About This Lesson
Use Talking About a Headache at Home to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
少し頭が痛いです。
suh-KOH-shee ah-tah-MAH gah ee-TAH-ee dess. I have a slight headache.
B
少し座って、目を休めてください。
suh-KOH-shee sah-TTEH, meh oh yah-soo-MEH-teh koo-DAH-sai. Sit down for a minute and rest your eyes.
A
水を持ってきてくれますか。
MEE-zoo oh mot-TEH-kee-teh koo-reh-MASS kah. Could you bring me some water?
B
はい、ゆっくり飲んでください。
HAI, YOOK-koo-ree NON-deh koo-DAH-sai. Here, sip it slowly.
A
私も少し疲れています。
wah-SHEE moh suh-KOH-shee tsu-kah-REH-teh ee-MASS. I feel a little tired too.
B
この静かな部屋で横になってもいいです。
KOH-noh shee-ZOO-kah-nah HEH-yah deh YOH-koh nee NAHT-teh moh EE dess. You can lie down in this quiet room.
A
早くよくなるといいです。
HAH-yah-koo YOH-koo NAH-roo toh EE dess. I hope I feel better soon.
B
ここにいて、何か必要なときは私を呼んでください。
KOH-koh nee EE-teh, nah-nee-kah hee-tsoo-YOH-nah toh-kee wah wah-SHEE oh YOHN-deh koo-DAH-sai. Stay here, and call me if you need anything.Word by Word
少し
少し means “a little” or “slightly” in 少し頭が痛いです, so the headache is not described as severe. It commonly comes before an adjective or feeling to show a small degree. You can use it when describing a mild symptom or a small amount.
頭
頭 means “head” in 頭が痛いです. It is the body part that is painful in this sentence. It commonly appears with が when describing a body part that hurts.
が
In 頭が痛いです, が marks 頭 as the subject of the condition being described. The sentence focuses on the head as the part that hurts. This pattern is useful for describing a specific body part or thing with an adjective.
痛い
痛い means “painful” or “hurts” in 頭が痛いです. The citation form is 痛い, and this exact form describes the current painful condition. It can be used after a body part marked with が when talking about pain.
です
In 痛いです, です makes the statement polite. Here it follows 痛い and gives the sentence a polite ending. Use this ending when describing a condition politely.
座って
座って means “sit down” in 少し座って、目を休めてください. It is the te-form of 座る and connects this action to the following request. The te-form can link actions in sequence before ください.
目
目 means “eyes” in 目を休めてください. It identifies the body part that should be rested. It is marked by を because it is the object of 休めて.
を
In 目を休めてください, を marks 目 as the object of the action 休めて. It shows what is being rested. This particle commonly comes between an object and the verb describing the action done to it.
休めて
休めて means “rest” in 目を休めてください, referring to letting the eyes rest. The citation form is 休める, and this exact form is its te-form. It is followed by ください to make a polite request.
ください
In 目を休めてください, ください makes the request polite: “please rest your eyes.” It follows the te-form 休めて. Use te-form + ください when politely asking someone to do an action.
水
水 means “water” in 水を持ってきてくれますか. It is the thing the speaker asks the other person to bring. It is marked by を as the object of 持ってきて.
持ってきて
持ってきて means “bring here” in 水を持ってきてくれますか. The components 持って and きて work together: 持って indicates carrying, and きて indicates coming toward the speaker or the relevant place. The whole expression is useful when asking someone to bring an object to you.
くれます
In 持ってきてくれますか, くれます shows that the other person will do the action as a favor for the speaker. Together with the preceding te-form and か, it forms a polite request. This pattern is used when asking someone to do something for you.
か
At the end of 持ってきてくれますか, か marks the sentence as a question. It turns the polite request into “Could you bring it?” It commonly appears at the end of a polite question.
はい
Here はい means “yes” and introduces the offered water, like “Here you are.” It is a polite response before giving or offering something. It can also be used as a simple affirmative answer.
ゆっくり
ゆっくり means “slowly” in ゆっくり飲んでください. It tells the listener how to perform the action of drinking. It commonly comes before a verb to describe a slow or unhurried action.
飲んで
飲んで means “drink” in ゆっくり飲んでください. The citation form is 飲む, and this exact form is its te-form. With ください, it makes the polite request “please drink.”
私
私 means “I” or “me” in 私も少し疲れています. Here it refers to the speaker who is also feeling tired. It can be followed by も when the speaker adds themselves to something already mentioned.
も
In 私も少し疲れています, も means “also” or “too.” It shows that the speaker, like the other person or the situation already mentioned, is tired. It commonly follows the person or thing being added to the same description.
