Title: MiniCore Japanese-EN / Booster: Postcards & the Post Office
Tags: MinicoreJapanese-EN booster-postcards vocab sentence dialog-line recognition dialog

MinicoreJapanese: Yuubinkyoku wa doko desu ka.
Native: 郵便局はどこですか。
English: Where is the post office?
Literal: post-office [topic] where is ?
Notes: yuubinkyoku — the post office, marked everywhere by the red 〒. Stamps, boxes, famously patient counter staff — and usually an international ATM, which makes this building worth knowing for two reasons.

MinicoreJapanese: Hagaki o mittsu kudasai.
Native: はがきをみっつください。
English: Three postcards, please.
Literal: postcard [obj] three give-me
Notes: hagaki — postcard, counted with Lesson 3's all-purpose mittsu. Museum shops and konbini sell prettier ones; the post office sells the stamps either way.

MinicoreJapanese: Kitte mo, onegaishimasu.
Native: 切手も、お願いします。
English: Stamps too, please.
Literal: stamp also, please
Notes: kitte — stamp. Note the doubled consonant — Lesson 0's held beat separates kitte (stamp) from kite (come); your ear has known the difference since day one.

MinicoreJapanese: Amerika made, ikura desu ka.
Native: アメリカまで、いくらですか。
English: To America, how much is it?
Literal: America until, how-much is ?
Notes: Made pricing the journey — swap in any country†. Postcard postage is one flat, tiny world rate; the clerk answers with a Lesson 3 number and sells you exactly that stamp.

MinicoreJapanese: Tegami wa ikura desu ka.
Native: 手紙はいくらですか。
English: How much for a letter?
Literal: letter [topic] how-much is ?
Notes: tegami — letter. A step up from the postcard when there's more to say; the counter weighs it and names the number.

MinicoreJapanese: Fuutou wa arimasu ka.
Native: 封筒はありますか。
English: Do you have envelopes?
Literal: envelope [topic] exists ?
Notes: fuutou — envelope, sold at the same counter and at every konbini stationery rack.

MinicoreJapanese: Posuto wa doko desu ka.
Native: ポストはどこですか。
English: Where is a mailbox?
Literal: mailbox [topic] where is ?
Notes: posuto — the red mailbox on every other corner. International mail goes straight in (the right-hand slot, usually) — once you're stamped, no counter visit needed.

MinicoreJapanese: Dambooru wa arimasu ka.
Native: 段ボールはありますか。
English: Do you have (cardboard) boxes?
Literal: cardboard-box [topic] exists ?
Notes: dambooru — the cardboard box. When the omiyage outgrows the suitcase, the post office sells the box, tapes it, and takes it off your hands in one visit.

MinicoreJapanese: Kore o Amerika made, onegaishimasu.
Native: これをアメリカまで、お願いします。
English: This to America, please. (the box on the counter)
Literal: this [obj] America until, please
Notes: The suitcase-shipping frame from the [Luggage Forwarding booster](/boosters/booster-takkyuubin/), now crossing oceans. Destination in, box out of your life.

MinicoreJapanese: Koukuubin, onegaishimasu.
Native: 航空便、お願いします。
English: Airmail, please.
Literal: airmail, please
Notes: koukuubin — airmail: days-fast, priced like it. The counter will ask which you want — this is one answer, and the next word is the other.

MinicoreJapanese: Funabin ga ii desu.
Native: 船便がいいです。
English: Sea mail is fine. / I'll take surface mail.
Literal: sea-mail [ga] good is
Notes: funabin — sea mail: weeks-slow, wonderfully cheap. Books, ceramics, anything that can take the scenic route — Lesson 5's preference frame picks the boat, and the box greets you at home like a time capsule.

