Japanese announcements at the train station

People who live in Japan have many chances to ride trains during their daily commutes or for some other reason. Each time you hear a lot of announcements at the station or in a train, don’t you? My students often ask me, “What are they saying?” So, I am solving this mystery today.

Well, the first word you remember and can guess its meaning on your own is “mamonaku”, isn’t it? The sentence starting with “mamonaku” is usually as follows:

1. Mamonaku san-ban-sen ni Shibuya-yuki ga mairimas.

• mamonaku: soon

• san-ban-sen ni: to platform number 3

• Shibuya-yuki: (a train) going to Shibuya

• mairimas: to come

Because it is dangerous when a train is approaching, the next announcement will be like this.

2. Hakusen/ kiiroi sen no uchigawa ni sagatte, o-machi kudasai.

• hakusen: the white line

• kiiroi sen: the yellow line

• uchigawa ni: on the inside

• sagarimas: to move back → sagatte: the imperative form

• kudasai: please → o-machi kudasai: please wait. (“O” is an honorific prefix.)

Many warnings are starting from now.

3. Teniomtsu o door ni hasamarenai you go-chui kudasai.

• tenimotsu: handbag

• door ni: by the door

• hasamu: to put something between → hasamareru (a passive form): to be put  between, to get caught in → hasamarenai (a negative passive form): not to get caught in

• you: do something in a such way that…→ hasamarenai you go-chui kudasai.: Be careful so that you don’t get your handbags caught.

• chui: care, attention → go-chui kudasai: Please be careful, Please watch out, Please take caution (“go” is an honorific prefix.)

The warnings continue...

4. Door ga shimarimas. Go-chui kudasai.

• shimarimas: to close

When the doors close, you should not do the following.

5. Kakekomi josha wa o-yame kudasai.

• kakekomi: a dash/dart/rush

• josha: boarding

• yamemasu: to stop/quit

The next warning is very common at the London Tube, too. It is imprinted in my mind because I always heard it.

6. Ashimoto ni go-chui kudasai.

• ashimoto: at your feet

You have to mind your step because of the following reason.

7. Densha to homu no aida ga hiroku aiteorimas.

• densha: a train

• homu: a platform

• aida: between

• hiroku: widely

• aiteimas: to be open → aiteorimas: a humble form

And, there is of course information about the station or train transfer.

8. Tsugi wa Shinjuku. Norikae no go-annai des.

• tsugi: the next one/stop

• norikae: a train transfer

• annai: guidance, information (“go” is an honorific prefix.)

I hope this helps you. From tomorrow, please try listening to the announcements carefully at the station or in a train. I really think you will understand the meaning now.