Using a Shared Meeting Room | Learn Japanese in English

Japanese lesson set in a contemporary Tokyo everyday setting: In a shared meeting room, two adults talk about using a table and leaving the room clean for the next group..

EN → JA / Level: A1

About This Lesson

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

Dialogue

A

共有の会議室を使ってもいいですか？

kyoh-YOO noh kyee-GEE-sheets oo tsoo-KAHT-teh moh EE dess kah Can we use the shared meeting room?
B

はい、使ってもいいです。でも、ほかの人のためにきれいにしてください。

HAI, tsoo-KAHT-teh moh EE dess. DEH-moh, hoh-kah noh HEET-oh noh TAH-meh nee kee-RAY nee she-TEH koo-dah-SAI You can, but keep it tidy for other people.
A

このテーブルは空いていますか？

KOH-noh TAY-boo-roo wah EYE-teh ee-MAHS kah Is this table free?
B

今、空いています。

EE-mah, EYE-teh ee-MAHS It is available now.
A

私のかばんを壁のそばに置きます。

wah-TAH-shee noh kah-BAHN oh KAH-beh noh SOH-bah nee oh-kee-MAHS I will put my bag by the wall.
B

テーブルの上を空けておいてください。

TAY-boo-roo noh oo-EH oh ah-KEH-teh OH-ee-teh koo-dah-SAI Please keep the table clear.
A

私たちは、終わったら部屋をきれいにしておきます。

wah-tah-shee-TAH-chee wah, oh-WAHT-tah-rah HEH-yah oh kee-RAY nee she-TEH oh-kee-MAHS We will leave the room clean when we finish.
B

それは次のグループのためになります。

SOH-reh wah TSOO-gee noh goo-ROO-poo noh TAH-meh nee nah-ree-MAHS That helps the next group.

