About This Lesson
Use Borrowing cleaning supplies to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
使ってもいい掃除用の布はありますか？
tsoo-KAHT-teh moh EE soh-JEE-yoh noh NOO-noh wah ah-ree-MAHS kah Do you have a cleaning cloth I can use?
B
箱の中に一枚あります。
HAH-koh noh NAH-kah nee ee-chee-MY ah-ree-MAHS There is one in the box.
A
掃除用スプレーもありますか？
soh-JEE-yoh soo-PEH-reh moh ah-ree-MAHS kah Do you have cleaning spray too?
B
スプレーはその隣にあります。
soo-PEH-reh wah soh-noh toh-NAH-ree nee ah-ree-MAHS The spray is beside it.
A
私はこの机を掃除する必要があります。
wah-tah-SHEE wah koh-noh tsoo-KWEH oh soh-JEE soo-roo hee-tsoo-YOH gah ah-ree-MAHS I need to clean this desk.
B
少しだけ使ってください。
soo-KOH-shee dah-KEH tsoo-KAHT-teh koo-dah-SIGH Use only a small amount.
A
私は机を拭いて、二つとも元に戻します。
wah-tah-SHEE wah tsoo-KWEH oh foo-EE-teh, foo-TAH-tsoo toh-MOH-toh moh-toh nee moh-DOH-shee-MAHS I will wipe the desk and put both back.
B
二つとも箱の中で一緒にしておいてください。
foo-TAH-tsoo toh-MOH HAH-koh noh NAH-kah deh ee-SHOH nee shee-TEH oh-EE-teh koo-dah-SIGH Keep them together in the box.Word by Word
使って
使って is the action of using in 使ってもいい, asking whether the cloth may be used. It is useful when making a polite request involving the use of an item.
も
も follows 使って in 使ってもいい. Together with いい, this expression asks whether doing the action is acceptable or permitted here.
いい
いい means acceptable or permitted in 使ってもいい. In this expression, it says that using the cloth is okay; the same pattern is useful when asking for permission to do something.
掃除用
掃除用 means intended for cleaning. In 掃除用の布, it identifies the purpose of the cloth, and this position is useful for describing an item by what it is for.
の
の links 掃除用 and 布 in 掃除用の布. It shows that the cloth is for cleaning, and this linking position is useful for connecting one noun or purpose description to another.
布
布 means cloth in 掃除用の布, the item the speaker wants to use. Here it refers to a cleaning cloth that is available in the shared space.
は
は marks 布 as the topic in 布はありますか？. The question is about whether this cloth is available, and は is useful for setting the item being discussed as the topic.
あります
あります expresses that something exists or is available in 布はありますか？ and 一枚あります. With an item as the topic, it can ask or state whether the item is available.
か
か at the end of ありますか？ turns the statement into a question. It is useful at the end of a sentence when asking whether something exists or is available.
箱
箱 means box in 箱の中 and 箱の中で. It names the container where the cleaning supplies are kept, and it can be used as the container in a location expression.
中
中 means inside in 箱の中. In 箱の中に一枚あります, it identifies the interior of the box as the place where the cloth exists; in 箱の中で, it identifies the setting where the supplies are kept together.
に
に marks a location or destination in 箱の中に一枚あります, その隣にあります, and 元に戻します. It identifies where something exists or where it is returned, and it can also link to a resulting state in 一緒にしておいてください.
一枚
一枚 means one flat item, here one cloth, in 一枚あります. It is useful when stating that one flat or thin item is available.
スプレー
スプレー means spray in 掃除用スプレー. Here it refers to the cleaning spray that the speaker asks about, and it can be used as the item noun after a purpose description.
その
その means that or the mentioned one in その隣. It points back to something already understood in the conversation, while 隣 identifies the place beside it.
隣
隣 means beside or next to in その隣にあります. It identifies the place next to the previously mentioned item, and this word is useful for describing a nearby position.
私
私 means I in 私はこの机を掃除する必要があります and 私は机を拭いて、二つとも元に戻します. It identifies the speaker as the person who needs to clean and will return the supplies.
この
この means this in この机. It identifies the particular desk being discussed, and it is useful before a noun when referring to a specific item in the situation.
机
机 means desk in この机を掃除する and 机を拭いて. It is the item being cleaned and wiped, so it appears before the action that applies to it.
