看板を読もう「間隔をあけて」

Signs calling for us to observe 'social distancing' are now everywhere. Here are some expressions you might see on signs when entering a shopping center, for example.

Key expressions

間隔をあけて kankaku wo akete (keep distance; make space [between ～ and ～])

離れる hanareru (to move away; to become distant)

エレベーター erebēta (elevator)

等 nado (etcetera; and so on)

ご利用 go-riyō (use [by you, by customers. Formal])

ください kudasai (please)

前後 zengo (in front and behind; before and after)

離れましょう hanaremashō (lit. 'let's keep our distance'; softer than 離れてください / hanarete kudasai)

レジ reji (cash register; checkout)

お並び o-narabi (line up; make a line [Formal]. 並ぶ / narabu: to line up)

ソファー sofa (sofa)

・ (Interpunct, called nakaguro or nakaten, like a comma.)

いす isu (chair)