New here? This is lesson 152 of a free 240-lesson Japanese course.
A small shrine in Japanese
Leo and Haruka walk a quiet stone path in Yanaka. A small shrine sits at the end, with a basin, a wooden hall, and a rack of blank fortune slips.
Haruka shows him the custom: wash first, then bow. Leo draws excellent luck and grins too wide. She says it is only paper.
Goro waits on the step and glances at the sky. You will ask to pray, draw a slip, buy a charm, and keep your voice down.
By the end of this lesson
Visit a shrine and talk about luck.
- 先に手を洗います。I'll wash my hands first.
- お参りしてもいいですか。May I pay my respects?
- おみくじを引きたいです。I'd like to draw a fortune slip.
- 大吉です。It's excellent luck.
- お守りをください。I'd like a charm.
- もう少し静かにお願いします。Please keep it a little quieter.
Scene — a quiet shrine
A stone path leads to a small Yanaka shrine. Leo and Haruka pause at the water basin. Blank fortune slips hang on a wooden rack, and a cat sits on the step.
Goro occupies the step as well, coat pockets full, watching the sky as if rain might come.
Learn — wash, bow, and draw
These six lines take you through a small shrine visit: wash, ask to pray, draw a slip, and name the luck.
You also buy a charm and ask people to keep their voices down.
先に手を洗います。
I'll wash my hands first.
When to use it: Say this at the water basin before you go in.
に after 先 marks that you do this first.
Say it: The u in ます is almost silent.
お参りしてもいいですか。
May I pay my respects?
When to use it: Ask this before you bow at the hall.
てもいいですか asks politely if you may do it.
おみくじを引きたいです。
I'd like to draw a fortune slip.
When to use it: Use this at the rack when you want a slip.
たいです marks that you would like to do this.
大吉です。
It's excellent luck.
When to use it: Say this when the slip shows the best luck.
です after 大吉 states what the paper says.
お守りをください。
I'd like a charm.
When to use it: Use this at the stall when you want a charm.
を marks the charm as the thing you request.
もう少し静かにお願いします。
Please keep it a little quieter.
When to use it: Use this when voices are too loud near the hall.
に after 静か makes the request about how to act.
Say it: もう is a long o, not a short も.
Story — excellent luck
Leo and Haruka stop at the basin. Highlighted phrases are the new lines.
Turn on Show English if you want a gloss.
- They stop at the water basin.
Harukaこの辺は静かです。This area is quiet.
Leo先に手を洗います。I'll wash my hands first.- He dries his hands on his sleeves.
- Leoお参りしてもいいですか。May I pay my respects?
- Harukaはい、いいですよ。Yes, you can.
- They bow at the hall. A cat watches from the step.
- Leoおみくじを引きたいです。I'd like to draw a fortune slip.
- He unfolds the slip and grins too wide.
- Leo大吉です。It's excellent luck.
- Harukaただの紙ですよ。It's only paper.
- Leoお守りをください。I'd like a charm.
- Staffはい、どうぞ。Here you are.
- Leoありがとうございます。Thank you.
- Two visitors talk too loud by the rack.
- Harukaもう少し静かにお願いします。Please keep it a little quieter.
- Goro looks at the sky from the step.
Goroあの、雨が降りそうです。Um, it looks like rain.
Practice — pick the shrine line
Eleven short tasks wait in this round. You will listen, match meanings, fill a gap, and build a line.
Each one is small, so you move on quickly.
0 of 11 done
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Match the pairs
Japanese
お参りしてもいいですか。Drop the English hereおみくじを引きたいです。Drop the English here大吉です。Drop the English hereお守りをください。Drop the English hereEnglish
Pick the reply
Leo says:
Pick the reply
お参りしてもいいですか。
May I pay my respects?
And you reply with:
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
May I pay my respects?
お参りして____いいですか。
What do you say?
What do you say?
You already bowed. You stand at the fortune-slip rack.
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
大吉です。
Build the line
Build the line
I'd like a charm.
。
Tap the words in order.
Swap the word
Swap the word
Voices are a bit loud. Soften the request the usual way.
もう____静かにお願いします。
Find the mistake
Find the mistake
What do you say?
What do you say?
Staff hands you the charm you just asked for.
True or false?
True or false?
This line asks people to speak more quietly.
Say it — your turn to speak
You are Leo at the small shrine. When the cue is yours, tap the microphone and say the line.
Tap play first if you want to hear it. The recording stays on this device.
- Harukaこの辺は静かです。This area is quiet.
- Leo (you)You stop at the basin. Wash first.
You stop at the basin. Wash first.
先に手を洗います。
I'll wash my hands first.
0 of 6 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Japanese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| 先に手を洗います。 | I'll wash my hands first. | |
| お参りしてもいいですか。 | May I pay my respects? | |
| おみくじを引きたいです。 | I'd like to draw a fortune slip. | |
| 大吉です。 | It's excellent luck. | |
| お守りをください。 | I'd like a charm. | |
| もう少し静かにお願いします。 | Please keep it a little quieter. |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Keep these shrine lines in your pocket. Open the Yak Cards for this lesson and run them on the train.
A short Yak Cards round keeps the shrine visit ready for the next quiet path.
Open Yak Cards