MinicoreJapanese: yuubinkyoku
Native: 郵便局
English: post office
Notes: the red 〒 mark

MinicoreJapanese: hagaki
Native: はがき
English: postcard
Notes: *Hagaki o mittsu kudasai.*

MinicoreJapanese: kitte
Native: 切手
English: stamp
Notes: the held beat vs *kite* — L0 knew

MinicoreJapanese: posuto
Native: ポスト
English: mailbox
Notes: red, everywhere; international welcome

MinicoreJapanese: tegami
Native: 手紙
English: letter
Notes: *Tegami wa ikura desu ka.*

MinicoreJapanese: fuutou
Native: 封筒
English: envelope
Notes: counter or konbini

MinicoreJapanese: dambooru
Native: 段ボール
English: cardboard box
Notes: sold and taped on the spot

MinicoreJapanese: koukuubin
Native: 航空便
English: airmail
Notes: days-fast, priced like it

MinicoreJapanese: funabin
Native: 船便
English: sea mail
Notes: weeks-slow, wonderfully cheap

MinicoreJapanese: omiyage
Native: お土産
English: souvenir
Notes: *Omiyage o sagashimasu.*

MinicoreJapanese: Nakami wa nan desu ka.
Native: 中身は何ですか。
English: what's inside? (customs)
Notes: one noun: *Omiyage desu.*

MinicoreJapanese: Koukuubin desu ka, funabin desu ka.
Native: 航空便ですか、船便ですか。
English: air or sea?
Notes: echo your choice + *onegaishimasu*

MinicoreJapanese: At the post office
Notes: Traveler: Sumimasen. Hagaki o mittsu kudasai.
Excuse me — three postcards, please.
[excuse-me. postcard [obj] three give-me]
Clerk: Hai, douzo.
Here you are.
[yes, here-you-are]
Traveler: Kitte mo, onegaishimasu. Amerika made, ikura desu ka.
Stamps too, please — to America, how much?
[stamp also, please. America until, how-much is ?]
Clerk: Hyaku en desu.
100 yen (each).
[one-hundred yen is]
Traveler: Ja, kore o Amerika made, onegaishimasu.
Then — this to America too, please. (lifting the box onto the counter)
[well-then, this [obj] America until, please]
Clerk: Nakami wa nan desu ka.
What's inside? (the customs question — see the script below)
[contents [topic] what is ?]
Traveler: Omiyage desu.
Souvenirs.
[souvenir is]
Clerk: Koukuubin desu ka, funabin desu ka.
Airmail, or sea mail? (the counter's choice — see the script below)
[airmail is ? sea-mail is ?]
Traveler: Funabin ga ii desu.
Sea mail is fine.
[sea-mail [ga] good is]
Clerk: Sanzen-en desu.
That's 3,000 yen.
[three-thousand yen is]
Traveler: Arigatou gozaimasu.
Thank you.
[thank you (full polite form)]

MinicoreJapanese: Sumimasen. Hagaki o mittsu kudasai.
Native: すみません。はがきをみっつください。
English: Excuse me — three postcards, please.
Literal: excuse-me. postcard [obj] three give-me

MinicoreJapanese: Kitte mo, onegaishimasu. Amerika made, ikura desu ka.
Native: 切手も、お願いします。アメリカまで、いくらですか。
English: Stamps too, please — to America, how much?
Literal: stamp also, please. America until, how-much is ?

MinicoreJapanese: Hyaku en desu.
Native: 百円です。
English: 100 yen (each).
Literal: one-hundred yen is

MinicoreJapanese: Ja, kore o Amerika made, onegaishimasu.
Native: じゃ、これをアメリカまで、お願いします。
English: Then — this to America too, please. (lifting the box onto the counter)
Literal: well-then, this [obj] America until, please

MinicoreJapanese: Omiyage desu.
Native: お土産です。
English: Souvenirs.
Literal: souvenir is

MinicoreJapanese: Sanzen-en desu.
Native: 三千円です。
English: That's 3,000 yen.
Literal: three-thousand yen is

MinicoreJapanese: Post office scripts
Notes: Clerk: Nakami wa nan desu ka.
What's inside? (customs) → answer with a noun: Omiyage desu. / Hon desu.
[contents [topic] what is ?]
Clerk: Koukuubin desu ka, funabin desu ka.
Airmail, or sea mail? → choice enumeration, the course's own trick used on you: repeat the one you want + onegaishimasu
[airmail is ? sea-mail is ?]