Choosing an Event Activity | Learn Japanese in English

Japanese lesson set in a contemporary Tokyo everyday setting: At an event desk, two adults ask a staff member about available activities and choose a guided walk..

EN → JA / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Choosing an Event Activity to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

すみません、今参加できるイベントはどれですか。

soo-mee-mah-SEN, ee-MAH sahn-kah DEH-kee-roo ee-BEHN-toh wah doh-REH dess-kah Excuse me, which events can we join now?
C

ガイド付きの散歩とダンスの活動から選べます。

GUY-doh tsoo-KEE noh SAHN-poh toh DAHN-soo noh kah-TSOO-doh-kee kah-rah eh-RAH-beh-MAHS You can choose between a guided walk and a dance session.
B

ガイド付きの散歩はどんなものですか。

GUY-doh tsoo-KEE noh SAHN-poh wah DOHN-nah MOH-noh dess-kah What is the guided walk like?
C

ガイドがゆっくり案内します。

GUY-doh gah YOOK-koo-ree ahn-NAI shee-MAHS A guide leads the walk at a slow pace.
C

ですから、ついていきやすいです。

dess-KAH-rah, tsoo-EE-teh EE-kee-yah-SOO-ee dess So it is easy to follow.
A

初めてでもできそうです。

hah-JEE-meh-teh DEH-moh deh-kee-SOH dess That sounds manageable for a first try.
B

ダンスの活動では、たくさん動きますか。

DAHN-soo noh kah-TSOO-doh-kee deh-WAH, tah-koo-SAHN OH-doo-kee-MAHS-kah How active is the dance session?
C

こちらはもっと速く動きます。グループで簡単なステップをします。

koh-CHEE-rah wah MOHT-toh hah-YAH-koo OH-doo-kee-MAHS. GOO-roo-poo deh KAHN-tahn nah suh-TEHP-poo oh shee-MAHS It moves faster, with simple steps in a group.
A

私たちにはガイド付きの散歩のほうが合っています。

wah-SHAH-tah-chee nee-WAH GUY-doh tsoo-KEE noh SAHN-poh noh HOH gah ah-TTEH-ee-MAHS The guided walk suits us better.

