Finding the Back of a Line | Learn Japanese in English

Japanese lesson set in a contemporary Tokyo everyday setting: Near a doorway, two adults talk about where a line ends and where to join from the back..

EN → JA / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Finding the Back of a Line to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

この列の最後尾はどこですか。

KOH-noh REH-tsu-noh sai-GOH-bee wa doh-KOH dess-kah Where is the end of this line?
B

最後尾はドアの近くです。

sai-GOH-bee wa DOH-ah-noh CHEE-kah-koo dess The end is over by the door.
A

そこで待てばいいですか。

SOH-koh-deh MAH-teh-bah EE dess-kah Should I wait there?
B

最後の人の後ろに並んでください。

sai-GOH-noh HEE-toh-noh us-ROH-nee nah-RAHN-deh koo-dah-SAI Stand behind the last person.
A

案内を見落としました。

ah-NAI-oh mee-oh-toh-SHEE-mah-shee-tah I missed the sign.
B

ドアの横に貼ってあります。

DOH-ah-noh yoh-KOH-nee HAH-teh ah-REE-mahss It is posted next to the door.
A

列の後ろに行きます。

REH-tsu-noh us-ROH-nee ee-KEE-mahss I will head to the back.
B

そこから人が列に入っています。

SOH-koh-kah-RAH HEE-toh-gah REH-tsu-nee HIGH-teh ee-MAHSS That is where people are joining.

Word by Word

この この means this and points to the specific line being discussed in この列. It is used directly before a noun, as in この列.
列 列 means the line or queue in この列の最後尾. It refers to people waiting in an ordered line, and it commonly appears with の to describe something belonging to or associated with the line.
の の links この列 and 最後尾 in この列の最後尾, meaning the end of this line. It connects a noun phrase to the noun that follows it.
最後尾 最後尾 means the very end or back of the line here. In この列の最後尾はどこですか, it identifies the place where the line ends; it is useful when asking where to join a queue.
は は marks 最後尾 as the topic in 最後尾はどこですか. The sentence then asks where that topic is, and は commonly introduces the thing being located or described.
どこ どこ means where in 最後尾はどこですか. It asks for a location and appears before ですか in this polite question.
です です makes the statement polite in 最後尾はどこですか. With どこ, it helps form a polite question about a location, as in 最後尾はどこですか.
か か marks 最後尾はどこですか as a question. It is placed at the end of a polite question and signals that the speaker is asking for information.
ドア ドア means door in ドアの近くです. It is a noun used here as the reference point for locating the end of the line, and it can be followed by の to describe a nearby area.
近く 近く means the nearby area or vicinity in ドアの近くです. The phrase ドアの近く identifies a location close to the door and can be used to give a position.
そこ そこ means there, referring to the place just identified near the door. In そこで待てばいいですか, it points to that location as the place where the speaker may wait.
で で marks そこ as the place where the action happens in そこで待てばいいですか. It is used after a location when describing an action performed there.
待てば 待てば means if I wait or by waiting in 待てばいいですか. It is the conditional form of 待つ, and with いいですか the phrase asks whether waiting there is acceptable.
いい いい contributes the meaning okay or acceptable in 待てばいいですか. Together, 待てばいいですか asks whether the speaker should wait there, and this pattern is useful for asking what action is appropriate.
最後 最後 means last in 最後の人. It identifies the person at the back of the line, and it appears before の人 to describe that person.
人 人 means person in 最後の人の後ろに並んでください. Here it refers to the last person already standing in line and can be used after a describing word or phrase.
後ろ 後ろ means behind or at the back in 最後の人の後ろに並んでください. It identifies the position behind the last person, a useful location when joining a line.
に に marks 後ろ as the position where the listener should line up in 最後の人の後ろに並んでください. It is used after a destination or position before a movement or placement action.
並んで 並んで means line up in 最後の人の後ろに並んでください. It is the form used before ください to make a polite request, so the listener is asked to join the line behind the last person.
ください ください makes 最後の人の後ろに並んでください a polite request. Following 並んで, it asks the listener to line up behind the last person.
案内 案内 means guidance, information, or a sign in 案内を見落としました. Here it refers to posted information that indicates how or where to join, and it can be the object of を.
を を marks 案内 as the object of 見落としました in 案内を見落としました. It shows what was missed or overlooked in this sentence.
見落としました 見落としました means missed or overlooked in 案内を見落としました. It is the polite form used to report that the speaker failed to notice the sign, and it comes after the thing that was overlooked.
横 横 means the side or the area next to something in ドアの横に貼ってあります. ドアの横 identifies the place beside the door, and this location can be followed by に.
貼って 貼って contributes the action of putting or sticking something up in 貼ってあります. The whole expression 貼ってあります says that the information has been posted and remains there; the form 貼って also appears before あります in this construction.
あります あります indicates that something exists or is in a certain state in 貼ってあります. In the whole expression ドアの横に貼ってあります, it describes the sign as being posted beside the door.
行きます 行きます means go or will go, and here it states the speaker's plan to head to the back of the line in 列の後ろに行きます. It is a polite form used after a destination marked by に.
から から means from in そこから人が列に入っています. It marks そこ as the point from which people are joining the line, and it commonly follows a place when showing a starting point.
が が marks 人 as the subject in そこから人が列に入っています. It identifies who is entering or joining the line, and it commonly appears before the verb that describes the subject's action.
入っています 入っています means are entering or joining in 人が列に入っています. In this dialogue, it describes people joining the line from there, and the pattern Xが列に入っています can describe people entering a queue.

Grammar Points

〜ばいいですか

最後尾で待てばいいですか

sai-GOH-bee deh MAH-teh-bah EE dess-kah

Should I wait at the end of the line?

This pattern asks what action is appropriate or what the speaker should do.

〜てあります

案内はドアの横に貼ってあります

ah-NAI wa DOH-ah-noh yoh-KOH-nee HAH-teh ah-REE-mahss

The sign is posted next to the door.

This describes something that was deliberately placed and remains in that state.

Japanese Vocabulary

この det
KOH-noh this
ドア noun
DOH-ah door
どこ pron
doh-KOH where
案内 noun
ah-NAI sign; guidance
近く noun
CHEE-kah-koo near; vicinity
見落としました verb
mee-oh-toh-SHEE-mah-shee-tah missed; overlooked
後ろ noun
us-ROH behind; back
最後の人 phrase
sai-GOH-noh HEE-toh last person
最後尾 noun
sai-GOH-bee end of the line; very back
待てばいいですか phrase
MAH-teh-bah EE dess-kah should I wait?
並んでください phrase
nah-RAHN-deh koo-dah-SAI please stand in line
列 noun
REH-tsu line; queue

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

should I wait?

Show Answer待てばいいですか

last person

Show Answer最後の人

missed; overlooked

Show Answer見落としました

please stand in line

Show Answer並んでください