Borrowing a Phone Charger | Learn Japanese in English

Japanese lesson set in a contemporary Tokyo everyday setting: In daily life, one adult borrows a phone charger and cable from another person's bag and agrees to return everything..

EN → JA / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Borrowing a Phone Charger to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

あなたのスマートフォンの充電器を借りてもいいですか。

ah-NAH-tah noh soo-MAH-toh-fohn noh JOO-den-kee oh ka-REE-teh moh EE dess-kah Can I borrow your phone charger?
B

バッグの内ポケットにあります。

BAG-goo noh oo-chee poh-KEHT-toh nee ah-REE-mahs It's in the inside pocket of my bag.
A

ケーブルも一緒にありますか。

KAY-boo-roo moh ee-SHOH-nee ah-REE-mahs-kah Is the cable with it?
B

ケーブルは小さいケースに入っています。

KAY-boo-roo wa CHEE-sigh KAY-soo nee HIGH-teh EE-mahs The cable is in the small case.
A

2つとも見つけました。

FOO-taht-soo toh-MOH mee-tsoo-keh-MAH-shee-tah I found both.
B

ケーブルをケースに戻してください。

KAY-boo-roo oh KAY-soo nee moh-DOH-shee-teh koo-DAH-sigh Please put the cable back in the case.
A

出る前に、全部返します。

DEH-roo mah-EH nee ZEN-boo kah-eh-shee-MAHS I'll return everything before I leave.
B

それで大丈夫です。

soh-REH-deh dye-JOH-boo dess That works for me.

