About This Lesson
Use Choosing a Quiet Break Spot to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
私たちはどこで休憩できますか。
wah-tah-SHEE-tah-chee wah DOH-koh deh kyoo-KAY deh-kee-MAHSS kah Where can we take a break?
B
廊下に静かな場所があります。
ROH-kah nee shee-ZOO-kah-nah bah-SHOH gah ah-ree-MAHSS There's a quiet spot in the hall.
A
そこにベンチがありますか。
SOH-koh nee BEN-chee gah ah-ree-MAHSS kah Is there a bench there?
B
壁のそばに一つあります。
kah-BEH noh SOH-bah nee hee-TOHT-soo ah-ree-MAHSS There is one by the wall.
A
私は座って休みたいです。
wah-TAH-shee wah soo-WAHT-teh yah-SOO-mee-tah-ee dess I want to sit and rest.
B
そこに一緒に座りましょう。
SOH-koh nee ee-SHOH-nee soo-wah-ree-mah-SHOH Let's sit there together.
A
この場所は静かに感じます。
KOH-noh bah-SHOH wah shee-ZOO-kah-nee kahn-JEE-mahss This spot feels quiet.
B
ここは短い休憩に良い場所です。
KOH-koh wah tahn-KAH-ee kyoo-KAY nee yoh-EE bah-SHOH dess This is a good place for a short break.Word by Word
私たち
「私たち」 means “we” or “us”; here it refers to the speaker and the listener together. It commonly appears before は when talking about what the group can do or wants to do.
は
「は」 marks 「私たち」 as the topic of the question. It sets the group as the topic before describing what they can do, and it commonly follows a noun or pronoun in this way.
どこ
「どこ」 asks “where”; here it asks for the place where the speakers can take a break. It commonly appears with で when asking where an action happens, as in 「どこで休憩できますか」.
で
「で」 marks the place where an action happens; here it marks the place for taking a break in 「どこで休憩できますか」. A location followed by で is commonly used with an action.
休憩
「休憩」 means a break or rest period; here it refers to taking a break. It is used in the expression 「休憩できますか」 to ask whether the speakers can take a break.
できます
「できます」 expresses ability or possibility in polite form; here 「休憩できますか」 asks whether the speakers can take a break. It commonly follows an activity or noun related to something being possible.
か
「か」 marks the sentence as a question; here it turns 「休憩できます」 into a question about whether taking a break is possible. It commonly appears at the end of a polite question.
廊下
「廊下」 means “hallway”; here it is the area where the quiet spot is located. It commonly combines with a location marker, as in 「廊下に」 for “in the hallway.”
に
「に」 marks the location where something exists; here it marks 「廊下」 in 「廊下に静かな場所があります」. This location pattern commonly appears with 「あります」 when saying that something is in a place.
静かな
「静かな」 means “quiet” and directly describes 「場所」 in 「静かな場所」. This form is used before a noun when describing its quality, such as a quiet place.
場所
「場所」 means “place” or “spot”; here it refers to the quiet spot in the hallway. It commonly combines with a describing word before it, as in 「静かな場所」.
が
「が」 marks 「静かな場所」 as the thing that exists in 「静かな場所があります」. The pattern noun + が + 「あります」 is commonly used to say that something exists or is located somewhere.
あります
「あります」 says that a non-living thing exists or is located somewhere; here it means that there is a quiet spot in the hallway. It commonly follows the thing that exists and is used with a location marked by に.
そこ
「そこ」 means “there”; here it points to the spot that has just been mentioned. It commonly appears with に for a location, as in 「そこにベンチがありますか」.
ベンチ
「ベンチ」 means “bench”; here it is the seat the speakers are looking for at the quiet spot. It commonly appears in the existence pattern 「ベンチがあります」.
壁
「壁」 means “wall”; here it identifies the object beside which the bench is located. It appears in the reusable location phrase 「壁のそば」, meaning near the wall.
