How to Ask Where the Police Station Is in Japanese
Learn to ask 'Where is the police station?' in Japanese, understand basic direction words, and follow simple answers politely at elementary level.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
If you need help in Japan, the police station (交番, kōban, a small neighborhood police box, or 警察署, keisatsusho, a main police station) is a key place to find. In this lesson you will learn one core question: 交番はどこですか (Kōban wa doko desu ka), meaning 'Where is the police station?' You will also learn a few direction words so you can understand a simple answer. Japanese word order puts the place first, then は (wa), then どこ (doko, where), then ですか (desu ka). Keep sentences short and polite; that is enough for a real conversation.
By the end, you can…
- ask where the police station or police box is in polite Japanese.
- understand and use basic direction words like right, left, and straight.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
交番はどこですか。
Where is the police box?
KŌ-ban wa do-ko desu ka.
The most useful question for a small neighborhood police box. Use it when you are lost or need help.
警察署はどこですか。
Where is the police station?
ke-i-SA-tsu-sho wa do-ko desu ka.
Use this for a larger main police station, not a small police box.
駅の近くにありますか。
Is it near the station?
E-ki no chi-ka-ku ni a-ri-ma-su ka.
Ask this to check whether the police box is close to the train station.
右ですか、左ですか。
Is it right or left?
MI-gi desu ka, hi-da-ri desu ka.
Use this after someone points; it confirms the direction simply.
まっすぐ行ってください。
Please go straight.
MAS-su-gu it-te ku-da-sai.
A polite request you may hear or say. まっすぐ (massugu) means straight ahead.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern is: [place] は どこ ですか。 For example, 交番はどこですか (Kōban wa doko desu ka) means 'Where is the police box?' You can replace 交番 with other places: トイレはどこですか (Toire wa doko desu ka, 'Where is the toilet?') or 駅はどこですか (Eki wa doko desu ka, 'Where is the station?'). The particle は is pronounced 'wa' here, not 'ha'. どこ (doko) means 'where', and ですか (desu ka) makes the sentence a polite question. Add すみません (sumimasen, 'excuse me') before the question to get attention politely.
When to use it
Use 交番はどこですか when you need a small police box, often found near stations and intersections. Use 警察署はどこですか for a main police station. If you are asking a police officer or a shop worker, start with すみません (sumimasen). After they answer, you can say わかりました (wakarimashita, 'I understand') or ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu, 'thank you very much'). If you do not understand, say もう一度お願いします (mō ichido onegai shimasu, 'one more time, please'). Keep your voice calm and polite.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
すみません。交番はどこですか。
Excuse me. Where is the police box?su-mi-ma-sen. KŌ-ban wa do-ko desu ka.駅の近くにあります。まっすぐ行って、右です。
It is near the station. Go straight, then it is on the right.E-ki no chi-ka-ku ni a-ri-ma-su. MAS-su-gu it-te, MI-gi desu.右ですね。ありがとうございます。
On the right, right? Thank you very much.MI-gi desu ne. a-ri-ga-tō go-zai-ma-su.はい、そうです。気をつけて。
Yes, that's right. Take care.hai, sō desu. ki o tsu-ke-te.A little context goes a long way
Police boxes (交番, kōban) are common in Japanese neighborhoods and officers there often give directions and help with lost items. When speaking to an officer, use polite forms like です/ます and avoid casual speech. A small bow and a calm tone are appropriate. If the officer speaks quickly, it is fine to say ゆっくりお願いします (yukkuri onegai shimasu, 'please speak slowly').
One thing to watch for
Saying 交番はどこですか with a flat, casual tone and no すみません, or using だ (da) instead of です (desu).
Try this instead: Start with すみません and use the polite question ending ですか. Say: すみません。交番はどこですか。 (Sumimasen. Kōban wa doko desu ka.) Avoid 交番はどこだ (Kōban wa doko da), which sounds too casual for a stranger or officer.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you politely ask 'Where is the police box?' in Japanese?
Show a sample answer
すみません。交番はどこですか。
This uses すみません to get attention and the polite pattern [place] は どこ ですか. You may also say just 交番はどこですか if the person is already listening.
2Someone says まっすぐ行って、右です。 What should you do?
Show a sample answer
Go straight, then the place is on the right.
まっすぐ (massugu) means straight, 行って (itte) means go, and 右 (migi) means right. If you hear 左 (hidari), it means left instead.
3What is the difference between 交番 and 警察署?
Show a sample answer
交番 is a small neighborhood police box; 警察署 is a main police station.
Use 交番 for the small local box and 警察署 for the larger station. Both can be used with the same question pattern: 〜はどこですか。
Remember the polite core question: 交番はどこですか (Kōban wa doko desu ka). Start with すみません, listen for 右 (migi), 左 (hidari), and まっすぐ (massugu), and thank the person with ありがとうございます.
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