疲れて
疲れて means “being tired” in 疲れています. The citation form is 疲れる, and this exact form is its te-form. Together with います, it describes the speaker’s continuing tired state.
います
In 疲れています, います helps express the continuing state of being tired. It follows the te-form 疲れて, so the sentence describes how the speaker feels now. This pattern is useful for describing an ongoing state or condition.
この
この means “this” in この静かな部屋. It points to the room near or relevant to the speaker and listener. It comes directly before the noun it describes.
静かな
静かな means “quiet” in この静かな部屋. It describes the room as a calm place suitable for resting. This exact form comes before the noun 部屋 to modify it.
部屋
部屋 means “room” in この静かな部屋で横になってもいいです. It identifies the place where the listener may lie down. With で, it marks the location of the action.
で
In この静かな部屋で横になってもいいです, で marks the room as the place where lying down can happen. It has the meaning “in” or “at” here. It commonly follows a location before an action performed there.
横になって
横になって means “lie down” in 横になってもいいです. The components 横, に, and なって form one expression: 横 refers to a horizontal position, に marks the resulting state, and なって expresses becoming that state. The whole expression is used when telling someone that lying down is allowed or appropriate.
いい
In 横になってもいいです, いい means “okay” or “acceptable.” The whole pattern te-form + もいいです gives permission to do the action, so this sentence says that lying down is okay. It is useful when granting permission politely.
早く
早く means “soon” or “quickly” in 早くよくなるといいです. It describes the hoped-for timing of becoming better. It commonly comes before an expression of improvement or change when wishing for a quick result.
よく
In 早くよくなるといいです, よく means “better” or “well.” It describes the desired improved condition before なる. This pattern is useful when talking about recovery or improvement.
なる
なる means “become” or “get” in よくなる, where the meaning is “get better.” The citation form is なる, and this exact form follows よく to describe a change into a better condition. It commonly follows an adjective or adverb that describes the resulting state.
と
In 早くよくなるといいです, と marks the result that is hoped for. The expression says “it would be good if I get better soon.” It commonly follows a desired or expected outcome before いいです.
ここ
ここ means “here” in ここにいて. It refers to the place where the listener is being asked to remain. It is followed by に to mark the location of staying.
に
In ここにいて, に marks ここ as the place where the listener should be. It gives the meaning “here” with いて. This use commonly follows a location before an expression of being or staying.
いて
いて means “stay” or “be here” in ここにいて. The citation form is いる, and this exact form is its te-form. Here it connects the instruction to stay with the following instruction to call.
何か
何か means “something” or “anything” in 何か必要なとき. The exact item is left unspecified, referring to anything that may be needed. It is useful when offering help without naming a particular item.
必要な
必要な means “needed” or “necessary” in 何か必要なとき. It describes something that the listener may need. It comes before とき to form the meaning “when something is needed.”
とき
とき means “when” or “the time” in 何か必要なとき. Here it identifies the time when something is needed. It commonly follows a description to specify when an action or situation applies.
は
In 何か必要なときは, は marks the time or condition as the topic. The phrase means “when you need something,” and the following request tells what to do then. This pattern is useful for giving instructions under a particular condition.
呼んで
呼んで means “call” in 私を呼んでください. The citation form is 呼ぶ, and this exact form is its te-form. With ください, it politely asks the listener to call the speaker, who is marked by 私を.
Grammar Points
～てください
ゆっくり飲んでください。
YOOK-koo-ree NON-deh koo-DAH-sai.Please drink slowly.
Attach ください to the て-form to make a polite request or instruction.
～てもいいです
ここに座ってもいいです。
KOH-koh nee sah-TTEH moh EE dess.You may sit here.
This pattern expresses permission: it is okay to do something.
Japanese Vocabulary
はい
intj
HAI
yes; here you are
ゆっくり
adv
YOOK-koo-ree
slowly
飲む
verb
NOH-moo
drink
飲んでください
休める
verb
yah-soo-MEH-roo
rest; let something rest
休めて
座る
verb
soo-wah-ROO
sit down
座って
私
pron
wah-SHEE
I; me
持ってくる
verb
mot-TEH koo-ROO
bring
持ってきて
少し
adv
suh-KOH-shee
a little; slightly
水
noun
MEE-zoo
water
頭
noun
ah-tah-MAH
head
頭が痛い
phrase
ah-tah-MAH gah ee-TAH-ee
have a headache; one's head hurts
目
noun
meh
eyes
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
bring
Show Answer
持ってきてhave a headache; one's head hurts
Show Answer
頭が痛いslowly
Show Answer
ゆっくりdrink