About This Lesson
Use Saving leftovers for tomorrow to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
夕食の残り物がたくさんあります。
YOO-shoh-koo noh noh-koh-ree-MOH-noh gah tah-koo-SAHN ah-ree-MAHS. There are a lot of leftovers from dinner.
B
きれいな容器に入れましょう。
kee-REH nah YOH-kee nee ee-reh-mah-SHOH. Let's put them in a clean container.
A
明日の昼食に温め直してもいいですか。
ah-SHEE-tah noh CHOO-shoh-koo nee ah-tah-tah-meh-nah-OH-shee-teh-moh EE dehss kah? Can I reheat them for lunch tomorrow?
B
それまで冷蔵庫に入れておけば、温め直せます。
soh-reh-MAH-deh reh-ZOH-koh nee ee-REH-teh oh-KEH-bah, ah-tah-tah-meh-nah-oh-SEH-mahss. You can if we keep them in the fridge until then.
A
容器にラベルを貼りましょうか。
YOH-kee nee RAH-beh-roh hah-ree-mah-SHOH kah? Should I put a label on the container?
B
そうすれば、明日、中に何が入っているか分かります。
soh-SHEH-bah, ah-SHEE-tah, nah-KAH nee nah-nee gah hah-TEH-ee-roo kah wah-kah-ree-MAHS. That way, tomorrow we will know what is inside.
A
分かりやすいラベルを貼ります。
wah-kah-ree-yah-SOO-ee RAH-beh-roh hah-ree-MAHS. I'll put a clear label on it.
B
そうすれば、昼食がもっと簡単になります。
soh-SHEH-bah, CHOO-shoh-koo gah MOHT-toh KAHN-tahn nee nah-ree-MAHS. That will make lunch easier.Word by Word
夕食
夕食 means dinner here, in the phrase 夕食の残り物, “leftovers from dinner.” A reusable pattern is XのY, where X identifies or describes Y, such as 夕食の残り物.
の
の links 夕食 and 残り物 in 夕食の残り物, showing that the leftovers are connected with dinner. Use XのY when one noun describes or identifies another noun.
残り物
残り物 means leftovers here, referring to food remaining from dinner in 夕食の残り物. You can use it when talking about food kept after a meal.
が
が marks 残り物 as the thing that exists in 夕食の残り物がたくさんあります. A useful pattern is Xがたくさんあります for saying that there is a lot of X.
たくさん
たくさん means a lot here and shows the amount of 残り物 in 残り物がたくさんあります. It can be used before あります to describe a large amount of something.
あります
あります politely says that something exists or is present, as in 夕食の残り物がたくさんあります. Use it with が when talking about inanimate things or food that is present.
きれいな
きれいな means clean here and describes the container in きれいな容器. It comes directly before a noun, as in きれいな容器.
容器
容器 means container here, the container used for storing the leftovers. A common pattern is 容器に入れる, meaning to put something into a container.
に
に marks the destination or place where something is put in きれいな容器に入れましょう. Use Xに入れる when putting something into X.
入れましょう
入れましょう means “let’s put it in” in きれいな容器に入れましょう, with the food understood from the conversation. A reusable pattern is XをYに入れましょう, meaning “let’s put X into Y.”
明日
明日 means tomorrow here, identifying when the lunch will happen in 明日の昼食. It is used directly before a time-related noun in this phrase.
昼食
昼食 means lunch here, in 明日の昼食, “tomorrow’s lunch.” You can use it with a time expression such as 明日の昼食 when specifying which lunch you mean.
温め直して
温め直して means “reheat and then” in 温め直してもいいですか, asking permission to reheat the leftovers. The form connects the reheating action to the following permission expression; a useful pattern is Xを温め直してもいいですか, “May I reheat X?”
も
In 温め直してもいいですか, も is part of the pattern for asking whether an action is permitted. The whole expression means “Is it okay to reheat them?” and can be reused as Xてもいいですか for a polite permission question.
いい
いい contributes the idea of being acceptable or okay in 温め直してもいいですか. In the pattern Xてもいいですか, the speaker asks whether doing X is permitted.
です
です gives 温め直してもいいですか a polite sentence ending. It appears in the polite permission pattern Xてもいいですか, used when asking someone respectfully whether an action is okay.
