Using a Shared Fridge | Learn Japanese in English

Japanese lesson set in a contemporary Tokyo everyday setting: In a shared space, two adults talk about labeling food and using shelf space in a shared fridge..

EN → JA / Level: A1

About This Lesson

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

Dialogue

A

共有の冷蔵庫を使ってもいいですか。

kyoh-YOO-yoo noh ree-ZOH-koo oh tsu-KAT-teh moh EE dess-kah Can I use the shared fridge?
B

入れる前に、食べ物にラベルを貼ってください。

ee-REH-roo mah-eh nee, tah-beh-MOH-noh nee RAH-beh-roo oh HAT-teh koo-dah-SAI Label your food before you put it in.
A

ラベルはどこにありますか。

RAH-beh-roo wah DOH-koh nee ah-ree-MAHS-kah Where can I find a label?
B

冷蔵庫の横にラベルがあります。

ree-ZOH-koo noh YOH-koh nee RAH-beh-roo gah ah-ree-MAHS There are labels beside the fridge.
A

中に十分なスペースがありますか。

nah-KAH nee JOO-boon nah soo-PEH-soo gah ah-ree-MAHS-kah Is there enough space inside?
B

上の棚を使ってください。そこに空きがあります。

oo-EH noh TAH-nah oh tsu-KAT-teh koo-dah-SAI; soh-KOH nee ah-KEE gah ah-ree-MAHS Use the top shelf; there is room there.
A

あとで食べ物を出します。

ah-toh-DEH tah-beh-MOH-noh oh dah-SHEE-mahs I will take my food out later.
B

それで、ほかの人のために場所を空けておけます。

soh-REH-deh, HOH-kah noh HEE-toh noh TAH-meh nee BAH-shoh oh ah-KEH-teh oh-keh-MAHS That keeps space open for other people.

