About This Lesson
Use Fixing a Stuck Door to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
ドアが開きません。
DOH-ah gah ah-kee-mah-SEN The door is stuck.
B
取っ手を引いてみてください。
TOHT-teh oh HEE-teh MEE-teh koo-dah-SAI Try pulling the handle.
A
引っ張りましたが、閉まったままです。
heep-pah-ree-mah-SHEE-tah gah, shee-maht-tah mah-MAH dehss I pulled it, but it stays closed.
B
端の近くをゆっくり押してください。
hah-SHEE noh CHEE-kah-koo oh YOOK-koo-ree oh-SHEE-teh koo-dah-SAI Push near the edge slowly.
A
少し開きました。
soo-KOH-shee ah-kee-mah-SHEE-tah It opened a little.
B
取っ手がゆるい感じです。
TOHT-teh gah yoo-ROO-ee KAHN-jee dehss The handle feels loose.
A
このドアを使うのをやめますか。
KOH-noh DOH-ah oh tsoo-KAH-oo noh oh yah-meh-MAHSS kah Should we stop using this door?
B
また誰かが閉じ込められる前に、取っ手を直せます。
mah-TAH dah-reh-KAH gah toh-jee-koh-meh-rah-reh-roo MAH-eh nee, TOHT-teh oh nah-oh-SEH-mahss We can fix the handle before anyone gets stuck again.Word by Word
ドア
「ドア」 means “door” in this dialogue. It is the thing that will not open in 「ドアが開きません」. A common reuse pattern is 「ドアを開ける」 for “open the door.”
が
「が」 marks 「ドア」 as the subject of 「開きません」. Here, it identifies the door as the thing that does not open. A common pattern is 「名詞が開く」 when something opens by itself or is described as opening.
開きません
「開きません」 means “does not open” here, describing the door’s current problem. It is the polite negative form used in 「ドアが開きません」. Use the pattern 「ドアが開きません」 when reporting that a door will not open.
取っ手
「取っ手」 means “handle,” specifically the part used to pull the door. It appears as the object of the action in 「取っ手を引いてみてください」. A common reuse pattern is 「取っ手をつかむ」, meaning “grip the handle.”
を
「を」 marks 「取っ手」 as the object acted on by 「引いて」. In 「取っ手を引いてみてください」, it shows what the listener should pull. A common pattern is 「名詞を引く」 for pulling something.
引いて
「引いて」 means “pull” in the instruction 「取っ手を引いてみてください」. Here it connects the pulling action with 「みてください」, which makes the request “please try pulling.” Use the pattern 「名詞を引いてみる」 when suggesting that someone try pulling something.
みて
「みて」 contributes the meaning “try doing” in 「引いてみてください」. It follows the action form 「引いて」 and shows that the listener should try that action. A common reuse pattern is 「動詞のて形＋みる」 for trying an action.
ください
「ください」 makes 「引いてみてください」 a polite request: “please try pulling.” It comes at the end of the request after the action and 「みて」. A common pattern is 「動詞のて形＋ください」 when politely asking someone to do something.
引っ張りました
「引っ張りました」 means “pulled” in 「引っ張りましたが、閉まったままです」. The speaker reports having pulled the handle, then explains that the door remains closed. Use 「名詞を引っ張りました」 to politely report that you pulled something.
閉まった
「閉まった」 describes the door as closed in 「閉まったままです」. It refers to the state that continues after the speaker pulled the handle. The pattern 「閉まったまま」 means that something remains closed.
まま
「まま」 means “remaining in the same state” in 「閉まったままです」. It shows that the closed state continues instead of changing. A common pattern is 「動作や状態を表す形＋まま」 for leaving or remaining in that condition.
です
「です」 politely ends the statement 「閉まったままです」. Here it presents the continuing closed state in a polite way. A common reuse pattern is 「名詞や状態＋です」 in a polite statement.
端
「端」 means “edge” in 「端の近く」. It identifies the part of the door near which the listener should push. A common reuse pattern is 「名詞の端」 for “the edge of something.”
の
「の」 links 「端」 and 「近く」 in 「端の近く」, meaning “near the edge.” It makes 「端」 describe which vicinity is meant. A common pattern is 「名詞の近く」 for “near a noun.”
近く
「近く」 means “near” or “nearby” in 「端の近くを」. It specifies the area where the listener should push. A common reuse pattern is 「場所の近く」 for “near a place.”
ゆっくり
「ゆっくり」 means “slowly” in 「ゆっくり押してください」. It tells the listener to perform the pushing action at a slow, careful speed. Use it before an action, as in 「ゆっくり歩く」 for “walk slowly.”
