About This Lesson
Use Basic Possession and Ability to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
私はこれを持っています。
wah-TAH-shee wah koh-REH oh MOHT-teh ee-MAHS I have this one.
B
私はそれを持っていません。
wah-TAH-shee wah soh-REH oh MOHT-teh ee-mah-SEN I do not have it.
A
私はそれができます。
wah-TAH-shee wah soh-REH gah deh-kee-MAHS I can do it.
B
私はそれができません。
wah-TAH-shee wah soh-REH gah deh-kee-mah-SEN I cannot do it.
A
私を手伝ってもらえますか。
wah-TAH-shee oh teh-tsu-DAHT-teh moh-rah-EH-mahss kah Can you help me?
B
あなたはこれができますか。
ah-NAH-tah wah koh-REH gah deh-kee-MAHS kah Can you do this?Word by Word
私
私 refers to the speaker. In 私はこれを持っています it means “I,” while in 私を手伝ってもらえますか it means “me”; the particle supplies that role. Use it when the speaker identifies themself.
は
は marks 私 as the topic in 私は. It frames the following statement as information about the speaker, whether about possession or ability. A reusable word order shown in the dialogue is 私は followed by the statement, as in 私はこれを持っています.
これ
これ means “this” or “this one,” referring to the item in focus. In これを持っています it is the thing possessed, while in これができますか it is the thing associated with ability; the particles determine its role. Use it when referring to an item or task that is clear in the situation.
を
を marks the object connected to the following action or expression. In これを持っています it marks the thing being possessed, while in 私を手伝ってもらえますか it marks the person receiving help. The dialogue shows the useful order of を after the relevant object or person.
持って
持って carries the meaning “have” or “hold” here and is the て-form of 持つ. It connects to います in 持っています, the polite possession expression in 私はこれを持っています. Reuse the dialogue’s order これを持っています when stating that an item is in your possession.
います
In 持っています, います completes the polite expression for being in possession; the whole expression means “have” or “hold.” It is the polite form of いる used after 持って in this construction. The dialogue uses it in 私はこれを持っています to state possession politely.
それ
それ means “it” or “that” here, referring to something understood from the context. In それを持っていません it is the thing not possessed, and in それができます it is the thing associated with ability. Use it when the item or task is already clear to both speakers.
いません
In 持っていません, いません supplies the polite negative continuation after 持って, so the whole expression means “do not have.” It is the negative polite form of いる. The dialogue’s exact reusable possession pattern is 私はそれを持っていません, used to deny possession politely.
が
が marks the thing associated with ability in それができます and これができますか. It connects the item or task to the ability expression, while できます or できません states whether it can be done. The dialogue gives the reusable question pattern これができますか for asking whether someone can do something.
できます
できます means “can do” or “be able to do” in それができます. It is the polite form of できる, and が marks the thing connected to the ability. Use the dialogue’s question form これができますか when asking whether someone can do a task.
できません
できません means “cannot do” in 私はそれができません. It is the polite negative form of できる, so it politely states that the speaker is unable to do the task. The dialogue’s exact pattern is 私はそれができません, which is useful when stating inability or declining a task.
手伝って
手伝って means “help” or “assist” here and is the て-form of 手伝う. In 私を手伝ってもらえますか, it connects the request for help to もらえますか, while 私を identifies the person to be helped. Use this form in the dialogue’s polite request for assistance.
もらえます
もらえます is the polite form of もらえる. In 私を手伝ってもらえますか, it contributes the idea of receiving someone’s help and, together with 手伝って and か, forms the polite request “Can you help me?” A reusable pattern shown in the dialogue is 手伝ってもらえますか when asking another person for help.
か
か marks the preceding sentence as a question. It appears at the end of 私を手伝ってもらえますか and あなたはこれができますか, turning them into questions. Put it at the end of a yes-or-no question in the same way as these dialogue forms.
あなた
あなた means “you” and identifies the person being asked in あなたはこれができますか. Here は makes that person the topic, so the question asks about their ability to do これ. Use it when the person being asked needs to be identified explicitly.
Grammar Points
〜ています／〜ていません
私はこれを持っています。
wah-TAH-shee wah koh-REH oh MOHT-teh ee-MAHSI have this.
Use ています for an ongoing state or action; change it to ていません to make it negative.
〜て もらえますか
手伝ってもらえますか。
teh-tsu-DAHT-teh moh-rah-EH-mahss kahCould you help me?
This polite pattern asks whether someone can do something for you.
Japanese Vocabulary
あなた
pron
ah-NAH-tah
you
あなたはこれができますか。
これ
pron
koh-REH
this; this one
私はこれを持っています。
それ
pron
soh-REH
it; that
私はそれを持っていません。
できます
verb
deh-kee-MAHS
can do; be able to do
私はそれができます。
できません
verb
deh-kee-mah-SEN
cannot do; be unable to do
私はそれができません。
もらえますか
verb
moh-rah-EH-mahss kah
can I receive; could you do something for me
私を手伝ってもらえますか。
私
pron
wah-TAH-shee
I; me
私はこれを持っています。
持っています
verb
MOHT-teh ee-MAHS
have; am holding
私はこれを持っています。
持っていません
verb
MOHT-teh ee-mah-SEN
do not have; am not holding
私はそれを持っていません。
手伝って
verb
teh-tsu-DAHT-teh
help
私を手伝ってもらえますか。
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
do not have; am not holding
Show Answer
持っていませんhelp
Show Answer
手伝ってhave; am holding
Show Answer
持っていますcan do; be able to do