゆうびんきょくまでの 道みち

Read the following passage. It is a set of directions from a station to a post office. All grammar and vocabulary come from this chapter and earlier chapters.

山田やまださんは 郵便局ゆうびんきょくに 行いきたいです。駅えきの 前まえで 人ひとに 聞ききました。

山田：すみません。郵便局は どう 行きますか。

人ひと：郵便局ですか。ここから 歩あるいて 十じゅっ分ぷんぐらいですよ。

山田：どう 行けば いいですか。

人：まず、この 道みちを まっすぐ 行ってください。五ご分ふんぐらい 歩あるきます。大おおきい 交差点こうさてんが あります。その 交差点を 渡わたって、次つぎの 角かどを 右みぎに 曲まがってください。少すこし 歩くと、左ひだりがわに 郵便局が あります。赤あかい ポストが あるから、すぐ 分わかりますよ。

山田：まっすぐ 行って、交差点を 渡って、次の 角を 右ですね。

人：はい、そうです。

山田：ありがとうございます。

Comprehension check

Answer the following questions about the passage. All answers can be found directly in the text.

1. 山田さんは なにに 行きたいですか。
2. 郵便局まで 歩いて どのぐらいですか。
3. 大きい 交差点で なにを しますか。
4. 交差点の 次の 角で どちらに 曲がりますか。
5. 郵便局は 道の どちらがわに ありますか。

Notes on the passage

The passage uses several forms from earlier chapters:

• 行きたい (want to go) — たい-form, covered in earlier chapters
• 聞きました (asked) — past polite of 聞きく (to ask/listen), 五段
• 行けば いいですか (how should I go?) — this conditional form (ば) has not been formally taught yet; treat it as a set phrase for now meaning "what is the best way to go?"
• 歩くと (when you walk) — the と conditional connecting a condition to a result
• 分かります (to understand / to be able to tell) — here meaning "you will recognize it"
• すぐ — immediately, right away
• ポスト — post (mailbox), from English "post"
• 赤あかい — red (い-adjective)

Reading Passage 2 — 東京とうきょう駅えきから 浅草あさくさへ

Read the following passage. A visitor describes getting from Tokyo Station to Asakusa. All grammar comes from this chapter and earlier chapters.

きのう、東京駅から 浅草に 行いきました。浅草の 浅草寺せんそうじに 行きたかったからです。

まず、駅の 中なかで 地下鉄ちかてつの 切符きっぷを 買かいました。二百にひゃく円えんでした。丸まるノ内うち線せんの ホームに 降おりて、電車でんしゃに 乗のりました。

銀座ぎんざ駅で 電車を 降りました。そこから 銀座線せんに 乗のり換かえました。銀座線で 浅草駅まで 行きました。全部ぜんぶで 三十さんじゅっ分ぷんぐらいでした。

浅草駅を 出でると、大おおきい 通とおりが ありました。まっすぐ 行って、ひとつめの 角かどを 右みぎに 曲まがりました。少すこし 歩あるくと、大きい 赤あかい 門もんが 見みえました。雷門かみなりもんです。人ひとが たくさん いました。

浅草寺は とても 古ふるい お寺てらです。中までの 道みちに 店みせが たくさん あります。お土産みやげや お菓子かしを 売うっていました。とても 楽たのしかったです。

Translation

Yesterday, I went from Tokyo Station to Asakusa. I wanted to go to Sensoji temple in Asakusa.

First, I bought a subway ticket inside the station. It was 200 yen. I went down to the Marunouchi Line platform and boarded the train.

I got off the train at Ginza Station. From there, I transferred to the Ginza Line. I rode the Ginza Line to Asakusa Station. It was about thirty minutes in total.

When I came out of Asakusa Station, there was a large avenue. I went straight and turned right at the first corner. After walking a little, I could see a large red gate. It was Kaminarimon. There were many people.

Sensoji is a very old temple. On the road to the inside, there are many shops. They were selling souvenirs and sweets. It was very fun.

Notes

• 乗り換えました — past of 乗のり換かえる (to transfer), a 一段 verb. This is a compound of 乗のる (to ride) and 換かえる (to change).
• 見みえました — past of 見える (to be visible). Unlike 見みる (to look at), 見える means something comes into view on its own.
• 雷門かみなりもん — Kaminarimon, the famous "Thunder Gate" at the entrance to Sensoji.
• 売うっていました — past progressive of 売る (to sell). The shops "were selling" things.

17.10 Chapter Summary

This chapter covered five things:

First, the core movement verbs: いく, くる, かえる, あるく, はしる, わたる. Pay special attention to verb classes — かえる and はしる are 五段 despite looking like 一段.

Second, the particle で for means of transport: 電車で 行きます, バスで 行きます. The exception is "on foot," which uses the て-form: 歩いて 行きます.

Third, direction vocabulary and the grammar of giving directions, built on て-form chains ending in ください.

Fourth, the particle を for traversal — marking the path through which movement occurs, as opposed to を for direct objects. 道を 歩く (walk along the road), 橋を 渡る (cross the bridge).

Fifth, expressing distance and duration: ここから 駅まで 歩いて 十分ぐらいです.

These patterns combine freely. A single sentence can include a starting point (から), a destination (に or まで), a mode of transport (で or あるいて), a path (を), and a duration. The word order is flexible as long as the verb comes last. Practice building sentences with multiple elements until the particle assignments feel natural.