Reviewing and improving a short work note | Learn Japanese in English

Japanese lesson set in a contemporary Tokyo everyday setting: In a workplace, two adults review a short note and decide to add one more detail before sharing it..

EN → JA / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Reviewing and improving a short work note to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

短いメモを書きました。

mee-jee-KAI meh-moh oh KAH-kee mah-SHTAH. I wrote a short note.
B

今、読んでもいいですか。

EE-ma, YOHN-deh moh EE dehss kah? Can I read it now?
A

こちらです。

koh-CHEE-rah dehss. Here it is.
B

読みやすいです。

yoh-mee-yah-SOO-ee dehss. It reads well.
A

もう一つ詳しいことを加えると、役に立ちますか。

moh-oh hee-TOHT-soo koo-wah-SHEE koh-toh oh koo-wah-eh-ROO toh, yah-koo nee tee-MAHSS kah? Would one more detail help?
B

もう一行あると、もっとよくなります。

moh-oh ee-CHEE-gyoh ah-ROO toh, MOHT-toh YOH-koo nah-ree-MAHSS. One more line would improve it.
A

今、それを加えます。

EE-ma, soh-REH oh koo-wah-eh-MAHSS. I'll add that now.
B

それなら、共有する準備ができているはずです。

soh-reh nah-RAH, kyoh-YOO soo-ROO joom-BEE gah deh-KEE-teh EE-roo hah-ZOO dehss. Then we should be ready to share it.

