Lesson Dialogues
Situation 1
Aki's older sister, Haru, is helping her with packing for the trip.
ハル:みんな入るかな?
ハル:みんな入(はい)るかな?
Haru: Do you think everything will fit?
- みんな everyone (often みなさん); everything
- 入(はい)る to enter; to come in; to go in
- ~かな indicates uncertainty; softens a sentence; ちょっと寒(さむ)いかな。I think it's a bit cold.
アキ:入らないかも。
アキ:入(はい)らないかも。
Aki: It might not.
- 入(はい)らない negative form of 入(はい)る
- ~かも perhaps; maybe; 明日(あした)、雨(あめ)かもしれない。Maybe it will rain tomorrow.
ハル:もう少し大きいスーツケースにする?
ハル:もう少(すこ)し大(おお)きいスーツケースにする?
Haru: How about we get a larger suitcase?
- もう already; soon; again; more; strengthens expression of an emotion; filler word: なんか、もう、帰(かえ)ろうよ: Like, let's go home already?
- 少(すこ)し a little; a few
- 大(おお)きい big; large; great
- スーツケース suitcase
- ~に indicates a destination, place or point of attention: 日本(にほん)に行(い)く to go to Japan; 友達(ともだち)に話(はな)す to talk to a friend; indicates the result or goal of an action: 大人(おとな)になる to become an adult; indicates an actor in a passive sentence: 先生(せんせい)に見(み)つかった。I was found by a teacher.
- する to do; to make; to decide on; to choose
アキ:まずこれに入れてみる。入らなかった時に考える。
アキ:まずこれに入(い)れてみる。入(はい)らなかった時(とき)に考(かんが)える。
Aki: Let's try to fit it all here, and if it doesn't, I will think about it.
- まず first; firstly
- これ this
- 入(い)れて te-form of 入(い)れる; te-form is often used to connect to other expressions; te-form may indicate a command; 食(た)べて!Please eat!; it's common to end a sentence with a te-form. Japanese people often don't finish a sentence completely: 昨日(きのう)学校(がっこう)行(い)って、勉強(べんきょう)して。。。I went to school yesterday, studied, and…
- 入(い)れる to put in; to include
- ~てみる to try and _; to try something; to attempt to do something; 食(た)べてみる。I'll try eating.
- 入(はい)らなかった past tense of 入(はい)らない
- 時(とき) time; when
- 考(かんが)える to think
ハル:まあ、それがいいかも。
ハル:まあ、それがいいかも。
Haru: Well, maybe that's a good idea.
- まあ well; I think; まあ、そうだよね。Well, that's right.
- それ that
- いい good; 映画(えいが)よかった! The film was great!; you may use this to indicate your preference or choice; 私(わたし)、ラーメンがいい。I'd like to choose ramen; いいね is the Japanese version of "like" on social media.
Situation 2
Aki is packing for the trip.
ハル:必要な物、みんな入った?
ハル:必要(ひつよう)な物(もの)、みんな入(はい)った?
Haru: Did everything you need fit?
- 必要(ひつよう) necessary
- 物(もの)、~の thing; object; stuff: ~の can replace 物(もの) if it's after na-adjective: いろんなのがある=いろんな物(もの)がある。
- 入(はい)った past tense of 入(はい)る
アキ:うん、入ったよ。
アキ:うん、入(はい)ったよ。
Aki. Yeah. Everything fit.
- うん (casual, non-keigo) yes; yeah
- ~よ introduces new information; emphasises a sentence; 朝(あさ)だよ!It's morning!
ハル:へー。入れる物、多いから入らないと思った。
ハル:へー。入(い)れる物(もの)、多(おお)いから入(はい)らないと思(おも)った。
Haru: Wow. You had a lot of things, so I didn't think it would all fit.
- ヘー oh, yes?; really?
- 多(おお)い many; much; a lot of
- ~から because; since: 雨(あめ)だから行(い)きません。I won't go because it's raining.; use だから with nouns and na-adjectives.
- 思(おも)った past tense of 思(おも)う
- 思(おも)う to think; to believe; to feel; to expect; ~と思(おも)う I think that: 明日(あした)、行(い)くと思(おも)う。I think I will go tomorrow.
