In this workshop you will practice two useful travel questions in Japanese: asking what time a bus or train arrives, and asking how long a trip takes. You will hear short, clear examples and then try them yourself in simple situations. You can play both roles when you practice with the audio. Listen first, repeat, and then answer the short tasks. The goal is to feel comfortable asking and understanding basic arrival and duration questions before or during a trip.
Asking What Time Something Arrives
When you want to know the scheduled arrival time of a train, bus, or flight, you can use a simple question. The line «何時に着きますか。» means 'What time does it arrive?' The verb at the end means 'arrive', so this is useful when you are asking about a scheduled arrival. If you are waiting at a stop and want to know when the bus comes to you, you can ask «バスは何時に来ますか。», which means 'What time does the bus come?' Here the verb means 'come', so it focuses on the vehicle arriving at your location. Both questions are polite and easy to use. Listen to the audio, repeat each line, and notice the small difference between 'arrive' and 'come'.
Asking How Long a Trip Takes
To ask about the duration of a trip, you can use «どのくらいかかりますか。», which means 'How long does it take?' The verb here means 'take' when talking about time or money. To answer, you can say a destination with 'made' and then the duration. For example, «東京まで二時間かかります。» means 'It takes two hours to Tokyo.' The word 'made' marks the destination, and the verb at the end means 'take'. In a short dialogue, one person asks about the next bus and the other answers with a time. You can hear this in «すみません、次のバスは何時に来ますか。» and «十時十五分に来ますよ。». Later, someone asks about the time to the station and gets an answer in «駅までどのくらいかかりますか。» and «だいたい二十分かかります。». Practice repeating these lines and notice how the question and answer fit together.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
何時に着きますか。
What time does it arrive?
Nanji ni tsukimasu ka.
バスは何時に来ますか。
What time does the bus come?
Basu wa nanji ni kimasu ka.
どのくらいかかりますか。
How long does it take?
Dono kurai kakarimasu ka.
東京まで二時間かかります。
It takes two hours to Tokyo.
Tōkyō made nijikan kakarimasu.
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
すみません、次のバスは何時に来ますか。
Excuse me, what time does the next bus come?十時十五分に来ますよ。
It comes at 10:15.駅までどのくらいかかりますか。
How long does it take to the station?だいたい二十分かかります。
It takes about twenty minutes.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided Exchange: Ask and Answer About the Bus
Imagine you are at a bus stop. You want to know what time the next bus comes. A friend is with you and can answer. Use the audio to play both roles.
Your task: First, listen to «すみません、次のバスは何時に来ますか。» and repeat it. Then listen to «十時十五分に来ますよ。» and repeat it. Next, play the role of the person asking: say the question from «すみません、次のバスは何時に来ますか。» out loud. Then play the role of the person answering: say the answer from «十時十五分に来ますよ。». Finally, switch roles and do it again.
Reply Comprehension: Choose the Correct Duration
Imagine you ask how long it takes to the station. You hear an answer. You need to understand the duration.
Your task: Listen to «駅までどのくらいかかりますか。» and «だいたい二十分かかります。». Then answer this question: Does the trip take about twenty minutes or about two hours? Say your answer out loud. Then listen again and repeat «だいたい二十分かかります。».
Recall and Role Play: Ask About Arrival and Duration
Recreate the recorded bus-stop conversation. One person asks when the next bus comes, then asks how long it takes to the station. The other person supplies the recorded time and duration.
Your task: Say A: «すみません、次のバスは何時に来ますか。», then B: «十時十五分に来ますよ。». Continue as A: «駅までどのくらいかかりますか。», then B: «だいたい二十分かかります。». Keep this question-answer order and use the recorded times rather than inventing new answers.
Common questions
What is the difference between the question in «何時に着きますか。» and the question in «バスは何時に来ますか。»?
«何時に着きますか。» means 'What time does it arrive?' and uses a verb that means 'arrive'. It is good for scheduled arrival times of trains, buses, or flights. «バスは何時に来ますか。» means 'What time does the bus come?' and uses a verb that means 'come'. It focuses on the vehicle coming to your location, like a bus arriving at your stop.
How do I answer a question about duration?
You can answer with a destination marked by 'made' and then the duration. For example, «東京まで二時間かかります。» means 'It takes two hours to Tokyo.' The verb at the end means 'take'. You can also use a word like 'about' before the duration, as in «だいたい二十分かかります。», which means 'It takes about twenty minutes.'
Sources and further reading
- japanese: ask about arrival timeChecked September 2026
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