Word by Word

すみません すみません is used here to politely get the staff member’s attention before asking a question. It is common when addressing someone you do not know, such as a desk worker or service staff member.
今 今 means “now” in the question about events that can be joined at this moment. It commonly appears with an action or situation to specify the current time.
参加 参加 supplies the meaning of taking part in the event in 参加できるイベント. It is useful when talking about joining an event, activity, or meeting.
できる できる means “can” or “be able to” in 参加できる, so 参加できるイベント means events that people can join. It commonly follows an action to express that the action is possible.
イベント イベント means “event” in イベント, referring to an organized activity available at the desk. It can be used for activities or occasions that people attend or join.
は は marks イベント as the topic of the question in イベントはどれですか. It commonly sets the thing being discussed as the topic before the rest of the sentence gives information about it.
どれ どれ means “which one” when the speaker asks which available event to choose. It is used when selecting one item from several options.
です です gives the question a polite sentence ending in どれですか. It is commonly used when politely identifying or describing something.
か か turns どれです into a polite question in どれですか. It is placed at the end of a sentence when asking for information.
ガイド ガイド means “guide” in ガイド付き and ガイドがゆっくり案内します. Here it refers to the person or guidance connected with the walk, and it is useful for talking about guided activities.
付き 付き means “with” or “accompanied by” in ガイド付きの散歩, so the walk comes with a guide. It commonly follows a noun to describe something that includes or has that noun.
の の links ガイド付き with 散歩 in ガイド付きの散歩, making “a walk with a guide.” It commonly connects a describing noun phrase to the noun it describes.
散歩 散歩 means “walk” in ガイド付きの散歩, the activity with which the speakers compare the dance activity. It is useful when talking about taking a walk as an activity.
と と connects the two choices in 散歩とダンス, meaning “the walk and the dance activity.” It commonly links items in a simple list.
ダンス ダンス means “dance” in ダンスの活動, referring to the dance-based activity offered at the event desk. It can be used when talking about dancing or an activity involving dance.
活動 活動 means “activity” in ダンスの活動 and refers to the organized event activity. It is useful when describing what people do as part of an event or program.
から から means “from” or “among” in 散歩とダンスの活動から選べます, showing the set of options from which someone can choose. The reusable pattern is optionsから選ぶ or optionsから選べます.
選べます 選べます means “can choose” in 散歩とダンスの活動から選べます. The polite form is used to tell someone what choices are available, commonly with the options followed by から.
どんな どんな asks what kind of thing the guided walk is in どんなものですか. It is placed before a noun when asking about its type, character, or features.
もの もの means “thing” in どんなものですか, referring broadly to the guided walk as an activity being described. Together with どんな, it asks what kind of thing or activity it is.
が が marks ガイド as the subject in ガイドがゆっくり案内します. It commonly identifies who or what performs the action in a sentence.
ゆっくり ゆっくり means “slowly” in ガイドがゆっくり案内します and describes the pace of the guidance. It is commonly placed before a verb to describe an action done at a slow pace.
案内 案内 means “guidance” or “leading” in 案内します, describing what the guide provides during the walk. It is useful for talking about showing someone the way or guiding them through a place or activity.
します します means “do” in 案内します, where it combines with 案内 to mean “guide” or “provide guidance.” It is the polite form used for an action or service, commonly after a noun such as 案内.
ですから ですから means “so” or “therefore” and connects the slow guidance with the result that following is easy. In this expression, です gives a polite statement ending and から connects it as the reason or conclusion.
ついていきやすい ついていきやすい means “easy to follow along” in ついていきやすいです. It describes the guided walk as easy to keep up with, and the pattern can be used when an action is easy for someone to do.
初めて 初めて means “for the first time” in 初めてでもできそうです. It shows that the speaker is considering the activity as a first experience, and it is commonly used when describing a new activity or experience.
でも でも means “even” in 初めてでも, giving the meaning “even for a first time.” In this expression, で marks the situation or condition and も adds the idea of “even,” so the activity seems possible despite being new.
できそう できそう means “seems possible” in 初めてでもできそうです. It expresses the speaker’s impression that they will probably be able to do the activity, and it can be used when judging whether an action looks manageable.
では では frames ダンスの活動 as the context or topic in ダンスの活動では, meaning “as for the dance activity.” It is useful when describing what happens in a particular activity, setting, or situation.
たくさん たくさん means “a lot” in たくさん動きます, indicating a large amount of movement. It commonly comes before a verb to describe doing something in a large amount or degree.
動きます 動きます means “move” in たくさん動きます and describes the physical movement required in the dance activity. The polite form is useful when explaining what participants do, especially with an amount or manner placed before it.
こちら こちら means “this one” in こちらは, referring here to the dance activity just mentioned. It is a polite way to identify one option or activity when comparing choices.
もっと もっと means “more” in もっと速く, increasing the degree of speed compared with the guided walk. It commonly comes before an adjective or adverb when making a comparison.
速く 速く means “quickly” or “faster” in もっと速く動きます and describes how the movement is done. With もっと, it means that this activity involves moving faster; it is the adverbial form related to 速い.
グループ グループ means “group” in グループで, referring to the participants doing the simple steps together. It is useful when describing an activity performed with several people.
で で marks the group as the setting or manner in グループで, meaning that the steps are done in a group. It commonly follows a place, group, or means to show where or how an action takes place.
簡単 簡単 means “simple” in 簡単なステップ and describes the steps as not complicated. It is useful when describing the difficulty or complexity of an activity or task.
な な connects 簡単 to ステップ in 簡単なステップ, allowing the description “simple” to come before the noun. It is used after this kind of describing word when it directly modifies a noun.
ステップ ステップ means “step” in 簡単なステップ, referring to the dance movements participants perform. It is useful when describing individual movements in a dance activity.
を を marks ステップ as the thing done in ステップをします. The pattern nounをします is used to describe performing an activity or action.
私たち 私たち means “we” or “us” and refers to the two adults choosing an activity together. It is commonly used when speaking about the speaker and one or more other people as a group.
には には means “for us” or “as far as we are concerned” in 私たちには, setting the speakers as the people whose suitability is being discussed. It is useful when giving an opinion about what fits a particular person or group.
ほう ほう refers to one side or option in ガイド付きの散歩のほうが合っています. In this comparison, ガイド付きの散歩のほうが presents the guided walk as the option that suits the speakers better.
合っています 合っています means “suits” or “is a good fit” in 私たちにはガイド付きの散歩のほうが合っています. It states that the guided walk matches the speakers’ needs or ability, and this pattern is useful when explaining which option fits someone better.

Grammar Points

動詞ます形＋やすい

ついていきやすいです。

tsoo-EE-teh EE-kee-yah-SOO-ee dess

It is easy to follow.

Add やすい to a verb stem to say that an action is easy to do.

動詞ます形＋そうです

できそうです。

deh-kee-SOH dess

It seems manageable.

そうです after a verb stem expresses that something appears likely or possible.

Japanese Vocabulary

イベント noun
ee-BEHN-toh event
ガイド noun
GUY-doh guide
ガイド付き adj
GUY-doh tsoo-KEE guided
すみません intj
soo-mee-mah-SEN excuse me
どれ pron
doh-REH which one
どんなもの phrase
DOHN-nah MOH-noh what kind of thing; what is it like
ゆっくり adv
YOOK-koo-ree slowly
活動 noun
kah-TSOO-doh-kee activity
今 adv
ee-MAH now
参加できる verb
sahn-kah DEH-kee-roo can join; can participate
散歩 noun
SAHN-poh walk
選べます verb
eh-RAH-beh-MAHS can choose

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

can join; can participate

Show Answer参加できる

guided

Show Answerガイド付き

can choose

Show Answer選べます

event

Show Answerイベント