New here? This is lesson 117 of a free 240-lesson Japanese course.
Filling in the form in Japanese
At the Taito ward office, Leo is ready to register his address. A staff member brings out a form and points to a blank field.
Goro has come along, but the chair is much too small for him. He waits nearby while Leo asks what to write and whether a signature is needed.
Then the residence-card scanner fails. Learn polite, useful lines for this ordinary bit of paperwork—and for reporting the problem clearly.
By the end of this lesson
Ask what to write on a form, whether a signature is needed, and report a failed scan.
- ここは何を書きますか。What do I write here?
- ここに書いてください。Please write it here.
- サインは必要ですか。Do I need to sign?
- サインをお願いします。Please sign here.
- 住民登録をお願いします。I'd like to register my address.
- スキャンできません。It won't scan.
Scene — paperwork at the ward office
The Taito ward office is busy this afternoon. Leo has his residence card and a form, but one field is blank.
Goro came along and tries the small waiting-room chair. He cannot fit, so he stands beside Leo while the staff member helps.
Learn — questions about the form
At a ward-office counter, short polite questions help you fill out paperwork. These lines cover the form, a required signature, and a scan problem.
Notice how は introduces the topic and を marks what you write or request.
ここは何を書きますか。
What do I write here?
When to use it: Ask this while pointing to a blank field on a form.
は presents ここ as the topic; を marks the thing you want to write.
ここに書いてください。
Please write it here.
When to use it: Use this when showing someone where to write.
に marks where the writing goes; ください makes this a polite instruction.
サインは必要ですか。
Do I need to sign?
When to use it: Ask this when you are unsure whether a form needs your signature.
は sets サイン as the topic, then 必要ですか asks whether it is needed.
サインをお願いします。
Please sign here.
When to use it: Staff can use this polite request when asking you to sign.
を marks サイン as what the staff member is asking you to provide.
住民登録をお願いします。
I'd like to register my address.
When to use it: Say this to tell ward-office staff you need to register your address.
お願いします turns the name of a service into a polite request.
スキャンできません。
It won't scan.
When to use it: Use this when a card or document will not scan.
できません politely says the action cannot be completed.
Say it: Keep the final ん in スキャン as a clear beat.
Story — a scan that stops
Leo is registering his address at the ward office. The residence-card scanner stalls while Goro waits standing beside the chair.
Highlighted phrases are new. Turn on Show English for a gloss.
- The ward office is busy. Leo takes a form at the counter.
Leoこんにちは。Hello.- Ward-office staff本日はどのような手続きですか。What kind of procedure do you need today?
- Leo住民登録をお願いします。I'd like to register my address.
- Ward-office staffこちらの申請書にご記入ください。Please fill in this application form.
- Leoここは何を書きますか。What do I write here?
- Ward-office staff新しい住所です。ここに書いてください。It's your new address. Please write it here.
- Leoサインは必要ですか。Do I need to sign?
- Ward-office staffサインをお願いします。Please sign here.
- Goro turns sideways toward the waiting-room chair, but cannot fit. He stays standing beside Leo.
- Leoすみません。Excuse me.
- Ward-office staff大丈夫ですよ。在留カードを読み取りますね。It's all right. I'll scan your residence card.
- The scanner beeps, then stops. Goro is still waiting on his feet.
- Leoスキャンできません。It won't scan.
- Ward-office staff少々お待ちください。確認いたします。Please wait a moment. I'll check.
Goroええと、立って待ちます。Well, I'll wait standing.
Practice — form phrases in action
Listen for a question, choose the right meaning, and rebuild a request from word tiles. You will also spot a particle mistake and answer a staff member.
Each task stays close to a ward-office visit, so the phrases are ready for real paperwork.
0 of 12 done
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
Please write it here.
ここに____ください。
Pick the reply
Ward-office staff says:
Pick the reply
どのような手続きですか。
What kind of procedure do you need?
And you reply with:
Build the line
Build the line
Please sign here.
。
Tap the words in order.
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
サインは必要ですか。
Swap the word
Swap the word
Ask whether a signature is needed on the form.
サイン____必要ですか。
Match the pairs
Japanese
ここは何を書きますか。Drop the English hereここに書いてください。Drop the English hereサインは必要ですか。Drop the English hereサインをお願いします。Drop the English hereEnglish
Find the mistake
Find the mistake
What do you say?
What do you say?
You need address registration. Tell the ward-office staff what service you want.
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
What do you say?
What do you say?
You arrive at the ward office in the afternoon and greet the staff member politely.
What do you say?
What do you say?
You need to get a staff member's attention politely before asking about the form.
Say it — your turn at the counter
Take Leo's place at the ward-office counter. Answer the staff member politely and report the scan problem when it appears.
Tap play first if you want to listen; this is a recording practice.
- Ward-office staffこんにちは。Hello.
- Leo (you)Tell the staff member you need to register your address.
Tell the staff member you need to register your address.
住民登録をお願いします。
I'd like to register my address.
0 of 4 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Japanese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| ここは何を書きますか。 | What do I write here? | |
| ここに書いてください。 | Please write it here. | |
| サインは必要ですか。 | Do I need to sign? | |
| サインをお願いします。 | Please sign here. | |
| 住民登録をお願いします。 | I'd like to register my address. | |
| スキャンできません。 | It won't scan. |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Keep these form-filling phrases ready for your next errand. Open the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them on the train.
A quick Yak Cards review can make the right question easier to find at the counter.
Open Yak Cards