How would I ask a native to take my picture?

[oonter]

My fiance and I are going to Japan in June so I'm trying to learn as much as i can about the language, culture, and areas we'll be visitng. Anyways...

How would I ask a native to take our picture? Then how would I ask them to take a picture with us?

 

[Niedy]

as I don't know, if you are able to read japanese or not I'll write romaji

the [ ] parts are not necessary

[watashitachi no] shashin o totte kudasaemasen ka. (<-- Could you please take [our] picture?)

watashitachi to isshoni shashin o totte yoroshii deshou ka. (<-- Would it be okay to take a picture together?)

Both are quite formal and imo appropriate for situations, when you want something from someone ^^

But I'm not 100% sure, if they are correct...

 

[yukio_michael]

I think if you hold your camera up and say, watashi no shashin, onegai shimasu? that would probably do the trick.

You really need not get too technical about it. Foreign people have been asking others to take their picture since people started toting cameras on vacations.

 

[Elizabeth]

No one else is wrong, however these two are very convenient with only the addition of 'together' and hence are easiest to remember :


Shashin wo totte moraemasuka? (Third party taking picture)

Issho ni shashin wo totte moraemasuka? (Taking picture with you)

 

[Elizabeth]

watashitachi to isshoni shashin o totte yoroshii deshou ka. (<-- Would it be okay to take a picture together?)

Somehow this sounds like something I would use were I the one asking permission. Would it be alright if I took your picture ? kono kanji ga shimasune.

 

[Damicci]

Somehow this sounds like something I would use were I the one asking permission. Would it be alright if I took your picture ? kono kanji ga shimasune.

I was thinking
bokutachi no shashin wo totte kudasaimasenka?

issho ni shashin wo totte deshou ka?


I get confused sometimes between asking some to take our picture and asking someone to take thier picture. Last time I ask a girl wearing a kimono at a festival to take her picture and she reached for the camera.....

 

[Elizabeth]

I was thinking
bokutachi no shashin wo totte kudasaimasenka?

それでも良いですよ。多分、「すみません。写真を撮ってもらえますか？（いただけますか？）」のほうがよく使われるけれど。。。

issho ni shashin wo totte deshou ka?

You will take my picture ? といいたかったのですか？totte deshou という言い方がしないですね。

I get confused sometimes between asking some to take our picture and asking someone to take thier picture. Last time I ask a girl wearing a kimono at a festival to take her picture and she reached for the camera.....

へへ、なろほど。 きをつけて！
たくさん写真を撮って良い思い出にしてくださいね。

 

[Niedy]

Somehow this sounds like something I would use were I the one asking permission. Would it be alright if I took your picture ? kono kanji ga shimasune.

sou desu ka. ma tabun sou desu. Its probably a bit too much...
All that asking for pictures just reminded me of the time I went to asakusa shrine on sunday... a little japanese girl asked me, if she could take a picture together with me... in perfect english... the father was near by and didn't even understood when I said that it was ok... afterwards she gave me a small paper crane... I wonder where she learned english... >.> or if there was a meaning behind it... but noone I asked knew...

oh and taking pictures is a PERFECT opportunity to speak to japanese ppl... once someone said (after asking, where I came from) "Oh, Austria, I was there before... Great Barrier Reef, right?" Now I know, why we have T-Shirts saying "There are NO kangoroos in Austria"

 

[nhk9]

I was thinking
bokutachi no shashin wo totte kudasaimasenka?
issho ni shashin wo totte deshou ka?
I get confused sometimes between asking some to take our picture and asking someone to take thier picture. Last time I ask a girl wearing a kimono at a festival to take her picture and she reached for the camera.....

Hello Damicci san,

It seems to me that normally you would hear "shashin wo totte moraemasu ka" when somebody wants you to take a picture for them. In the case where you want to take somebody's picture, you can say "shashin wo totte mo ii desu ka" (may i take a picture (of you)). Usually the response to this, if yes, would be "hai, (shashin wo totte) ii desu yo."

Also, don't ever forget to say the magic word 'onegaishimasu'!

 

[Glenn]

Just a small note: the negated forms are more polite (i.e., moraemasenka is more polite than moraemasuka).

 

[yukio_michael]

Just a small note: the negated forms are more polite (i.e., moraemasenka is more polite than moraemasuka).

This is like saying "Wouldn't it be okay if...?" ?

 

[flamencanihonjin]

How would I ask a native to take our picture? Then how would I ask them to take a picture with us?

Okay, I give you the answer! I am Japanese from Tokyo!

How would I ask a native to take our picture?>>>>
suimasen, syashinwo totte itadakemasendesyouka?
suimasen, syashin wo totte kudasai is also OK! easier huh?

how would I ask them to take a picture with us?>>>

Suimasen, issho ni shashin ni haitte itadakemasuka? Or
Suimasen, issho ni syashin wo toritainodesuga iidesuka?

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[One Winged Angel]

...im going to tokyo soon......and i dont understand one word of japanese but if they keep asking i might catch on....lol i need help......how do you say wheres the nearest resturant?

 

[flamencanihonjin]

...im going to tokyo soon......and i dont understand one word of japanese but if they keep asking i might catch on....lol i need help......how do you say wheres the nearest resturant?

wheres the nearest resturant?>>>>(direct translation) ichiban chikai resutoran wa doko desuka?
(natural way)
Konochikaku ni resutoran wa arimasuka? Dou ikeba iidesuka?
(Is there any restaurant around here/nearby?, how can I get there?)

 

[Elizabeth]

How would I ask a native to take our picture? Then how would I ask them to take a picture with us?

Okay, I give you the answer! I am Japanese from Tokyo!
How would I ask a native to take our picture?>>>>
suimasen, syashinwo totte itadakemasendesyouka?
suimasen, syashin wo totte kudasai is also OK! easier huh?
how would I ask them to take a picture with us?>>>
Suimasen, issho ni shashin ni haitte itadakemasuka? Or
Suimasen, issho ni syashin wo toritainodesuga iidesuka?
Enjoy your vacation!

This is for someone that doesn't know any Japanese.

前の文で十分です。

 

[One Winged Angel]

wow...this is going to be difficult lol i dunno should i cancel or not.....

 

[Niedy]

cancel, your trip? NO, DON'T! ^^ you're going to tokyo, so chances are good, that ppl know at least some english (and directions are pretty basic)... if you start your conversation with "sumimasen" and a friendly smile, they might even be willing to talk to you ^^ and food is probably the easiest thing to find in japan ^^

 

[One Winged Angel]

well i guess so....well i mine as well go what good will come of it if i dont?

 

[oonter]

well i guess so....well i mine as well go what good will come of it if i dont?

ummm....if you don't go then I'll go for you...

 

[Grandpa Frank]

Don't!!

For those of you who are a tourist in the big cities of the US-don't ask someone to take a picture with your camera, they will run off with it, LOL!

Uncle Frank

 

[eric]

can I say:
syashin o totte itadakemasenka

to ask someone if they would take a photo for me

 

[epigene]

can I say:
syashin o totte itadakemasenka
to ask someone if they would take a photo for me

There are many ways of saying it as mentioned earlier in the thread, but you suggestion is perfectly OK!