About This Lesson
Use Taking a Break to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
短い休憩が必要です。
mee-jee-KAI kyuoo-KAY gah hee-TSOO-yoh des. I need a short break.
B
ソファに座りましょう。
SOH-fah nee soo-WAH-ree-mah-SHOH. Let's sit on the sofa.
A
コーヒーを少しもらえますか。
KOH-hee oh soo-KOH-shee moh-rah-EH-mas kah? Can I get some coffee?
B
台所にコーヒーがあります。
dai-doh-KOH-roh nee KOH-hee gah ah-ree-MAS. There is coffee in the kitchen.
A
少しストレッチをしてから、コーヒーを取りに行きます。
soo-KOH-shee soo-toh-RET-chee oh shee-teh kah-RAH, KOH-hee oh toh-ree nee ee-kee-MAS. I'll get some after I stretch a little.
B
疲れたときは、ストレッチが役に立ちます。
tsoo-kah-REH-tah toh-KEE wah, soo-toh-RET-chee gah yah-koo-nee tah-TSOO-MAS. Stretching helps when you feel tired.
A
この部屋は静かです。
KOH-noh heh-YAH wah shee-ZOO-kah des. This room is quiet.
B
ここでしばらく休めます。
KOH-koh deh shee-bah-rah-KOO yah-soo-MEH-mas. We can rest here for a while.Word by Word
短い
短い means “short” here and describes the length of 休憩. It comes before the noun it describes, as in 短い休憩が必要です.
休憩
休憩 means a break or rest, the short pause the speaker needs. It can be used with が必要です to say that a break is needed.
が
が marks 休憩 as the thing that is needed in 短い休憩が必要です. It commonly follows the subject or thing described as necessary.
必要
必要 means needed or necessary here. In 短い休憩が必要です, it says that the short break is necessary, and it can follow a noun marked by が.
です
です makes the statement polite in 短い休憩が必要です. It is used after 必要 to give a polite statement about what is needed.
ソファ
ソファ means “sofa” here, the place where the speakers suggest sitting. It is a loanword written in katakana and can be followed by に when it is the destination or place for sitting.
に
に marks ソファ as the place or destination in ソファに座りましょう. With a movement or position verb such as sitting, it identifies where the action happens.
座りましょう
座りましょう means “let’s sit” in this dialogue. This polite suggestion invites the other person to sit, as in ソファに座りましょう.
コーヒー
コーヒー means coffee, the drink the speaker asks to get. It can be followed by を when it is the thing received or obtained.
を
を marks コーヒー as the object of getting or receiving in コーヒーを少しもらえますか. It commonly follows the thing affected by an action.
少し
少し means “a little” or “some” here and describes the amount of coffee requested. It is placed before もらえますか to make the request for a small amount.
もらえます
もらえます means “can receive” or “can get” here, as part of the polite request コーヒーを少しもらえますか. A useful request pattern is to place the wanted item before を and use もらえますか.
か
か turns コーヒーを少しもらえます into a polite question. It is placed at the end of the sentence when asking whether something is possible.
台所
台所 means “kitchen” here, the place where the coffee is located. It can be followed by に in the existence pattern for saying that something is in a place.
あります
あります says that an inanimate thing exists or is present, so 台所にコーヒーがあります means that coffee is in the kitchen. A common pattern places the location before に and the thing that exists before あります.
ストレッチ
ストレッチ means stretching here, the activity the speaker will do before getting coffee. It is used with を and して in ストレッチをしてから to connect the activity with what happens afterward.
して
して expresses doing ストレッチ and connects that activity to から in ストレッチをしてから. This form is useful when one action is followed by another action.
から
から means “after” here because it follows ストレッチをして in ストレッチをしてから. It marks the first action as completed before the next action takes place.
取り
取り is the form used in 取りに行きます to express going to get or take something. In this dialogue, it combines with に行きます so the speaker goes to get coffee.
行きます
行きます means “go” here and completes 取りに行きます, “go to get” something. The construction is used when a person moves somewhere for the purpose of getting or doing something.
疲れた
疲れた describes the tired state in 疲れたとき, meaning “when you feel tired.” It is used before とき to describe the situation in which stretching is helpful.
とき
とき means “when” or “at the time” here, making 疲れたとき mean “when tired.” It follows a description of the situation and introduces what happens or is useful at that time.
は
は marks 疲れたときを as the topic in 疲れたときは、ストレッチが役に立ちます. It sets the situation being discussed before giving the statement about it.
役に立ちます
役に立ちます means “is useful” or “helps” here, so ストレッチが役に立ちます says that stretching helps. In this established expression, 役 refers to a useful role, に marks the relation to that role, and 立ちます completes the expression; together they mean “be useful.”
この
この means “this” and points to the room in この部屋は静かです. It comes directly before the noun it identifies.
部屋
部屋 means “room” here, specifically the quiet room the speakers are in. It can follow この and be marked by は when the room is the topic.
静か
静か means “quiet” here and describes the room in この部屋は静かです. It is useful for describing a place with little noise, followed here by です for a polite statement.
ここ
ここ means “here,” referring to the room where the speakers are. It can be followed by で when an action such as resting takes place in this location.
で
で marks ここ as the location where resting happens in ここでしばらく休めます. It is used after a place when describing an action carried out there.
しばらく
しばらく means “for a while” here and describes how long the speakers can rest. It is placed before 休めます to give the duration of the rest.
休めます
休めます means “can rest” here, so ここでしばらく休めます says that resting here for a while is possible. It can follow a place marked by で and a duration such as しばらく.
Grammar Points
〜てから
ストレッチをしてから、休みます。
soo-toh-RET-chee oh shee-teh kah-RAH, yah-soo-MEE-mas.I will rest after stretching.
Attach てから to a verb to show that one action happens before another.
ます-stem＋に行く
台所へ取りに行きます。
dai-doh-KOH-roh eh toh-ree nee ee-kee-MAS.I will go to the kitchen to get it.
Use a verb stem＋に行く to express going somewhere for a purpose.
Japanese Vocabulary
ある
verb
ah-ROO
to exist; there is
あります
台所にコーヒーがあります。
してから
phrase
shee-teh kah-RAH
after doing
少しストレッチをしてから、コーヒーを取りに行きます。
ストレッチ
noun
soo-toh-RET-chee
stretching; stretch
少しストレッチをしてから、コーヒーを取りに行きます。
ソファ
noun
SOH-fah
sofa
ソファに座りましょう。
もらう
verb
moh-RAH-oo
to receive; to get
もらえますか
Can I get some coffee?
休憩
noun
kyoo-KAY
break; rest
短い休憩が必要です。
座る
verb
soo-WAH-roo
to sit
座りましょう
ソファに座りましょう。
取りに行く
phrase
toh-ree nee EE-koo
to go get; to go and get
取りに行きます
少しストレッチをしてから、コーヒーを取りに行きます。
少し
adv
soo-KOH-shee
a little; some
コーヒーを少しもらえますか。
台所
noun
dai-doh-KOH-roh
kitchen
台所にコーヒーがあります。
短い
adj
mee-jee-KAI
short
短い休憩が必要です。
必要
adj
hee-TSOO-yoh
necessary; needed
必要です
短い休憩が必要です。
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to exist; there is
Show Answer
ありますto receive; to get
Show Answer
もらえますかto sit
Show Answer
座りましょうnecessary; needed