I wanted to speak Japanese so bad but couldnt...

So, I was on the NYC subway and noticed four Japanese guys holding a map/book that said... ニューヨーク....So I was trying to figure out whether or not their were tourists....So, I wanted to ask them where they're going but I couldn't compose it in my head... I wanted to say...

あなた は どこ で いきます か？

But I didn't want to sound stupid or assume they were not from the US...

Anyway, would my sentence have been correct?

Almost. Would have been best to say あなた たち、どこ に いきます か？

The plural form of あなた is あなたたち (like how わたし = I, and わたし たち = we)

With the verb いく you don't use で as the marker of the place they will be, but rather に or へ (pronounced "e", not "he")

Although all that said, it's probably more natural to say something like:
すみません、あなたたち、どこへ行きたいのでしょうか (sumimasen, anatatachi, doko e ikitai no deshou ka). Which translates to "excuse me, where is it that you'd like to go?". A little complicated but you'll learn it in time.

Bucko said:

Although all that said, it's probably more natural to say something like:
すみません、あなたたち、どこへ行きたいのでしょうか (sumimasen, anatatachi, doko e ikitai no deshou ka). Which translates to "excuse me, where is it that you'd like to go?". A little complicated but you'll learn it in time.

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Although in my reading and street experience these kinds of sentences normally get reduced to "Excuse me, where are you going?"
"すみません、どこへ行くのですか"


Of course you can always add "Can I help you?" (おてすだいしましょうか?") or even "You seem lost." but perhaps not quite yet, desune...

So did you help them in English or did you just keep on walking because you couldn't use them for Japanese practice?

oonter said:

So, I was on the NYC subway and noticed four Japanese guys holding a map/book that said... ニューヨーク....So I was trying to figure out whether or not their were tourists....So, I wanted to ask them where they're going but I couldn't compose it in my head... I wanted to say...

あなた は どこ で いきます か？

But I didn't want to sound stupid or assume they were not from the US...

Anyway, would my sentence have been correct?

Click to expand...

The best thing to do is to ask them in English if they need help. If they can not understand anything you are saying (which is unlikely, most japanese traveling overseas overseas outside of tour groups probably have at least basic English), then you could try your Japanese. If you ever get a chance to live over here in Japan, you will realize just how annoying it is to have random people interrupt you for no reason other than to practice their English. It happens all the time here, so best to build up some good karma back home...

To be honest, guys, they really didnt look like tourists....

The only thing that might have given it away was the map of New York that they had and the fact they spoke Japanese, THAT'S IT. Heck, sometimes I even need a map of New York and I live here. Two of the guys even got off the subway earlier then the rest, so they probably were from around here.

I didn't know anything about them, this was just an assumption from my observations.

oonter said:

To be honest, guys, they really didnt look like tourists....
The only thing that might have given it away was the map of New York that they had and the fact they spoke Japanese, THAT'S IT. Heck, sometimes I even need a map of New York and I live here. Two of the guys even got off the subway earlier then the rest, so they probably were from around here.
I didn't know anything about them, this was just an assumption from my observations.

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Even more reason that speaking English to them would be better than speaking Japanese. When you're a resident in another country, it feels nice to be treated the same as other residents, and a bit disheartening to be singled out and used. This is true anyway for many foreigners living in Japan--you are always being reminded of how you are different, and having people come up and try to use you for English practice not only interrupts what you are doing, but also reaffirms that difference. This might not be the case as much for Japanese living in America, since there are relatively few Americans interested in speaking Japanese, but I imagine the feeling is still there.

Anyway, I don't mean to be very critical--I'm just trying to help you see what its like from the other side in case one day you want to come to Japan and practice your Japanese, only to find that everyone you meet just wants to practice his English. ☝

I imagine if you start a conversation in English saying something like, 'I see you have a Japanese map--are you from Japan,' and then say something like 'I was going to try to ask you where you were going in japanese, but I didn't know how,' he'll help out and it will be a positive experience for all involved.

Closed by request of OP.