アキ:結構たくさん入ったよ。
アキ:結構(けっこう)たくさん入(はい)ったよ。
Aki: Actually a lot of it did fit.
- 結構(けっこう) adv. quite, fairly; na-adj. good
- たくさん many; much; a lot
ハル:よかったね。
ハル:よかったね。
Haru: That's great.
- よかった past tense of よい・いい; "what a relief": 元気(げんき)でよかった。It's good (I'm relieved) that you are fine.
- ~ね shares information or experiences; softens a sentence; expects an agreement; isn't it?; don't you?; 雨(あめ)だね。Oh, it's raining (as you can see).
Situation 3
While looking at the suitcase in the department store, a clerk approached Aki.
店員:こんにちは。スーツケースを見てるんですか?
店員(てんいん):こんにちは。スーツケースを見(み)てるんですか?
Clerk: Hello. Are you looking for a suitcase?
- こんにちは hello; good afternoon
- 見(み)て te-form of 見(み)る; te-form is often used to connect to other expressions; te-form may indicate a command; 食(た)べて!Please eat!; it's common to end a sentence with a te-form. Japanese people often don't finish a sentence completely: 昨日(きのう)学校(がっこう)行(い)って、勉強(べんきょう)して。。。I went to school yesterday, studied, and…
- 見(み)る to see; to look; to watch; to check; we use 観(み)る for things like sports or TV shows
- てる verb form to express continuation; 食(た)べる + ている = 食(た)べている eating; てる is a colloquial version of ている; some verbs such as 知(し)る uses this form to express the present situation 知(し)っている (I know) but uses the present native form to say the opposite: 知(し)らない (I don't know); often てん in spoken Japanese: それ、知(し)ってんの?Do you know that?
- ~んです commonly used when you explain something; 実(じつ)は日本人(にほんじん)なんです。 In fact, I'm Japanese.
- ~か? makes a sentence a question; usually used with keigo sentences in spoken Japanese; textbooks often drop the question mark, but it's common to use a question mark in real-life situations
アキ:はい。買う前にいろんな所で見てるんですけど。
アキ:はい。買(か)う前(まえ)にいろんな所(ところ)で見(み)てるんですけど。
Aki: Yes. I'm looking around a bit before I buy it.
- はい yes
- 買(か)う to buy
- 前(まえ) forward; front; before
- いろんな various; different kinds of; いろんなものを買(か)った。I bought many different kinds of things; いろんな is more colloquial than いろいろな
- 所(ところ)、とこ place: 広(ひろ)い所(ところ) a big place; point: わからない所(ところ)ある?Is there anything you don't understand?; part; aspect: どんなところが好(す)き? What part do you like?; area; explains the current situation: 食(た)べているところ I'm in the middle of eating; 食(た)べたところ I just finished eating (= at the point where I finished eating.)
- ~で in; at; from; by: indicates means (methods) or places; フォークで食(た)べる to eat with a fork; 家(いえ)で食(た)べる to eat at home; may make a noun adverbial: 短(みじか)い時間(じかん)で食(た)べる eating fast; indicates a choice: じゃあビールで。Then, I choose beer.
- けど but; however; although; though; a lot of people finish a sentence with (だ)けど because it makes the sentence less direct.
店員:うちにはいろんなのがありますよ。
店員(てんいん):うちにはいろんなのがありますよ。
Clerk: We have a variety of them.
- うち inside; of; before; home; my place; family; うちの my: うちの家(いえ) my home
- あります ます form of ある; ~ます makes a keigo (polite) sentence
- ある to be (existence); to have (possession); to happen; use ある for objects and いる for people and animals
アキ:そうですね。
アキ:そうですね。
Aki: Right.
- そう so (as in "I think so"); そう思(おも)う。 I think so. ; そうなんだ。 I see.
- ~です polite ending; use this polite form, called "keigo," when you talk to strangers, people who are older than you, and in business situations.
Situation 4
Aki is talking to a clerk in the suitcase part of a department store.
店員:これ使ってる人多いんですよ。
店員(てんいん):これ使(つか)ってる人(ひと)多(おお)いんですよ。
Clerk: A lot of people use these.
