About This Lesson
Use Organizing a Bag to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
私の眼鏡はこのバッグの中ですか？
wah-TAH-shee noh meh-GAH-neh wah KOH-noh BAG-goo noh nah-KAH dess kah? Are my glasses in this bag?
B
横のポケットに入っています。
YOH-koh noh poh-KEH-toh nee HY-teh ee-MAHSS. They're in the side pocket.
A
私のノートも必要です。
wah-TAH-shee noh NOH-toh moh hee-TSOO-yoh dess. I need my notebook too.
B
あなたの傘の下です。
ah-NAH-tah noh kah-SAH noh SHI-tah dess. It's under your umbrella.
A
傘を動かしてもいいですか？
kah-SAH o oo-goh-KAH-shee-teh moh EE dess kah? Can I move the umbrella?
B
じゃまにならないように、傘を持ち手のそばに置いてください。
JAH-mah nee nah-RAH-nai yoh-oo nee, kah-SAH o moh-chee-TEH noh soh-BAH nee OH-ee-teh koo-DAH-sigh. Put it by the handle so it stays out of the way.
A
今、バッグを整理します。
ee-MAH BAG-goo o seh-REE shee-MAHSS. I'll organize the bag now.
B
そうすれば、物が見つけやすくなります。
soh-oo soo-SEH-reh, MOH-noh gah mee-TSOO-keh yah-SOO-koo nah-ree-MAHSS. Then it will be easier to find things.Word by Word
私
In 「私の眼鏡」, 「私」 identifies the owner, so the phrase means “my.” A useful pattern is 「私の」 + a noun when identifying something that belongs to the speaker.
の
In 「私の眼鏡」, 「の」 links the owner to the noun and makes the meaning “my glasses.” The reusable pattern is 「AのB」 for “B belonging to or associated with A.”
眼鏡
「眼鏡」 means “glasses,” the item whose location is being checked in the dialogue. It can be used as the item in a pattern such as 「眼鏡は…ですか」 when asking where the glasses are.
は
In 「眼鏡は」, 「は」 marks 「眼鏡」 as the topic of the question. The pattern 「Aは…ですか」 asks about A in a polite way.
この
「この」 means “this” and identifies the bag as the one being indicated in the conversation. It comes directly before the noun it describes, as in 「このバッグ」.
バッグ
「バッグ」 means “bag” and refers to the bag being organized. It is used as a noun in phrases such as 「このバッグ」 and 「バッグの中」.
中
In 「バッグの中」, 「中」 means “inside,” referring to the interior of the bag. The pattern 「Aの中」 means “inside A.”
です
In 「バッグの中ですか」, 「です」 gives a polite statement or identification, saying that something is inside the bag. With sentence-final 「か」, the phrase asks politely whether that is so.
か
At the end of 「中ですか」, 「か」 marks the sentence as a question. Sentence-final 「か」 is used to ask for information politely.
横
In 「横のポケット」, 「横」 means “side,” identifying the pocket at the side. The pattern 「横の」 + noun describes something located at the side.
ポケット
「ポケット」 means “pocket,” specifically the side pocket where the glasses are located. It can be used in a location phrase such as 「ポケットに入っています」.
に
In 「ポケットに入っています」, 「に」 marks the pocket as the location where the glasses are contained. The same location pattern appears in 「持ち手のそばに置いてください」, where it marks where something should be placed.
入っています
In 「ポケットに入っています」, 「入っています」 says that the glasses are inside or contained in the pocket. A useful reuse pattern is 「場所に入っています」 when stating that an item is inside a place or container.
ノート
「ノート」 means “notebook,” the additional item the speaker needs. It is used as the item in 「私のノートも必要です」.
も
In 「私のノートも必要です」, 「も」 adds the notebook to something already being discussed and means “also” or “too.” It commonly follows a noun when adding another item or person.
必要
In 「ノートも必要です」, 「必要」 means “needed” or “necessary,” so the speaker says that the notebook is needed too. The reusable pattern is 「Aが必要です」 or, as here, 「Aも必要です」.
あなた
In 「あなたの傘」, 「あなた」 identifies the addressee as the owner, so the phrase means “your umbrella.” The pattern 「あなたの」 + a noun identifies something belonging to the person being addressed.
傘
「傘」 means “umbrella,” first as the item under which the notebook is located and later as the item to move. It is used in phrases such as 「あなたの傘の下」 and 「傘を動かして」.
