About This Lesson
Use Waiting in the right line to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
この列で合っていますか？
KOH-noh REH-tsoo deh ah-GAHT-teh ee-MAHS-kah? Is this the right line?
B
受付まで続いています。
oo-keh-TSOO-keh MAH-deh tsoo-ZOO-ee-TEH ee-MAHS. It goes to the front desk.
A
受付はこの先ですか？
oo-keh-TSOO-keh wah KOH-noh-SAH-kee dehss-kah? Is the front desk up ahead?
B
ここから見えます。
KOH-koh-kah-RAH mee-EH-MAHS. We can see it from here.
A
あなたの後ろに立てばいいですか？
ah-NAH-tah-noh oo-SHEE-roh-nee tah-TEH-bah EE dehss-kah? Should I stand behind you?
B
近くにいてください。あまりスペースがありません。
CHEE-kah-koo nee EE-teh koo-DAH-sigh. ah-MAH-ree suh-PAY-suh gah ah-ree-MAH-sen. Stay close; there isn't much space.
A
列はゆっくり進んでいます。
REH-tsoo wah YOOK-koo-ree soo-SOON-deh ee-MAHS. The line is moving slowly.
B
私たちはもう少し待てます。
wah-tah-SHEE-tah-chee wah moh-SKOH-shee MAH-teh-MAHS. We can wait a little longer.Word by Word
この
この means “this” and points to the line being indicated in この列. It is used before a noun to identify a nearby or already understood thing, such as the line someone is considering.
列
列 means “line” or “queue” here, specifically the line in この列. It is useful when talking about joining, standing in, or moving through a queue.
で
で marks the place or setting in which the arrangement is being checked in この列で合っていますか. It commonly follows a place or setting when describing where an action or arrangement applies.
合っています
合っています means “is correct” or “is the right one” here, so the speaker asks whether this is the correct line. It comes from 合う and uses a polite form that describes the choice as being right.
か
か marks the sentence as a question in この列で合っていますか. It is placed at the end of a polite question to ask for confirmation.
受付
受付 means “reception desk” or “front desk” in 受付まで続いています and 受付はこの先ですか. It is used for the place where people check in or receive assistance.
まで
まで means “up to” or “as far as” in 受付まで続いています. It marks the endpoint of the line, and it commonly follows a destination or limit.
続いています
続いています means that the line continues or leads onward to the front desk in 受付まで続いています. It is used with an endpoint marked by まで when describing where something extends.
は
は marks 受付 as the topic in 受付はこの先ですか. It presents the thing being asked about before giving information or asking a question about it.
先
先 means “ahead” or “further on” in この先, referring to the area in front of the speakers. この先 is useful when asking or explaining whether a place is farther ahead.
です
です gives the statement a polite form in 受付はこの先ですか. Together with か, it helps form a polite question about where the front desk is.
ここ
ここ means “here” in ここから見えます, referring to the speakers’ current position. It is used to identify the place where the speakers are now.
から
から means “from” in ここから見えます and marks the starting point of seeing. It commonly follows a place when describing where an action or view begins.
見えます
見えます means “can be seen” here, so the front desk is visible from the speakers’ position. It is the polite form related to 見える and describes something being visible rather than someone actively looking at it.
あなた
あなた means “you” in あなたの後ろ, identifying the person whose position is being referred to. It can be placed before の when specifying something connected with that person.
の
の connects あなた with 後ろ in あなたの後ろ and shows that the back belongs to or is associated with the person addressed. It commonly links a person or thing to a related place or object.
後ろ
後ろ means “behind” or “back” in あなたの後ろ. It identifies the position behind the other person, and it can be followed by に when that position is where someone stands.
に
に marks the position where the speaker would stand in あなたの後ろに立てばいいですか. It commonly follows a location or direction when indicating where someone or something is placed.
立てば
立てば means “if I stand” in 立てばいいですか. It is the conditional form related to 立つ and presents standing behind the other person as a proposed action.
いい
いい contributes the sense of being acceptable or appropriate in 立てばいいですか. The whole question asks whether standing behind the other person is the right thing to do, and this question shape is useful when checking what action is appropriate.
近く
近く means “near” or “close” in 近くにいてください, identifying the nearby position where the person should remain. With に, it marks the place of staying.
いてください
いてください is a polite request to stay or remain in the nearby place in 近くにいてください. いて contributes the meaning of staying or remaining, and ください makes the request polite; the whole expression can be used when asking someone to remain in a particular place.
あまり
あまり means “not much” in あまりスペースがありません. With the negative expression ありません, it limits the amount and says that the available space is small.
スペース
スペース means “space” or “room” here, referring to the physical room between people in the line. It is used as the thing that is absent or limited in あまりスペースがありません.
が
が marks スペース as the thing whose existence is being described in スペースがありません. It commonly marks the subject of an existence or nonexistence statement.
ありません
ありません means “there is not” or “does not exist” in あまりスペースがありません, stating that there is not much space. It is the polite negative form associated with ある and is used to say that something is unavailable or absent.
ゆっくり
ゆっくり means “slowly” in ゆっくり進んでいます and describes the slow pace of the line’s movement. It commonly comes before an action or movement to describe its pace.
進んでいます
進んでいます means “is moving forward” or “is progressing” here, describing the line’s movement. It comes from 進む and is used to describe an ongoing movement or process.
私たち
私たち means “we” or “us” in 私たちはもう少し待てます and refers to both speakers together. It is used as the group being described before the topic marker は.
もう少し
もう少し means “a little more” or “a little longer” in もう少し待てます. In もう少し, もう contributes the sense of additional or further, while 少し means a small amount; together they describe a small additional amount of time or something else.
待てます
待てます means “can wait” in もう少し待てます and expresses that the speakers are able to continue waiting. It is the polite potential form related to 待つ and can follow an amount or duration to say that waiting that much is possible.
Grammar Points
〜てください
近くにいてください。
CHEE-kah-koo nee EE-teh koo-DAH-sigh.Please stay nearby.
Attach ください to the て-form to make a polite request. いてください means “please stay/be.”
〜ば
後ろに立てば、いいです。
oo-SHEE-roh nee tah-TEH-bah, EE dehss.If you stand behind, it’s okay.
The ば-form expresses a condition: if or when something happens. 立つ becomes 立てば.
Japanese Vocabulary
あなた
pron
ah-NAH-tah
you
あなたの後ろ
いい
adj
EE
good; okay
立てばいいですか
ここから
phrase
KOH-koh-kah-RAH
from here
ここから見えます
この
det
KOH-noh
this
この列
この先
phrase
KOH-noh-SAH-kee
up ahead; further on
受付はこの先ですか
見える
verb
mee-EH-roo
to be visible; can be seen
見えます
ここから見えます
後ろ
noun
oo-SHEE-roh
behind; back
あなたの後ろに
合う
verb
AH-oo
to be correct; to fit
合っています
この列で合っていますか
受付
noun
oo-keh-TSOO-keh
front desk; reception
受付まで続いています
続く
verb
tsoo-ZOO-koo
to continue; to extend
続いています
受付まで続いています
立つ
verb
TAHT-soo
to stand
立てば
後ろに立てばいいですか
列
noun
REH-tsoo
line; queue
この列
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to continue; to extend
Show Answer
続いていますto be visible; can be seen
Show Answer
見えますfrom here
Show Answer
ここからto be correct; to fit