10 Japanese Phrases You Can Use At A Hotel

Use Japanese To Make Your Hotel Experience Easier!

Have you ever been confused about where to find something or about services offered at a hotel abroad? In this article we'll be introducing ten convenient Japanese phrases that will make your hotel experience in Japan easier.

Front Desk

1. Chekku in, onegai shimasu / Check-in, please

[checku in onegai shimas]

When you want to ask for something at the front desk, say:

○○, onegai shimasu / ○○, please
[◯◯onegai shimas]

Just the one phrase will do.

Ex.

・ Chekku auto[checku auto], onegai shimasu / Check-out, please
[auto] is not the pronunciation of the "auto" in "automatic", but rather [a][u][to].

・ Kagi[kagi], onegai shimasu / Key, please. (for when you want to leave or receive your key)

・ Takushi[takshi:], onegai shimasu / Taxi, please.

・ Rumu sabisu[ru:mu sa:bis], onegai shimasu / Room service, please.

Questions

2. Wi-Fi wa, arimasuka? / Do you have Wi-Fi?

[waifaiwa arimaska]

When you're looking for something, ask: ○○ wa, arimasuka? / Do you have ○○? The pronunciation is [○○wa arimaska]. It's better if you raise the pitch at the end.

Ex.

・Pasuwado[pasuwa:do] wa, arimasuka? / Do you have the password?

・ATM[e: ti: emu] wa, arimasuka? / Is there an ATM?

・Chizu[chizu] wa arimasuka? / Do you have a map?

・Kinko[kinko] wa arimasuka? / Do you have a safe?

・Airon[airon] wa arimasuka? / Do you have an iron?

3. Daiyokujo wa, doko desuka? / Where is the public bath?

[daiyokujo:wa doko deska]

When you want to ask where something is, say:

○○ wa, doko desuka? / Where is ○○?
[○○wa doko deska]

A "daiyokujo" is a large public bath, separate from the one in your room, that you can use together with other customers.

It might be slightly embarrassing to bathe naked in a large bath with others, but we recommend you try it out.

For more on Japanese bath culture, read this article as well: What You Should Know About Bath Culture In Japan

Ex.

・Esute[este] wa, doko desuka? / Where is the beauty salon?

・Jimu [jimu] wa, doko desuka? / Where is the gym?

4. Ichiban chikai eki wa doko desuka? / Where is the nearest station?

[ichiban chkai ekiwa doko deska]
・[ch]… Close to the "chee" sound in "cheese", but pronounce it without curling your lip.

When you want to know where the nearest facilities to the hotel are, use:

Ichiban chikai ○○ wa, doko desuka? / Where is the nearest ○○?
[ichiban chkai○○ wa doko deska]

Ex.

・Ichiban chikai sushiya[sushiya] wa, doko desuka? / Where is the nearest sushi restaurant?

・Ichiban chikai supa[su:pa:] wa, doko desuka? / Where is the nearest supermarket?

5. Choshoku wa nanji desuka? / What time is breakfast?

[cho:shokuwa nanji deska]

When you want to ask when the time for something is, ask:

○○ wa nanji desuka? / What time is ○○?
[○○wa nanji deska?]

Some hotels and ryokan in Japan have an early check-out time, so you might want to ask:

Chekku auto [checku auto] wa nanji desuka? / What time is check-out?

when checking-in.

6. Ryogae wa, dekimasuka? / Can you change money?

[ryo:gaewa dekimaska]

When you want to ask if the hotel can do something for you, use:

○○ wa, dekimasuka? / Can you ○○?
[○○ wa dekimaska]

Ex.

・Rumu sabisu[ru:mu sa:bis] wa, dekimasuka? / Can you do room service?

・Massaji[massa:ji] wa, dekimasuka? / Can you do massages?

When You Need Help

7. Heya ni kite kudasai / Please come to my room.

[heyani kite kudasai]

When you need some help in your room, you can call and ask the staff to come to your room.

8. Shawa ga tsukaemasen / I can't use the shower.

[shaw:aga tskaemasen]
・[ts] is pronounced like the "ts" in "cats" and "boots". Make sure not to separate the "t" and "s".

When you don't know how to use something in your room, or if something is broken, you can say:

○○ ga tsukaemasen / I can't use ○○
[○○ga tskaemasen]

Ex.

・ Kinko [kinko] ga tsukaemasen / I can't use the safe.

・ Eakon [eakon] ga tsukaemasen / I can't use the air conditioner.

・ Wi-Fi [waifai] ga tsukaemasen / I can't use the Wi-Fi.

Checking Out

9. Nimotsu wa azuke raremasuka? / Can I leave my bags here?

[nimotsuwa azuke raremaska]

Most hotels in Japan have a check-out time of around 10 or 11 AM.

If you want to leave your suitcase at the hotel after you've left your room, you can ask "nimotsu wa azuke raremasuka?" at the front desk.

When checking out, you should also say:

Arigato gozaimashita / Thank you.
[arigato: gozai mashta]

When You Forgot Something

10. Camera wo wasure mashita / I forgot my camera.

[kamerao wasure mashta]
◯◯ wo wasure mashita / I forgot ◯◯
[◯◯o wasure mashta]

Use this phrase to convey what you forgot.

Depending on the hotel, they might even send it to your country for you.

Ex.
・Ketai [ke:tai] wo wasure mashita / I forgot my cell phone.

・Higesori [higesori] wo wasure mashita / I forgot my shaver.
[hi]… Narrow your mouth, and breathe out as if to rub your upper jaw. If you've ever studied German, it's the "ch" sound in "ich".

Review

1. Chekku in, onegai shimasu / Check-in, please.
[checku in onegai shimas]

2. Wi-Fi wa, arimasuka? / Do you have Wi-Fi?
[waifaiwa arimaska]

3. Daiyokujo wa, doko desuka? / Where is the public bath?
[daiyokujo:wa doko deska]

4. Ichiban chikai eki wa doko desuka? / Where is the nearest station?
[ichiban chkai ekiwa doko deska]

5. Choshoku wa nanji desuka? / What time is breakfast?
[cho:shokuwa nanji deska]

6. Rumu sabisu wa, dekimasuka? / Can you do room service?
[ru:mu sa:biswa dekimaska]

7. Heya ni kite kudasai / Please come to my room.
[heyani kite kudasai]

8. Shawa ga tsukaemasen / I can't use the shower.
[shaw:aga tskaemasen]

9. Nimotsu wa azuke raremasuka? / Can I leave my bags here?
[nimotsuwa azuke raremaska]

10. Camera wo wasure mashita / I forgot my camera.
[kamerao wasure mashta]

What do you think?

We hope these convenient phrases will help make your trip an even better one!
For those already studying, we recommend taking online conversation lessons with CafeTalk (1,000 yen coupon included).