下
In 「あなたの傘の下」, 「下」 means “under” or “below,” describing the notebook’s location. The pattern 「Aの下」 means “under A.”
を
In 「傘を動かして」, 「を」 marks 「傘」 as the object being moved. The reusable pattern is 「objectを」 followed by an action that affects that object.
動かして
In 「動かしてもいいですか」, 「動かして」 means “move” and connects the action to a polite permission question. The pattern 「verbて + もいいですか」 asks whether it is okay to do the action.
いい
In 「動かしてもいいですか」, 「いい」 means “okay” or “acceptable.” Together with 「も」 and 「ですか」, it helps ask permission to perform the action.
じゃま
In 「じゃまにならないように」, 「じゃま」 describes something as being in the way or obstructive. Here it describes the unwanted result that the placement is intended to avoid.
ならない
In 「じゃまにならないように」, 「ならない」 means “does not become” or “does not end up being,” so the phrase refers to not getting in the way. The pattern 「Aにならない」 describes avoiding a change into state A.
ように
The whole expression 「じゃまにならないように」 means “so that it does not get in the way.” In this construction, 「よう」 presents the intended state and 「に」 connects that state to the action of placing the umbrella.
持ち手
「持ち手」 means “handle,” referring to the handle of the bag in the placement instruction. It is used in the location phrase 「持ち手のそば」, meaning near the handle.
そば
In 「持ち手のそば」, 「そば」 means “near” or “beside,” locating the umbrella close to the handle. The pattern 「Aのそば」 means “near A.”
置いて
In 「置いてください」, 「置いて」 means “put” or “place,” and it connects the action to a polite request. The reusable pattern 「AをBに置いてください」 keeps both the item being placed and its destination.
ください
After 「置いて」, 「ください」 makes the instruction a polite request: “please place it.” A common pattern is a verb in this form followed by 「ください」 for a polite request.
今
「今」 means “now” and places the organizing action at the present time in 「今、バッグを整理します」. It is commonly used before an action to state when it happens.
整理します
「整理します」 means “organize” or “tidy” in this dialogue, referring to arranging the bag. The reusable pattern is 「objectを整理します」 when saying that something will be organized.
そうすれば
The whole expression 「そうすれば」 means “then” or “if you do that,” referring here to organizing the bag. 「そう」 points to the preceding action, while 「すれ」 and 「ば」 form the conditional part meaning that the result follows if that action is done.
物
「物」 means “things” or “items,” referring generally to the belongings in the bag. It is the item group described in 「物が見つけやすくなります」.
が
In 「物が見つけやすくなります」, 「が」 marks 「物」 as the subject of the description. The pattern 「Aが…なります」 presents A as the thing whose state changes.
見つけやすく
In 「物が見つけやすくなります」, 「見つけやすく」 means “easy to find” and describes the improved condition of the items. Its ending connects this description to 「なります」, producing the meaning “becomes easier to find.”
なります
In 「見つけやすくなります」, 「なります」 means “becomes,” expressing a change into the state of being easier to find. It follows the description 「見つけやすく」 to state the result of organizing the bag.
Grammar Points
〜ています
眼鏡はバッグの中に入っています。
meh-GAH-neh wah BAG-goo noh nah-KAH nee HAH-ee-teh ee-MAHSS.The glasses are inside the bag.
「〜ています」can describe a continuing state, not only an action happening now. Here, the glasses are currently in the bag.
〜てください
物を持ち手のそばに置いてください。
MOH-noh o moh-chee-TEH noh soh-BAH nee OH-ee-teh koo-DAH-sigh.Please put the item near the handle.
「〜てください」makes a polite request. The verb uses its て-form before ください.
Japanese Vocabulary
この
det
KOH-noh
this
ノート
noun
NOH-toh
notebook
バッグ
noun
BAG-goo
bag
ポケット
noun
poh-KEH-toh
pocket
横
noun
YOH-koh
side
下
noun
SHI-tah
under; below
眼鏡
noun
meh-GAH-neh
glasses; eyeglasses
傘
noun
kah-SAH
umbrella
私
pron
wah-TAH-shee
I; me
私の眼鏡
中
noun
nah-KAH
inside
バッグの中
入る
verb
HAH-ee-roo
to be in; to enter
入っています
必要
adj
hee-TSOO-yoh
necessary; needed
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
Show Answer
ポケットto be in; to enter
Show Answer
入っていますglasses; eyeglasses
Show Answer
眼鏡notebook