UNIT 8
City Hall, Address & Basic Procedures
City Hall, Address & Basic Procedures
Lesson 2: Saying Your Address
じゅうしょはどこですか — Giving Your Address in Japanese
⏱️ About 25 minutes ／ 📊 Level: Beginner (N5) ／ 🗣️ Speaking + Reading
Before You Start
At a government office, you will be asked for your address many times — verbally and on paper. Japanese addresses are written in the opposite order to English ones: starting from the largest unit (prefecture) down to the room number. In this lesson you will learn how to say and write your address, postal code, and apartment information correctly.
What you will learn:
- Say your address — 住所は〇〇です
- Give your postal code — 郵便番号は〇〇です
- Say which city you live in — 〇〇市に住んでいます
- Give apartment name and room number — アパート名は〇〇です / 部屋番号は〇〇です
- Ask where to write — ここに書きますか
- Understand address-related form instructions — 住所を書いてください
1. Key Phrases ／ きほんのフレーズ
住所は〇〇です。
Juusho wa 〇〇 desu.
My address is 〇〇.
住所を書いてください。
Juusho o kaite kudasai.
Please write your address.
郵便番号は〇〇です。
Yuubin bangoo wa 〇〇 desu.
My postal code is 〇〇.
〇〇市に住んでいます。
〇〇-shi ni sunde imasu.
I live in 〇〇 City.
アパート名は〇〇です。
Apaato mei wa 〇〇 desu.
The apartment name is 〇〇.
部屋番号は301です。
Heya bangoo wa 301 desu.
My room number is 301.
ここに書きますか。
Koko ni kakimasu ka.
Do I write here?
2. Phrase Notes ／ ポイント
① Japanese address order — largest to smallest
Japanese addresses are written and spoken from the largest unit to the smallest — the opposite of English. The order is: Prefecture → City → Ward → Block → Building number → Apartment → Room.
Example:
愛知県 名古屋市 中区 〇〇町 1-5
Aichi Prefecture → Nagoya City → Naka Ward → 〇〇-cho → Block 1, Number 5
② 〇〇市に住んでいます — saying where you live
〜に住んでいます = “I live in 〜.” The に particle marks the location. 住んでいます is the -te iru form of 住む (to live/reside), expressing an ongoing state.
名古屋市に住んでいます。I live in Nagoya City.
大阪市に住んでいます。I live in Osaka City.
③ 郵便番号 — the postal code
Japanese postal codes are 7 digits, written as 〇〇〇-〇〇〇〇. When asked verbally, say each digit: 郵便番号は4608501です. On forms, postal code boxes are often pre-divided into two sections.
⚠️ Common Mistake
Don’t translate your address directly from English into Japanese order. A Japanese address goes from big to small — prefecture first, room number last. When filling out forms, look for the boxes: 都道府県 → 市区町村 → 番地 → マンション名 → 部屋番号.
Don’t translate your address directly from English into Japanese order. A Japanese address goes from big to small — prefecture first, room number last. When filling out forms, look for the boxes: 都道府県 → 市区町村 → 番地 → マンション名 → 部屋番号.
3. Address Structure & Key Words ／ じゅうしょのしくみ
🏠 Address Units — largest to smallest
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 都道府県 | todoofu ken | prefecture |
| 市 / 区 / 町 / 村 | shi / ku / machi / mura | city / ward / town / village |
| 番地 | banchi | block / lot number |
| マンション名 / アパート名 | manshon mei / apaato mei | apartment building name |
| 部屋番号 | heya bangoo | room number |
📬 Address Vocabulary
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 住所 | juusho | address |
| 郵便番号 | yuubin bangoo | postal code |
| 住んでいます | sunde imasu | live / reside |
| 書いてください | kaite kudasai | please write |
4. Conversation Practice ／ かいわ
💬 Conversation 1 — Giving Your Address
💬 Conversation 2 — Postal Code
💬 Conversation 3 — Asking Where to Write
💬 Conversation 4 — Saying Where You Live
5. Vocabulary ／ たんご
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 住所 | juusho | address |
| 郵便番号 | yuubin bangoo | postal code |
| 住んでいます | sunde imasu | live / reside |
| 市 | shi | city |
| 区 | ku | ward / district |
| アパート名 | apaato mei | apartment name |
| 部屋番号 | heya bangoo | room number |
| 番地 | banchi | block / lot number |
| 書きます | kakimasu | write |
6. Check Your Understanding ／ クイズ
Think about each question first. Answers and explanations are shown below.
Q1. What does 「住所は〇〇です。」 mean?
A. I live in 〇〇 City. B. My address is 〇〇. C. My postal code is 〇〇. D. My room number is 〇〇.
Answer: B
住所は〇〇です = “My address is 〇〇.” Use this to state your full address. 住所 = address.
住所は〇〇です = “My address is 〇〇.” Use this to state your full address. 住所 = address.
