About This Lesson
Use Choosing Between a Salad and a Sandwich to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
サンドイッチとサラダのどちらを選べばいいですか。
sahn-DOH-it-chee toh sah-RAH-dah noh doh-chee-rah oh eh-RAH-beh-bah ee-dess-kah Should I choose a sandwich or a salad?
B
サラダのほうが軽い選択肢です。
sah-RAH-dah noh HOH-gah KAH-roo-ee seh-n-TAH-koo-shee dess The salad is a lighter option.
A
私はあまりお腹がすいていません。
wah-TAH-shee wah ah-MAH-ree oh-NAH-kah gah soo-ee-teh ee-mah-SEN I am not very hungry.
B
では、そちらのほうが合うかもしれません。
deh-WAH, soh-chee-rah noh HOH-gah ah-OO kah-moh shee-REH-mah-SEN Then it may suit you better.
A
あなたは何を選びますか。
ah-NAH-tah wah nah-NEE oh eh-RAH-bee-mah-SKAH What are you getting?
B
私はもっと大きいものがほしいです。
wah-TAH-shee wah MOHT-toh oh-KI-ee moh-noh gah hoh-SHEE dess I want something bigger.
B
私はサンドイッチにします。
wah-TAH-shee wah sahn-DOH-it-chee nee shee-MAHS I will choose the sandwich.
A
私はサラダで大丈夫です。
wah-TAH-shee wah sah-RAH-dah deh dye-JOH-boo dess The salad works for me.
B
店員が戻ってきたら、注文しましょう。
tehn-EEN gah moh-DOHT-teh kee-TAH-rah, CHOO-mohn shee-mah-SHOH Let's order when the server comes back.Word by Word
サンドイッチ
In this dialogue, 「サンドイッチ」 means sandwich, one of the two foods being considered. It is used as the object of 「選ぶ」 and as the choice in 「サンドイッチにします」. You can use it when naming a sandwich you want to choose or order.
と
In 「サンドイッチとサラダ」, 「と」 connects the two food options as “and.” It presents the two items together before 「どちら」 asks which one to choose. Use it between nouns when listing two specific things.
サラダ
In this dialogue, 「サラダ」 means salad, the other food option. It appears in 「サラダのほうが軽い選択肢です」 and 「私はサラダで大丈夫です」. Use it when naming a salad as a food choice or order.
の
In 「サラダのほう」, 「の」 links 「サラダ」 to 「ほう」 and makes the phrase mean “the salad side” or “the salad option.” Together with 「ほうが」, it identifies which of the two options is being compared. Use it to connect a noun to another noun that describes or represents it.
どちら
In 「どちらを選べばいいですか」, 「どちら」 asks which one of two options is appropriate. The two options here are 「サンドイッチ」 and 「サラダ」. Use it when choosing between two clearly presented alternatives.
を
In 「どちらを選べばいいですか」, 「を」 marks 「どちら」 as the thing being chosen. It connects the choice to the verb 「選ぶ」. Use it after the object of an action, such as the item you choose or order.
選べばいい
The whole expression 「選べばいい」 means “should choose” or “which one should I choose?” Here, 「選べば」 gives the choice action and 「いい」 expresses that this would be acceptable or appropriate. Use 「何を選べばいいですか」 or 「どちらを選べばいいですか」 when asking what choice to make.
です
In 「軽い選択肢です」, 「です」 politely states that something is a certain thing or has a certain description. It makes the sentence polite after 「軽い選択肢」. Use it at the end of a polite statement such as 「これは良い選択肢です」 as a new example.
か
At the end of 「選べばいいですか」, 「か」 marks the sentence as a question. It turns the polite statement into a request for information about the choice. Use it at the end of a polite question.
ほう
In 「サラダのほうが軽い選択肢です」, 「ほう」 refers to one side or option in a comparison. The phrase 「サラダのほうが」 identifies the salad as the lighter of the two choices. Use 「Aのほうが」 when comparing two options and saying that A has a certain quality.
