In this workshop you will practice a short, practical bus conversation in Japanese. You will learn how to ask which bus goes to a place, how to check a bus number, and how to ask a driver whether a particular bus goes to your destination. The native examples come from the recorded lines, and each one is explained in English before you try it. You can play both roles by reading the lines aloud, and you can use the self-checks to confirm your understanding.
Asking which bus goes to a place
The recorded line «ビーチは何番のバスですか。» means 'Which bus goes to the beach?' The source explanation gives the pattern [destination] wa nanban no basu desu ka. Nanban means 'which number,' no links it to basu, and desu ka makes the question polite. The recorded line «ビーチに行くバスはどれですか。» means 'Which one is the bus that goes to the beach?' The source note says to use it when several buses are visible and you want someone to point one out. Both recorded lines are polite and useful at a bus stop.
Understanding and checking the bus number
In the recorded dialogue, the staff member answers «ビーチは三番のバスです。», which means 'The beach is bus number three.' The source note for the related phrase «三番のバスです。» says san-ban means number three and that you can replace san with other numbers. After hearing the number, the traveler confirms with «三番ですね。このバスはビーチに行きますか。», meaning 'Number three, right? Does this bus go to the beach?' The source translation shows ne rendered as 'right?' in this line. This recorded exchange is a good way to check the number before boarding.
Checking a specific bus with the driver
The recorded line «このバスはビーチに行きますか。» means 'Does this bus go to the beach?' The source note says to ask the driver directly before boarding, and that kono basu means 'this bus.' In the recorded dialogue, the driver answers «いいえ、このバスは駅に行きます。あそこに三番のバスがあります。», meaning 'No, this bus goes to the station. Bus number three is over there.' The source translation shows eki as 'station' and asoko as 'over there.' This recorded reply shows how a driver can redirect you to the correct bus.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
ビーチは何番のバスですか。
Which bus goes to the beach?
BĪCHI wa nanban no basu desu ka.
ビーチに行くバスはどれですか。
Which one is the bus that goes to the beach?
BĪCHI ni iku basu wa dore desu ka.
三番のバスです。
It is bus number three.
sanban no basu desu.
このバスはビーチに行きますか。
Does this bus go to the beach?
kono basu wa BĪCHI ni ikimasu ka.
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
すみません。ビーチは何番のバスですか。
Excuse me. Which bus goes to the beach?ビーチは三番のバスです。
The beach is bus number three.三番ですね。このバスはビーチに行きますか。
Number three, right? Does this bus go to the beach?いいえ、このバスは駅に行きます。あそこに三番のバスがあります。
No, this bus goes to the station. Bus number three is over there.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 confirm
Imagine you are at a bus stop and want to go to the beach. You will play the traveler. Use the recorded line «ビーチは何番のバスですか。» to ask which bus goes to the beach. Then listen to the recorded answer «ビーチは三番のバスです。» and repeat the number to confirm, as in the recorded line «三番ですね。このバスはビーチに行きますか。».
Your task: Say the question from «ビーチは何番のバスですか。» out loud. Then, after hearing the recorded answer «ビーチは三番のバスです。», say the confirmation line from «三番ですね。このバスはビーチに行きますか。». If you are practicing alone, read the recorded lines aloud and respond after each one.
Reply comprehension: yes or no?
You will hear a driver's answer to the question 'Does this bus go to the beach?' The answer is the recorded line «いいえ、このバスは駅に行きます。あそこに三番のバスがあります。». Listen carefully and decide whether the bus goes to the beach or not.
Your task: Read the recorded line «いいえ、このバスは駅に行きます。あそこに三番のバスがあります。». Then answer these questions in English: Does this bus go to the beach? Where does this bus go? Where is the correct bus? After that, say the correct bus number in Japanese using the recorded pattern from «ビーチは三番のバスです。».
Recall and role play: traveler and staff
Now you will recall the full exchange. One person is the traveler (A) and the other is the staff member or driver (B). Use the recorded lines from «すみません。ビーチは何番のバスですか。», «ビーチは三番のバスです。», «三番ですね。このバスはビーチに行きますか。», and «いいえ、このバスは駅に行きます。あそこに三番のバスがあります。». If you are alone, play both roles by reading the lines aloud.
Your task: First, as the traveler, say the line from «すみません。ビーチは何番のバスですか。». Then, as the staff member, say the line from «ビーチは三番のバスです。». Next, as the traveler, say the line from «三番ですね。このバスはビーチに行きますか。». Finally, as the staff member, say the line from «いいえ、このバスは駅に行きます。あそこに三番のバスがあります。». Try to do this without looking at the text if you can.
Common questions
What is the difference between «ビーチは何番のバスですか。» and «ビーチに行くバスはどれですか。»?
«ビーチは何番のバスですか。» asks 'Which bus goes to the beach?' and is the core question for asking a bus number. «ビーチに行くバスはどれですか。» asks 'Which one is the bus that goes to the beach?' and the source note says to use it when several buses are visible and you want someone to point one out. Both are recorded polite lines.
How do I confirm the bus number I heard?
You can repeat the number and add ne, as in the recorded line «三番ですね。このバスはビーチに行きますか。». The source translation gives this as 'Number three, right? Does this bus go to the beach?' This recorded line is a natural way to check that you heard correctly before you board the bus.
Sources and further reading
- japanese: ask which bus to takeChecked September 2026
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Take today's Japanese into a conversation with a Yapr AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr