About This Lesson
Use Finding a Book on a Library Shelf to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
この本はどこにありますか？
KOH-noh hohn wa DOH-koh nee ah-ree-MAHS-kah Where can I find this book?
B
この棚のどれかにあるはずです。
KOH-noh tah-NAH noh doh-REH-kah nee ah-ROO hah-ZOO dehs It should be on one of these shelves.
A
最初にどの棚を見ればいいですか？
sai-SHOH-nee DOH-noh tah-NAH oh MEE-reh-bah EE dehs-kah Which shelf should I check first?
B
端の近くにある下の棚を見てください。
HAH-shee noh CHIH-kah-koo nee ah-ROO SHI-tah noh tah-NAH oh MEE-teh koo-DAH-sai Try the lower shelf near the end.
A
表紙が見えます。
hyoh-SHEE gah MEE-eh-mahs I can see the cover now.
B
ほかの本が動かないように、気をつけて引き出してください。
HOH-kah noh hohn gah oo-goh-kah-NAI yoh-oo nee, kee oh tsoo-KEH-teh hee-kee-DOH-shee-teh koo-DAH-sai Pull it out carefully so the others stay in place.
A
これが探していた本です。
KOH-reh gah sah-gah-SHEE-teh ee-TAH hohn dehs This is the right book.
B
あのテーブルで読めます。
AH-noh TAY-boo-roo deh YOH-meh-mahs You can read it at that table.Word by Word
この
この means “this” and points to something close to the speaker, here in この本, “this book.” It comes directly before a noun, so この + noun is a reusable pattern. Use it when identifying a nearby person or thing.
本
本 means “book” here, referring to the book being searched for in この本. It is used as a noun and can follow この, as in この本. Use it when talking about a book in a library, shop, or home.
は
は marks この本 as the topic: “as for this book.” In この本はどこにありますか, it introduces the thing whose location is being asked about. A reusable pattern is noun + は followed by information or a question about that noun.
どこ
どこ means “where” in どこにありますか, asking for the location of the book. With に, どこに asks where something is located. Use it when asking about a place or position.
に
に marks the location in どこにありますか and also appears in どれかにある. Here it identifies the place where something is or exists. A reusable pattern is place + に + あります or ある.
あります
あります is the polite form used to say that the book is located or exists in どこにありますか. It is used with に for the location of something, as in どこにあります. Use it when politely stating or asking where an inanimate thing is.
か
か marks the question in ありますか, making the sentence a polite question. In どれか, it contributes the meaning “one of” or “some,” so どれかに means “on one of them.” Its function depends on the surrounding expression.
棚
棚 means “shelf,” referring to the library shelves in この棚のどれか and 下の棚. It can be followed by の to link the shelf to another noun or phrase. Use it when identifying a shelf where something is stored.
の
の links nouns or noun-like phrases in この棚のどれか and 端の近く. In these expressions, it connects the first element to the following description. A reusable pattern is noun + の + noun or location phrase.
どれ
どれ means “which one” in どれか, referring to one shelf among the shelves mentioned. Adding か gives the meaning “one of which” or “some one.” Use どれ when choosing one item from several items.
ある
ある means “is” or “exists” in あるはずです, referring to the book being on a shelf. It is the plain form used before はず. A reusable pattern is place + に + ある when stating where something exists.
はず
はず expresses the expectation that something should be so; あるはずです means “it should be there” or “it is expected to be there.” It follows the statement ある and combines with です for a polite expression. Use it when making a confident but not absolute expectation.
です
です makes あるはずです polite and presents the expectation in a polite way. In this dialogue, the full expression あるはずです means that the book should be on one of the shelves. A reusable pattern is a statement + です in polite speech.
最初
最初 means “first” or “at the beginning” in 最初に, asking which shelf to check first. With に, it marks the first point in an order or sequence. Use it when deciding what to do before other steps.
どの
どの means “which” and comes before the noun in どの棚. It asks the listener to choose one shelf from several possibilities. A reusable pattern is どの + noun when asking which item or place.
を
を marks どの棚 as the object of 見れば in どの棚を見ればいいですか. It shows what the speaker should look at or check. A reusable pattern is object + を + verb.
見れば
見れば is the form of 見る used in 見ればいい, contributing “if I look at or check.” The whole expression どの棚を見ればいいですか asks which shelf would be appropriate to check. It is useful when asking what action would be best.
いい
いい means “good” or “appropriate” in 見ればいい, so the expression asks what would be a good thing to check. Together with 見れば, it forms a question about the appropriate action. Use this pattern when asking what action is suitable.
端
端 means “end” or “edge” in 端の近く, referring to the end of the shelf area. It is linked to 近く with の to describe a nearby location. Use it when locating something near the edge or end of an area.
