Using a Shared Office | Learn Japanese in English

Japanese lesson set in a contemporary Tokyo everyday setting: In a shared office, two adults talk about choosing an open desk, finding a quiet place, and leaving the desk clean..

EN → JA / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Using a Shared Office to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

この共有オフィスで仕事をしてもいいですか？

KOH-noh kyoh-YOO OH-fee-soo deh SHEE-goh-toh oh shee-teh-moh EE deh-soo kah Can I work in this shared office?
B

空いている机を選んでください。

AH-ee-teh-ee-roo tsoo-koo-EH oh eh-RON-deh koo-dah-SAI Choose an open desk.
A

ドアの近くの机を使えます。

DOH-ah noh CHEE-kah-koo noh tsoo-koo-EH oh tsoo-kah-EH-mah-soo I can use the one near the door.
B

終わったら、机をきれいにしてください。

oh-WAH-tah-rah, tsoo-koo-EH oh kee-REH-ee nee shee-teh koo-dah-SAI Leave it clean when you finish.
A

静かな場所が必要です。

shee-ZOO-kah-nah bah-SHOH-koo gah hee-TSOO-yoh deh-soo I need a quiet place.
B

壁のそばの机を使ってみてください。

KAH-beh noh SOH-bah noh tsoo-koo-EH oh tsoo-KAHT-teh mee-teh koo-dah-SAI Try the desk by the wall.
A

帰る前に、自分の物を片づけます。

kah-EH-roo MAH-eh nee, jee-BUN noh MOH-noh oh kah-TAH-zoo-keh-mah-soo I will clear my things before I leave.
B

それなら、次の人が机を使えます。

soh-reh-NAH-rah, TSOO-gee noh hee-TOH gah tsoo-koo-EH oh tsoo-kah-EH-mah-soo That keeps the desk ready for the next person.

Word by Word

この この means “this” and points to the shared office being referred to in 「この共有オフィス」. It is used directly before a noun, as in 「この場所」 in a new example.
共有 共有 means “shared” in 「共有オフィス」, describing an office used by more than one person. It is used before a noun to describe something shared, as in 「共有スペース」 in a new example.
オフィス オフィス means “office” in 「共有オフィス」. It is a place where the speaker asks to work, and it can be used after a describing word such as 「共有」.
で で marks 「この共有オフィス」 as the place where the action happens in 「この共有オフィスで仕事をしてもいいですか？」. A place followed by で commonly shows where an activity takes place, as in 「学校で勉強します」 in a new example.
仕事 仕事 means “work” in 「仕事をして」. It is the activity that the speaker asks permission to do, and it commonly comes before を when it is the object of する, as in 「仕事をします」 in a new example.
を を marks 「仕事」 as the object connected with 「して」 in 「仕事をして」. It commonly follows the thing being done or used, as in 「本を読みます」 in a new example.
して して is the connected form of する and means “do” here in 「仕事をして」. In this dialogue it connects the activity to the permission expression 「してもいいですか？」.
も も is part of the permission expression 「してもいいですか？」, which asks whether doing the action is acceptable. In a new example, the same pattern is 「ここで休んでもいいですか？」.
いい いい means “okay” or “acceptable” in 「してもいいですか？」. Together with 「しても」, it asks for permission, and the pattern can be reused with another action such as 「入ってもいいですか？」 in a new example.
です です gives 「いい」 a polite sentence ending in 「してもいいですか？」. It is used in polite questions and statements, such as 「大丈夫ですか？」 in a new example.
か か marks 「してもいいですか？」 as a question. It is placed at the end of this polite request, and a similar new example is 「使ってもいいですか？」.
空いている 空いている means “open” or “available” in 「空いている机」, describing a desk that can be chosen. It comes before the noun it describes, as in 「空いている席」 in a new example.
机 机 means “desk” in 「空いている机」 and 「机を使えます」. It can be described by a place phrase before it, such as 「壁のそばの机」.
選んで 選んで is the connected form of 選ぶ and means “choose” in 「選んでください」. With 「ください」, it makes a polite request to choose something, such as 「好きな色を選んでください」 in a new example.
ください ください means “please” in 「選んでください」 and makes the request polite. It follows a connected verb form, as in 「見てください」 in a new example.
ドア ドア means “door” in 「ドアの近く」. It is the reference point for locating the desk, and it can be followed by 「の近く」 to describe something nearby.
の の links 「ドア」 and 「近く」 in 「ドアの近く」, giving the meaning “near the door.” It commonly connects a reference noun with a location expression, as in 「駅の前」 in a new example.
近く 近く means “near” or “nearby” in 「ドアの近くの机」. It is followed by の when it describes a noun, and 「Aの近くのB」 means “B near A.”
使えます 使えます means “can use” in 「ドアの近くの机を使えます」. It expresses that the speaker is able or permitted to use the desk, and the thing used is marked by を, as in 「この部屋を使えます」 in a new example.
終わったら 終わったら means “when you finish” in 「終わったら、机をきれいにしてください」. It sets the time for the request that follows, and the pattern can be reused with an activity such as 「仕事が終わったら」 in a new example.
きれい きれい means “clean” in 「机をきれいにしてください」. With 「にしてください」, it describes the desired resulting condition of the desk, as in 「部屋をきれいにしてください」 in a new example.
に に marks the resulting state 「きれい」 in 「机をきれいにしてください」. The construction 「AをBにする」 means to make A become B, and here the polite request form asks someone to make the desk clean.
静かな 静かな means “quiet” in 「静かな場所」 and describes the place the speaker needs. It comes directly before the noun, as in 「静かな部屋」 in a new example.
場所 場所 means “place” in 「静かな場所」. It is the place the speaker needs for work, and it can be described by an adjective such as 「静かな」.
が が marks 「静かな場所」 as what is needed in 「静かな場所が必要です」. The pattern 「Aが必要です」 is used to say that A is necessary, as in 「時間が必要です」 in a new example.
必要 必要 means “needed” or “necessary” in 「静かな場所が必要です」. It commonly follows the needed thing marked by が, as in 「休みが必要です」 in a new example.
壁 壁 means “wall” in 「壁のそば」. It is the reference point for locating the desk, and it can be followed by 「のそば」 to mean near the wall.
そば そば means “beside” or “near” in 「壁のそばの机」. The pattern 「Aのそば」 places something near A, and it can describe a noun with another の, as in 「窓のそばの椅子」 in a new example.
使って 使って is the connected form of 使う and means “use” in 「使ってみてください」. It connects the action of using the desk to 「みて」, forming a polite suggestion to try it.
みて みて is the connected form used in 「使ってみてください」 to mean “try doing” the preceding action. The pattern 「動詞のて形＋みる」 presents an action as something to try, as in 「読んでみてください」 in a new example.
帰る 帰る means “leave” or “go home” in 「帰る前に」. It identifies the action that happens after the belongings are cleared, and it comes before 「前に」 to mean “before leaving.”
前 前 means “before” in 「帰る前に」. The pattern 「動詞の辞書形＋前に」 places one action before another, as in 「寝る前に」 in a new example.
自分 自分 means “one’s own” or “oneself” in 「自分の物」. Here it identifies the belongings as belonging to the speaker, and it is followed by の before the noun it describes.
物 物 means “things” or “belongings” in 「自分の物」. It refers to the speaker’s personal items that should be cleared away before leaving.
片づけます 片づけます means “clear away” or “tidy up” in 「自分の物を片づけます」. It is a polite form used for the speaker’s planned action, and the things being cleared are marked by を.
それ それ means “that” in 「それなら」 and refers to the action just mentioned, clearing away personal belongings. It can point back to something already discussed, as in 「それは大丈夫です」 in a new example.
なら なら means “in that case” or “then” in 「それなら」. Together, 「それなら」 responds to the previous information and introduces its consequence or evaluation.
次 次 means “next” in 「次の人」. It identifies the person who will use the desk after the current user, and it comes before の to describe a following noun.
人 人 means “person” in 「次の人」. Here it refers to the person who comes after the current desk user, and it can be described by 「次の」 or another phrase before it.