押して
「押して」 means “push” in the request 「端の近くをゆっくり押してください」. It is followed by 「ください」 to make a polite instruction. A common pattern is 「名詞を押してください」 when asking someone to push something.
少し
「少し」 means “a little” in 「少し開きました」. It indicates that the door opened only to a small extent. A common reuse pattern is 「少し＋動詞」 when describing a small amount of an action or change.
開きました
「開きました」 means “opened” in 「少し開きました」. It reports the result after the speaker tried the suggested action. Use the pattern 「ドアが開きました」 to say politely that a door opened.
ゆるい
「ゆるい」 means “loose” in 「取っ手がゆるい感じです」. It describes the handle as not firmly tight. A common reuse pattern is 「名詞がゆるい」 when describing something as loose.
感じ
「感じ」 means “feeling” or “impression” in 「ゆるい感じです」. Here it softens the observation, expressing that the handle seems loose. A common pattern is 「名詞＋感じ」 for describing how something seems or feels.
この
「この」 means “this” and points to the particular door in 「このドア」. It comes directly before the noun it identifies. Use the pattern 「この＋名詞」 when referring to a specific nearby thing.
使う
「使う」 means “use” in 「このドアを使うのをやめますか」. It refers to using this door as usual. A common reuse pattern is 「名詞を使う」 for using a thing.
やめます
「やめます」 means “stop” or “quit” in 「使うのをやめますか」. Here it asks whether they should stop using the door. A common pattern is 「動詞の辞書形＋のをやめる」 for stopping an activity.
か
「か」 marks 「このドアを使うのをやめますか」 as a question. It comes at the end of the polite sentence and asks for a decision. A common pattern is 「文＋か」 for forming a polite question.
また
「また」 means “again” in 「また誰かが閉じ込められる」. It refers to the possibility of the same kind of problem happening another time. A common reuse pattern is 「また＋動詞」 when an event happens again.
誰か
「誰か」 means “someone” in 「また誰かが閉じ込められる」. It refers to an unspecified person who might become trapped. A common pattern is 「誰かが＋動詞」 when saying that someone does something without naming the person.
閉じ込められる
「閉じ込められる」 means “get trapped” in 「誰かが閉じ込められる」. It describes a person ending up unable to get out, which is the problem they want to prevent. Use the pattern 「場所に閉じ込められる」 when someone is trapped in a place.
前
「前」 means “before” in 「閉じ込められる前に」. It places the repair before the possible event of someone becoming trapped. A common reuse pattern is 「動詞の前に」 for “before doing something.”
に
「に」 marks the time relation in 「閉じ込められる前に」. It connects the phrase meaning “before someone gets trapped” to the action that should happen earlier. A common pattern is 「動詞の前に＋行動」 for an action done before another event.
直せます
「直せます」 means “can fix” in 「取っ手を直せます」. It expresses that they have the ability or possibility to repair the handle before the problem happens again. Use the pattern 「名詞を直せます」 when saying that something can be repaired.
Grammar Points
Vたまま
ドアが閉まったままです。
DOH-ah gah shee-MAHT-tah mah-MAH dehssThe door remains closed.
まま means that a state continues without changing. Attach it to the past form of a verb.
V-えます（可能形）
ドアを直せます。
DOH-ah oh nah-oh-SEH-mahssI can fix the door.
The potential form expresses ability or possibility. 直す becomes 直せます.
Japanese Vocabulary
ドア
noun
DOH-ah
door
ドアが開きません。
まま
noun
MAH-mah
remaining in a state
閉まったままです。
ゆっくり
adv
YOOK-koo-ree
slowly
端の近くをゆっくり押してください。
引く
verb
HEE-koo
to pull
引いて
取っ手を引いてみてください。
引っ張る
verb
heep-PAH-roo
to pull
引っ張りました
引っ張りましたが、閉まったままです。
押す
verb
OH-soo
to push
押して
端の近くをゆっくり押してください。
開く
verb
AH-koo
to open
開きません
ドアが開きません。
近く
noun
CHEE-kah-koo
near; vicinity
端の近くをゆっくり押してください。
取っ手
noun
TOHT-teh
handle
取っ手を引いてみてください。
少し
adv
soo-KOH-shee
a little
少し開きました。
端
noun
HAH-shee
edge
端の近くをゆっくり押してください。
閉まる
verb
SHEE-mah-roo
to close
閉まった
引っ張りましたが、閉まったままです。
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to pull
Show Answer
引っ張りましたto close
Show Answer
閉まったto open
Show Answer
開きませんslowly