Train, bus, subway, station

The words

How they differ

Name the ride, then the place:

「でんしゃ で いきます」(densha de ikimasu): go by train

「バス で かえります」(basu de kaerimasu): go home by bus

「ちかてつ の えき」(chikatetsu no eki): the subway station

で (de) from Lesson 23 marks the means: how you travel. えき is the place noun — pair with に / で / の まえ like other places.

You'll also hear のりば (noriba) for a platform or bus stop bay once you start boarding (next lesson).

City kit: train · bus · subway · station. でんしゃ = above-ground train feel, ちかてつ = under the ground (ちか), バス = bus sound, えき = the hub.

One line: でんしゃ・バス・ちかてつ・えき.

Next: Getting on, off, and transferring: のります / おります / のりかえます.

See it in a sentence

1. eki wa doko desu ka?

   えき は どこ ですか?

   Where is the station? (polite)

2. densha de ikimasu

   でんしゃ で いきます。

   I'll go by train. (polite)

3. basu de ii desu ka?

   バス で いい ですか?

   Is the bus okay? (polite)

4. chikatetsu ga hayai desu

   ちかてつ が はやい です。

   The subway is fast. (polite)

5. tsugi no eki desu

   つぎ の えき です。

   It's the next station. (polite)

Watch out

でんしゃ = train (often JR / local above ground) / ちかてつ = subway — both are rails, different systems えき = station (the place) — not the train itself バス = bus vehicle / バスてい = bus stop (you'll meet バスてい in signs)

Try it

1. In your next story, find でんしゃ, バス, ちかてつ, or えき. Say whether it's the vehicle or the place.

   Check against the lesson cluster and say it out loud.