Q2. In what order is a Japanese address written?
A. Room → Building → City → Prefecture B. Prefecture → City → Block → Building → Room C. City → Prefecture → Room → Block D. Building → City → Block → Prefecture
Answer: B
Japanese addresses go from largest to smallest: Prefecture → City → Ward → Block → Building → Room. This is the opposite of the English order.
Japanese addresses go from largest to smallest: Prefecture → City → Ward → Block → Building → Room. This is the opposite of the English order.
Q3. How do you say “I live in Nagoya City”?
A. 名古屋市はどこですか。 B. 名古屋市がほしいです。 C. 名古屋市に住んでいます。 D. 名古屋市に行きたいです。
Answer: C
〇〇市に住んでいます = “I live in 〇〇 City.” に marks the location. 住んでいます = live/reside.
〇〇市に住んでいます = “I live in 〇〇 City.” に marks the location. 住んでいます = live/reside.
Q4. What does 「郵便番号は〇〇です。」 mean?
A. My phone number is 〇〇. B. My room number is 〇〇. C. My postal code is 〇〇. D. My ID number is 〇〇.
Answer: C
郵便番号 = postal code. Japanese postal codes are 7 digits written as 〇〇〇-〇〇〇〇. Look this up using your address on Japan Post’s website.
郵便番号 = postal code. Japanese postal codes are 7 digits written as 〇〇〇-〇〇〇〇. Look this up using your address on Japan Post’s website.
Q5. What does 「ここに書きますか。」 mean?
A. Please write here. B. Do I write here? C. What should I write? D. I wrote here.
Answer: B
ここに書きますか = “Do I write here?” — a question. ここに書いてください = “Please write here” — an instruction.
ここに書きますか = “Do I write here?” — a question. ここに書いてください = “Please write here” — an instruction.
Q6. What does 「部屋番号は301です。」 mean?
A. My postal code is 301. B. My phone number is 301. C. My block number is 301. D. My room number is 301.
Answer: D
部屋番号 = room number. 部屋 = room. 番号 = number. For forms, this goes in the 号室 or 室番号 box.
部屋番号 = room number. 部屋 = room. 番号 = number. For forms, this goes in the 号室 or 室番号 box.
7. Match the Meaning ／ れんしゅう
住所は〇〇です。 → ______
住所を書いてください。 → ______
郵便番号は〇〇です。 → ______
〇〇市に住んでいます。 → ______
アパート名は〇〇です。 → ______
部屋番号は301です。 → ______
ここに書きますか。 → ______
Choices: A. My postal code is 〇〇. B. My room number is 301. C. Do I write here? D. My address is 〇〇. E. The apartment name is 〇〇. F. Please write your address. G. I live in 〇〇 City.
Answers: 住所は〇〇です = D ／ 住所を書いてください = F ／ 郵便番号は〇〇です = A ／ 〇〇市に住んでいます = G ／ アパート名は〇〇です = E ／ 部屋番号は301です = B ／ ここに書きますか = C
🚀 Mini Mission
Today’s mission: Practice giving your address in Japanese.
Say your own address aloud using all these patterns with your teacher:
〇〇市に住んでいます。／ 郵便番号は〇〇です。／ 住所は〇〇です。／ アパート名は〇〇です。部屋番号は〇〇です。
📘 Review ／ まとめ
In this lesson you learned how to say and write your address in Japanese.
〇〇市に住んでいます。(I live in 〇〇 City.)
郵便番号は〇〇です。(Postal code: 〇〇.)
住所は〇〇です。(My address is 〇〇.)
部屋番号は〇〇です。(Room number: 〇〇.)
郵便番号は〇〇です。(Postal code: 〇〇.)
住所は〇〇です。(My address is 〇〇.)
部屋番号は〇〇です。(Room number: 〇〇.)
💡 Key reminder: Japanese addresses go from big to small — prefecture, city, ward, block, building, room. When filling out forms, always look for the box labels: 都道府県 / 市区町村 / 番地 / マンション名 / 号室.
FAQ
Q. How do I find my postal code in Japan?
Look it up on Japan Post’s website (japanpost.jp) using your address. Postal codes are also printed on any mail delivered to your home. For forms, you’ll need the 7-digit code in the format 〇〇〇-〇〇〇〇.
Q. What is the difference between マンション and アパート?
アパート typically refers to a smaller, often wooden or light-steel building (2-3 floors). マンション refers to a larger, concrete apartment building. Both use 〇〇名 (〇〇-name) and 部屋番号 (room number) on forms.
Q. Can I write my address in English on Japanese forms?
Official government forms require Japanese, but you can write your apartment name in romaji if it only exists in English (e.g. “Sakura Heights 301”). City names like 名古屋 and ward names must be in Japanese. If unsure, show the form to the staff and say ここに書きますか or 手伝ってください.
📍 Practice with a real teacher
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