Lesson 23 — どうやって行きますか (Route Navigation & Natural Consequences とき・と)

Introduction

In Minna no Nihongo Lesson 23 Conversation, we ask for detailed navigation instructions through public streets and buildings. You will learn how to ask どうやって行きますか (How do I get there?), use temporal 〜とき (when…) for situational guidance, and give conditional landmark directions using the natural result particle 〜と (if you turn/press…: このボタンを押すと、おつりが出ます – If you press this button, the change comes out).

Learning Objectives

• Ask for route directions courteously using どうやって行きますか.
• Use 〜とき (when…) to describe situations: 道が分からないとき, 時間があるとき.
• Master natural consequence conditional: [Verb Dict Form] ＋ と, [Result].
• Follow landmark instructions: 交差点を渡る (Cross intersection), 橋を渡る (Cross bridge).
• Complete 20 JLPT-format MCQs on route inquiries, toki clauses, and conditional と.

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Lesson Contents

Concept / Meaning

Situational Concept: When asking how to operate devices or get somewhere: ask 「どうやって行きますか」. Instructions use the conditional と: 「あの交差点を右へ曲がると、市役所があります」 (When you turn right at that intersection, the city hall will be right there).

नेपाली व्याख्या:

कतै जाने बाटो सोध्न ‘どうやって行きますか’ (कसरी जाने होला?) भनिन्छ। बाटो वा मेसिनको निर्देशन दिँदा ‘〜とき’ (गर्ने बेलामा) र प्राकृतिक नतिजा जनाउने ‘〜と’ (… गर्यो भने … हुन्छ: जस्तै ‘त्यो चोकबाट दायाँ मोडिनुभयो भने नगरपालिका देखिन्छ’ = 交差点を右へ曲がると、市役所があります) भन्ने व्याकरण सिकाइन्छ।

Japanese Form

客: すみません。市役所まで どうやって 行きますか。

通行人: あの 信号を 渡って、まっすぐ 行くと、右側に 郵便局が あります。その 隣です。

客: 信号を 渡って、まっすぐですね。

通行人: ええ。5分くらい 歩くと、着きますよ。

客: 分かりました。どうも ありがとう ございました。

English Meaning

Visitor: Excuse me. How do I get to City Hall?

Passerby: Cross that traffic light and go straight; you’ll find a post office on your right. It is right next to that.

Visitor: Cross the light and go straight, right?

Passerby: Yes. If you walk about 5 minutes, you will arrive.

Visitor: Understood. Thank you very much.

Nepali Meaning

आगन्तुक: माफ गर्नुहोस्, नगरपालिकासम्म कसरी जाने होला?

बाटो हिँड्ने मान्छे: उ त्यो ट्राफिक बत्ती पार गरेर सिधा जानुभयो भने दायाँपट्टि हुलाक कार्यालय आउँछ। ठीक त्यसकै छेउमा छ।

आगन्तुक: बत्ती पार गरेर सिधा है।

बाटो हिँड्ने मान्छे: हजुर। ५ मिनेट जति हिँड्नुभयो भने आइपुग्नुहुन्छ नि।

आगन्तुक: बुझें। धेरै धेरै धन्यवाद।

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Detailed Explanation

Basic Rule

1. Inquire route: [Destination] まで どうやって 行きますか.
2. Natural conditional: [Verb Dict Form] ＋ と、[Consequence].
3. Landmark verbs: 曲がると (turn), 渡ると (cross), まっすぐ行くと (go straight).
4. When: [Verb / Adj / Noun の] ＋ とき (when…).

Formation

Usage

Essential for asking locals for directions, understanding GPS navigation voice prompts, and operating vending machines or ticket gates.

Important Notes

• Conditional と (to) is strictly for inevitable natural results, mechanical reactions, and unchanging geographical routes. Never use ‘to’ for invitations, requests, or permissions!
• ‘Dou yatte’ asks for the step-by-step method or route, whereas ‘Nan de’ asks for the transport vehicle.
• Crossing a bridge or road uses particle を: 橋を渡る (Hashi o wataru).

Exceptions

If you want to say ‘Please do X if…’, use conditional 〜たら, NOT 〜と (e.g. ‘Jikan ga attara, kite kudasai’).

Common Mistakes

Saying ‘右へ曲がると、来てください’. You cannot have a request or invitation after conditional ‘to’!

