About This Lesson
Use Fixing a Loose Chair to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
このいすはぐらぐらします。
KOH-noh EE-soo wah goo-rah-goo-rah shee-MAHS. This chair feels loose.
B
どの部分が動いていますか。
DOH-noh BOO-buhn gah doh-EE-teh EE-mahs kah? Which part is moving?
A
後ろの脚が少しぐらぐらします。
oh-SHEE-roo noh AH-shee gah soo-koh-SHEE goo-rah-goo-rah shee-MAHS. The back leg wobbles a little.
B
誰かが使う前に、直したほうがいいです。
dah-reh-KAH gah tsoo-KAH-oo mah-EH nee, nah-oh-SHEE-tah hoh-gah EE dehs. We should fix it before anyone uses it.
A
別のいすに座りましょうか。
beh-tsoo noh EE-soo nee sah-koo-ree-mah-SHOH kah? Should I sit somewhere else?
B
今は別のいすを使ってください。
EE-mah wah beh-tsoo noh EE-soo oh tsoo-KAHT-teh koo-dah-SAI. Use another chair for now.
A
このいすを動かして遠くに置きます。
KOH-noh EE-soo oh doh-kah-SHEE-teh toh-oh-KOO nee oh-kee-MAHS. I will move this one away.
B
通路を空けるために、壁に立てかけてください。
TSOO-roo oh ah-keh-ROO tah-meh nee, KAH-beh nee tah-teh-kah-KEH-teh koo-dah-SAI. Put it against the wall so the walkway stays clear.Word by Word
この
この means “this” in このいす, pointing to the chair near the speaker. It comes directly before the noun it describes. Use it when identifying one nearby or already clear object.
いす
いす means “chair” in このいすはぐらぐらします and refers to the chair being discussed. It is the noun marked as the topic by は here. Use it when talking about a chair someone can sit on.
は
は marks このいす as the topic of このいすはぐらぐらします, so the sentence is about this chair. It follows the topic noun or phrase. Use it to set what the conversation is about.
ぐらぐら
ぐらぐら describes the chair as wobbling or feeling loose in このいすはぐらぐらします. The repeated sound gives the sense of unstable movement. Use it for an object that shakes or is not steady.
します
します completes ぐらぐらします and politely states that the chair is in a wobbling state. With a sound-symbolic word such as ぐらぐら, します can describe how something feels or behaves. This polite pattern is useful for reporting a problem with an object.
どの
どの means “which” in どの部分 and asks the listener to identify one part from the possible parts. It comes immediately before the noun being selected. Use it when asking which particular item or part is involved.
部分
部分 means “part” in どの部分が動いていますか, referring to one section of the chair. It is the noun identified by どの and marked as the subject by が. Use it when asking about one section of an object or situation.
が
が marks どの部分 as the subject in どの部分が動いていますか, identifying which part is moving. It commonly follows the person or thing that performs an action or has a described state. Use it when asking or stating which specific thing is responsible or affected.
動いて
動いて means “moving” in 動いています and describes movement of the chair part. It is the form used before います to present the movement as continuing. Use this form when linking 動く to います for an ongoing action or state.
います
います in 動いています shows that the movement is continuing at the time of the question. Together with 動いて, it politely asks whether the part is currently moving. Use it after a te-form when describing an ongoing action or state.
か
か marks どの部分が動いていますか as a question. It comes at the end of this polite question. Use it to turn a statement into a direct question.
後ろ
後ろ means “back” or “rear” in 後ろの脚, identifying the location of the chair leg. It is linked to 脚 by の. Use it to indicate the back side or rear position of something.
の
の links 後ろ to 脚 in 後ろの脚, meaning the leg at the back. It connects a describing noun or location to the noun that follows. Use it when one noun specifies the location or relationship of another noun.
脚
脚 means “leg” in 後ろの脚が少しぐらぐらします and refers to the chair’s rear support. It is the thing marked by が as wobbling. Use it for a leg of furniture or a person’s leg when the context is clear.
少し
少し means “a little” in 少しぐらぐらします and limits the amount of wobbling. It comes before the expression it modifies. Use it to describe a small amount or degree.
誰か
誰か means “someone” or, in the before-clause context, “anyone” in 誰かが使う前に. It refers to an unspecified person who might use the chair. Use it when the particular person is unknown or does not matter.
使う
使う means “use” in 誰かが使う前に and describes using the chair. It appears before 前に to form the time expression “before someone uses it.” Use it with an object marked by を when saying that someone uses something.
前
前 means “before” in 使う前に, referring to an earlier time than the use of the chair. It follows the action phrase that identifies what has not happened yet. Use it in the pattern action 前に to say “before doing an action.”
