About This Lesson
Use A Short Break for Fresh Air to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
デスクで疲れを感じます。
ah-ee FEEL tsoo-KAH-reh oh kahn-jee-MAHS deh DEH-soo-koo. I feel tired at my desk.
B
少し窓を開けましょう。
mah-SHOH MAH-doh oh ah-keh-MAH-shoh soo-KOH-shee. Let's open the window for a moment.
A
新鮮な空気が必要です。
sheen-SEN-nah KOO-kee gah hee-tsoo-YOH dess. I need some fresh air.
B
外の空気は涼しいです。
SOH-toh noh KOO-kee wah soo-ZOO-SHEE dess. The air outside feels cool.
A
窓のそばで休めますか。
MAH-doh noh SOH-bah deh yah-soo-meh-MAHS kah. Can we rest by the window?
B
ここで少し休憩できます。
KOH-koh deh soo-KOH-shee KYOO-kay deh-kee-MAHS. We can take a short break here.
A
今は前より疲れていません。
EE-mah wah mah-EH YOH-ree tsoo-KAH-reh-teh ee-MAH-sen. I feel less tired now.
B
そろそろ仕事に戻りましょう。
soh-roh-SOH-roh shee-GOH-toh nee moh-doh-ree-mah-SHOH. Let's go back to work soon.Word by Word
デスク
デスク means “desk” here, the place where the speaker is sitting and feeling tired. It is a loanword used for a work desk. A common reuse pattern is デスクで + an action, such as working or resting.
で
で marks デスク as the place where the situation occurs in デスクで疲れを感じます. It is used after a place to show where an action or experience happens. Use a place noun + で when describing an activity at that place.
疲れ
疲れ means tiredness or fatigue here, as the thing the speaker feels. In 疲れを感じます, it is treated as something that can be felt. A common reuse pattern is 疲れを感じる for expressing a feeling of fatigue.
を
を marks 疲れ as the thing that is felt in 疲れを感じます. It commonly follows the object of an action or perception. Use the pattern noun + を + verb when the noun is directly affected by the verb.
感じます
感じます means “feel” here, referring to noticing tiredness. It is the polite form used in 疲れを感じます. A common reuse pattern is a feeling or condition + を感じます, such as expressing that you feel something.
少し
少し means “a little” or “for a short while” here, making the window-opening request gentle and limited. In 少し窓を開けましょう, it modifies the amount or duration of the action. Use 少し before an action or description when you mean a small amount or short time.
窓
窓 means “window” here, the object that the speakers want to open. In 窓を開けましょう, it comes before を because it receives the action of opening. Use it when talking about opening, closing, or looking through a window.
開けましょう
開けましょう means “let’s open” here, inviting the other person to open the window together. This polite form is used in 少し窓を開けましょう. Use it with an object before を when proposing a shared action.
新鮮な
新鮮な means “fresh” here and describes 空気 as fresh air. It comes directly before the noun it describes in 新鮮な空気が必要です. Use 新鮮な before a noun when describing something as fresh.
空気
空気 means “air” here, specifically the fresh air the speaker needs. In 新鮮な空気, it follows the description 新鮮な. Use it with a quality or location to talk about the air in a place.
が
が marks 空気 as the thing that is needed in 新鮮な空気が必要です. With 必要です, it identifies what is necessary. Use the pattern noun + が必要です when saying that something is needed.
必要
必要 expresses that something is necessary or needed here, as in 新鮮な空気が必要です. It is followed by です to make the statement polite. Use noun + が必要です to state a need.
です
です gives 必要 a polite sentence ending in 必要です, meaning that something is needed. It makes the statement suitable for a polite conversation. Use it after a description or statement when speaking politely.
外
外 means “outside” here, referring to the area beyond the window. In 外の空気, it identifies where the air is from. Use it before の when linking “outside” to a following noun.
の
の links 外 to 空気 in 外の空気, meaning “the air outside.” It shows that the first word describes or identifies the second word. A common reuse pattern is place or category + の + noun.
は
は marks 外の空気 as the topic in 外の空気は涼しいです. The sentence then gives information about that air by describing it as cool. Use it after the topic you want to discuss.
