About This Lesson
Use Finding a quiet study seat to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
このテーブルは空いていますか？
KOH-noh TAY-boo-roo wah EYE-teh ee-MAHSS kah. Is this table free?
B
ここには誰も座っていません。
KOH-koh nee-wah dah-reh-MOH SAHT-teh ee-mah-SEN. No one is sitting here.
A
静かに座れる場所が必要です。
shee-ZOO-kah-nee sah-TEH-roo bah-SHOH gah hee-TSOO-yoo dess. I need a quiet place to sit.
B
このテーブルはドアから離れています。
KOH-noh TAY-boo-roo wah DOH-ah kah-rah hah-nah-reh-TEH ee-MAHSS. This table is away from the door.
A
では、ここは勉強するのにいい場所です。
deh-WAH, KOH-koh wah ben-KYOO soo-roo noh-nee EE bah-SHOH dess. Then this is a good place to study.
B
勉強中は声を小さくしてください。
ben-KYOO-CHOO wah KOH-eh oh CHEE-sah-koo shee-TEH koo-dah-SIGH. Please keep your voice low while you study.
A
はい、声を小さくします。
HAI, KOH-eh oh CHEE-sah-koo shee-MAHSS. Sure, I'll keep my voice down.
B
それで、ほかの人も勉強できます。
so-reh-DEH, HOH-kah noh HEE-toh moh ben-KYOO deh-KEE-MAHSS. That helps other people study.Word by Word
この
この means “this” and points to the table being discussed as a nearby object. In the dialogue, it appears in このテーブル, so it is placed before the noun it identifies. A reliable reuse pattern is この followed by a noun.
テーブル
テーブル means “table,” the object whose availability is being asked about. It is a loanword used here for the library table. In the dialogue, it appears in このテーブルは.
は
は marks このテーブル as the topic of the question. The question is about whether this particular table is free. A reliable reuse pattern is a topic followed by は and then information about it.
空いて
空いて expresses being unoccupied or available in 空いていますか？. Here, it describes the table’s current availability rather than physical emptiness. The form commonly appears with います in a current-state expression.
います
います completes 空いています and presents the table as being in that available state now. Here it is part of the polite expression 空いていますか？. A reliable reuse pattern is a te-form followed by います when describing a current state.
か
か is the sentence-final question marker in 空いていますか？. It turns the polite statement about the table into a question. A reliable reuse pattern is placing か at the end of a polite yes-or-no question.
ここ
ここ means “here,” referring to the place where the speaker and table are located. In the dialogue, it appears in ここには誰も座っていません. It can be used as a direct place reference.
に
に marks ここ as the location in ここには誰も座っていません. The sentence says that nobody is sitting at this location. A reliable reuse pattern is a place followed by に when indicating where someone or something is.
誰
誰 refers to “who” or a person in the negative construction 誰も座っていません. Together with も and the negative predicate, it means that no one is sitting here. A reliable reuse pattern is 誰も followed by a negative expression for “no one.”
も
In 誰も座っていません, も extends 誰 to every possible person within the negative statement, giving the meaning “no one.” Its meaning here comes from the combination with 誰 and the negative predicate. A reliable reuse pattern is 誰も plus a negative expression.
座って
座って means “sitting” as part of 座っていません. It describes the state that nobody is currently in at this place. A reliable reuse pattern is 座って followed by いる or its negative form when describing whether someone is sitting.
いません
いません is the polite negative state expression in 座っていません. Here it says that nobody is currently in the state of sitting. It can follow 座って to express that someone is not sitting.
静か
静か supplies the meaning “quiet” in 静かに座れる場所. It describes the manner or condition of sitting in the place the speaker needs. A reliable reuse pattern is 静かに followed by an action verb.
座れる
座れる means “can sit” in 座れる場所. It specifies what the place allows: it is a place where the speaker can sit. A reliable reuse pattern is 座れる placed before 場所 to describe a place suitable for sitting.
場所
場所 means “place,” specifically the quiet place the speaker needs for sitting. In the dialogue, it appears in 静かに座れる場所. A reliable reuse pattern is placing a description before 場所 to identify a particular kind of place.
が
が marks 場所 as the thing that is needed in 場所が必要です. The sentence presents the place as the subject of the statement of necessity. A reliable reuse pattern is the needed thing followed by が必要です.
必要
必要 means “necessary” or “needed” in 場所が必要です. It states that the speaker requires a place. A reliable reuse pattern is a noun followed by が必要です.
です
です is the polite ending in 必要です, making the statement about necessity polite. Here it completes the expression saying that a place is needed. It is commonly used after a noun or predicate in a polite statement.
ドア
ドア means “door,” used as the reference point for the table’s distance. In the dialogue, it appears in ドアから離れています. A reliable reuse pattern is using ドア with a phrase that describes location or distance.