が
In 「サラダのほうが軽い選択肢です」, 「が」 marks the option being emphasized in the comparison. It shows that the salad side is the one described as lighter. In this pattern, place it after the option named with 「のほう」.
軽い
In this dialogue, 「軽い」 describes the salad as a lighter food option. It modifies 「選択肢」 in 「軽い選択肢」. Use it before a noun when describing something as light, such as 「軽い食事」 as a new example.
選択肢
In 「軽い選択肢」, 「選択肢」 means an option or choice available to someone. It refers to the salad as one possible food decision. Use it when discussing one possibility among several choices.
私
In 「私はあまりお腹がすいていません」, 「私」 means “I” or “me,” referring to the speaker. It is followed by 「は」 to make the speaker the topic of the sentence. Use it when stating your own condition, preference, or decision.
は
In 「私はあまりお腹がすいていません」, 「は」 marks 「私」 as the topic. The sentence then gives information about the speaker’s appetite. Use it after the person or thing you want to discuss as the topic.
あまり
In 「あまりお腹がすいていません」, 「あまり」 means “not very” or “not much.” With the negative form 「すいていません」, it softens the statement and says that the speaker is not very hungry. Use it before a negative expression when saying that something is not very much or not very intense.
お腹
In 「お腹がすいていません」, 「お腹」 refers to the stomach or appetite as part of the expression for being hungry. The full expression means that the speaker is not hungry. Use 「お腹がすく」 in a new example when talking about becoming hungry.
すいていません
In 「お腹がすいていません」, 「すいていません」 means “am not hungry.” It describes the speaker’s current appetite and is combined with 「あまり」 to mean “not very hungry.” Use the expression 「お腹がすいていません」 when you do not want much food.
では
In 「では、そちらのほうが合うかもしれません」, 「では」 means “then” or “in that case.” It connects the speaker’s response to the information that the other person is not very hungry. Use it to introduce a conclusion or suggestion based on what was just said.
そちら
In this dialogue, 「そちら」 means “that one” or “that option,” referring to the salad option just discussed. It appears in 「そちらのほうが合うかもしれません」. Use it when referring politely to an option associated with the other person or the current choice.
合う
In 「そちらのほうが合うかもしれません」, 「合う」 means that the option suits or fits the person’s needs. Here, the lighter salad may suit someone who is not very hungry. A common reusable pattern is 「人に合う」 for saying that something suits a person.
かもしれません
The whole expression 「かもしれません」 means “may” or “might,” showing that the speaker is not completely certain. It is made from 「かも」 and 「しれません」 in the dialogue form 「合うかもしれません」. Use it after a statement when offering a tentative possibility or suggestion.
あなた
In 「あなたは何を選びますか」, 「あなた」 means “you,” referring to the person being asked about their choice. It is followed by 「は」 as the topic of the question. Use it when directly asking another person about their action or preference, while remembering that Japanese often leaves “you” unstated when the context is clear.
何
In 「何を選びますか」, 「何」 means “what” and asks which thing the other person will choose. It is marked by 「を」 because it is the object of 「選びます」. Use 「何を」 before an action when asking what thing is involved.
選びます
In 「あなたは何を選びますか」, 「選びます」 means “choose” and asks about the person’s choice. The polite ending makes the question suitable for a polite conversation. Use it after the item being chosen, as in 「私はこれを選びます」 as a new example.
もっと
In 「もっと大きいもの」, 「もっと」 means “more” and increases the degree of 「大きい」. It shows that the speaker wants an item that is bigger than the available or previously considered option. Use it before an adjective when asking for a greater degree of that quality.
大きい
In 「もっと大きいもの」, 「大きい」 describes the desired item as big or bigger. 「もっと」 makes the comparison with the current choice explicit. Use it before 「もの」 or another noun when describing its size.
