How to Navigate Passport Control in Japanese | Innovative Japanese

Imagine, you're going through passport control, and you have to answer important questions in Japanese. What will you say? こんにちは、りさです。 Konnichiwa, Risa desu. Risa here. Navigating the passport desk in Japanese is easy. In this lesson, you're going to learn how. Mark's plane just arrived in Japan. Let's watch! 次の人、どうぞ。 パスポート、おねがいします。 Konnichiwa. はい、どうぞ。 滞在期間は? 六週間です。 ホテルはどこですか? 富士ホテルです。 仕事ですか?観光ですか? 仕事です。 パスポート、ありがとうございました。 Now, the lesson focus. Here's how to navigate passport control. Ready? Do you remember what the first question the immigration officer asked Mark in the video was? 滞在期間は? First is a word meaning length of stay. 滞在期間。 Next is the topic marking particle. は Please note that you need to say this with a rising intonation in order to make it a question. A literal translation might be, The length of stay is? It's as if the immigration officer is leaving the second part of the sentence blank for you to fill it in with the length of your stay. 滞在期間は? One possible answer to this question is a sentence meaning something like, It's for six weeks. 六週間です。 First is a phrase meaning, For six weeks. 六週間。 For six weeks. Add です at the end to make it a complete sentence meaning, It's for six weeks. 六週間です。 In this case, the pronoun it indicates the length of stay. But you don't have to say the Japanese word here. Just say, 六週間です。 The sentence structure to answer the question, 滞在期間は? Or, how long is your stay? Is number of weeks or days 間です。 Imagine you're going to stay for two weeks. Answer the question, 滞在期間は? 二週間です。 Do you remember the second question the immigration officer asked Mark in the scene? ホテルはどこですか? First is the word for, Hotel. ホテル。 Next is the topic marking particle, は。 After this, is the word for, Where. どこ。 Next is a linking verb, to be, which in this case means, is. です。 Last is the question marking particle, か。 Together it's, ホテルはどこですか? Where is your hotel? You can answer this question by saying your hotel name and, です。 富士ホテルです。 A literal translation might be, 富士ホテル is. But it's the natural way of answering that you're staying at Fuji Hotel. The sentence structure to answer the question, ホテルはどこですか? Or, Where will you stay? Is, your hotel name, です。 Imagine you will be staying at the Tokyo Hilton Hotel. Answer the question, ホテルはどこですか? 東京ヒルトンホテルです。 Do you remember the third question the immigration officer asked Mark in the scene? 仕事ですか?観光ですか? This question is about Mark's purpose of stay. 滞在目的。 First here is the word for, stay. 滞在。 Next is the word for, purpose. 目的。 Together, they mean purpose of stay. 滞在目的。 So an extended version of the immigration officer's question would be, Is the purpose of your stay business? Or sightseeing? 滞在目的は仕事ですか?観光ですか? First is a phrase meaning purpose of stay. 滞在目的。 Next is the topic marking particle. は After this is the word for business. 仕事。 Next is a linking verb, which in this case means is. です。 And last is the question marking particle. か Together, this sentence means, Is the purpose of your stay business? 滞在目的は仕事ですか? Or you can naturally translate it as, Are you here on business? After this comes another question, meaning, Is it sightseeing? 観光ですか? This uses the same pattern as the expression meaning, Is it business? 仕事ですか? So the full sentence would be, 滞在目的は観光ですか? But the first part, 滞在目的は is dropped here. First is a word meaning sightseeing. 観光 In this pattern, it becomes, 観光ですか? Is the purpose of stay sightseeing? Or more naturally in English, Are you here for sightseeing? Also, note that between the two question sentences, 仕事ですか? 観光ですか? The conjunction or is not used. 仕事ですか? 観光ですか? Is the purpose of your stay business or sightseeing? Or, are you here on business or for sightseeing? If your trip is for business, you would say, 仕事です。 A literal translation of this would simply be, Business is. But it's the natural way of saying, I'm here on business. Now you try. Imagine your trip is for sightseeing. Answer the question. 仕事ですか? 観光ですか? 観光です。 An immigration officer might also say, 滞在目的は? Meaning, the purpose of your stay is? It's the same structure as the first question. 滞在期間は? So, just as if you're filling in the second part of the sentence, you can answer by saying your purpose and です。 Now you try. Imagine you're visiting Japan on business. Answer the question. 滞在目的は? 仕事です。 Liked this quick lesson? Watch the full version at JapanesePod101.com to understand the whole dialogue. While you're there, learn all about Japanese culture with our audio lessons and cultural words lists. Sign up for your free lifetime account at JapanesePod101.com じゃあまたね。