Good relations with neighbours and correct garbage sorting are two of the most important parts of living well in Japan. Many problems for new residents come from not knowing these rules, not from bad intentions.
Types of home and rooms
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| アパート | apaato | सानो अपार्टमेन्ट (प्रायः काठ वा हल्का निर्माण) | apartment (small building) | ▶ |
| マンション | manshon | ठूलो अपार्टमेन्ट भवन | condominium, large apartment | ▶ |
| しゃたく / かいしゃの りょう | shataku / kaisha no ryou | कम्पनीको आवास / छात्रावास | company housing / dormitory | ▶ |
| ワンルーム | wan ruumu | एउटै कोठा | one-room flat | ▶ |
| げんかん | genkan | ढोका र जुत्ता फुकाल्ने ठाउँ | entrance hall (shoes off here) | ▶ |
| だいどころ / キッチン | daidokoro / kitchin | भान्सा | kitchen | ▶ |
| おふろ | ofuro | नुहाउने कोठा / बाथटब | bath | ▶ |
| トイレ | toire | शौचालय | toilet | ▶ |
| ベランダ | beranda | बार्दली | balcony | ▶ |
| エアコン | eakon | एयर कन्डिसनर | air conditioner | ▶ |
| しきぶとん | shikibuton | ओछ्याउने गद्दा | futon (mattress) | ▶ |
Renting: words in the contract
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| やちん | yachin | घरभाडा | rent | ▶ |
| かんりひ / きょうえきひ | kanrihi / kyoueki hi | व्यवस्थापन शुल्क | management / common-area fee | ▶ |
| しききん | shikikin | धरौटी | security deposit | ▶ |
| れいきん | reikin | आभार पैसा (मालिकलाई) | key money (a non-refundable gift to the owner) | ▶ |
| ほしょうにん | hoshounin | जमानी | guarantor | ▶ |
| ほしょうがいしゃ | hoshou gaisha | जमानी कम्पनी | guarantor company | ▶ |
| けいやく | keiyaku | सम्झौता | contract | ▶ |
| こうしん | koushin | नवीकरण | renewal | ▶ |
| かいやく | kaiyaku | सम्झौता तोड्ने | cancellation | ▶ |
| ふどうさんや | fudousanya | घरजग्गा एजेन्ट | real estate agent | ▶ |
| げんじょうかいふく | genjou kaifuku | घर पहिलेकै अवस्थामा फर्काउने | restoring the room to its original state when you leave | ▶ |
| ひっこし | hikkoshi | सर्ने (घर सार्ने) | moving house | ▶ |
Read the contract before you sign, with a Japanese person or a support organisation if you can. Check the rent, the fees, when you can leave, how much notice you must give, and who pays for repairs. Ask これは なんですか for anything you do not understand.
Neighbours and manners at home
- Greet your neighbours when you move in (ひっこしの ごあいさつ), with a small gift such as towels or sweets. Say hello when you meet them.
- Noise (そうおん): walls are thin. Keep music, TV, washing machines and loud talk low at night, normally after about 9 or 10 p.m.
- Shoes are taken off at the げんかん. Do not wear outdoor shoes inside.
- Bath: wash your body outside the tub, then enter the tub to relax. Do not let soap enter the tub water. Do not pour away the water if it is shared.
- Cooking smells and smoke: use the fan. Tell neighbours kindly if you plan a party.