Word by Word

共有 共有 means shared or common in 共有の会議室, describing a meeting room used by multiple people. It is placed before の when it modifies the following noun. Use it when describing a resource that several people use.
の の links 共有 to 会議室 in 共有の会議室, showing what kind of meeting room it is. It commonly connects a noun or noun-like modifier to another noun. Here, it helps form the phrase “shared meeting room.”
会議室 会議室 means meeting room in 共有の会議室. It names the room where the speakers want to meet. Use it when asking about or referring to a room for a meeting.
を を marks 会議室 as the thing being used in 会議室を使ってもいいですか. It usually follows the object of an action. Here, the object is the shared meeting room.
使って 使って means “use” in the permission request 使ってもいいですか. It is the form placed before もいいですか when asking whether an action is allowed. A reusable pattern is 〜を使ってもいいですか for asking permission to use something.
も も is part of 使ってもいいですか, where it contributes to the expression asking whether an action is permitted. The whole expression, not も alone, means “May I use it?” Use this pattern when politely asking permission.
いい いい means “okay” or “permitted” in 使ってもいいですか. Together with 使っても and ですか, it asks whether using the room is acceptable. Use it in permission requests about an action.
です です gives 使ってもいいですか a polite sentence ending. With か, it helps form a polite question about permission. This is useful when making a respectful request to another person.
か か marks 使ってもいいですか as a question. It appears at the end of this polite permission request. Use it at the end of a polite question.
はい はい means “yes” in はい、使ってもいいです. B uses it to confirm that A may use the shared meeting room. Use it when agreeing with or affirming another person’s question or statement.
でも でも means “but” in でも、ほかの人のためにきれいにしてください. It introduces a reminder that limits or qualifies the permission just given. Use it to connect permission or agreement with a contrasting condition or request.
ほか ほか means “other” in ほかの人, referring to people besides the speakers. It appears before の to modify 人. Use it when referring to other people or other things in relation to the current ones.
人 人 means “person” or “people” in ほかの人. In this dialogue, it refers to people who will also use the shared room. It can be used after a modifier such as ほかの to identify people.
ため ため contributes the meaning of “the sake or benefit” in ほかの人のために. The whole phrase means “for the benefit of other people,” explaining why the room should be kept clean. Use it in a phrase that states who benefits from an action.
に に marks the beneficiary or purpose in ほかの人のために, meaning “for the benefit of other people.” It follows ため in this expression. Use it to connect a stated benefit or purpose with the action that follows.
きれい きれい means “clean” or “tidy” in きれいにしてください. With に, it describes the clean state that B asks the listeners to make the room or table. Use it when asking someone to keep a place clean or tidy.
ください ください makes きれいにしてください a polite request meaning “please keep it clean” or “please make it clean.” It follows the action expression in this dialogue. Use it to give a respectful instruction to another person.
この この means “this” in このテーブル, identifying the table near or relevant to the speaker. It comes directly before the noun it describes. Use この before a noun when pointing out a particular nearby item.
テーブル テーブル means “table” in このテーブルは空いていますか and テーブルの上. It refers to the table whose availability and surface are being discussed. Use it when talking about placing things on a table or using one.
は は marks テーブル as the topic in このテーブルは空いていますか. The question is about whether this particular table is free. Use it after the item you want to make the topic of a statement or question.
空いて 空いて means “free” or “vacant” in 空いています, describing the table as available for use. It combines with います to express the table’s current state. Use 空いています when asking or saying whether a place or seat is available.
います います completes 空いています, politely describing the table’s current available state. In this dialogue, it helps say that the table is free now. Use it after 空いて to talk politely about something being vacant or available.
今 今 means “now” in 今、空いています. It specifies that the table is available at the present time. Use it when stating when something is true or available.
私 私 means “I” in 私のかばん and contributes “my” because it is followed by の. In this dialogue, A identifies the bag as belonging to the speaker. Use 私の before a noun when referring to something that belongs to the speaker.
かばん かばん means “bag” in 私のかばんを壁のそばに置きます. It is the object that A plans to place beside the wall. Use it when talking about carrying, placing, or finding a bag.
壁 壁 means “wall” in 壁のそば, identifying the location beside which A will put the bag. It is followed by の to connect it with そば. Use it when describing a position or object near a wall.
そば そば means “beside” or “near” in 壁のそばに置きます. The phrase 壁のそばに specifies where the bag will be placed. Use it after a noun with の when describing a nearby location.
置きます 置きます expresses the action of putting or placing the bag in 私のかばんを壁のそばに置きます. It is used with を for the thing being placed and に for the destination. A reusable pattern is nounを placeに置きます.
上 上 means “top” or “surface” in テーブルの上, referring to the surface of the table. The phrase テーブルの上を空けてください asks that this surface be kept clear. Use it after の to identify the top or surface of something.
空けて 空けて means “clear” or “empty” in 空けておいてください, referring to removing things from the table surface. It comes before おいて to form a request to leave the surface clear. Use it when asking someone to make space or keep an area empty.
おいて おいて is part of 空けておいてください and adds the idea of leaving the table in that clear state. The whole expression politely asks someone to keep the table clear. Use the pattern 〜ておいてください when asking that a state be maintained or prepared.
私たち 私たち means “we” or “us” in 私たちは, referring to the people who are using the room. It is marked as the topic by は. Use it when speaking about yourself together with other people.
終わったら 終わったら means “when we finish” or “after it is finished” in 終わったら部屋をきれいにしておきます. It sets the time for the promise to leave the room clean. Use the pattern verb form plus ら to state what happens when or after something is completed.
部屋 部屋 means “room” in 部屋をきれいにしておきます. It is the place the speakers promise to leave clean after finishing. Use it when referring to an indoor room or personal space.
して して is part of きれいにしておきます, where it expresses making the room clean before the speaker leaves it prepared. It links the clean state きれいに with おきます. Use きれいにしておきます when promising to leave a place clean.
おきます おきます completes きれいにしておきます and expresses leaving the room in a clean, prepared state. The speakers use it to promise that the room will be ready for the next group. A reusable pattern is 〜ておきます for doing something in advance or leaving it in a particular state.
それ それ means “that” in それは次のグループのためになります. It refers to the preceding action of leaving the room clean. Use it to point back to something that has just been said or done.
次 次 means “next” in 次のグループ, identifying the group that will use the room after the current one. It comes before の to modify グループ. Use it when ordering people, events, or groups in sequence.
グループ グループ means “group” in 次のグループ. It refers to the people who will use the room after the current speakers. Use it when talking about several people considered together.
なります なります completes ためになります, which means “be helpful” or “be beneficial” to the next group. The meaning comes from the whole expression, not なります alone. Use the pattern 〜のためになります when explaining that an action benefits someone.

Grammar Points

〜てもいいですか

共有の会議室を使ってもいいですか。

kyoh-YOO noh kyee-GEE-sheets oo tsoo-KAHT-teh moh EE dess kah

Is it okay to use the shared meeting room?

〜てもいいですか asks for permission to do something. The verb uses the て-form before もいいですか.

〜たら

終わったら、部屋を空けて。

oh-WAHT-tah-rah, HEH-yah oh ah-KEH-teh

When it is finished, clear the room.

〜たら connects an action or event with what happens afterward. Here, 終わったら means “when it is finished.”

Japanese Vocabulary

いい adj
EE good; okay
かばん noun
kah-BAHN bag
きれい adj
kee-RAY clean; tidy
そば noun
SOH-bah beside; near そばに
テーブル noun
TAY-boo-roo table
ほかの人 phrase
hoh-kah noh HEET-oh other people
会議室 noun
kyee-GEE-sheets meeting room
共有 noun
kyoh-YOO shared 共有の
空く verb
AH-koo to be free; to be available 空いています
今 adv
EE-mah now
使う verb
tsoo-KOO to use 使っても
壁 noun
KAH-beh wall

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to be free; to be available

Show Answer空いています

to use

Show Answer使っても

other people

Show Answerほかの人

table

Show Answerテーブル