About This Lesson
Use Choosing a Simple Activity to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
どんな活動をしましょうか。
DON-nah kah-tsoo-DOH oh shee-mah-SHOH kah What activity should we do?
B
外を歩くのはどうでしょうか。
SOH-toh oh ah-ruh-KOO noh wah DOH deh-SHOH kah We could walk outside.
A
外は寒いかもしれません。
SOH-toh wah sah-MOO-ee kah-moh-shee-REH-mah-SEN It may be cold out there.
B
では、中で読みましょう。
DEH-wah, nah-kah deh yoh-MEE-mah-SHOH Then we can read inside.
A
今日は読書のほうがよさそうです。
KYOH-wah doh-KOO-shoh noh HOH gah yoh-sah-SOH dess Reading sounds better today.
B
静かな部屋を選びましょう。
shee-ZOO-kah-nah heh-YAH oh eh-rah-BEE-mah-SHOH Let's choose a quiet room.
A
自分の本を持ってきます。
JEE-boon noh HOHN oh moht-TEH-kee-MAHSS I'll bring my book.
B
私たちの場所を探します。
wah-shee-TAH-chee noh bah-SHOH oh sah-GAH-shee-MAHSS I'll find a spot for us.Word by Word
どんな
In どんな活動をしましょうか。, どんな asks what kind of activity is being considered. It is placed directly before a noun, as in どんな活動.
活動
活動 means activity here, referring to something the speakers can do together. It is the noun marked by を in 活動をしましょうか.
を
In 活動をしましょうか。, を marks 活動 as what the speakers may do. A common reuse pattern is nounをする for doing an activity.
しましょう
しましょう proposes doing something together in a polite way, so 活動をしましょうか asks, “Shall we do an activity?” It is the polite volitional form of する; the object comes before it in 活動をしましょう.
か
At the end of 活動をしましょうか。, か turns the proposal into a question. It lets the speaker ask for the other person’s response politely.
外
In 外を歩くのはどうでしょうか。, 外 refers to outside or outdoors. Here it is followed by を because 外を歩く describes walking outside; the same word can be used when suggesting an outdoor option.
歩く
歩く means to walk in 外を歩くのはどうでしょうか。. It is the exact action being suggested, and の changes the action phrase into the topic 外を歩くのは.
の
In 外を歩くのはどうでしょうか。, の turns the preceding action 外を歩く into something that can be discussed as an option. This pattern lets a speaker ask what someone thinks about doing an action.
は
In 外を歩くのはどうでしょうか。, は marks 外を歩くの as the topic under consideration. The speaker is asking how this proposed activity seems.
どう
In 外を歩くのはどうでしょうか。, どう asks how the suggested activity seems or what the listener thinks of it. It is used after an option when making a suggestion or asking for an opinion.
でしょう
In 外を歩くのはどうでしょうか。, でしょう makes the question a polite, tentative suggestion rather than a forceful instruction. Together with どう, it is a reusable way to ask whether an option would be suitable.
寒い
寒い means cold in 外は寒いかもしれません。, describing the outdoor conditions. It is the form used before かもしれません to express a possible condition.
かもしれません
かもしれません expresses possibility in 外は寒いかもしれません。, meaning that it may be cold outside. The whole expression follows 寒い; かも contributes the possibility and しれません completes the polite expression, so the reusable pattern is statementかもしれません.
では
では means then or in that case in では、中で読みましょう。, linking the next choice to the possibility that it may be cold outside. It is useful when responding to information and proposing a resulting action.
中
In では、中で読みましょう。, 中 means inside, referring to an indoor place. It is followed by で because the reading takes place there.
で
In 中で読みましょう。, で marks 中 as the place where the action 読みましょう occurs. A common reuse pattern is placeで action.
読みましょう
読みましょう proposes reading together in a polite way, as the indoor alternative in では、中で読みましょう。. It is the polite volitional form of 読む, and the place comes before it in 中で読みましょう.
今日
今日 means today in 今日は読書のほうがよさそうです。, setting the time for the preference being expressed. It is followed by は to make today the topic or time frame.
