About This Lesson
Use Preparing for a Meeting to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
会議のメモはできていますか？
kyee-GHEE noh MEH-moh wah deh-kee-TEH ee-MAHSS kah Are the meeting notes ready?
B
会議のメモは私の机の上にあります。
kyee-GHEE noh MEH-moh wah wah-TAH-shee noh tsoo-KWEH noh oo-EH nee ah-ree-MAHSS They are on my desk.
A
私の分はありますか？
wah-TAH-shee noh BOON wah ah-ree-MAHSS kah Is there a copy for me?
B
こちらです。
koh-CHEE-rah dehss Here is one.
A
今日は何を話し合いますか？
KYOH wah NAH-nee oh hah-nah-shee-ah-ee-MAHSS kah What are we discussing today?
B
新しい計画について話し合います。
ah-tah-rah-SHEE keh-ee-KAH-koo nee TSOO-ee-teh hah-nah-shee-ah-ee-MAHSS We will discuss the new plan.
A
始める前に、メモを読ませてください。
hah-jee-MEH-roo mah-EH nee MEH-moh oh yoh-mah-SEH-teh koo-dah-SAH-ee Let me read the notes before we start.
B
始める前に、少し時間を取ってください。
hah-jee-MEH-roo mah-EH nee soo-KOH-shee JEE-kahn oh TOHT-teh koo-dah-SAH-ee Take a minute before we begin.Word by Word
会議
会議 means a meeting. In 会議のメモ, it identifies the meeting connected with the notes. Use it when referring to a meeting at work or in another setting.
の
の connects one noun to the following noun and shows their relationship. In 会議のメモ, it means the notes for the meeting; the same pattern appears in 私の机 and 私の分. Use it between nouns when specifying ownership or another connection.
メモ
メモ means notes or a memo. In 会議のメモ, it refers to the written notes for the meeting. Use it when talking about written information that someone has made or needs to read.
は
は marks 会議のメモ as the topic of the question. The question asks whether the meeting notes are ready. Use it after the thing you want to make the topic of a statement or question.
できて
In できています, できて contributes the meaning of being ready or completed. It connects with います to describe the resulting state of the notes. The pattern できていますか？ is useful when checking whether something is ready.
います
In できています, います helps describe the continuing state resulting from something being completed, so the notes are ready. Here it does not describe the location of a person. Use できていますか？ when asking whether preparation has been completed.
か
か marks the sentence as a question. At the end of できていますか？, it turns the statement about readiness into a question. Use it at the end of a polite question.
私
私 refers to the speaker as I or me. In 私の机 and 私の分, it identifies the speaker's desk and the share intended for the speaker. Use it with の when referring to something connected with yourself.
机
机 means a desk. In 私の机, it identifies the desk where the notes are located. Use it with a place expression such as 机の上 when describing where something is.
上
上 means the top or surface of something. In 机の上, it refers to the surface of the desk. Together with に, it helps identify where an object is located.
に
に marks a location in 机の上にあります and a time relation in 始める前に. In the first expression it shows where the notes are; in the second it marks the time before starting. Use it after a place or time expression to show where or when something applies.
あります
In 机の上にあります, あります says that the notes are located on the desk. It is used here for the existence or location of an object, with the place marked by に. Use it after a location when saying where an object is.
分
In 私の分, 分 means the share or copy intended for the speaker. 私の shows whose share it is. Use this expression when asking about or identifying something set aside for a particular person.
こちら
In こちらです, こちら points to the copy being offered and means here or this one in this context. It is a polite way to indicate or present something. Use it when handing someone an item or directing their attention to one.
です
In こちらです, です makes a polite identification, meaning that this is the requested item or that it is here. It follows the pointing expression こちら. Use it to give a polite answer identifying an item or place.
今日
今日 means today. In 今日は何を話し合いますか？, it sets today as the time being discussed and is followed by は as the topic marker. Use it when asking or stating what happens on the current day.
