Preserve the original and add context
If you hear “Shinbashi,” ask for the station name as it appears on the map, such as 新橋駅 (Shimbashi Station). If the meeting point is an exit, ask for the exit name separately. Copy the written location into your agreed notes instead of choosing a station with a similar sound.
With a time, add the date and city or zone. “Sunday at seven” leaves two ambiguities. “Sun 22 Nov 2026 at 19:00 in Tokyo (JST)” gives both people something they can check and convert.
Three useful read-backs
| What came through | Ask for | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| “We’re leaving on the fourteenth” | The date typed with the year and month | 2026-11-14 (14 November). Read the month back separately if the date is important. |
| “It’s fifteen hundred” | Amount and currency in a message | 1,500 JPY. Ask whether that is for each person or the whole group. |
| “Meet at exit two” | Station, line and exit together in text | For example, ‘Sakura Station, Blue Line, Exit 2’ (fictional). For a real trip, use the names on the station operator’s map. |
Use a repair phrase you can remember
Try チャットに書いてもらえますか？ (“Could you type it in the chat?”) or 午後七時ですか？ (“Is it seven in the evening?”). The Japan Foundation’s request lesson explains the pattern for asking someone to do something. The scripted caption example shows why confirming an exit can matter.
Why choose Hanashi?
A shared interest is the reason to talk; the written detail is what lets you act on what you heard. If you want a new Japanese conversation partner, Hanashi is designed to help you choose a host around the topic and use captions and translation for support.
For a conversation you’ve already arranged, use the read-back in your current app. Ask before putting sensitive information into chat, where it may persist separately from the caption display.