Dialogue 5: Around Town

You need to withdraw some cash, so you decide to ask a stranger waiting at a bus stop for directions to a bank.

A: すみません。この きんじょに ぎんこうは ありませんか。 B: このきんじょには ありませんねえ。 A: じゃ、コンビニは？ B: あ、それは こうばんの むこうに ありますよ。 A: あちらの ほうですか。 B: いいえ、そちらの ほうです。 A: わかりました。どうも。

Vocabulary

1.	きんじょ	近所	neighborhood
2.	ぎんこう	銀行	bank
3.	コンビニ		convenience store
4.	[こうばん]	交番	police station, police box
5.	むこう	向こう	over there, beyond, the other side
6.	あちら		that way
7.	ほう	方	way, direction
8.	そちら		that way (toward you)

Additional Vocabulary (Directions)

1.	そと	外	outside
2.	なか	中	inside
3.	みぎ	右	right (side)
4.	ひだり	左	left (side)
5.	まえ	前	front (side)
6.	うしろ	後ろ	back (side)
7.	うえ	上	above; top; upper side
8.	した	下	below; bottom; lower side
9.	よこ	横	the side (of X)
10.	となり	隣	next door; neighbor
11.	ちかく, そば	近く	nearby place, vicinity
12.	こちら, [こっち]		this way; near side (of X)
13.	そちら, [そっち]		that way; that side (toward you)
14.	あちら, [あっち]		that way; far side
15.	どちら, [どっち]		which way? / which side?

Additional Vocabulary (Around Town)

1.	えき	駅	station
2.	スタジアム		stadium
3.	びょういん	病院	hospital
4.	こうえん	公園	park
5.	デパート		department store
6.	バス		bus
7.	ほんや	本屋	bookstore
8.	ホテル		hotel
9.	スーパー		supermarket
10.	ゆうびんきょく	郵便局	post office
11.	マクドナルド		McDonald's; McDonald [family name]
12.	[みち]	道	road, street, direction
13.	[バスてい]	バス停	bus stop
14.	[みせ]	店みせ	store, shop
15.	[きゅうきゅうしゃ]	救急車	ambulance car
16.	[ひこうせん]	飛行船	blimp
17.	[かいしゃ]	会社	company

Translation

A:	Excuse me. There isn't a bank in this vicinity?
B:	There isn't one around here.
A:	Then, how about a convenience store?
B:	Oh, it is beyond the police station.
A:	Is it that way?
B:	(Pointing another direction) No, it's that way.
A:	I see. Thank you.

Cultural Notes

1.		しょうてんがい (Commercial District)   Typical Japanese streets are often narrow and crowded with people. When people go out for daily grocery shopping, they often walk to neighborhood stores. In cities, commercial districts typically center around train stations. Many of them form mini-underground cities.
2.		こうばん (Police Box)   If you get lost in town, one of the best places to ask for directions is a こうばん. These small neighborhood police stations are easy to find and are meant to assist the public.
3.		コンビニ   In Japan, many large stores close in the early evening. However, convenience stores (コンビニ) are common, usually stay open late at night, and often have an ATM inside, making them a convenient place to withdraw cash.