Word by Word

あなた あなた refers to the person being addressed: “you” in あなたのスマートフォンの充電器. It is used here to identify whose charger is being borrowed. A new example is あなたのバッグ for “your bag.”
の の links あなた to スマートフォンの充電器 and shows the relationship “your.” It can also link a place or object to another noun, as in バッグの内ポケット in this dialogue.
スマートフォン スマートフォン means “smartphone” in あなたのスマートフォンの充電器. It identifies the type of charger being requested. A new example is スマートフォンのケース for “a smartphone case.”
充電器 充電器 means “charger” in あなたのスマートフォンの充電器. Here it is the item that A asks to borrow. A new example is 充電器を使います for “I use the charger.”
を を marks 充電器 as the item affected by 借りて in 充電器を借りてもいいですか. It commonly comes directly after the object before an action.
借りて 借りて means “borrow” here and is followed by もいいですか to ask permission: 充電器を借りてもいいですか. This form is useful when asking whether it is acceptable to borrow something.
も も in 借りてもいいですか is part of the permission pattern asking whether borrowing is okay. The same form also appears in ケーブルも一緒にありますか, where it adds the cable as another item.
いい いい means “okay” or “acceptable” in 借りてもいいですか. Together with 借りても, it asks whether the action is permitted. A new example is ここに置いてもいいですか for “Is it okay if I put it here?”
です です gives the question a polite ending in 借りてもいいですか. It also appears in ありますか, where it contributes to the polite sentence form.
か か marks the sentence as a question at the end of 借りてもいいですか and ありますか. It is placed at the end of these polite questions.
バッグ バッグ means “bag” in バッグの内ポケット. It identifies the object that has the inside pocket. A new example is バッグを持っています for “I have a bag.”
内ポケット 内ポケット means “inside pocket” in バッグの内ポケットにあります. It tells the listener the specific place where the charger is located. A new example is 内ポケットに入れます for “I put it in the inside pocket.”
に に marks the location in 内ポケットにあります and ケースに戻してください. In the first expression it points to where the charger is; in the second it points to where the cable should be put back.
あります あります means that the charger is located or available in バッグの内ポケットにあります. It is used here for the location of an object. A new example is 机の上にあります for “It is on the desk.”
ケーブル ケーブル means “cable” in ケーブルも一緒にありますか and ケーブルは小さいケースに入っています. It names the second item being looked for and stored in the case. A new example is ケーブルを使います for “I use the cable.”
一緒 一緒 means “together” in ケーブルも一緒にありますか. It asks whether the cable is with the charger as part of the same set. A new example is 一緒に行きます for “I will go together.”
は は marks ケーブル as the topic in ケーブルは小さいケースに入っています. The sentence then gives information about where the cable is.
小さい 小さい means “small” in 小さいケース. It describes the size of the case containing the cable. A new example is 小さいバッグ for “a small bag.”
ケース ケース means “case” in 小さいケース and ケーブルをケースに戻してください. It is the container where the cable is kept and should be returned. A new example is ケースに入れます for “I put it in the case.”
入って 入って in ケーブルは小さいケースに入っています contributes the meaning that the cable is inside the case. With います, it describes the cable’s resulting or continuing location. This pattern is useful for saying that something is inside a container.
います います in 入っています helps describe the cable as being in an ongoing or resulting state inside 小さいケース. The complete expression ケーブルは小さいケースに入っています means “The cable is in the small case.”
とも とも in 2つとも means “both,” referring to each of the two items that A found. It is used after 2つ to include the two items together. A new example is 2つとも必要です for “I need both.”
見つけました 見つけました means “found” in 2つとも見つけました. It reports that A located both items. A new example is 鍵を見つけました for “I found the key.”
戻して 戻して means “put back” in ケーブルをケースに戻してください. It describes returning the cable to its previous place, the case. This form is useful before ください when making a polite request to put something back.
ください ください makes ケーブルをケースに戻してください a polite request: “Please put the cable back in the case.” It follows the requested action and is useful for asking someone to do something politely.
出る 出る means “leave” or “go out” in 出る前に. It identifies the action that will happen after the return of the items. A new example is ここから出る for “leave here.”
前 前 means “before” in 出る前に, which means “before leaving.” The pattern action + 前に is used to place one action earlier than another.
全部 全部 means “everything” or “all” in 全部返します. Here it refers to all the borrowed items, including the charger and cable. A new example is 全部持ってきました for “I brought everything.”
返します 返します means “return” or “give back” in 全部返します. It describes giving all the borrowed items back before leaving. A new example is 本を返します for “I will return the book.”
それ それ means “that” in それで大丈夫です. It refers to the return arrangement just mentioned. A new example is それをください for “Please give me that.”
で で in それで大丈夫です means “with that arrangement” or “that way.” The whole expression says that the proposed arrangement is acceptable. A new example is それでお願いします for “That arrangement, please.”
大丈夫 大丈夫 means “all right” or “okay” in それで大丈夫です. B uses it to accept the promise to return everything before leaving. A new example is 今は大丈夫です for “I’m okay for now.”

Grammar Points

～てもいいですか

充電器を借りてもいいですか。

JOO-den-kee oh ka-REE-teh moh EE dess-kah

May I borrow the charger?

Use ～てもいいですか to ask politely for permission to do something.

～前に

出る前に、全部返します。

DEH-roo mah-EH nee, ZEN-boo kah-eh-shee-MAHS

I will return everything before leaving.

Place a verb in dictionary form before 前に to say “before doing something.”

Japanese Vocabulary

あなた pron
ah-NAH-tah you
ありますか phrase
ah-REE-mahs-kah is there?
ケース noun
KAY-soo case
ケーブル noun
KAY-boo-roo cable
スマートフォン noun
soo-MAH-toh-FOHN smartphone
バッグ noun
BAG-goo bag
一緒に adv
ee-SHOH-nee together; with it
借りてもいいですか phrase
ka-REE-teh moh EE dess-kah May I borrow it?
充電器 noun
JOO-den-kee phone charger
小さい adj
CHEE-sigh small
内ポケット noun
oo-chee poh-KEHT-toh inside pocket
入っています verb
HIGH-teh EE-mahs is in; is contained

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

smartphone

Show Answerスマートフォン

inside pocket

Show Answer内ポケット

cable

Show Answerケーブル

is there?

Show Answerありますか