近く
近く means “near” or “nearby” in 端の近くにある下の棚, describing a shelf near the end. It can be linked with の to another location, as in 端の近く. Use it when giving an approximate location.
下
下 means “lower part” or “below” in 下の棚, identifying the shelf below or in the lower position. It comes before 棚 with の to describe which shelf. Use it to distinguish a lower place or object from one above it.
見て
見て is the form of 見る used in 見てください, meaning “look at” or “check.” With ください, it makes a polite request to check the lower shelf. Use the reusable request pattern verbて + ください.
ください
ください makes 見てください a polite request: “please look” or “please check.” It follows the て-form of a verb. Use it when politely asking someone to carry out an action.
表紙
表紙 means “book cover” in 表紙が見えます, referring to the visible cover of the book. It is marked by が as the thing that is visible. Use it when identifying the outside cover of a book or similar publication.
が
が marks 表紙 as the thing that is visible in 表紙が見えます. It identifies the subject of the statement. A reusable pattern is visible thing + が + 見えます.
見えます
見えます says that something can be seen or is visible; 表紙が見えます means “the cover is visible.” It is used with が for the thing that appears visible. Use it when reporting that something has come into view.
ほか
ほか means “other” or “the others” in ほかの本, referring to the other books on the shelf. With の, it modifies 本. A reusable pattern is ほかの + noun when distinguishing other items from the one being discussed.
動かない
動かない means “does not move” or “stays still” in ほかの本が動かないように. The negative form describes the condition desired for the other books. It is used before ように to express the purpose of keeping them still.
よう
よう contributes “so that” or “in such a way” in 動かないように, expressing the purpose of pulling out the book without making the others move. The whole phrase 動かないように gives the purpose or desired result. Use ように after a clause when describing a desired result or purpose.
気をつけて
気をつけて means “be careful” or “take care” in 気をつけて引き出してください. In this fixed expression, 気 refers to attention, を marks it, and つけて contributes the idea of applying or paying that attention. It is used before an action to ask someone to do it carefully.
引き出して
引き出して means “pull out” or “draw out” in 引き出してください, referring to removing the book from the shelf. Its て-form connects to ください and makes a polite request. Use the pattern verbて + ください for a polite request to perform an action.
これ
これ means “this,” referring to the book now identified in これが探していた本です. It points to something near the speaker or currently being indicated. Use it when identifying a nearby object.
探して
探して means “looking for” in 探していた本, describing the book that was being searched for. It is the て-form of 探す and connects to いた. The reusable pattern verbていた + noun can describe a past activity or state related to that noun.
いた
いた follows 探して in 探していた本 and helps express that the searching was taking place before this moment. Together, 探していた本 means “the book that was being looked for.” A reusable pattern is verbていた for an activity or state continuing at a past time.
あの
あの means “that” and identifies the table in あのテーブル as one farther from the speaker or already known in the situation. It comes directly before テーブル. A reusable pattern is あの + noun when pointing out a particular thing at a distance.
テーブル
テーブル means “table” in あのテーブルで, the place where the learner may read the book. It is followed by で because reading takes place there. Use it when referring to a table in a room or public place.
で
で marks あのテーブル as the place where the action 読めます takes place. In あのテーブルで読めます, it means “at that table.” A reusable pattern is place + で + action.
読めます
読めます means “can read” in あのテーブルで読めます, giving permission or indicating that reading is possible at that table. It is used with で to specify the place of reading. Use it when saying that something can be read or that reading is possible.
Grammar Points
〜はずです
この本は棚にあるはずです。
KOH-noh hohn wa tah-NAH nee ah-ROO hah-ZOO dehsThis book should be on the shelf.
はずです expresses an expectation or conclusion based on available information.
〜ないように
ほかの本が動かないように、気をつけて引き出してください。
HOH-kah noh hohn gah oo-goh-kah-NAI yoh-oo nee, kee oh tsoo-KEH-teh hee-kee-DOH-shee-teh koo-DAH-saiPlease carefully pull it out so that the other books do not move.
ないように means “so that something does not happen” and comes before a request or action.
Japanese Vocabulary
あります
verb
ah-ree-MAHS
to be; to exist
ある
verb
ah-ROO
to be; to exist
この
det
KOH-noh
this
どこ
pron
DOH-koh
where
どの
det
DOH-noh
which
どれか
pron
doh-REH-kah
one of which; one of them
はずです
phrase
hah-ZOO dehs
should be; is expected to be
見ればいい
phrase
MEE-reh-bah EE
should look at; should check
最初に
adv
sai-SHOH-nee
first; at first
棚
noun
tah-NAH
shelf
端
noun
HAH-shee
end; edge
本
noun
hohn
book
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to be; to exist
Show Answer
ありますshould be; is expected to be
Show Answer
はずですshould look at; should check
Show Answer
見ればいいone of which; one of them