- 使(つか)って te-form of 使(つか)う; te-form is often used to connect to other expressions; te-form may indicate a command; 食(た)べて!Please eat!; it's common to end a sentence with a te-form. Japanese people often don't finish a sentence completely: 昨日(きのう)学校(がっこう)行(い)って、勉強(べんきょう)して。。。I went to school yesterday, studied, and…
- 使(つか)う to use; to handle
- 人(ひと) person; people; human being
アキ:なんかいいとこあるんですか?
アキ:なんかいいとこあるんですか?
Aki: What is so good about them?
- なんか something; such as; like; things like …; or something like that; (filler word)
店員:結構たくさん入るんですよ。
店員(てんいん):結構(けっこう)たくさん入(はい)るんですよ。
Clerk: Quite a lot can fit inside.
アキ:そんなふうに見えないですね。
アキ:そんなふうに見(み)えないですね。
Aki: It doesn't seem that way.
- そんな that; such; そんな事(こと)はできない。I can't do such a thing; そんなに so much; so; like that; often そんなに~ない: そんなに食(た)べれない。I can't eat that much.
- ふう style; type; way; like; ヨーロッパ風(ふう)の部屋(へや) European-style room
- 見(み)えない negative form of 見(み)える
- 見(み)える to be seen, to be able to be seen, to be in sight; to look, to seem, to appear
店員:でも入るんですよ。
店員(てんいん):でも入(はい)るんですよ。
Clerk: But it does.
- でも but; however; or something; でも、日本(にほん)に行(い)きたい。But, I want to go to Japan; even: プロでも出来(でき)ない。Even professionals can't do it.
Step 2 - Take the Quiz
Let's see how many words you remember.
Take the quiz here.
Step 3 - Writing Exercises (Optional)
Let's practice what you learned here.
ハル:へー。入れる物、多いから入らないと思った。
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it this sentence there are 2 ways of reading “入”, 入れる物 (い) and 入らない (はい).
is there a way to know when to use/read いる and when to use/read はいる for 入?
The basic difference between 入る ( = hairu ) and 入れる ( = ireru) is
→入る ( = hairu ) is an intranstive verb and 入れる ( = ireru) is a transitive verb.
★入る = (intransitive verb) to enter, go inside, join, etc.
Basic structure:
→( Subject + が ( = ga) / は ( = wa) + ) somewhere ( place/ organization / group, etc.) + に ( = ni) + 入る ( = はいる= hairu)
Example: 部屋に入る
★入れる =(transitive verb) to make / let something/someone in / to put something in
Basic structure:
→(Subject + が ( = ga)/ は ( = wa) + ) Object + を ( = wo ) + somewhere ( place / organization / group, etc.) + に ( = ni) + 入れる ( = いれる= ireru)
Example: お金を財布に入れる
If any questions, please let me know.
Thnak you. In indeed today I can hear the “な”. Maybe yesterday some issues with my ears…
☺
Hello
In the video: 2. Situation is translated:
ハル:必要(ひつよう)な物(もの)、みんな入(はい)った?
Haru: Did everything you need fit?
But when I am listening, I don’t hear ta ” な ” after ” 必要 “, instead I hear a ” の “. Am I wrong?
Thank you for your help.
As a dialog, な was after 必要. It is grammatically wrong if の was there. Please listen carefully again! ^^
Hello, the sentence “こんにちは。スーツケースを見てるんですか? ” would have a different meaning or context if told “こんにちは。スーツケースを見ていますか?” ?
I guess that is the same question below?
Yes, thank you!
This sentence “なんかいいとこあるんですか? ” would have the same meaning if written “なんかいいとこありますか?
Since the customer already expected there is something good about the suitcase, she used なにかいいとこあるんですか?It is more natural to used んですか in this sentence as well.
I got it! Thank you very much!
Excuse me another question:
In the sentence “うちにはいろんなのがありますよ。”, the “-なの” is the short form for “-な物”?
Yes, you are right.
Sorry, I mean, with a normal “-です” instead “-んです”…
In this conversation, the shop clerk saw the customer was looking at a suitcase. When you ask to make a confirmation, んですか should be used.
In this situation, it is more natural to use ”んですか?” to ask.
Right! It’s still formal but more natural for the dialog. Thank you.
Hello, would be a wrong question “こんにちは。スーツケースを見てるんですか? ” without “-んです”?