Word by Word

共有 共有 means shared or communal here, describing the fridge as available for more than one person. It comes before の to describe the following noun, as in 共有の冷蔵庫. You would use it when talking about facilities or items used by several people.
の の links 共有 to 冷蔵庫 and shows that the fridge is shared. It connects a describing noun to the noun that follows, as in 共有の冷蔵庫. This pattern is useful when identifying a place or item by its owner or type.
冷蔵庫 冷蔵庫 means refrigerator or fridge in this dialogue. It is the object used in 共有の冷蔵庫を使ってもいいですか and the location referred to in 冷蔵庫の横. Use it when discussing storing or finding food.
を を marks 冷蔵庫 as the thing being used in 共有の冷蔵庫を使ってもいいですか. It commonly follows the direct object of an action. Here, it identifies what the speaker wants to use.
使って 使って means use here and appears in the permission request 使ってもいいですか. It is the て-form of 使う, used to connect the action with the permission expression. You can reuse this form when asking whether an item or facility may be used.
も も is part of 使ってもいいですか, where it helps form a request for permission. The whole expression asks whether doing the action is acceptable; も alone does not mean permission. Use the pattern when politely asking to do something.
いい いい means okay or acceptable 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 fridge is allowed. This word is useful when checking whether an action is acceptable.
です です gives the question a polite tone in 使ってもいいですか. It follows いい in this polite permission request. You would use it when speaking respectfully while asking for approval.
か か marks 使ってもいいですか as a question. It comes at the end of this polite request for permission. Use it at the end of a similar spoken question.
入れる 入れる means put in here, referring to putting food into the fridge in 入れる前に. This is the citation form used before 前に to name the action that has not happened yet. The pattern is useful when saying that one action happens before another.
前 前 means before in 入れる前に. It follows the action 入れる and identifies the earlier time in the sequence. Use this pattern to explain what should happen before putting something in.
に に marks the time relation in 入れる前に, meaning before putting it in. Here it follows 前 to complete the time expression. It is also used with locations and destinations, but this dialogue shows its time use.
食べ物 食べ物 means food in this dialogue. It is the item that receives a label in 食べ物にラベルを貼ってください and the item later removed in あとで食べ物を出します. Use it when referring generally to something eaten.
ラベル ラベル means label in the fridge conversation. In 食べ物にラベルを貼ってください, it is the label attached to the food, and ラベルはどこにありますか asks where one can be found. Use it for an identifying label placed on an item.
貼って 貼って means stick or attach here, as in attaching a label to food in ラベルを貼ってください. It is the て-form of 貼る and comes before ください to make a polite request. Use it when asking someone to attach something to a surface.
ください ください completes ラベルを貼ってください as a polite request to attach the label. After a て-form, it asks another person to carry out that action. Use the same request pattern when giving a courteous instruction.
は は marks ラベル as the topic in ラベルはどこにありますか. The question asks where the label is or can be found. Use it to set the item being discussed as the topic of a question.
どこ どこ means where in どこにありますか. It asks for the location of the label. Use it when asking where an item is located.
あります あります says that something exists or is located somewhere, as in ラベルはどこにありますか and ラベルがあります. It is the polite form of ある and is used here for labels, a nonliving thing. Use it when asking about or stating the location of an item.
横 横 means the side or beside in 冷蔵庫の横. It identifies the area next to the fridge where the labels are located. Use it with の to describe something positioned beside another item.
中 中 means inside in 中に十分なスペースがありますか. It refers to the inside of the shared fridge. Use it when asking about space or an item within something.
十分な 十分な means enough or sufficient in 十分なスペース. It describes the amount of space available inside the fridge. The form 十分な comes before the noun it describes, and it is useful when checking whether a quantity is adequate.
スペース スペース means space or room in 十分なスペースがありますか. It refers to available capacity inside the fridge rather than a separate room. Use it when asking whether an area has room for another item.
が が marks スペース as the thing that exists in 十分なスペースがありますか. The question asks whether enough space is present. It commonly follows the thing whose existence or availability is being stated with あります.
上 上 means top or upper part in 上の棚. It identifies which shelf to use. It comes before の棚 to specify the shelf's position.
棚 棚 means shelf in 上の棚. It refers to the storage level inside the fridge where the food can be placed. Use it when identifying a shelf or storage surface.
そこ そこ means there in そこに空きがあります. It points to the top shelf just mentioned. Use it to refer back to a nearby place already identified in the conversation.
空き 空き means available empty space in そこに空きがあります. It tells the listener that the indicated shelf has room for something. Use it when referring to an unoccupied place or capacity.
あとで あとで means later in あとで食べ物を出します. It places the action of taking the food out at a later time. Use it as a time expression before an action that will happen later.
出します 出します means take out here, referring to removing the food from the fridge in あとで食べ物を出します. It is the polite form of 出す, whose meaning is determined by the food-and-fridge context here. Use it when politely saying that you will remove or put something out.
それで それで means that way or as a result in それで、ほかの人のために場所を空けておけます. It connects taking the food out later with the result of keeping space available. Use it to explain a consequence or practical effect of the previous action.
ほか ほか means other in ほかの人. It distinguishes the people being considered from the speaker or the current person. It comes before の人 to describe other people who may need the space.
人 人 means person or people in ほかの人のために. Here it refers to the other people who may use the shared fridge. Use it after a describing phrase when identifying people.
ため ため means sake or benefit in ほかの人のために. It shows that the space is being kept open for other people. The pattern Xのために expresses doing something for X's benefit or purpose.
場所 場所 means place or room in 場所を空けておけます. Here it means fridge space that should remain available. Use it when referring to a physical place or a designated area.
空けて 空けて means clear or leave open in 場所を空けておけます. It is the て-form of 空ける and connects clearing the space with keeping it in that state. Use it when asking or explaining that an area should remain available.
おけます おけます contributes the meaning can keep or leave something in that state in 空けておけます. Together, 空けておけます says that the space can be left open for other people. Use this construction when an action is done and its resulting state can be maintained.

Grammar Points

Vてもいいですか

冷蔵庫を使ってもいいですか。

ree-ZOH-koo oh tsu-KAT-teh moh EE dess-kah

May I use the refrigerator?

「てもいいですか」は、相手に許可を求めるときに使います。

Vておけます

場所を空けておけます。

BAH-shoh oh ah-KEH-teh oh-keh-MAHS

I can keep the space available.

「ておく」は、あとで必要な状態を保つことを表します。

Japanese Vocabulary

どこ pron
DOH-koh where
ラベル noun
RAH-beh-roo label
横 noun
YOH-koh beside; next to
共有 noun
kyoh-YOO-yoo shared; communal
使ってもいいですか phrase
tsu-KAT-teh moh EE dess-kah may I use it?
十分な adj
JOO-boon nah enough; sufficient
食べ物 noun
tah-beh-MOH-noh food
前に adv
mah-eh nee before
中 noun
NAH-kah inside
貼ってください phrase
HAT-teh koo-dah-SAI please stick; please attach
入れる verb
ee-REH-roo to put in
冷蔵庫 noun
ree-ZOH-koo refrigerator; fridge

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

may I use it?

Show Answer使ってもいいですか

please stick; please attach

Show Answer貼ってください

enough; sufficient

Show Answer十分な

before

Show Answer前に