Japanese Scenes

Before the call

💡 What to know before you call

Ueno Zoo costs ¥600 for adults, ¥300 for 65 and over, and ¥200 for junior-high students, and it's free for kids up to 6th grade (Tokyo junior-high students are free too). Free visitors don't buy a ticket at all; they walk past the ticket machines straight to the gate. Hours are 9:30–17:00, but entry and ticket sales stop at 16:00. It's closed on Mondays (the next day instead when Monday is a holiday) and Dec 29–Jan 1, so it's open today. Adults get in free on Mar 20, May 4, and Oct 1, and the ¥2,400 annual pass breaks even at four paid adult visits and saves money from the fifth. Weekend and holiday crowds peak around 11:00–15:00, so going right at opening is easier with a little one.

Words this call depends on

します
"Two adult tickets, please." (枚 counts tickets)
はです
Elementary-school age and under are free.
をられますか
write it down
Can I rent a stroller?
おむつをられるはありますか
Is there a place where I can change a diaper?
までますか
Until what time can we go in?

Grammar you'll use

可能形（〜られる）
can ~ / be able to ~ (potential form)
る-verbs: drop る + られる (借りる → 借りられる, 替える → 替えられる, 見る → 見られる). う-verbs: change the last u-sound to e + る (入る → 入れる, 買う → 買える, 書く → 書ける). Irregular: する → できる, 来る → 来られる. Polite: 〜られます; question: 〜られますか ("Can I ~?").
🧩 Try it
ベビーカーを借りますか
Hint: can I rent?
〜ないといけない
have to / must ~ (spoken)
Verb ない-form + といけない (出さないといけない, 書かないといけない, しないといけない). Polite: 〜ないといけません. Question: 〜ないといけませんか ("Do I have to ~?"). In casual speech the end often drops: 出さないと。
🧩 Try it
息子の分も買わいけませんか
Hint: ない-form + と
〜てある
(someone) has done ~ on purpose, and it stays that way / it's ready
Transitive verb て-form + ある (作ってある, 書いてある, 予約してある). The object often takes が: 窓が開けてある.
🧩 Try it
このマップに書いますよ
Hint: it's written

The flow of the call4 steps · orange = they'll ask you

1Buy adult tickets and check the child's ticketLines 1–4
2Ask to rent a strollerLines 5–6
3Ask about diaper changingLines 7–8
4Check entry time and thank themLines 9–12

Up next · step 2 of 4

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