About This Lesson
Use Practicing a Short Dialogue to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
この会話を練習したいです。
KOH-noh KYE-wah oh ren-SHOO shee-TYE dess. I want to practice this dialogue.
B
私があなたのパートナーになれます。
wah-tah-SHEE gah ah-NAH-tah noh PAH-toh-NAH nee nah-REH-mahss. I can be your partner.
A
私はどの役をすればいいですか。
wah-tah-SHEE wah DOH-noh YAH-koo oh soo-REH-bah EE dess kah. Which role should I take?
B
最初の部分を読んでください。
SYE-shoh noh boo-BOON oh YOHN-deh koo-DAH-sye. You can read the first part.
A
このセリフは少し難しいです。
KOH-noh SEH-ree-foo wah soo-KOH-shee moo-zoo-KAH-shee dess. This line is a little hard.
B
私と一緒にゆっくり読んでください。
wah-tah-SHEE toh ee-SHOH-nee yook-KOO-ree YOHN-deh koo-DAH-sye. Read it slowly with me.
A
最初からもう一度やってみます。
SYE-shoh kah-RAH moh-oo EE-chee-doh YAHT-teh mee-MAHSS. Let me try it again from the start.
B
今はもっとはっきり読めています。
ee-MAH wah MOHT-toh hahk-KEE-ree yoh-MEH-teh-ee-MAHSS. You're reading more clearly now.Word by Word
この
この means “this” and points to the specific dialogue being practiced in この会話を練習したいです. It comes directly before the noun it identifies, as in この会話.
会話
会話 means “conversation” or “dialogue.” In この会話を練習したいです, it names the spoken exchange that the learner wants to practice. It can refer to a conversation as a whole.
を
を marks 会話 as the thing being practiced in この会話を練習したいです. It comes after the object and before the activity word.
練習
練習 means “practice” and names the activity in この会話を練習したいです. Here it is followed by を and then したい, showing what the speaker wants to do.
したい
したい expresses the speaker’s wish to do something; in 練習したい, it means “want to practice.” It follows 練習 to describe the desired activity.
です
です closes この会話を練習したいです as a polite statement. It gives the sentence a polite, complete ending and is useful when stating something respectfully.
私
私 means “I” or “me.” In 私があなたのパートナーになれます, it identifies the speaker as the person who can be the partner; in 私と一緒に, it means “with me.” Its role is shown by the particle that follows it.
が
が marks 私 as the person who can become the partner in 私があなたのパートナーになれます. It identifies the subject of the ability or offer expressed in the sentence.
あなた
あなた means “you.” In あなたのパートナー, it identifies the person whose partner is being discussed. It is followed by の when it describes a relationship or possession.
の
の links あなた with パートナー in あなたのパートナー, meaning that the partner is connected with “you.” It is used between the describing person and the noun being described.
パートナー
パートナー means “partner.” In 私があなたのパートナーになれます, it names the role the speaker offers to take. It appears after あなたの to specify whose partner this is.
に
に marks パートナー as the result or role connected with becoming in パートナーになれます. It comes before なれます when describing what someone can become.
なれます
なれます means “can become” or “can be” in パートナーになれます. Here the speaker politely offers to take the role of the other person’s partner. It follows the role marked by に.
は
は marks the topic. In 私はどの役をすればいいですか, it makes 私 the topic of the question, and in 今はもっとはっきり読めています, it sets 今 as the time frame. It helps show what the sentence is about.
どの
どの means “which” and asks the listener to choose one role in どの役をすればいいですか. It comes directly before the noun it asks about, here 役.
役
役 means “role.” In どの役をすればいいですか, it refers to a part or character in the dialogue that the speaker should take. It follows どの to form the question about which role.
すればいい
すればいい is the whole expression for asking what action is appropriate or what one should do, here in どの役をすればいいですか. すれば presents the action being considered, while いい adds the idea that this action is acceptable or suitable. Together, the expression asks which role the speaker should take.
か
か marks どの役をすればいいですか as a question. It comes at the end of the sentence and signals that the speaker is asking for information.
