Earlier this month I sent home some Christmas presents!

But unfortunately for everyone involved, that meant I had to go to the post office.

DUN. DUN. DUN.

No, I am being overly dramatic. The post office isn’t so bad here. As long as you know a few special words, you will be sending packages, letters, and postcards in no time!

If you didn’t already know, the symbol for the post in Japan is 〒. You will find this symbol, usually in red, on all post boxes and post offices.

The word for the post is simply 郵便（ゆうびん） and a post office is 郵便局（ゆうびんきょく）.

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When you first walk into a post office, the simplest thing you can say is:

これをアメリカに送りたいんですが。
これ　を　アメリカ　に　おくりたい　ん　です　が。
I would like to send this to America.
Literally: “this + を + America + に + want to send + ん+ です + が”

Of course, replace America with any another place. There are many variations on this phrase, but this is a basic structure you can use.

After telling the post people (let's not be sexist) where you want to send it, you will have more decisions to make. But the most important is if you want it send by airmail 航空便（こうくうびん） or by surface mail (sometimes called sea mail) 船便（ふなびん）.

P.S. The kanji are literally aviation（航空） + mail（便）and boat（船）+ mail（便）Aren’t kanji awesome!?

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Now comes the really important question you need to ask. Cost versus time. Obviously airmail will be more expensive, but surface mail can take a really long time to get home. And since it was close to Christmas (I am a procrastinator by nature) I needed these babies shipped ASAP.

航空便にすると値段はいくらですか。
こうくうびん　に　する　と　ねだん　は　いくら　ですか。
How much does it cost to send by airmail?
Literally: “airmail + に + do + と + price + は + how much + ですか”

船便ならどの位、時間がかかりますか。
ふなびん　なら　どのくらい、じかん　が　かかりますか。
How long will it take if I use surface mail?
Literally: “surface mail + if + about how long + time + が + takes + か”

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Once you figure out if you want to pay a lot, or if you will just let your family suffer without their presents for a few weeks, you can tell them your decision by saying:

航空便でお願いします。
こうくうびん　で　おねがいします。
By airmail please.
Literally: “airmail + で + please”

船便でお願いします。
ふなびん　で　おねがいします。
By surface mail please.
Literally: “surface mail + で + please”

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After this difficult decision, the post person will then tell you to fill out a form:

こちらの用紙にご記入下さい。
こちら　の　ようし　に　ごきにゅう　ください。
Please fill out this form.
Literally: “this + の + form + に + fill out + please”

They might also ask:

中に何が入っていますか。
なか　に　なに　が　はいっていますか。
What is inside?
Literally: “inside + に + what + が + is contained + か”

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See, it's not so hard to send a package! Here are some other words you might want to use when you go to the post office:

はがき - Postcard

台北にいる姉からはがきを受けとった。
たいぺい　に　いる　あね　から　はがき　を　うけとった。
I received a postcard from my sister who is in Taipei.
Literally: “Taipei + に + be + sister + from + postcard + を + received”

切手（きって）- Stamp

50円切手を２枚ください。
ごじゅうえん　きって　を　にまい　ください。
Two 50-yen stamps, please.
Literally: “50-yen + stamp + を + 2 (thin, flat things) + please."

小包（こづつみ）- Package

彼は小包をおととい発送した。
かれ　は　こづつみ　を　おととい　はっそう　した。
He sent out the package the day before yesterday.
Literally: “he + は + package + を + the day before yesterday + sending + did”

I hope you guys are now prepared for sending some gifts to family and friends! The post office can be an intimidating place when you are learning Japanese, but memorizing a few words and phrases is all you need to do to seem like a postal expert!

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This lesson was written by Cassy L., a guest contributor: