How to say “zoo” in Japanese | 動物園 (どうぶつえん、dōbutsuen)

The Japanese vocabulary「動物園 (どうぶつえん、dōbutsuen)」means “zoo.” Please learn the pronunciation and the example sentences.

Japanese Vocabulary and the Meaning

Key Word動物園
Hiraganaどうぶつえん
Romaji Readingdōbutsuen
English Meaningzoo

The Correct Japanese Pronunciations

Please learn the pronunciation by watching the attached video. You can also learn example sentences.

Our main YouTube channel: Ichiyo’s Japanese YouTube Channel
Our sub-YouTube channel (Japanese vocabulary videos): Ichiyo’s Subchannel

The Example Japanese Sentences

It is important to have skills in both non-honorific and honorific languages in order to use Japanese correctly.

I came to the zoo for the first time in a year.

Plain Form:

一年いちねんぶりに動物園どうぶつえんた。
Ichi-nen buri ni dōbutsuen ni kita.

Polite Form:

一年ぶりに動物園に来ました。
Ichi-nen buri ni dōbutsuen ni kimashita.


The pandas at the zoo were very cute.

Plain Form:

動物園どうぶつえんのパンダは、とてもかわいかった。
Dōbutsuen no panda wa, totemo kawaikatta.

Polite Form:

動物園のパンダは、とてもかわいかったです。
Dōbutsuen no panda wa, totemo kawaikattadesu.


I took a photo of a lion at the zoo.

Plain Form:

動物園どうぶつえんでライオンの写真しゃしんった。
Dōbutsuen de raion no shashin o totta.

Polite Form:

動物園でライオン写真を撮りました。
Dōbutsuen de raion shashin o torimashita.


The zoo is crowded even on weekdays.

Plain Form:

動物園どうぶつえんは、平日へいじつでもんでいる。
Dōbutsuen wa, heijitsu demo konde iru.

Polite Form:

動物園は、平日でも混んでいます。
Dōbutsuen wa, heijitsu demo konde imasu.

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