何
何 means what. In 何を話し合いますか？, it asks what subject the speakers will discuss, with を marking it as the object. Use it before a particle when asking about an unknown thing.
を
を marks the thing directly involved in an action. In 何を話し合いますか？ it marks the subject of discussion, and in メモを読ませてください it marks the notes to be read. Use it after the object of an action.
話し合います
話し合います means discuss and is the polite form used in the dialogue. It describes the planned discussion of a subject, such as 何 or 新しい計画について. Use it after the topic or object that the participants will discuss.
新しい
新しい means new. In 新しい計画, it describes the plan as new in the situation. Use it before a noun when identifying something newly introduced or not previously known in the conversation.
計画
計画 means a plan. In 新しい計画について話し合います, it is the plan that will be discussed. Use it with a describing word such as 新しい or with について when naming the subject of a discussion.
について
In 新しい計画について, に and ついて together mark the new plan as the subject or matter being discussed. に establishes the relation to the topic, and ついて adds the meaning of concerning or about. Use this construction after a noun when saying what a conversation or explanation concerns.
始める
始める means start or begin. In 始める前に, it names the activity that comes after the time described by 前に, giving the meaning before starting. Use it before 前に when referring to something that happens before an activity begins.
前
In 始める前に, 前 means before. It follows 始める and, with に, marks the time before that action. Use an action or event followed by 前に to say that something happens before it.
読ませて
In 読ませてください, 読ませて asks the other person to allow the speaker to read. It connects with ください to form a polite request for permission to do this action. Use this request when you need someone to let you read something before proceeding.
ください
In 読ませてください, ください adds a polite please to the request. It follows 読ませて and makes the request courteous. Use it after a request form when asking someone to allow or provide something.
少し
少し means a little or a short amount. In 少し時間を取ってください, it limits the requested time to a small amount and makes clear that only a brief pause is needed. Use it before an amount or time expression when asking for a small quantity.
時間
時間 means time. In 少し時間を取ってください, it is the amount of time the other person is asked to set aside. Use it with 少し when asking for a short amount of time before an activity.
取って
In 時間を取ってください, 取って means take or set aside time. It connects with ください to make a polite request to reserve time before the meeting begins. Use 時間を取ってください when asking someone to allow time for a task or preparation.
Grammar Points
Nについて
新しい計画について話し合います。
ah-tah-rah-SHEE keh-ee-KAH-koo nee TSOO-ee-teh hah-nah-shee-ah-ee-MAHSSWe will discuss the new plan.
「Nについて」means “about/regarding N” and marks the topic of discussion.
V-させてください
会議を始める前に、メモを読ませてください。
kyee-GHEE oh hah-jee-MEH-roo mah-EH nee MEH-moh oh yoh-mah-SEH-teh koo-dah-SAH-eeBefore starting the meeting, please let me read the notes.
A polite request for permission meaning “please let me do V”; 読ませてください means “please let me read.”
Japanese Vocabulary
こちら
pron
koh-CHEE-rah
here; this one
こちらです。
できています
verb
deh-kee-TEH ee-MAHSS
be ready; be completed
メモはできていますか?
メモ
noun
MEH-moh
notes
会議のメモ
何
pron
NAH-nee
what
何を話し合いますか?
会議
noun
kyee-GHEE
meeting
会議のメモ
机
noun
tsoo-KWEH
desk
私の机の上
今日
adv
KYOH
today
今日は何を話し合いますか?
私
pron
wah-TAH-shee
I; me; my
私の机
上
noun
oo-EH
top; on
机の上
新しい
adj
ah-tah-rah-SHEE
new
新しい計画
分
noun
BOON
share; portion; copy for someone
私の分
話し合います
verb
hah-nah-shee-ah-ee-MAHSS
discuss
何を話し合いますか?
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
be ready; be completed
Show Answer
できていますdiscuss
Show Answer
話し合いますtoday
Show Answer
今日here; this one