に
に marks the time relationship in 使う前に, making the phrase mean “before someone uses it.” Here it is part of the fixed pattern 前に, not a direction or recipient marker. Use it after 前 when connecting a prior action to a later one.
直した
直した is the exact form used in 直したほうがいいです, where it contributes the action of fixing the chair to a recommendation. It is related to the citation form 直す and appears in the past-shaped form before ほうがいい. Use this pattern to recommend completing an action.
ほうがいい
ほうがいい in 直したほうがいいです means “it is better to fix it,” so the whole expression gives advice. Within the expression, ほう presents an option or course, が marks that option, and いい means “good”; together they form the recommendation. Use it after the relevant action form when advising that one choice is preferable.
です
です politely finishes 直したほうがいいです, making the recommendation sound polite. It follows the complete advice expression here. Use it to give a polite statement or recommendation.
別
別 means “different” or “another” in 別のいす, distinguishing the suggested chair from the loose chair. It comes before のいす to describe which chair is meant. Use it when directing someone to a different item from the one already under discussion.
座りましょう
座りましょう in 座りましょうか asks or proposes “shall I sit?” in this context. It is the polite form used to suggest or ask about sitting. Use it when proposing an action or checking whether it should be done.
今
今 means “now” in 今は別のいすを使ってください and, with は, gives the time frame “for now.” It sets the temporary situation in which another chair should be used. Use it when giving instructions limited to the present time.
を
を marks 別のいす as the object in 別のいすを使ってください, the chair that should be used. It normally follows the thing directly affected by an action. Use it before verbs such as 使う when naming what someone uses.
使って
使って means “use” in the request 使ってください and links the action 使う to ください. This te-form is used to make a polite request with ください. Use it when asking someone to use a particular object.
ください
ください makes 使ってください a polite request to use another chair. It follows the te-form of the requested action. Use it after a te-form when politely asking someone to do something.
動かして
動かして means “move it” in 動かして遠くに置きます, linking the moving of the chair to the next action of putting it farther away. It is the te-form of the action used in a sequence. Use it to connect one action to another when the same person performs them.
遠く
遠く means “far away” in 遠くに置きます and indicates the place or distance where the chair will be put. It is followed by に to mark the destination of placement. Use it when moving or placing something at a distant location.
置きます
置きます means “put” or “place” in 遠くに置きます, describing where the chair will be left after it is moved. It is the polite form used for the placing action. Use it with a location marked by に when saying where something is placed.
通路
通路 means “walkway” or “passage” in 通路を空けるために and refers to the area people need to walk through. It is the object whose space is being cleared. Use it when talking about a passage that should remain open.
空ける
空ける means “clear” or “make open” in 通路を空けるために, describing the purpose of keeping the walkway unobstructed. It takes 通路 as its object with を. Use it when removing or avoiding an obstruction so that a space remains open.
ため
ため in 通路を空けるために introduces the purpose “in order to clear the walkway.” It follows the purpose action and is followed by に in this expression. Use it to state the purpose of an action.
壁
壁 means “wall” in 壁に立てかけてください and identifies the surface against which the chair should be leaned. It is followed by に to mark the place or surface involved. Use it when describing where an object is placed against a wall.
立てかけて
立てかけて means “lean it upright against” in 壁に立てかけてください, describing how to place the chair against the wall. It is followed by ください to make a polite request. Use it when asking someone to lean an object against a vertical surface.
Grammar Points
動詞た形＋ほうがいい
このいすは、直したほうがいいです。
KOH-noh EE-soo wah, nah-oh-SHEE-tah hoh-gah EE dehs.You should fix this chair.
This pattern gives advice. Use the verb's た-form before ほうがいい.
動詞て形＋ください
壁に立てかけてください。
KAH-beh nee tah-teh-kah-KEH-teh koo-dah-SAI.Please lean it against the wall.
This polite pattern makes a request. Use the verb's て-form before ください.
Japanese Vocabulary
いす
noun
EE-soo
chair
ぐらぐらする
verb
goo-rah-goo-rah soo-ROO
to wobble; to feel loose
ぐらぐらします
この
det
KOH-noh
this
どの
det
DOH-noh
which
脚
noun
AH-shee
leg
後ろ
noun
oh-SHEE-roo
back; rear
使う
verb
tsoo-KAH-oo
to use
少し
adv
soo-koh-SHEE
a little
前に
phrase
mah-EH nee
before
誰か
pron
dah-reh-KAH
someone; anyone
動く
verb
doh-KOO
to move
動いています
部分
noun
BOO-buhn
part
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to move
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動いていますto wobble; to feel loose
Show Answer
ぐらぐらしますto use
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使うsomeone; anyone