Borrowing a Pen and Notebook | Learn Japanese in English

Japanese lesson set in a contemporary Tokyo everyday setting: In a shared space, one person borrows a pen and notebook for a short list and agrees where to put them back..

EN → JA / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Borrowing a Pen and Notebook to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

ペンを使ってもいいですか。

pen oh tsu-KAHT-teh moh EE dess-kah Can I use a pen?
B

カップから黒いペンを取ってください。

KAP-poo kah-RAH koo-ROH-ee pen oh TOHT-teh koo-dah-SAI Take the black one from the cup.
A

ノートも必要です。

NOH-toh moh hee-TSOO-yoh dess I need a notebook too.
B

引き出しに古いノートがあります。

hee-kee-DAH-shee nee foo-ROO-ee NOH-toh gah ah-ree-MAHS There is an old one in the drawer.
A

短いリストを書く必要があるだけです。

mee-jee-KAI ree-soo-toh KAH-koo hee-TSOO-yoh gah ah-ROO dah-KEH dess I only need to write a short list.
B

終わったら、二つとも戻してください。

oh-WAHT-tah-rah foo-TAHT-soo toh-MOH moh-DOH-shee-teh koo-dah-SAI Bring both back when you finish.
A

あなたの机の上に置きます。

ah-NAH-tah noh TSOO-koo-eh noh oo-EH nee oh-kee-MAHS I will put them on your desk.
B

それなら、見つけやすいですね。

soh-REH-nah-rah mee-TSOO-keh yah-SOO-ee dess-NEH That makes them easy to find.

