About This Lesson
Use Cleaning up spilled water to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
床に水があります。
YOO-kah nee MEE-zoo gah ah-ree-MAHSS. There is water on the floor.
B
ドアのほうに広がっています。
DOH-ah noh HOH-oh nee hee-roh-GAHT-teh ee-MAHSS. It is spreading toward the door.
A
小さいボトルが割れました。
CHEE-sah-ee boh-toh-roo gah wah-reh-mah-SHEE-tah. The small bottle broke.
B
乾いたタオルを持ってきます。
kah-wah-EE-tah TAH-oh-roo oh MOHT-teh kee-MAHSS. I will get a dry towel.
A
先にバッグを動かせますか。
SAH-kee nee BAHG-goo oh oo-goh-kah-SEH-mahss kah? Can you move the bag first?
B
バッグを椅子の上に置きます。
BAHG-goo oh EE-soo noh OO-eh nee oh-kee-MAHSS. I will put it on the chair.
A
それから、床を掃除できます。
soh-reh-kah-rah, YOO-kah oh SOH-jee deh-kee-MAHSS. Then we can clean the floor.
B
そこではバッグはぬれません。
soh-koh-deh wah BAHG-goo wah noo-reh-MAHSS. The bag will stay dry there.Word by Word
床
「床」 means the floor, and in 「床に水があります」 it is the place where the water is present. Use it when talking about the floor of a room or building.
に
In 「床に水があります」, 「に」 marks the location where the water exists, meaning “on the floor.” It commonly follows a place when saying that something is there.
水
「水」 means water, the liquid noticed on the floor in this dialogue. Use it as the name of the liquid in expressions about its location or condition.
あります
In 「床に水があります」, 「あります」 says that the water is present or exists there. It is useful for stating that something is in a particular place.
ドア
「ドア」 means door. In 「ドアのほうに広がっています」, it identifies the direction toward which the water is spreading.
の
In 「ドアのほう」, 「の」 links 「ドア」 with 「ほう」 to form the meaning “the direction or side of the door.” It is used to connect one noun with another noun that describes or specifies it.
ほう
In 「ドアのほうに」, 「ほう」 means the direction or side toward the door. It can follow a noun with 「の」 when indicating which direction or side is meant.
広がっています
「広がっています」 says that the water is spreading, describing the situation currently developing in the room. It is useful when something extends outward or covers a wider area.
小さい
「小さい」 means small and describes the bottle in 「小さいボトルが割れました」. It comes before the noun it describes.
ボトル
「ボトル」 means bottle, specifically the small bottle that broke in this dialogue. Use it when referring to a bottle or similar container.
が
In 「小さいボトルが割れました」, 「が」 marks the small bottle as the thing that broke. It commonly identifies the subject of an event or condition.
割れました
「割れました」 reports that the bottle broke. In this dialogue, it describes the event that caused the water to spill; it can be used after the thing that broke.
乾いた
「乾いた」 describes the towel as dry in 「乾いたタオル」. It comes before a noun to specify its condition, as in a towel that is dry.
タオル
「タオル」 means towel, and in 「乾いたタオルを持ってきます」 it is the item that will be brought. Use it when referring to a towel used for drying or wiping.
を
In 「乾いたタオルを持ってきます」, 「を」 marks the dry towel as the object being brought. It commonly follows the thing directly acted on by a verb.
持ってきます
「持ってきます」 means bringing something to the current place, here bringing a dry towel. 「持って」 contributes the idea of carrying or holding the item, and 「きます」 adds movement toward the speaker or the relevant place. New example: “I will bring an umbrella” can use the same bring-here pattern.
先
In 「先にバッグを動かせますか」, 「先」 means first or ahead of the other action. 「先に」 is used before an action that should happen earlier.
バッグ
「バッグ」 means bag, the item that needs to be moved away from the spilled water. Use it when referring to a bag as an object in the room.
動かせます
「動かせます」 means can move, and in 「バッグを動かせますか」 it asks whether the listener is able to move the bag. It can be used with the thing being moved before it.
か
At the end of 「動かせますか」, 「か」 marks the sentence as a question. It is used after a statement or ability question when asking for information or confirmation.
椅子
「椅子」 means chair. In 「椅子の上に置きます」, it identifies the furniture where the bag will be placed.
上
In 「椅子の上」, 「上」 means the top or upper surface of the chair. It is used after a noun with 「の」 to specify a position above or on that thing.
置きます
「置きます」 means put or place, and in 「バッグを椅子の上に置きます」 it describes placing the bag on the chair. A thing being placed and its destination commonly appear with this verb.
それから
「それから」 means then or after that. It connects the earlier action of moving the bag with the following action in 「それから、床を掃除できます」.
掃除
「掃除」 refers to cleaning, specifically cleaning the floor in 「床を掃除できます」. It names the cleaning activity and can be used with the object being cleaned.
できます
In 「掃除できます」, 「できます」 means can or be able to do, so the sentence says that the floor can then be cleaned. It follows an activity or action when expressing that it is possible.
そこ
「そこ」 means there, referring to a place already understood from the conversation, here the place where the bag is put. Use it when indicating a nearby or previously mentioned location.
で
In 「そこではバッグはぬれません」, 「で」 marks 「そこ」 as the place connected with the getting-wet situation. It is commonly used after a place when describing an action or condition there.
は
In 「バッグはぬれません」, 「は」 makes the bag the topic and presents what is true about it. It commonly follows the thing being discussed before the rest of the statement.
ぬれません
「ぬれません」 says that the bag will not get wet in this situation. It is useful for saying that something does not become wet or is expected to remain dry.
Grammar Points
〜ています
水が広がっています。
MEE-zoo gah hee-roh-GAHT-teh ee-MAHSS.Water is spreading.
This form describes an action in progress or a continuing state. The verb changes to the て-form before います.
〜せますか
バッグを動かせますか。
BAHG-goo oh oo-goh-kah-SEH-mahss kah?Can you move the bag?
This is the potential form, used to ask whether someone can do something. 動かす becomes 動かせます.
Japanese Vocabulary
ある
verb
AH-roo
to exist; there is
あります
床に水があります。
タオル
noun
TAH-oh-roo
towel
乾いたタオルを持ってきます。
ドア
noun
DOH-ah
door
ドアのほうに広がっています。
ボトル
noun
BOH-toh-roo
bottle
小さいボトルが割れました。
割れる
verb
wah-reh-roo
to break; to shatter
割れました
小さいボトルが割れました。
乾く
verb
kah-wah-koo
to become dry
乾いた
乾いたタオルを持ってきます。
広がる
verb
hee-roh-GAH-roo
to spread
広がっています
ドアのほうに広がっています。
持ってくる
verb
MOHT-teh-koo-roo
to bring
持ってきます
乾いたタオルを持ってきます。
小さい
adj
CHEE-sah-ee
small
小さいボトルが割れました。
床
noun
YOO-kah
floor
床に水があります。
水
noun
MEE-zoo
water
床に水があります。
先に
adv
SAH-kee nee
first; before that
先にバッグを動かせますか。
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to break; to shatter
Show Answer
割れましたto exist; there is
Show Answer
ありますto spread
Show Answer
広がっていますto bring