涼しい
涼しい means “cool” here, describing how the outside air feels. In 外の空気は涼しいです, it is the main description of the topic. Use it for pleasantly cool air or weather, such as when fresh air comes through a window.
そば
そば means “near” or “beside” here, describing a place close to the window. In 窓のそばで休めますか, it is connected to 窓 by の. Use a noun + のそば to refer to a place beside or near that noun.
休めます
休めます means “can rest” here, asking whether resting is possible near the window. It is used in the polite question 窓のそばで休めますか. Use a place + で before 休めます when asking or saying where someone can rest.
か
か marks 窓のそばで休めますか as a question. It turns the polite statement into a request for information about whether resting is possible. Use it at the end of a polite question.
ここ
ここ means “here,” referring to the place where the speakers are taking their break. In ここで少し休憩できます, it comes before で to show the location. Use it when pointing to or referring to the current place.
休憩
休憩 means a break or rest period here, as the activity the speakers can take in ここで少し休憩できます. It is used before できます to express being able to take a break. Use it when talking about a pause from work or another activity.
できます
できます means “can” or “is possible” here, stating that the speakers can take a break. In ここで少し休憩できます, it follows the activity 休憩. Use an activity or noun + できます to say that it can be done or is possible.
今
今 means “now” here, pointing to the speaker’s condition at the present time. It appears at the beginning of 今は前より疲れていません. Use it to set the time for a current situation or comparison.
前
前 means “before” or “earlier” here, referring to an earlier condition in 今は前より疲れていません. Together with より, it provides the point of comparison. Use 前より when comparing the present with an earlier time.
より
より marks the comparison point in 前より, meaning “than before” or “compared with before.” It shows what the current condition is being compared with. Use the pattern comparison point + より when making a comparison.
疲れて
疲れて contributes the idea of being tired in 疲れていません. It connects the tired condition with いません so the speaker says they are not tired compared with before. Use 疲れて with a following form when describing a tired state.
いません
いません makes 疲れていません negative and polite, meaning the speaker is not tired. It completes the expression about the speaker’s current condition. Use 疲れていません when politely saying that you are not tired.
そろそろ
そろそろ means “soon” or “it is about time” here, suggesting that the break should end shortly. In そろそろ仕事に戻りましょう, it gently prepares the listener to return to work. Use it before an action that should happen soon.
仕事
仕事 means “work” here, referring to the activity the speakers will return to. In 仕事に戻りましょう, it is followed by に because it is the destination of returning. Use it when discussing going to, doing, or returning to work.
に
に marks 仕事 as the destination in 仕事に戻りましょう. It shows what the speakers are returning to. Use the pattern destination or target + に + a movement verb such as 戻る.
戻りましょう
戻りましょう means “let’s return” here, proposing that the speakers go back to work together. In 仕事に戻りましょう, it follows the destination marked by に. Use it when politely suggesting a shared return to a place, activity, or previous state.
Grammar Points
〜ましょう
窓を開けましょう。
MAH-doh oh ah-keh-mah-SHOH.Let's open the window.
The volitional form 〜ましょう expresses a suggestion or proposal to do something together.
〜より
今は前より涼しいです。
EE-mah wah mah-EH YOH-ree soo-ZOO-SHEE dess.It is cooler now than before.
〜より marks the thing used for comparison: “than〜” or “compared with〜”.
Japanese Vocabulary
そば
noun
SOH-bah
beside; near
デスク
noun
DEH-soo-koo
desk
開けましょう
verb
ah-keh-mah-SHOH
let's open
外
noun
SOH-toh
outside
感じます
verb
kahn-jee-MAHS
feel
空気
noun
KOO-kee
air
少し
adv
soo-KOH-shee
a little; for a moment
新鮮な
adj
sheen-SEN-nah
fresh
窓
noun
MAH-doh
window
疲れ
noun
tsoo-KAH-reh
tiredness; fatigue
必要です
adj
hee-tsoo-YOH dess
need; be necessary
涼しい
adj
soo-ZOO-SHEE
cool
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
feel
Show Answer
感じますneed; be necessary
Show Answer
必要ですlet's open
Show Answer
開けましょうdesk