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Examples

Example 1

• Japanese: 図書館へはどうやって行きますか。あの橋を渡ると、左にあります。
• Reading: Toshokan e wa dou yatte ikimasu ka. Ano hashi o wataru to, hidari ni arimasu.
• English: How do I get to the library? If you cross that bridge, it is on the left.
• Nepali: पुस्तकालय कसरी जाने होला? त्यो पुल तर्नुभयो भने बायाँपट्टि छ।

Example 2

• Japanese: 道が分からないとき、交番で聞きます。
• Reading: Michi ga wakaranai toki, kouban de kikimasu.
• English: When I don’t know the way, I ask at the police box.
• Nepali: बाटो थाहा नपाउँदा म प्रहरी चौकी (कोबान) मा सोध्छु।

Example 3

• Japanese: このつまみを回すと、音が大きくなります。
• Reading: Kono tsumami o mawasu to, oto ga ookiku narimasu.
• English: When you turn this knob, the volume gets louder.
• Nepali: यो नब घुमाउनुभयो भने आवाज ठूलो हुन्छ।

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Vocabulary

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Conversation Practice

Situation

Mr. Mike Miller is in a new neighborhood and asks an elderly passerby for walking directions to the municipal library.

Dialogue

ミラー (Miller): すみません。市立図書館まで どうやって 行きますか。 (Sumimasen. Shiritsu toshokan made dou yatte ikimasu ka.)

通行人 (Passerby): 市立図書館ですね。まっすぐ 行って、2つ目の 信号を 左へ 曲がってください。 (Shiritsu toshokan desu ne. Massugu itte, futatsu-me no shingou o hidari e magatte kudasai.)

ミラー (Miller): 2つ目の 信号を 左ですね。 (Futatsu-me no shingou o hidari desu ne.)

通行人 (Passerby): ええ。そうすると、大きな 橋が あります。その 橋を 渡ると、すぐ 右側に 見えますよ。 (Ee. Sou suru to, ookina hashi ga arimasu. Sono hashi o wataru to, sugu migigawa ni miemasu yo.)

ミラー (Miller): 橋を 渡ると、すぐ 右側ですね。ここから 何分くらい かかりますか。 (Hashi o wataru to, sugu migigawa desu ne. Koko kara nan-pun kurai kakarimasu ka.)

通行人 (Passerby): 歩いて 10分くらいですよ。 (Aruite juppun kurai desu yo.)

ミラー (Miller): 分かりました。親切に ありがとう ございました。 (Wakarimashita. Shinsetsu ni arigatou gozaimashita.)

Translation

• English:

Miller: Excuse me. How do I get to the City Library?

Passerby: The City Library, right. Go straight, and please turn left at the second traffic light.

Miller: Turn left at the second light, got it.

Passerby: Yes. When you do that, there will be a large bridge. If you cross that bridge, you’ll see it immediately on your right.

Miller: Cross the bridge, and it’s right on the right side. About how many minutes does it take from here?

Passerby: About 10 minutes on foot.

Miller: Understood. Thank you very much for your kindness!

• Nepali:

मिलर: माफ गर्नुहोस्, नगर पुस्तकालयसम्म कसरी जाने होला?

बाटो हिँड्ने मान्छे: नगर पुस्तकालय है। सिधा जानुहोस्, अनि दोस्रो ट्राफिक बत्तीबाट बायाँ मोडिदिनुहोस्।

मिलर: दोस्रो बत्तीबाट बायाँ, है।

बाटो हिँड्ने मान्छे: हजुर। त्यसो गर्नुभयो भने एउटा ठूलो पुल आउँछ। त्यो पुल तर्नुभयो भने तुरुन्तै दायाँपट्टि देखिहाल्नुहुन्छ।

मिलर: पुल तरेपछि तुरुन्तै दायाँपट्टि है। यहाँबाट कति मिनेट जति लाग्छ होला?

बाटो हिँड्ने मान्छे: हिँडेर १० मिनेट जति लाग्छ।

मिलर: बुझें। हजुरको दयालु सहयोगका लागि धेरै धेरै धन्यवाद।

Speaking Practice

Practice reciting route directions: ‘Hashi o wataru to, migigawa ni arimasu.’