を
を marks the object of an action in この机を掃除する and 机を拭いて. It identifies the desk as what the speaker will clean or wipe, and it is placed after the object and before the action.
掃除
掃除 means cleaning in 掃除する. Together with する, it names the cleaning action applied to the desk, and this combination is useful for describing the act of cleaning.
する
する means do in 掃除する, where it combines with 掃除 to express the action of cleaning. It is useful after an activity noun when saying that someone carries out that activity.
必要
必要 means need or necessity in 掃除する必要があります. It states that cleaning the desk is necessary, and this pattern is useful for saying that an action is needed.
が
が marks 必要 as the thing that exists in 必要があります. With あります, it expresses that there is a need to clean the desk, and this position is useful before an existence or availability expression.
少し
少し means a little or a small amount in 少しだけ使ってください. Here it limits the amount of cleaning spray to use, and it is useful before an action when specifying a small quantity.
だけ
だけ means only in 少しだけ使ってください. It restricts the request to a small amount, and it follows the amount that is being limited.
ください
ください makes a polite request in 使ってください and しておいてください. After the action forms 使って and して, it asks the listener to use the spray or keep the supplies together.
拭いて
拭いて means wipe and links the wiping action to the next action in 机を拭いて、二つとも元に戻します. This linking form is useful when describing one action followed by another.
二つ
二つ means two items in 二つとも. Here it refers to the cloth and the spray together, and it is useful for counting two non-human items in the situation.
とも
とも in 二つとも means both, applying the instruction to the two items together. This pattern is useful when the same action or condition applies to all of the items being counted.
元
元 means the original place or state in 元に戻します. It shows that the two supplies should go back to where they were, and this expression is useful when returning an item to its previous place.
戻します
戻します means put back or return in 元に戻します. The speaker says that the two supplies will be returned after the desk is wiped, and this form is useful for describing the act of returning something.
で
で marks the setting in 箱の中で一緒にしておいてください. Here, the inside of the box is the place where the supplies should be kept together, and this use is helpful for indicating where an action or state is maintained.
一緒
一緒 means together in 一緒にしておいてください. Here it describes keeping the cloth and spray together in the box, and it is useful when asking that multiple items remain in the same group or place.
して
して connects the action of putting the two items together to おいてください in 一緒にしておいてください. It carries the action into the request to leave the items in that arranged state.
おいて
おいて in しておいてください adds the idea of leaving or keeping the result in place. Here, it asks the listener to keep both supplies together in the box, and this pattern is useful when a resulting arrangement should remain as it is.
Grammar Points
Vて＋もいいですか
掃除用の布を使ってもいいですか。
soh-JEE-yoh noh NOO-noh oh tsoo-KAHT-teh moh EE dehss kahMay I use the cleaning cloth?
This pattern asks for permission. もいいですか means “is it okay?” after the て-form of a verb.
Vておいてください
二つとも一緒にしておいてください。
foo-TAH-tsoo toh-MOH ee-SHOH nee shee-TEH oh-EE-teh koo-dah-SIGHPlease keep both together.
ておいてください asks someone to do something in advance or leave something in a particular state.
Japanese Vocabulary
ある
verb
ah-ROO
to exist; to have
あります
布はありますか?
スプレー
noun
soo-PEH-reh
spray
スプレーはその隣にあります
一枚
num
ee-chee-MY
one sheet; one piece of cloth
一枚あります
机
noun
tsoo-KWEH
desk
この机を掃除する
使う
verb
tsoo-KAH-oo
to use
使ってもいい
使ってもいい掃除用の布
掃除する
verb
soh-JEE soo-roo
to clean
机を掃除する必要があります
掃除用スプレー
phrase
soh-JEE-yoh soo-PEH-reh
cleaning spray
掃除用スプレーもありますか?
掃除用の布
phrase
soh-JEE-yoh noh NOO-noh
cleaning cloth
掃除用の布はありますか?
中
noun
NAH-kah
inside
箱の中にあります
箱
noun
HAH-koh
box
箱の中
布
noun
NOO-noh
cloth
掃除用の布
隣
noun
toh-NAH-ree
beside; next to
その隣にあります
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
cleaning spray
Show Answer
掃除用スプレーto use
Show Answer
使ってもいいcleaning cloth
Show Answer
掃除用の布spray