Choosing a seat near the front | Learn Japanese in English

Japanese lesson set in a contemporary Tokyo everyday setting: In a language classroom, two adults talk about sitting near the front, hearing the teacher clearly, and focusing during class..

EN → JA / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Choosing a seat near the front to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

いつもここに座りますか。

ee-TSOO-moh KOH-koh nee soo-wah-ree-MAHS kah Do you always sit here?
B

前のほうに座るのが好きです。

mah-EH noh HOH-oh nee soo-wah-roo noh gah soo-KEE dess I like sitting at the front.
A

先生の声がよく聞こえます。

SEN-say noh KOH-eh gah YOH-koo kee-KOH-eh-mahs I can hear the teacher well.
B

ここでは質問しやすいです。

KOH-koh deh wah shee-tsoo-MOHN shee-yah-SOO-ee dess It is easy to ask questions here.
A

次は一緒に座りましょう。

TSOO-gee wah ees-SHOH nee soo-wah-ree-mah-SHOH Let's sit together next time.
B

そうしたいです。

SOH-oh shee-TAH-ee dess I would like that.
B

前のほうに座ると、集中しやすいです。

mah-EH noh HOH-oh nee soo-wah-roo toh, shoo-CHOO shee-yah-SOO-ee dess Sitting at the front helps me focus.

Word by Word

いつも In いつもここに座りますか。, いつも means “always” and asks about a regular habit. It commonly comes before the verb phrase. You can use it when asking a classmate about something they regularly do.
ここ In ここに座りますか。, ここ means “here,” the place indicated by the speaker. With a place particle, it identifies the location being discussed. You can use it when pointing out or asking about the place where someone is sitting.
に In ここに座りますか。, に marks ここ as the place where the person sits. The reusable pattern is [place]に座る. You can use it when asking or saying where someone will sit.
座ります In いつもここに座りますか。, 座ります means “sit” in a polite form of 座る. It appears after the place expression ここに. You can use [place]に座ります in a polite conversation about seating.
か In いつもここに座りますか。, か marks the sentence as a question. It comes at the end of this polite question after 座ります. You can use it to ask politely whether a statement is true.
前 In 前のほうに座るのが好きです。, 前 means “front” and identifies the front area of the classroom. Together with のほう, it refers to an area toward the front rather than one exact seat. You can use it when choosing or describing a seat location.
の In 前のほう, の links 前 and ほう so that ほう is described as the front side or area. This is a reusable linking pattern between two nouns. You can use it when describing one area in relation to another.
ほう In 前のほう, ほう means “side,” “direction,” or “area,” giving the expression the meaning “the front area.” It helps describe a general area rather than one exact point. You can use it when indicating which part of a room someone prefers.
座る In 前のほうに座るのが好きです。, 座る means “sit” and names the action of sitting. The form appears before のが好きです to express a preference for that action. You can reuse the pattern [place]に座る when talking about sitting somewhere.
が In 座るのが好きです。, が marks 座るの as the action that is liked. The whole expression 座るのが好きです means that the speaker likes sitting. You can use [thing or action]が好きです to express a preference politely.
好き In 座るのが好きです。, 好き means “like” or “be fond of,” expressing a preference for sitting at the front. With が, it describes what the speaker likes. You can use it when telling someone about a personal preference.
です In 前のほうに座るのが好きです。, です is the polite sentence ending that makes the preference statement polite. It follows 好き in the expression 好きです. You can use this ending in a polite classroom conversation when stating an opinion or preference.
先生 In 先生の声がよく聞こえます。, 先生 means “teacher.” It identifies whose voice is being discussed through the expression 先生の声. You can use [person]の声 when talking about someone’s voice.
声 In 先生の声がよく聞こえます。, 声 means “voice,” specifically the teacher’s voice. It is the sound described as audible in this classroom situation. You can use [person]の声が聞こえます when saying that someone’s voice can be heard.
よく In 先生の声がよく聞こえます。, よく means “well” or “clearly” and describes how the voice can be heard. With 聞こえます, it indicates good audibility. You can use it when explaining that a sound is easy to hear.
聞こえます In 先生の声がよく聞こえます。, 聞こえます means “can hear” or “is audible” and is the polite form of 聞こえる. The reusable pattern is [sound]が聞こえます. You can use it when telling someone that a voice or other sound can be heard.
で In ここでは質問しやすいです。, で marks ここ as the place or setting where asking questions is easy. With a place, [place]で describes where an activity or situation occurs. You can use it when describing what happens in a particular classroom or location.
は In ここでは質問しやすいです。, は makes ここで the topic or setting being focused on. The expression ここでは describes what is true in this place. You can use [place]では when talking about what happens in a particular setting.
質問 In ここでは質問しやすいです。, 質問 means “question” and refers to asking questions in the classroom. It combines with しやすい to describe asking questions as easy. You can use it when talking about questions learners ask during class.
しやすい In 質問しやすいです。, しやすい means “easy to do,” so the expression says that asking questions is easy here. It describes the ease of the action named before it. You can use the pattern [action]しやすい when an activity feels easy to carry out.
次 In 次は一緒に座りましょう。, 次 means “next time” or the next occasion. With は, it sets the next occasion as the topic of the suggestion. You can use it when making a plan for the next class or meeting.
一緒 In 次は一緒に座りましょう。, 一緒 means “together,” referring to doing the action with the other person. The に connects it to 座りましょう. You can use 一緒に before an action when inviting someone to do it together.
座りましょう In 次は一緒に座りましょう。, 座りましょう means “let’s sit” and gives a polite suggestion or invitation. It is used at the end of the proposed action. You can use it when inviting someone to sit with you in a future class.
そう In そうしたいです。, そう means “so” or “that way” and points back to the suggested action of sitting together. With したいです, the expression means “I would like to do that.” You can use it when agreeing to a suggestion without repeating the whole action.
したい In そうしたいです。, したい expresses the desire to do the action referred to by そう. Here, it means wanting to sit together as proposed. You can use it when saying that you want to carry out an action that has already been mentioned.
と In 前のほうに座ると、集中しやすいです。, と connects the action of sitting at the front with the resulting situation that focusing is easy. Here it has the meaning “when” or “if” in a condition-and-result pattern. You can use [condition]と、[result] when describing a regular or natural consequence.
集中 In 前のほうに座ると、集中しやすいです。, 集中 means “focus” or “concentration.” With しやすい, 集中しやすい says that focusing is easy. You can use it when discussing how easy it is to concentrate during class.