Word by Word

短い “短い” describes the note as not long in this dialogue. It comes before the noun “メモ”; use this word before the thing whose length you are describing.
メモ “メモ” means a short note or memo here. It follows “短い” and takes “を” when it is the thing being written, as in this dialogue.
を “を” marks “メモ” as the thing affected by “書きました”. A common reuse pattern is a noun + “を” + an action verb when saying what someone does to an object.
書きました “書きました” means wrote here, referring to the completed writing of the note. It is the polite past form related to “書く”; use it after an object marked by “を” when reporting something you wrote.
今 “今” means now, the current time. In “今、読んでもいいですか”, it sets when the reading would happen; use it to place an action in the present moment.
読んで “読んで” is the て-form related to “読む” and here connects to the permission expression “読んでもいいですか”. Use this linking form before “もいいですか” to ask whether an action is permitted.
も In “読んでもいいですか”, “も” is part of the permission pattern and helps form the meaning “is it okay to read?”. The reusable pattern is a verb in the て-form + “もいいですか” when asking permission.
いい In “読んでもいいですか”, “いい” means okay or permitted, not simply good. It is used with “も” and “ですか” to ask for permission; use the same pattern for a polite request to do something.
です Here “です” is the polite ending that makes the permission question courteous. In “読んでもいいですか”, it follows “いい” before “か”; use it in polite statements or questions.
か “か” marks the preceding polite expression as a question. In “読んでもいいですか”, it turns a permission request into a polite question; use it at the end of a polite question.
こちら “こちら” means here or this one in a polite way, pointing to the note being shown. In “こちらです”, it is useful when presenting an item to another person.
読みやすい “読みやすい” means easy to read here, describing the note’s readability. It uses “読み” before “やすい”; a reusable pattern is a verb stem + “やすい” for something easy to do.
もう “もう” means another or more here, introducing an additional detail or line. It appears before “一つ” in “もう一つ” and before “一行” in “もう一行”; use it before a quantity when describing an additional amount.
詳しい “詳しい” means detailed here, describing the kind of information to add. It comes before “こと” in “詳しいこと”; use an adjective before a noun when specifying what kind of information or thing it is.
こと In “詳しいこと”, “こと” means a detail or matter rather than a physical object. It refers to the matter described by “詳しい”; use it after an adjective when referring to such a matter in general.
加える “加える” means to add, in the suggestion “加えると”. It is the dictionary form used before “と” to express the result that follows when something is added; use it when adding a detail to a note.
と Here “と” links “加える” to the result “役に立ちます”, giving the sense “if or when adding it”. A reusable pattern is an action followed by “と” and then a natural result or consequence.
役に立ちます “役に立ちます” means is useful or helpful here, referring to adding one more detail. In the whole expression, “役” contributes the idea of a useful role, “に” links something to that role, and “立ちます” completes the expression; learn the three together rather than translating each separately. A common reuse pattern is “Xが役に立ちます” when telling someone that something is useful.
行 “行” means a line of writing here, as in “一行”. It is used after a number to count lines; use it when referring to an additional line in a note or document.
ある “ある” means be present or exist here, saying that one more line is present. In “もう一行あると”, it appears before “と” to describe the condition that leads to improvement; use it for the presence of a thing or item.
もっと “もっと” means more or further here, increasing the degree of improvement. It modifies “よく” in “もっとよくなります”; use it before a description when expressing a greater degree.
よく “よく” means better here as part of “もっとよくなります”. It describes the improved state reached with “なります”; use it in this pattern when saying that something becomes better.
なります “なります” means becomes here, so “よくなります” says that the note becomes better. It is the polite form used after “よく” to describe a change of state; use it after a description when saying that something changes into that state.
それ “それ” means that or it here, referring back to the suggested additional detail. In “それを加えます”, it is followed by “を” because the referenced thing is what will be added; use it to refer back to something already mentioned.
加えます “加えます” means add here, referring to the detail just discussed. It is the polite nonpast form related to “加える”, and “それを加えます” is a reusable complete pattern for saying that you will add something.
なら In “それなら”, “なら” means if that is the case or then, responding to the preceding suggestion. Use “それなら” when drawing a conclusion or next step from information just given.
共有する “共有する” means to share here, describing the action that the note will be ready for. It comes before “準備” in “共有する準備”; use a verb in this form before a noun when describing preparation for that action.
準備 “準備” means preparation or readiness here, specifically readiness to share the note. In “共有する準備ができている”, it is the thing whose readiness is being described; use it with “ができている” for something that is ready.
が In “準備ができている”, “が” marks “準備” as the thing that is ready. A common reuse pattern is a noun + “が” + a description of its state.
できて In “準備ができている”, “できて” means be completed or ready and links to “いる”. It is the て-form related to “できる”; use it before “いる” when describing a state that is now in place.
いる In “できている”, “いる” shows that the state of being ready continues. It follows “できて” to describe an existing state rather than a single event; use this pattern when the result remains true.
はず “はず” means should or is expected to be here, expressing B’s expectation that they are ready. It follows “できている” in “できているはずです”; use it when something is expected based on the situation.

Grammar Points

動詞のます形の語幹＋やすい

こちらは読みやすいです。

koh-CHEE-rah wah yoh-mee-yah-SOO-ee dehss.

This is easy to read.

「〜やすい」は動詞のます形の語幹につき、「〜するのが簡単」という意味の形容詞を作ります。

Japanese Vocabulary

こちら pron
koh-CHEE-rah here; this

こちらです。

メモ noun
MEH-moh note

短いメモを書きました。

もう adv
MOH-oh another; more

もう一つ詳しいこと

一行 noun
ee-CHEE-gyoh one line

もう一行あると

加える verb
koo-wah-eh-ROO add

詳しいことを加えると

今 adv
EE-ma now

今、読んでもいいですか。

書く verb
KAH-koo write 書きました

メモを書きました。

詳しい adj
koo-wah-SHEE detailed

もう一つ詳しいこと

短い adj
mee-jee-KAI short

短いメモ

読みやすい adj
yoh-mee-yah-SOO-ee easy to read

読みやすいです。

読む verb
YOH-moo read 読んでも

今、読んでもいいですか。

役に立つ phrase
yah-koo nee TAH-tsoo be useful; help 役に立ちます

役に立ちますか。

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

write

Show Answer書きました

easy to read

Show Answer読みやすい

read

Show Answer読んでも

be useful; help

Show Answer役に立ちます