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Reading Practice

Short Reading

日本で 道に 迷った（まよった）とき、交番へ 行きます。交番の お巡りさん（おまわりさん）は 親切に 地図を 見せて、道を 教えてくれます。「信号を 右へ 曲がると、駅が あります」と 教えてくれました。

Vocabulary Help

道に迷った (Lost one’s way), お巡りさん (Police officer), 地図 (ちず – Map)

Reading Questions

1. 道に 迷ったとき、どこへ 行きますか。
2. お巡りさんは 何を してくれましたか。
3. 駅は どこに ありましたか。

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Practice

Fill in the Blank

1. 図書館まで どう [ _____ ] 行きますか。(やって / して)
2. 橋を 渡る [ _____ ]、右に あります。(と / から)
3. 暇な [ _____ ]、何を しますか。(とき / と)

Choose the Correct Answer

1. Q: 「〜と」の 後ろに 使えない 表現は？

A: (a) 〜てください（依頼・命令） (b) 〜があります (c) 〜が見えます

1. Q: 道を 横切る 動詞は？

A: (a) 渡ります (b) 降ります (c) 登ります

Sentence Formation

1. (ボタンを押す / おつりが出ます / と)
2. (交差点を / 渡ります)

Word Arrangement

1. [ どうやって行きますか / 市役所まで ]
2. [ 右にあります / あの角を曲がると ]

Translation Practice

1. If you turn right at the corner, there is a supermarket. (कुनाबाट दायाँ मोडिनुभयो भने सुपरमार्केट छ।)
2. When you don’t know Japanese, please ask the teacher. (जापानी नबुझ्दा शिक्षकलाई सोध्नुहोस्।)

Speaking Practice

Explain how to reach your school from the nearest station using 〜と.

Writing Practice

Write directions from your station to your apartment in 4 sentences.

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Questions

Basic Questions

What does ‘Dou yatte’ mean?

Understanding Questions

Why can’t you say ‘Kono michi o iku to, kite kudasai’?

Application Questions

How do you explain to a tourist how to dispense drinks from a vending machine using ‘to’?

JLPT-style Questions

GPS instruction: ‘Mamonaku migi e magaru to, mokutekichi desu’. What does the driver do?

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Meaning

Japanese Meaning

街頭で道順や移動経路を尋ね（どうやって行くか）、確定的な条件節（〜と）や時間限定（〜とき）を用いて正確に道案内を行う生活実践会話。

English Meaning

Street navigation conversation for asking routes, following natural outcome conditional clauses (to), and interpreting spatial landmarks.

Nepali Meaning

बाटो सोध्ने (कसरी जाने?), परिस्थिति जनाउने (〜とき) र सडकका मोड तथा पुल पार गर्दा देखिने स्थानहरू (〜と) को प्रयोग गरी बाटो पत्ता लगाउने संवाद हो।

Important Vocabulary

どうやって, 渡ります, 曲がります, 交差点, 信号, 橋, 交番

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How to Learn

Step 1: Understand

Learn the golden rule of conditional ‘to’: Dict Form + と -> Inevitable consequence.

Step 2: Memorize

Remember: NEVER follow conditional ‘to’ with requests (てください) or will (たい).

Step 3: Practice

Learn movement verbs with particle を: 道を渡る, 橋を渡る, 角を曲がる.

Step 4: Speak

Learn ‘Toki’ rules: Verb Dict/Ta-form + toki, I-adj + toki, Na-adj + na toki, Noun + no toki.

Step 5: Read

Practice listening to GPS navigation audio in Japanese.

Step 6: Review

Draw a small street map and practice guiding a friend aloud.

Memory Tips

Conditional ‘to’ works like a computer program: IF this action, THEN that result.

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Common Mistakes

Mistake 1

• Incorrect: Using conditional ‘to’ before a request: ‘まっすぐ行くと、待ってください’.
• Correct Form: Use ‘〜たら’ for requests: ‘まっすぐ行ったら、待ってください’.
• Why: Conditional ‘to’ cannot be followed by verbs of request, intention, or command.

Mistake 2

• Incorrect: Confusing ‘どうやって’ with ‘どうして’.
• Correct Form: ‘Dou yatte’ = How / In what way. ‘Doushite’ = Why.
• Why: Asking ‘Doushite ikimasu ka’ means ‘Why are you going?’, not ‘How do I get there?’.

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