Word by Word

ペン ペン means “pen” here, the item the speaker wants to use. It is used for a writing tool, as in ペンを使う. In a shared space, use it when asking for or identifying a pen.
を を marks ペン as the thing being used in ペンを使ってもいいですか. It comes after the object and before the action. A reusable pattern is [object]を使う, meaning “use [object].”
使って 使って expresses the action “use” in the permission request ペンを使ってもいいですか. Here it connects the action to the permission expression. A reusable pattern is [object]を使ってもいいですか, meaning “May I use [object]?”
も も helps form the permission expression 使ってもいいですか, asking whether doing the action is acceptable. Its contribution is part of the whole expression rather than a separate “also” meaning here. Use [verb in て-form]もいいですか when asking permission.
いい いい means “okay” or “allowed” in 使ってもいいですか. Together, 使ってもいいですか asks whether using the pen is permitted. Use it when politely checking whether an action is acceptable.
です です gives the permission question 使ってもいいですか a polite sentence ending. It helps make the request respectful. Use it in polite questions and statements when speaking in a careful or courteous way.
か か marks 使ってもいいですか as a question. It turns the permission expression into a request for an answer. Use it at the end of a polite question.
カップ カップ means “cup” here, the container holding the pen. In カップから黒いペンを取ってください, it identifies the source location. Use it when referring to a cup as a container.
から から means “from” in カップから黒いペンを取ってください. It marks the place from which the pen should be taken. A reusable pattern is [place]から取る, meaning “take [something] from [place].”
黒い 黒い means “black” and describes the pen in 黒いペン. It appears before the noun it describes. Use the pattern 黒い＋noun when identifying a black object.
取って 取って expresses the action “take” in 黒いペンを取ってください. It connects the action to ください to make a request. Use [object]を取ってください when asking someone to take something.
ください ください makes 黒いペンを取ってください a polite request meaning “Please take the black pen.” It follows the action form 取って here. Use [verb in て-form]ください when asking someone politely to do something.
ノート ノート means “notebook” here, the second item the speaker needs. It is used as the object of discussion in ノートも必要です and as the item located in the drawer. Use it when referring to a notebook for writing.
必要 必要 means “needed” or “necessary” in ノートも必要です. The sentence says that a notebook is also needed. Use [thing]が必要です or [thing]も必要です to say that something is needed.
引き出し 引き出し means “drawer” here, the place where the old notebook is located. In 引き出しに古いノートがあります, it identifies the location. Use it with に when saying that something is in a drawer.
に に marks 引き出し as the location in 引き出しに古いノートがあります. It shows where the notebook exists. A reusable pattern is [place]に[thing]があります, meaning “There is [thing] in [place].”
古い 古い means “old” and describes the notebook in 古いノート. It comes directly before the noun it describes. Use 古い＋noun when identifying an old object.
あります あります says that 古いノート exists in 引き出しに古いノートがあります. With an inanimate thing such as a notebook, it presents its location or existence. Use [place]に[thing]があります to say that an object is somewhere.
短い 短い means “short” and describes the list in 短いリスト. It comes before リスト to specify the list’s length. Use 短い＋noun when describing something as short.
リスト リスト means “list” here, the short list the speaker plans to write. It is described by 短い in 短いリスト. Use it when referring to an ordered set of items or points to write down.
書く 書く means “write” in 短いリストを書く. It is the action the speaker needs to do with the short list. A reusable pattern is [thing]を書く, meaning “write [thing].”
が が marks the need expressed by 短いリストを書く必要があるだけです. It connects the writing action to 必要がある. In this construction, use [verb phrase]必要がある to say that doing something is necessary.
ある ある expresses that the necessity exists in 短いリストを書く必要があるだけです. Together with 必要, 必要がある means that something is necessary. Use [verb phrase]必要がある when saying that an action is needed.
だけ だけ means “only” or “just” in 短いリストを書く必要があるだけです. It limits the speaker’s need to writing a short list. Use [clause]だけです to say that something is the only situation or requirement.
終わったら 終わったら means “when you finish” or “once it is finished” in 終わったら、二つとも戻してください. It sets the time for the request that follows. Use [event]たら when giving an instruction for what should happen after an event.
二つ 二つ means “two things” in 二つとも戻してください, referring to the pen and notebook together. It counts the two items without naming them again. Use 二つ when referring to two objects as a group.
とも とも adds the meaning “both” to 二つ in 二つとも戻してください. The expression refers to the two items together, not just one of them. Use [number]とも to emphasize that all items in that counted group are included.
戻して 戻して expresses the action of returning or putting back in 戻してください. Here it refers to returning the pen and notebook after finishing. Use [thing]を戻してください when politely asking someone to put something back.
あなた あなた refers to “you” in あなたの机, identifying the person whose desk is meant. In this dialogue it helps specify whose desk will be used. Use it before の when identifying something connected with the other person.
の の links あなた and 机 in あなたの机, meaning “your desk.” It marks the relationship between the person and the desk. A reusable pattern is [person]の[thing], meaning “[person]’s [thing].”
机 机 means “desk” here, the surface where the pen and notebook will be placed. It appears in あなたの机の上. Use it when referring to a desk used for writing or work.
上 上 means “top” or “surface” in 机の上, referring to the surface of the desk. Together, 机の上 means “on the desk.” Use [place]の上に置く when saying that something is placed on a surface.
置きます 置きます means “put” or “place” in あなたの机の上に置きます. It describes placing the borrowed items on the other person’s desk. Use [place]に[thing]を置きます when saying where you will put something.
それ それ means “that” in それなら、見つけやすいですね. It refers to the preceding plan of putting the items on the desk. Use それ to refer to something already mentioned or understood.
なら なら means “then” or “in that case” in それなら、見つけやすいですね. It connects the stated plan with the speaker’s conclusion. Use それなら when responding to information and drawing a conclusion from it.
見つけやすい 見つけやすい means “easy to find” in 見つけやすいですね. It says that putting the items on the desk will make locating them easy. Use [verb stem]やすい to describe an action that is easy to do.
ね ね invites agreement in 見つけやすいですね, giving the comment a shared or confirming tone. It makes the statement sound like “That will be easy to find, right?” Use it after a statement when seeking agreement or acknowledging something together.

Grammar Points

Vていい

使っていい

tsu-KAHT-teh EE

It is okay to use it; may use

動詞のて形＋いいで、許可や「〜してもよい」という意味を表します。

Vたら

終わったら

oh-WAHT-tah-rah

when it finishes; after it is finished

動詞のた形＋らで、あることが終わった後や条件を表します。

Japanese Vocabulary

いい adj
EE okay; allowed

ペンを使ってもいいですか。

カップ noun
KAP-poo cup

カップから黒いペンを取ってください。

ノート noun
NOH-toh notebook

ノートも必要です。

ペン noun
pen pen

ペンを使ってもいいですか。

リスト noun
ree-soo-toh list

短いリストを書く必要があるだけです。

引き出し noun
hee-kee-DAH-shee drawer

引き出しに古いノートがあります。

古い adj
foo-ROO-ee old

引き出しに古いノートがあります。

黒い adj
koo-ROH-ee black

カップから黒いペンを取ってください。

使う verb
tsoo-KAH-oo to use 使って

ペンを使ってもいいですか。

取る verb
TOH-roo to take 取って

カップから黒いペンを取ってください。

短い adj
mee-jee-KAI short

短いリストを書く必要があるだけです。

必要 adj
hee-TSOO-yoh necessary; needed

ノートも必要です。

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

drawer

Show Answer引き出し

list

Show Answerリスト

to take

Show Answer取って

notebook

Show Answerノート