の
「の」 links 「壁」 and 「そば」 in 「壁のそば」, specifying what the nearby area is beside. The pattern noun + のそば is commonly used for “near or beside [a noun].”
そば
「そば」 means “beside” or “near”; here 「壁のそば」 means near the wall. It commonly follows の and can be used with に when stating that something is located nearby.
私
「私」 means “I” or “me”; here it is the speaker who wants to sit and rest. It commonly appears as the topic in 「私は」 before stating the speaker’s action or wish.
座って
「座って」 means “sit” in the form that links it to the next action; here 「座って休みたい」 means “want to sit and rest.” This て-form commonly connects one action with another in sequence or combination.
休みたい
「休みたい」 means “want to rest”; here the speaker expresses a wish to rest after sitting. It is formed from the verb meaning “rest” with the ～たい pattern, which commonly expresses what someone wants to do.
です
「です」 gives the statement a polite ending; here it makes 「休みたいです」 a polite way to say “I want to rest.” It commonly follows a polite description or desire statement.
一緒
「一緒」 means “together”; here it describes sitting with the other person in 「一緒に座りましょう」. It commonly appears with に when expressing that people do an action together.
座りましょう
「座りましょう」 means “let’s sit”; here it is a polite suggestion that both speakers sit there. The ～ましょう ending commonly invites someone to do an action together.
この
「この」 means “this” and identifies the place close to the speakers in 「この場所」. It must come before the noun it describes, as in 「この場所」 for “this place.”
静かに
「静かに」 describes the spot as being perceived in a quiet way in 「静かに感じます」. Here it modifies 「感じます」 to express the speaker’s impression, and the pattern 「静かに感じます」 can be reused to say that something feels quiet.
感じます
「感じます」 means “feel” or “sense”; here it expresses the speaker’s impression that the spot feels quiet. It commonly follows a description of what is perceived when stating a personal impression.
ここ
「ここ」 means “here”; here it refers to the spot where the speakers are sitting or planning to sit. It commonly appears as the topic in 「ここは」 when evaluating the current place.
短い
「短い」 means “short”; here it describes the duration of 「休憩」 in 「短い休憩」. This form commonly comes before a noun to describe its length or duration.
良い
「良い」 means “good”; here it evaluates the spot as suitable for a short break in 「良い場所」. It commonly comes before a noun when describing it as good or suitable.
Grammar Points
〜たい
休みたいです。
yah-SOO-mee-tah-ee dessI want to rest.
Attach たい to the verb stem to express a desire to do something.
場所にあります
静かな場所にベンチがあります。
shee-ZOO-kah-nah bah-SHOH nee BEN-chee gah ah-ree-MAHSSThere is a bench in a quiet place.
Use にあります to say that an inanimate thing exists in a particular location.
Japanese Vocabulary
ある
verb
ah-ROO
to exist; there is
あります
壁のそばに一つあります。
そこ
pron
SOH-koh
there
そこにベンチがありますか。
そば
noun
SOH-bah
beside; near
壁のそばに一つあります。
どこ
pron
DOH-koh
where
私たちはどこで休憩できますか。
ベンチ
noun
BEN-chee
bench
そこにベンチがありますか。
休憩
noun
kyoo-KAY
break; rest
私たちはどこで休憩できますか。
座る
verb
soo-WAH-roo
to sit
座って
私は座って休みたいです。
私たち
pron
wah-tah-SHEE-tah-chee
we; us
私たちはどこで休憩できますか。
場所
noun
bah-SHOH
place; spot
廊下に静かな場所があります。
静か
adj
shee-ZOO-kah
quiet
静かな
廊下に静かな場所があります。
壁
noun
kah-BEH
wall
壁のそばに一つあります。
廊下
noun
ROH-kah
hallway
廊下に静かな場所があります。
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to exist; there is
Show Answer
ありますthere
Show Answer
そこbeside; near
Show Answer
そばquiet