最初
最初 means “the beginning” or “the first part.” In 最初の部分, it identifies the beginning section, while in 最初から it marks the point where the speaker will start again. It is useful when referring to the start of an activity or sequence.
部分
部分 means “part” or “section.” In 最初の部分を読んでください, it identifies the section that the listener is asked to read. It follows 最初 to specify which part.
読んで
読んで is the form of “read” used in 読んでください, making a polite request to read. It is followed by ください to form that request. In the dialogue, it refers to reading a section or line aloud.
ください
ください means “please” in 読んでください. After 読んで, it makes the instruction polite: “Please read.” This is useful when politely asking someone to do an action.
セリフ
セリフ means “a line of dialogue.” In このセリフは少し難しいです, it identifies the particular spoken line that seems difficult. It is used for a line performed or spoken by someone in a dialogue.
少し
少し means “a little” or “slightly.” In このセリフは少し難しいです, it softens the statement by saying that the line is difficult to a small degree. It comes before 難しい to modify the degree.
難しい
難しい means “difficult” or “hard.” In このセリフは少し難しいです, it describes the line as somewhat difficult to read or say. It follows 少し to show the degree of difficulty.
と
と means “with” in 私と一緒にゆっくり読んでください. It links 私 with the other person in the shared activity. It appears before 一緒に when saying that something is done together with someone.
一緒に
一緒に means “together.” In 私と一緒にゆっくり読んでください, it asks the listener to read together with the speaker. It is commonly used with a person marked by と.
ゆっくり
ゆっくり means “slowly.” In 私と一緒にゆっくり読んでください, it describes how the listener should read. It comes before 読んで to modify the manner of reading.
もう一度
もう一度 means “again” or “once more” in 最初からもう一度やってみます. もう adds the idea of another time, and 一度 means “one time”; together they request or describe doing something one more time. It is useful when repeating an action.
から
から means “from” in 最初からもう一度やってみます. It marks 最初 as the starting point for trying the dialogue again. It follows the place or point where an action begins.
やってみます
やってみます means “will try it” in 最初からもう一度やってみます. やって indicates doing the activity, and みます adds the idea of trying it; together they show that the speaker will make another attempt. It is useful when saying that you will attempt an activity.
今
今 means “now.” In 今はもっとはっきり読めています, it sets the current time as the point of comparison. It is followed by は when the speaker makes “now” the topic or time frame.
もっと
もっと means “more.” In 今はもっとはっきり読めています, it shows that the reading is clearer to a greater degree than before. It comes before はっきり to increase the degree of clarity.
はっきり
はっきり means “clearly.” In 今はもっとはっきり読めています, it describes the way the speaker is reading. It appears before 読めています and is strengthened by もっと.
読めています
読めています describes that the speaker is currently managing to read, here more clearly than before in 今はもっとはっきり読めています. It reports an ability or result that is being achieved at the current time. This form is useful when describing how well someone is managing an activity now.
Grammar Points
〜てください
最初の部分を読んでください。
SYE-shoh noh boo-BOON oh YOHN-deh koo-DAH-sye.Please read the first part.
Attach てください to a verb to make a polite request. Here, 読んでください means “please read.”
〜てみます
最初からやってみます。
SYE-shoh kah-RAH YAHT-teh mee-MAHSS.I’ll try doing it from the start.
Attach てみます to a verb to say that you will try doing something.
Japanese Vocabulary
あなた
pron
ah-NAH-tah
you; your
この
det
KOH-noh
this
セリフ
noun
SEH-ree-foo
line; dialogue line
どの
det
DOH-noh
which
なる
verb
nah-ROO
to become; to be able to be
なれます
パートナー
noun
PAH-toh-NAH
partner
会話
noun
KYE-wah
dialogue; conversation
最初の部分
phrase
SYE-shoh noh boo-BOON
the first part
私
pron
wah-tah-SHEE
I; me
読む
verb
YOH-moo
to read
読んでください
役
noun
YAH-koo
role
練習する
verb
ren-SHOO soo-ROO
to practice
練習したい
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
partner
Show Answer
パートナーto practice
Show Answer
練習したいto become; to be able to be
Show Answer
なれますthe first part