Grammar Points

Vます-stem + やすい

ここは集中しやすいです。

KOH-koh wah shoo-CHOO shee-yah-SOO-ee dess

It is easy to concentrate here.

Attach やすい to the verb stem to express that an action is easy to do.

Nが聞こえる

ここでは先生の声がよく聞こえます。

KOH-koh deh-wah SEN-say noh KOH-eh gah YOH-koo kee-KOH-eh-mahs

You can hear the teacher's voice clearly here.

聞こえる means that a sound is audible or can be heard, rather than intentionally listening.

Japanese Vocabulary

いつも adv
ee-TSOO-moh always
ここ pron
KOH-koh here
しやすい adj
shee-yah-SOO-ee easy to do
よく adv
YOH-koo well; clearly
好き adj
soo-KEE like; fond of 好きです
座る verb
soo-WAH-roo to sit 座ります
次 noun
TSOO-gee next time; next
質問 noun
shee-tsoo-MOHN question
声 noun
KOH-eh voice
先生 noun
SEN-say teacher
前のほう phrase
mah-EH noh HOH-oh the front; toward the front
聞こえる verb
kee-KOH-eh-roo to be audible; can be heard 聞こえます

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to sit

Show Answer座ります

to be audible; can be heard

Show Answer聞こえます

the front; toward the front

Show Answer前のほう

like; fond of

Show Answer好きです