Getting on and off
Collocations, Stage 1chunk 5 of 22Getting around
The ride itself: one frame, X ni noru, for train, bus, car and bike, and oriru for getting off.
- densha ni noruride / get on the train
- basu ni norutake the bus
- kuruma ni noruget in / ride in a car
- densha o oriruget off the train
- jitensha ni noruride a bike
Mix-ups Getting on takes ni and getting off takes o (densha ni noru, densha o oriru), so drill them as a pair. You never take a bus or ride a bike with toru or o noru, and how you travel takes de: jitensha de iku.
densha ni noru
polite densha ni norimasuride / get on the train
電車に乗る でんしゃにのる 電車に乗ります
verbnoru 乗るride; get onto (a vehicle, a bike, a ride)typical 30% of densha
trap Not densha o toru or densha o noru: you ride on a vehicle with ni noru, and 'take' is never toru here.
The riding and boarding itself: densha notteru (I'm on the train now), densha nottara (once I'm on). To say how you get somewhere, natives use de: densha de iku (I'll go by train), densha de kayotteru (I commute by train). Casual speech often drops ni.
densha nottara, renraku suru ne.
I'll text you once I'm on the train.
電車乗ったら、連絡するね。
densha ni nottara, renraku shimasu ne.
I'll let you know once I'm on the train.
電車に乗ったら、連絡しますね。
norikaeru (change trains) is a single verb. The transitive is noseru, giving someone a ride: nosete kureru? (can you give me a lift?)
Same verb: basu (bus), takushii (taxi), hikouki (plane), jitensha (bike)Learn alongside: basu ni noru, kuruma ni noru, densha o oriru, jitensha ni noru, eki o norisugosu (Stage 3), hikouki ni noru (Stage 3), kuruma ni noseru (Stage 3)Main list: toru (Stage 4), iku (Stage 1)
basu ni noru
polite basu ni norimasutake the bus
バスに乗る バスにのる バスに乗ります
verbnoru 乗るride; get onto (a vehicle, a bike, a ride)typical 32% of basu
trap Not basu o toru: 'take the bus' is ni noru, as with every vehicle.
Same frame as densha ni noru: basu notta (I've got on the bus, the usual text), basu notteru (I'm on the bus now), basu nottara (once I'm on), often chained as basu notte iku / kaeru. To say how you get there, use de: basu de iku. Casual speech drops ni.
basu notte kaerou ka.
Shall we take the bus home?
バス乗って帰ろうか。
basu ni notte kaerimashou ka?
Shall we take the bus home?
バスに乗って帰りましょうか。
On local buses you press the button for your stop (botan o osu); a bus that won't come is basu konai.
Same verb: fune (boat, ferry), erebeetaa (lift)Learn alongside: densha ni noru, kuruma ni noru, densha o oriru, jitensha ni noru, eki o norisugosu (Stage 3), hikouki ni noru (Stage 3), kuruma ni noseru (Stage 3)Main list: toru (Stage 4), iku (Stage 1)
kuruma ni noru
polite kuruma ni norimasuget in / ride in a car
車に乗る くるまにのる 車に乗ります
verbnoru 乗るride; get onto (a vehicle, a bike, a ride)typical 11% of kuruma
trap Not kuruma ni hairu or kuruma o noru: getting in is ni noru (kuruma no naka ni hairu is only for ducking inside, say out of the rain). 'What car do you drive?' is kuruma nani notteru? or donna kuruma notteru?, while unten suru is the act of driving (unten dekiru? = can you drive?).
Covers getting in and riding along: kuruma notte (get in the car), kuruma nottara (once we're in). kuruma notteru is 'I'm in the car' (as in the example) and also 'drive / own one': donna kuruma notteru? (what car do you drive?). To say how you get there, use de: kuruma de iku.
saki ni kuruma notteru ne.
I'll wait in the car.
先に車乗ってるね。
saki ni kuruma ni nottemasu ne.
I'll wait in the car.
先に車に乗ってますね。
Getting out is kuruma kara oriru; giving someone a ride is the transitive noseru: nosete kureru?
Same verb: takushii (taxi), baiku (motorbike), jitensha (bike)Learn alongside: densha ni noru, basu ni noru, densha o oriru, jitensha ni noru, eki o norisugosu (Stage 3), hikouki ni noru (Stage 3), kuruma ni noseru (Stage 3)Main list: hairu (Stage 1), iku (Stage 1)
densha o oriru
polite densha o orimasuget off the train
電車を降りる でんしゃをおりる 電車を降ります
verboriru 降りるcome down; get off (a vehicle, stairs)
trap Not densha ni oriru or densha kara deru: getting off is oriru, with the vehicle marked by o (kara also works). Only a car also allows kuruma kara deru, 'climb out'.
Once the train is clear, people usually name only the stop, with de: tsugi de oriru (I'm getting off at the next one). The vehicle takes o, or kara. On a packed train, sumimasen, orimasu! (excuse me, getting off) clears the way.
densha oritara, renraku suru ne.
I'll text you when I get off the train.
電車降りたら、連絡するね。
densha o oritara, renraku shimasu ne.
I'll let you know when I get off the train.
電車を降りたら、連絡しますね。
Missing your stop is eki o norisugosu: nete te norisugoshita (I fell asleep and missed my stop). The same verb goes down stairs: kaidan o oriru.
Same verb: basu (bus), takushii (taxi), kuruma (car), hikouki (plane)Learn alongside: densha ni noru, basu ni noru, kuruma ni noru, jitensha ni noru, eki o norisugosu (Stage 3), hikouki ni noru (Stage 3), kuruma ni noseru (Stage 3)Main list: deru (Stage 1)
jitensha ni noru
polite jitensha ni norimasuride a bike
自転車に乗る じてんしゃにのる 自転車に乗ります
verbnoru 乗るride; get onto (a vehicle, a bike, a ride)
trap Not jitensha o noru: English 'ride a bike' takes an object, but a bike takes ni noru like every other vehicle.
Used for being able to ride (jitensha noreru? = can you ride a bike?) and for riding one now (jitensha notteru). To say how you get somewhere, use de: jitensha de iku. Casual speech drops ni, and the slangy chari (charinko) often replaces jitensha.
jitensha notte, konbini itte kuru.
I'm going to bike over to the convenience store.
自転車乗って、コンビニ行ってくる。
jitensha ni notte, konbini ni itte kimasu.
I'm going to ride my bike to the convenience store.
自転車に乗って、コンビニに行ってきます。
Pedalling is kogu (jitensha o kogu), and the everyday shopping bike with a basket is a mamachari.
Same verb: baiku (motorbike), uma (horse)Learn alongside: densha ni noru, basu ni noru, kuruma ni noru, densha o oriru, eki o norisugosu (Stage 3), hikouki ni noru (Stage 3), kuruma ni noseru (Stage 3)Main list: iku (Stage 1)