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| おとが うるさい | oto ga urusai | आवाज धेरै छ | the noise is loud | ▶ |
| しずかに して ください | shizuka ni shite kudasai | शान्त रहनुहोस् | please be quiet | ▶ |
| めいわく | meiwaku | अप्ठ्यारो / बाधा | trouble, nuisance | ▶ |
| ごめいわくを おかけして すみません | gomeiwaku o okakeshite sumimasen | बाधा पुर्याएकोमा माफ गर्नुहोस् | I'm sorry for the trouble I caused | ▶ |
| ちょうないかい / じちかい | chounaikai / jichikai | टोल समिति | neighbourhood association | ▶ |
| かいらんばん | kairanban | घुम्ने सूचना बोर्ड | circulating notice | ▶ |
Garbage: sort it and put it out correctly
Each city has its own rules: categories, bags, collection days and where to put garbage. Ask your landlord, employer or city hall for the garbage calendar (ごみカレンダー) in your language. The usual categories are:
| Category | Reading | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 燃えるごみ | もえるごみ | burnable: food waste, paper, tissues, cooking oil absorbed in paper |
| 燃えないごみ | もえないごみ | non-burnable: broken glass, ceramics, small metal items |
| 資源ごみ | しげんごみ | recyclables: paper, cardboard, cloth, etc. (by city) |
| ペットボトル | ペットボトル | PET bottles: remove the cap and label, rinse, flatten |
| 缶・びん | かん・びん | cans and glass bottles: rinse them |
| 粗大ごみ | そだいごみ | bulky waste: furniture, bicycles; you must book and buy a sticker |
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ごみの ひ | gomi no hi | फोहोर सङ्कलनको दिन | garbage day | ▶ |
| ごみばこ / ごみステーション | gomibako / gomi suteeshon | फोहोर राख्ने ठाउँ | garbage collection point | ▶ |
| ごみぶくろ | gomibukuro | फोहोर झोला | garbage bag | ▶ |
| わけます | wakemasu | छुट्याउँछु | to separate, sort | ▶ |
| だします | dashimasu | (फोहोर) राख्छु | to put out (garbage) | ▶ |
| あさ ８じまでに | asa hachiji made ni | बिहान ८ बजेसम्ममा | by 8 a.m. (the time varies) | ▶ |
| もえる / もえない | moeru / moenai | जल्ने / नजल्ने | burnable / non-burnable | ▶ |
| かれんだー | karendaa | पात्रो | calendar | ▶ |
Put garbage out only on the right day and before the time shown, in the correct (often transparent or designated) bag, in the right place. Never put it out the night before unless allowed. If it is not collected, a sticker may be left on it with the reason: read it and fix the problem.
Dialogue: a neighbour talks to you
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली / English | Listen | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | すみません、おとなりの かたですか。 | sumimasen, otonari no kata desu ka. | माफ गर्नुहोस्, छिमेकी हुनुहुन्छ? Excuse me, are you the new neighbour? | ▶ |
| B | はい、あたらしく ひっこして きた ラムです。 どうぞ よろしく おねがいします。 | hai, atarashiku hikkoshite kita ramu desu. douzo yoroshiku onegai shimasu. | हजुर, नयाँ सरेर आएको राम हुँ। कृपया सहयोग गर्नुहोला। Yes, I'm Ram, I just moved in. Nice to meet you. | ▶ |
| A | よるは すこし しずかに して いただけますか。 かべが うすいので。 | yoru wa sukoshi shizuka ni shite itadakemasu ka. kabe ga usui node. | रातमा अलि शान्त रहिदिनुहुन्छ? भित्ता पातलो भएकाले। Could you please be a little quiet at night? The walls are thin. | ▶ |
| B | すみません、きを つけます。 ごみの だしかたも おしえて ください。 | sumimasen, ki o tsukemasu. gomi no dashikata mo oshiete kudasai. | माफ गर्नुहोस्, ध्यान दिन्छु। फोहोर राख्ने तरिका पनि सिकाइदिनुहोस्। Sorry, I'll be careful. Please also teach me how to put out the garbage. | ▶ |
Every ▶ button plays a clear computer voice, which is good for learning sounds and rhythm but is not a native speaker. Pitch (the rise and fall of the voice) can sound a little flat. Also listen to real Japanese as often as you can: videos, news for learners (NHK Easy), and Japanese people around you.
Check yourself
Try to answer every question before you look at the answers.
- What is the げんかん for?
- What is a ほしょうにん?
- What do やちん and かんりひ mean?
- What is そうおん and when must you be careful?
- How do you wash in a Japanese bath?
- What does もえるごみ mean?
- What do you do with a PET bottle?
- What is a そだいごみ?
- Where do you find the garbage rules for your area?
- Say "I'm sorry for the trouble."
Answers
Count your correct answers. If you got fewer than 7 out of 10, read the lesson again and listen to the audio once more.
- The entrance hall where you take off your shoes.
- A guarantor for your rental contract.
- Rent and management (common-area) fee.
- Noise; especially at night.
- Wash your body outside the tub first, then enter the tub.
- Burnable garbage.
- Remove the cap and label, rinse and flatten it; put it out as ペットボトル.
- Bulky waste (furniture, bicycle); you must book and buy a sticker.
- The garbage calendar (ごみカレンダー) from city hall, your landlord or your employer.
- ごめいわくを おかけして すみません。
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