Shoes and indoor spaces in Japan

The idea

At many homes, outdoor shoes come off in the 玄関, the entrance area. 靴 means shoes and 脱ぐ means to take them off. Some places offer slippers; follow the host’s instructions, including where slippers should come off.

Examples

• ここで靴くつを脱ぬぎます。I take off my shoes here.
• 玄関げんかんに靴くつがあります。There are shoes in the entrance.
• スリッパを履はいてください。Please put on the slippers.
• 畳たたみの部屋へやに入はいります。I enter the tatami room.
• この部屋へやで靴くつを脱ぬぎますか。Do we take off our shoes in this room?
• ここに靴くつを置おいてください。Please put your shoes here.

Watch out

The practice varies by building: do not assume every indoor space has the same rule. Ask if you are unsure.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the Japanese form for “shoes”: （靴くつ／玄関げんかん）

   Show answer or example answer

   靴

   靴 matches “shoes”; 玄関 matches “entrance area”.

2. Choose the Japanese form for “entrance area”: （脱ぬぐ／玄関げんかん）

   Show answer or example answer

   玄関

   玄関 matches “entrance area”; 脱ぐ matches “to take off shoes”.

3. Choose the Japanese form for “to take off shoes”: （脱ぬぐ／靴くつ）

   Show answer or example answer

   脱ぐ

   脱ぐ matches “to take off shoes”; 靴 matches “shoes”.

Use it today

Use the reference to make two sentences of your own about this topic. Read them aloud and compare them with the examples.