から
から means “from” in ドアから離れています. It marks the door as the reference point from which the table is separated or away. A reliable reuse pattern is a place or reference point followed by から in an expression of distance or separation.
離れて
離れて means “away” or “separated” in ドアから離れています. It describes the table’s current position relative to the door. A reliable reuse pattern is 離れて followed by います to describe being away from something.
では
では means “then” or “well then” in では、ここは勉強するのにいい場所です. It introduces the speaker’s conclusion after hearing that the table is away from the door. A reliable reuse pattern is using では to begin a conclusion or next decision.
勉強
勉強 supplies the idea of studying in both 勉強する and 勉強中. In the first expression it names the activity, and in the second it identifies the activity currently in progress. It is reusable when talking about study as an activity or situation.
する
する means “do” and completes 勉強する, which means “study.” Here it turns 勉強 into the action the speaker plans to do at the place. A reliable reuse pattern is an activity noun followed by する.
の
In 勉強するのにいい, の turns 勉強する into the activity being evaluated as suitable. The whole expression means that the place is good for studying, while に connects that activity to いい. A reliable reuse pattern is an action followed by のにいい when describing what something is suitable for.
いい
いい means “good” or “suitable” in 勉強するのにいい場所. Here it says that the place is suitable for studying. A reliable reuse pattern is an activity followed by のにいい.
勉強中
勉強中 means “while studying” or “during study.” 勉強 names the activity, and 中 marks the period in which that activity is in progress. In the dialogue, 勉強中は sets the time during which the request applies.
声
声 means “voice,” the thing whose volume should be lowered in 声を小さくしてください. It refers to the speaker’s speaking voice in this quiet-study setting. A reliable reuse pattern is 声を followed by an expression describing or changing the voice.
を
を marks 声 as the object affected by 小さくしてください in 声を小さくしてください. The request is to make the voice low or quiet. A reliable reuse pattern is placing を after the thing being acted on.
小さく
小さく means “low” or “quietly” when it describes the voice in 声を小さくしてください. It expresses the desired state of the voice rather than its physical size. A reliable reuse pattern is 小さく followed by する when asking for or describing a change to a low state.
して
して links 小さく to the request in 小さくしてください, meaning to make or keep the voice low. It is the form that connects the desired state to ください. A reliable reuse pattern is a state description followed by して、ください for a polite request to make something that way.
ください
ください makes 小さくして into a polite request: “please keep your voice low.” It follows the request form and addresses the listener directly. A reliable reuse pattern is a te-form followed by ください when politely asking someone to do something.
はい
はい means “yes” or “sure” here, acknowledging and accepting the request to keep the voice low. It is a brief response before the speaker states what they will do. A reliable reuse pattern is using はい to accept or confirm a request.
します
します is the polite form of する in 小さくします. Here it states that the speaker will make the voice low. A reliable reuse pattern is using します after a description of the intended state when saying that someone will make something that way.
それで
それで means “so” or “that way” in それで、ほかの人も勉強できます. It connects keeping the voice low with the result that other people can study. A reliable reuse pattern is using それで to introduce a result or consequence.
ほか
ほか means “other” in ほかの人. It distinguishes the people being mentioned from the current speaker. A reliable reuse pattern is ほかの followed by a noun when referring to other people or things.
人
人 means “person” or “people” in ほかの人. Here it refers to the other people who are also studying. A reliable reuse pattern is placing 人 after ほかの to mean other people.
できます
できます means “can” or “are able to” in 勉強できます. Here it says that other people are able to study because the voice is kept low. A reliable reuse pattern is placing an activity before できます to express the ability or possibility of doing it.
Grammar Points
誰も～ていません
誰もここに座っていません。
dah-reh-MOH KOH-koh nee SAHT-teh ee-mah-SEN.No one is sitting here.
～ていません can show that an action is not currently happening; 誰も adds “no one.”
名詞＋中
勉強中です。
ben-KYOO-CHOO dess.I am studying.
中 means “in the middle of” and describes an activity that is currently in progress.
Japanese Vocabulary
ここ
pron
KOH-koh
here
この
det
KOH-noh
this
テーブル
noun
TAY-boo-roo
table
ドア
noun
DOH-ah
door
空いています
verb
EYE-teh ee-MAHSS
be free; be unoccupied
座っていません
verb
SAHT-teh ee-mah-SEN
is not sitting
座れる
verb
sah-TEH-roo
can sit
場所
noun
bah-SHOH
place
静かに
adv
shee-ZOO-kah-nee
quietly
誰も
pron
dah-reh-MOH
no one; nobody
必要です
adj
hee-TSOO-yoo dess
need; be necessary
離れています
verb
hah-nah-reh-TEH ee-MAHSS
be away from; be separated
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
table
Show Answer
テーブルbe free; be unoccupied
Show Answer
空いていますis not sitting
Show Answer
座っていませんbe away from; be separated