About This Lesson
Use Borrowing small tools to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
はさみを使ってもいいですか。
hah-sah-MEE o tsoo-KAT-teh mo EE deh-soo ka? Can I use the scissors?
B
これを持っていって、刃を下に向けてください。
koh-REH o MOT-teh EET-teh, hah o shee-TAH nee moo-KEH-teh koo-DAH-sigh. Take these and keep the blades pointed down.
A
テープも少し必要です。
TAY-poo mo soo-KOH-shee hee-TSOO-yoh deh-soo. I also need some tape.
B
テープは引き出しの中にあります。
TAY-poo wah HEE-kee-DAH-shee no nah-KAH nee ah-ree-MAHS. The tape is in the drawer.
A
定規もありますか。
JOH-gee mo ah-ree-MAHS ka? Do you have a ruler too?
B
はい、私の机の上にあります。
HAI, wah-TAH-shee no tsoo-KWEH no oo-EH nee ah-ree-MAHS. Yes, it is on my desk.
B
そこから取ってもいいです。
SOH-koh kah-RAH toh-TTEH mo EE deh-soo. You can take it from there.
A
終わったら、全部返します。
oh-WAT-tah-rah, ZEN-boo ka-EH-shee-MAHS. I will return everything when I finish.
B
後で見つけられるように、定規を上に置いてください。
ah-TOH deh mee-TSOO-keh-rah-reh-roo YOH-nee, JOH-gee o oo-EH nee OH-ee-teh koo-DAH-sigh. Leave the ruler on top so I can find it later.Word by Word
はさみ
はさみ means “scissors” here, the tool the speaker wants to use. It is the object in はさみを使ってもいいですか. A common reuse pattern is はさみを使う when talking about using scissors.
を
を marks はさみ as the object of the action in はさみを使ってもいいですか. It commonly follows the thing directly acted on, as in 本を読む.
使って
使って means “use” here and appears in the permission expression 使ってもいいですか. The form connects the action to the following permission wording. A common reuse pattern is Xを使ってもいいですか when asking whether you may use something.
も
も in 使ってもいいですか helps form the meaning “may I use it?” or “is it okay if I use it?” It is part of the pattern Vてもいいですか, used when politely asking permission to do something.
いい
いい in 使ってもいいですか means “okay” or “acceptable,” not simply “good.” Together with も and ですか, it asks whether the action is permitted. The reusable pattern Vてもいいです asks for or gives permission.
です
です gives the permission question 使ってもいいですか a polite sentence ending. Here it helps make the request courteous. It commonly appears at the end of polite statements and questions.
か
か marks 使ってもいいですか as a question. It turns the polite permission wording into “May I use it?” or “Is it okay to use it?” A common reuse pattern is a polite sentence followed by か when asking a question.
これ
これ refers to the item or items being offered in これを持っていって. In this dialogue, it points to the scissors. It is commonly used for something near the speaker or currently being indicated.
持って
持って means “carry” or “take” here as part of 持っていって, telling the listener to take the offered item along. It is not the complete meaning of the whole compound by itself. A common reuse pattern is Xを持っていってください when telling someone politely to take something.
いって
いって completes 持っていって and adds the sense of going away with the item, so the whole expression means “take these.” It follows 持って in this dialogue rather than functioning as a separate instruction. The pattern Xを持っていってください is useful when handing something to someone to take.
刃
刃 means “blade” here, referring to the sharp part of the scissors. In 刃を下に向けてください, it is the thing that should be pointed downward. A common reuse pattern is 刃を扱う when talking about handling a blade.
下
下 means “down” or “below” in 刃を下に向けてください. It identifies the direction in which the blades should point. A common reuse pattern is 下に置く for putting something below or on a lower surface.
に
に marks 下 as the direction or target in 刃を下に向けてください. It links the direction “down” with the action of pointing. The same direction pattern appears in XをYに向ける.
向けて
向けて means “point” or “turn toward” here, telling the listener to direct the blades downward. With ください, it forms the polite request 向けてください. A common reuse pattern is XをYに向けてください when asking someone to point something toward a direction or place.
ください
ください makes 向けてください a polite request: “please point it.” It follows a te-form to ask another person to carry out the action. A common reuse pattern is Xてください for a courteous request.
テープ
テープ means “tape” here, the additional material the speaker needs. It appears in テープも少し必要です and テープは引き出しの中にあります. It can commonly be used with an amount or location, such as テープが必要です or テープがあります.
少し
少し means “a little” or “some” in テープも少し必要です, indicating that only a small amount of tape is needed. It modifies the amount of the needed item. A common reuse pattern is 少し必要です when saying that a small amount is needed.
必要
必要 means “needed” or “necessary” in テープも少し必要です. It states that the speaker requires some tape. A common reuse pattern is Xが必要です when saying that something is needed.
は
は marks テープ as the topic in テープは引き出しの中にあります. The sentence then gives the tape’s location. It commonly follows the thing being discussed before information about it.
引き出し
引き出し means “drawer” here, the place where the tape is stored. In 引き出しの中, it is connected to 中 to specify the inside of the drawer. A common reuse pattern is 引き出しの中にあります for saying that an item is in a drawer.
の
の links 引き出し to 中 in 引き出しの中, giving the meaning “inside the drawer.” It connects a noun with a following noun that describes a relationship or location. A common reuse pattern is Xの中 for “inside X.”