もの
In 「もっと大きいもの」, 「もの」 means “thing” or “item.” It allows 「もっと大きい」 to refer to a bigger food item without naming it again. Use it after a description when referring generally to an item with that description.
ほしい
In 「もっと大きいものがほしいです」, 「ほしい」 means “want” and expresses the speaker’s desire for the bigger item. The desired item is marked by 「が」 in this sentence. Use 「ものがほしいです」 when politely saying that you want an item.
にします
The whole expression 「サンドイッチにします」 means “I will choose the sandwich” or “I’ll have the sandwich.” In this construction, 「に」 marks the selected result and 「します」 expresses making that decision. Use 「Xにします」 when deciding on or ordering a particular option.
で
In 「私はサラダで大丈夫です」, 「で」 presents the salad as an acceptable choice for the speaker. Together with 「大丈夫です」, the sentence means that the speaker is fine with having the salad. Use 「Xで大丈夫です」 when saying that an option is acceptable.
大丈夫
In 「サラダで大丈夫です」, 「大丈夫」 means “okay” or “fine.” It shows that the salad is acceptable for the speaker rather than expressing a strong preference. Use 「これで大丈夫です」 as a new example when confirming that a choice is acceptable.
店員
In 「店員が戻ってきたら」, 「店員」 means the server or shop staff member who is helping at the food counter. This person is the one expected to return before the speakers order. Use it when referring to staff working in a shop or restaurant.
戻ってきたら
In 「店員が戻ってきたら」, 「戻ってきたら」 means “when the person comes back.” It sets the condition for the next action, so the speakers will order after the server returns. Use it after a person or event when saying that something will happen when they return.
注文
In 「注文しましょう」, 「注文」 means an order or the act of ordering food. It names the action the speakers plan to take after the server returns. Use it with 「する」 when talking about placing an order.
しましょう
In 「注文しましょう」, 「しましょう」 means “let’s do” and forms a polite suggestion to order together. It follows 「注文」 to mean “let’s order.” Use 「動作しましょう」 with an appropriate action noun as a new example when suggesting that you and another person do something together.
Grammar Points
どちらのほうが〜ですか
どちらのほうが軽いですか。
doh-chee-rah noh HOH-gah KAH-roo-ee dess-kahWhich one is lighter?
Use のほうが to compare options and ask which one has more of a quality.
〜かもしれません
そちらが合うかもしれません。
soh-chee-rah gah ah-OO kah-moh shee-REH-mah-SENThat option might suit you.
かもしれません expresses uncertainty or a possibility, similar to “may” or “might” in English.
Japanese Vocabulary
あまり
adv
ah-MAH-ree
not very; not much
私はあまりお腹がすいていません。
お腹がすいていません
phrase
oh-NAH-kah gah soo-ee-teh ee-mah-SEN
am not hungry
私はあまりお腹がすいていません。
サラダ
noun
sah-RAH-dah
salad
サラダのほうが軽い選択肢です。
サンドイッチ
noun
sahn-DOH-it-chee
sandwich
サンドイッチとサラダのどちらを選べばいいですか。
そちら
pron
soh-chee-rah
that one; that option
では、そちらのほうが合うかもしれません。
では
adv
deh-WAH
then; in that case
では、そちらのほうが合うかもしれません。
どちら
pron
doh-chee-rah
which one
サンドイッチとサラダのどちらを選べばいいですか。
のほうが
phrase
noh HOH-gah
the ... is more; rather
サラダのほうが軽い選択肢です。
軽い
adj
KAH-roo-ee
light
サラダのほうが軽い選択肢です。
合う
verb
ah-OO
suit; fit
では、そちらのほうが合うかもしれません。
選ぶ
verb
eh-RAH-boo
choose
選べば/選びます
選択肢
noun
sehn-TAH-koo-shee
option
サラダのほうが軽い選択肢です。
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
the ... is more; rather
Show Answer
のほうがsandwich
Show Answer
サンドイッチam not hungry
Show Answer
お腹がすいていませんsuit; fit