読書
読書 means reading as an activity in 今日は読書のほうがよさそうです。. It is the option being compared with walking outside, and it appears before のほう.
ほう
In 読書のほうがよさそうです。, ほう identifies reading as one side or option in the comparison. The pattern Xのほうがよさそうです can express that X seems the better choice.
が
In 読書のほうがよさそうです。, が marks the option being described as preferable or better. Here it marks 読書のほう, the side that seems better today.
よさそう
よさそう means seems good or seems better in 読書のほうがよさそうです。, expressing an impression about the reading option. It is the appearance-based form related to いい, and the comparison marker のほうが comes before it here.
です
At the end of 読書のほうがよさそうです。, です gives the sentence a polite ending. It presents the speaker’s assessment in a polite conversational style.
静かな
静かな means quiet in 静かな部屋を選びましょう。, describing the room the speakers want to choose. It is the noun-modifying form related to 静かだ and comes directly before 部屋.
部屋
部屋 means room in 静かな部屋を選びましょう。, specifically the quiet room chosen for reading. It is the object marked by を in 部屋を選びましょう.
選びましょう
選びましょう proposes choosing together in a polite way, referring to the quiet room in 静かな部屋を選びましょう。. It is the polite volitional form of 選ぶ, with the object before it in 部屋を選びましょう.
自分
In 自分の本を持ってきます。, 自分 identifies the book as the speaker’s own. With の before 本, it forms the possessive phrase 自分の本, which can be used when distinguishing one’s own item.
本
本 means book in 自分の本を持ってきます。. It is the item the speaker will bring, marked by を in 本を持ってきます.
持ってきます
持ってきます means will bring in 自分の本を持ってきます。, describing bringing the book to the shared place. The whole form combines 持って, carrying or holding, with きます, coming, and it is the polite form related to 持ってくる; the item comes before it in 本を持ってきます.
私たち
In 私たちの場所を探します。, 私たち refers to the speakers together as we or us. With の, it forms 私たちの場所, meaning a place for the two speakers.
場所
場所 means place or spot in 私たちの場所を探します。, referring to a place where the speakers can sit or read. It is the object marked by を in 場所を探します.
探します
探します means will look for or will find in 私たちの場所を探します。, describing the speaker’s plan to locate a suitable place for them. It is the polite form related to 探す, and the thing being sought comes before it in 場所を探します.
Grammar Points
〜かもしれません
外は寒いかもしれません。
SOH-toh wah sah-MOO-ee kah-moh-shee-REH-mah-SENIt might be cold outside.
「かもしれません」expresses uncertainty or possibility, similar to “may” or “might” in English.
〜よさそうです
中で読書がよさそうです。
NAH-kah deh doh-KOO-shoh gah yoh-sah-SOH dessReading inside seems better.
「よさそうです」shows that something appears good, suitable, or preferable based on the situation.
Japanese Vocabulary
かもしれません
phrase
kah-moh-shee-REH-mah-SEN
may; might
外は寒いかもしれません。
では
conj
DEH-wah
then; in that case
では、中で読みましょう。
どんな
det
DON-nah
what kind of
どんな活動をしましょうか。
よさそうです
phrase
yoh-sah-SOH dess
seems better; looks good
今日は読書のほうがよさそうです。
外
noun
SOH-toh
outside
外を歩くのはどうでしょうか。
活動
noun
kah-tsoo-DOH
activity
どんな活動をしましょうか。
寒い
adj
sah-MOO-ee
cold
外は寒いかもしれません。
今日
noun
KYOH
today
今日は読書のほうがよさそうです。
中
noun
NAH-kah
inside
では、中で読みましょう。
読む
verb
yoh-MOO
to read
では、中で読みましょう。
読書
noun
doh-KOO-shoh
reading
今日は読書のほうがよさそうです。
歩く
verb
ah-ruh-KOO
to walk
外を歩くのはどうでしょうか。
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
may; might
Show Answer
かもしれませんseems better; looks good
Show Answer
よさそうですto read
Show Answer
読むtoday