中
中 means “inside” in 引き出しの中にあります. It identifies the interior of the drawer as the tape’s location. A common reuse pattern is Xの中にあります when saying that something is inside X.
定規
定規 means “ruler” here, the tool the speaker asks about and later must leave in a visible place. It appears in 定規もありますか and 定規を上に置いてください. A common reuse pattern is 定規を使う when talking about using a ruler.
あります
あります states that an inanimate thing exists or is available. Here it is used for the tape being in the drawer and for asking whether a ruler is available. Common patterns include placeにXがあります and Xがありますか.
はい
はい means “yes” and confirms the question about the ruler. Here it introduces the answer that the ruler is on the speaker’s desk. It is commonly used at the start of a positive reply.
私
私 means “I” or “my” here. In 私の机, it identifies the desk as belonging to the speaker. A common reuse pattern is 私のX for “my X.”
机
机 means “desk” in 私の机の上にあります. It is the surface or piece of furniture where the ruler is located. A common reuse pattern is 机の上 for “on the desk.”
上
上 means “on top” or “above” here. In 机の上 and 上に置いてください, it identifies the top surface where the ruler is or should be placed. A common reuse pattern is Xの上に置く for putting something on top of X.
そこ
そこ means “there” and refers to the place just mentioned, the speaker’s desk. In そこから取ってもいいです, it identifies the place from which the ruler may be taken. It is commonly used to refer to a place already known in the conversation.
から
から means “from” in そこから取ってもいいです. It marks there as the starting place for taking the ruler. A common reuse pattern is placeから取る when taking something from a place.
取って
取って means “take” or “get” here in そこから取ってもいいです. Together with もいいです, it asks or states that taking the ruler from there is allowed. A common reuse pattern is Xから取ってもいいですか when asking whether you may take something from X.
終わった
終わった describes the point at which the speaker has finished using the tools in 終わったら、全部返します. With ら, it gives the condition or time “when I finish” or “after it is finished.” A common reuse pattern is Vたら when describing what happens when a condition is met.
ら
ら in 終わったら marks the condition or time for the next action: “when I finish” or “after I finish.” It connects that completed situation with 全部返します. The reusable pattern Vたら introduces what someone will do when the stated condition occurs.
全部
全部 means “everything” or “all” in 終わったら、全部返します. It refers collectively to the scissors, tape, ruler, and other borrowed items. A common reuse pattern is 全部返します when promising to return all of something.
返します
返します means “return” here, referring to returning all the borrowed tools. It is used in the polite promise 終わったら、全部返します. A common reuse pattern is Xを返します when saying that you will return X.
後
後 means “later” or “afterward” in 後で見つけられるように. It places the finding of the ruler at a later time. A common reuse pattern is 後でXする for an action that will happen later.
で
で marks the time in 後で, giving the meaning “later” or “afterward.” Here it indicates when the speaker should be able to find the ruler. A common reuse pattern is a time expression followed by で to specify when an action occurs.
見つけられる
見つけられる means “can find” here, referring to being able to find the ruler later. It appears in 見つけられるように, which gives the purpose of placing the ruler on top. A common reuse pattern is Xを見つけられる when saying that someone can find X.
よう
よう in 見つけられるように helps express the purpose or desired result “so that it can be found.” The full expression 見つけられるように explains why the ruler should be left on top. A common reuse pattern is Vるように when arranging something so that a result can occur.
置いて
置いて means “put” or “leave” here, telling the listener to leave the ruler on top. With ください in 置いてください, it becomes a polite request. A common reuse pattern is XをYに置いてください when asking someone to put X in or on Y.
Grammar Points
〜てもいいですか
これを使ってもいいですか
koh-REH o tsoo-KAT-teh mo EE deh-soo kaMay I use this?
Use 〜てもいいですか to ask politely for permission to do something.
〜たら
終わったら、全部返します
oh-WAT-tah-rah, ZEN-boo ka-EH-shee-MAHSWhen I finish, I will return everything.
Attach 〜たら to a completed action to mean “when” or “after.”
Japanese Vocabulary
これ
pron
koh-REH
this
これを持っていって、刃を下に向けてください。
テープ
noun
TAY-poo
tape
テープも少し必要です。
はさみ
noun
hah-sah-MEE
scissors
はさみを使ってもいいですか。
引き出し
noun
HEE-kee-DAH-shee
drawer
テープは引き出しの中にあります。
下
noun
shee-TAH
down; below
刃を下に向けてください。
向ける
verb
moo-KEH-roo
to point; to turn toward
向けてください
刃を下に向けてください。
使う
verb
tsoo-KAH-oo
to use
使ってもいいですか
はさみを使ってもいいですか。
持っていく
verb
MOT-teh EE-koo
to take
持っていって
これを持っていって、刃を下に向けてください。
少し
adv
soo-KOH-shee
a little; some
テープも少し必要です。
刃
noun
hah
blade
これを持っていって、刃を下に向けてください。
中
noun
nah-KAH
inside
引き出しの中にあります。
必要
adj
hee-TSOO-yoh
necessary; needed
必要です
テープも少し必要です。
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to take
Show Answer
持っていってto point; to turn toward
Show Answer
向けてくださいto use
Show Answer
使ってもいいですかnecessary; needed