Japanese for Coin Laundries: Washer, Dryer, or Washer-Dryer?
Learn to read 洗濯機, 乾燥機, and 洗濯乾燥機 at a Japanese coin laundry, ask これは洗濯だけですか、乾燥もできますか, and use 〜だけ and 〜もできますか with control panel words like 水温, コース, スタート.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
You are standing in a Japanese coin laundry after a small mishap, staring at a row of machines. Some wash only, some dry only, and some do both. This lesson gives you the exact words on the machines and the questions to ask staff so you can choose correctly. You will learn the labels 洗濯機, 乾燥機, and 洗濯乾燥機, the key question これは洗濯だけですか、乾燥もできますか, and the patterns 〜だけ and 〜もできますか. You will also learn to read common control panel words: 水温, コース, and スタート. The register is neutral spoken Japanese, so you can use these lines with staff or nearby customers without sounding too formal or too casual.
By the end, you can…
- identify 洗濯機, 乾燥機, and 洗濯乾燥機 on a coin laundry machine.
- ask whether a machine only washes or can also dry using 〜だけ and 〜もできますか.
- read and understand 水温, コース, and スタート on a control panel.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
これは洗濯だけですか、乾燥もできますか。
Does this only wash, or can it dry too?
Kore wa sentaku dake desu ka, kansō mo dekimasu ka.
Use this while pointing at a specific machine. It combines a yes/no question with an alternative, so staff can answer either way.
洗濯乾燥機はどれですか。
Which one is the washer-dryer?
Sentaku-kansōki wa dore desu ka.
Ask this when you want a machine that both washes and dries. どれですか means 'which one?'
乾燥だけできますか。
Can it dry only?
Kansō dake dekimasu ka.
Use this if your clothes are already washed and you only need drying. だけ limits the action to drying.
水温はどうやって変えますか。
How do I change the water temperature?
Suion wa dō yatte kaemasu ka.
Ask this when you see 水温 on the panel but do not know which button changes it.
スタートを押せばいいですか。
Should I just press start?
Sutāto o oseba ii desu ka.
Use this after choosing a course. 押せばいいですか asks whether pressing start is the correct next step.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern 〜だけ means 'only' or 'just' and limits what a machine does. For example, 洗濯だけ means 'only washing' and 乾燥だけ means 'only drying.' To ask whether something can also do another action, use 〜もできますか. For example, 乾燥もできますか means 'Can it also dry?' The full question これは洗濯だけですか、乾燥もできますか combines both patterns: first you ask if it is wash-only, then you ask if drying is also possible. This is natural because coin laundry machines often have one function or both, and staff can answer the second part directly.
When to use it
Use 〜だけ when you want to confirm a limitation, such as 洗濯だけですか ('Is it wash only?') or 乾燥だけですか ('Is it dry only?'). Use 〜もできますか when you want to check an additional function, such as 乾燥もできますか ('Can it dry too?') or 洗濯もできますか ('Can it wash too?'). On a control panel, コース means 'course' or 'program,' 水温 means 'water temperature,' and スタート means 'start.' If you see コース, you may need to choose a setting before pressing スタート. These words help you read the panel without guessing.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
すみません、これは洗濯だけですか、乾燥もできますか。
Excuse me, does this only wash, or can it dry too?Sumimasen, kore wa sentaku dake desu ka, kansō mo dekimasu ka.それは洗濯乾燥機です。洗濯も乾燥もできますよ。
That is a washer-dryer. It can both wash and dry.Sore wa sentaku-kansōki desu. Sentaku mo kansō mo dekimasu yo.水温はどうやって変えますか。
How do I change the water temperature?Suion wa dō yatte kaemasu ka.コースを選んでから、スタートを押してください。
After choosing a course, please press start.Kōsu o erande kara, sutāto o oshite kudasai.A little context goes a long way
In a Japanese coin laundry, staff may not always be present, so questions are often directed to a nearby customer or a posted sign. The phrase すみません is a natural way to get someone's attention before asking. When asking about machine functions, pointing at the machine while using これ or それ makes your question clear. Avoid assuming that every machine has the same settings; policies and available functions can vary by location, so asking is the safest approach.
One thing to watch for
Using これ for a machine that is not close to you, or asking これは乾燥ですか when you mean 'Can it dry too?'
Try this instead: Use これ for something near you and それ for something near the listener. To ask about an additional function, use 〜もできますか, as in 乾燥もできますか. If you only say これは乾燥ですか, it sounds like 'Is this drying?' rather than 'Can it also dry?'
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You want to know if a machine can dry as well as wash. What do you ask?
Show a sample answer
乾燥もできますか。
This uses 〜もできますか to ask about an additional function. You could also ask the full question これは洗濯だけですか、乾燥もできますか for more context.
2What does 洗濯乾燥機 mean?
Show a sample answer
Washer-dryer (a machine that both washes and dries).
洗濯 means washing, 乾燥 means drying, and 機 means machine. Together they name a combined machine. If you see only 洗濯機, it is a washer; 乾燥機 is a dryer.
3You see コース and スタート on the panel. What should you do first?
Show a sample answer
Choose a course, then press start.
コース means course or program, and スタート means start. On many machines, you select a course before pressing start. The exact order can vary, so ask if unsure.
At a Japanese coin laundry, read the labels 洗濯機, 乾燥機, and 洗濯乾燥機, then ask これは洗濯だけですか、乾燥もできますか. Use 〜だけ for 'only' and 〜もできますか for 'can also.' Check 水温, コース, and スタート on the panel before starting.
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