Grammar Points

〜てもいいですか

共有オフィスで仕事をしてもいいですか。

kyoh-YOO OH-fee-soo deh SHEE-goh-toh oh shee-teh-moh EE deh-soo kah

May I work in the shared office?

This pattern politely asks for permission: “May I...?” or “Is it okay to...?”

〜たら

帰る前に、自分の物を片づけます。

kah-EH-roo MAH-eh nee, jee-BUN noh MOH-noh oh kah-TAH-zoo-keh-mah-soo

Before leaving, I tidy up my own things.

「〜たら」 means “when” or “if,” but it is not used in this example.

Japanese Vocabulary

きれい adj
kee-REH-ee clean

終わったら、机をきれいにしてください。

してもいいですか phrase
shee-teh-moh EE deh-soo kah may I; is it okay to

この共有オフィスで仕事をしてもいいですか?

机 noun
tsoo-koo-EH desk

空いている机を選んでください。

共有オフィス noun
kyoh-YOO OH-fee-soo shared office

この共有オフィスで仕事をしてもいいですか?

近く noun
CHEE-kah-koo near; nearby

ドアの近くの机を使えます。

空いている phrase
AH-ee-teh-ee-roo available; unoccupied

空いている机を選んでください。

仕事 noun
SHEE-goh-toh work; job

この共有オフィスで仕事をしてもいいですか?

使えます verb
tsoo-kah-EH-mah-soo can use

ドアの近くの机を使えます。

終わったら phrase
oh-WAH-tah-rah when you finish

終わったら、机をきれいにしてください。

場所 noun
bah-SHOH-koo place

静かな場所が必要です。

静かな adj
shee-ZOO-kah-nah quiet

静かな場所が必要です。

選んでください phrase
eh-RON-deh koo-dah-SAI please choose

空いている机を選んでください。

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

shared office

Show Answer共有オフィス

may I; is it okay to

Show Answerしてもいいですか

when you finish

Show Answer終わったら

available; unoccupied

Show Answer空いている