か
か marks 温め直してもいいですか as a question. It is placed at the end of this polite permission question, after です.
それ
それ means “that” here and refers to the time already mentioned, as in それまで, “until then.” It can point back to something understood from the preceding conversation.
まで
まで means “until” in それまで, marking the endpoint up to which the leftovers should stay in the fridge. A reusable pattern is Xまで for “until X.”
冷蔵庫
冷蔵庫 means refrigerator or fridge here, the place where the leftovers are kept. A common pattern is 冷蔵庫に入れる, “put something in the fridge.”
入れて
入れて means “put in and” in 冷蔵庫に入れておけば, describing keeping the leftovers in the fridge as a condition. It connects the action of putting something in with what follows; a useful pattern is XをYに入れておく, “put X in Y and leave it there.”
おけば
In 入れておけば, おけば expresses the condition of leaving the leftovers in the fridge. The whole phrase 冷蔵庫に入れておけば means “if we keep them in the fridge,” and the pattern Xておけば is useful for a condition based on leaving something prepared or stored.
温め直せます
温め直せます means “can reheat” here, describing what is possible if the leftovers are kept cold. A reusable pattern is Xを温め直せます, meaning that X can be reheated.
ラベル
ラベル means label here, something attached to the container to show what is inside. A common pattern is ラベルを貼る, “put a label on something.”
を
を marks ラベル as the object of 貼りましょう in ラベルを貼りましょうか. Use Xを貼る when attaching X to a surface or object.
貼りましょう
貼りましょう means “shall I put on” or “shall we attach” here, as in ラベルを貼りましょうか. The pattern Xを貼りましょうか is useful when offering to attach X or asking whether to do so.
そう
そう means “that way” in そうすれば, referring to the action of putting a label on the container. The expression is used to connect a proposed action with its expected result.
すれば
すれば means “if [we] do” in そうすれば, forming the condition that leads to knowing what is inside. A reusable pattern is XすればY, meaning “if one does X, Y happens.”
中
中 means “inside” here, in 中に何が入っているか, asking what is inside the container. A common pattern is 中にXが入っている, “X is inside.”
何
何 means “what” in 中に何が入っているか, referring to the unspecified contents of the container. It is used in this pattern to ask what is inside something.
入って
入って means “be in” as part of 入っている in 中に何が入っているか. It connects with いる to describe something being inside a container; a useful pattern is 中にXが入っている, “X is inside.”
いる
いる completes 入っている and shows the state of something being inside the container in 中に何が入っているか. The pattern Xが入っている describes something that is contained in a place or object.
分かります
分かります means “know” or “understand” here, referring to knowing what is inside the container. A useful pattern is Xが分かります, meaning that X is understood or known.
分かりやすい
分かりやすい means clear or easy to understand here, describing the label in 分かりやすいラベル. It is placed before a noun when describing something that is easy to understand.
貼ります
貼ります means “will put on” or “attach” here, referring to attaching the clear label to the container. A common pattern is XをYに貼ります, “I will attach X to Y.”
もっと
もっと means “more” here and increases the degree of ease in 昼食がもっと簡単になります. It can be placed before an adjective or description to mean “more” of that quality.
簡単
簡単 means easy or simple here, describing lunch after the container is labeled. In 簡単になります, it describes the resulting state of becoming easier.
なります
なります means “becomes” here, as in 昼食がもっと簡単になります, “lunch becomes easier.” A useful pattern is XがYになります, meaning that X becomes Y.
Grammar Points
きれいな＋名詞
きれいな容器
kee-REH nah YOH-keea clean container
きれい is a な-adjective, so な is used before a noun.
簡単に＋動詞
簡単に分かります
KAHN-tahn nee wah-kah-ree-MAHSIt is easy to understand.
簡単な changes to 簡単に when it describes how an action happens.
Japanese Vocabulary
きれい
adj
kee-REH
clean
きれいな
それまで
adv
soh-reh-MAH-deh
until then
たくさん
adv
tah-koo-SAHN
a lot; many
ラベル
noun
RAH-beh-roo
label
温め直す
verb
ah-tah-tah-meh-nah-OH-soo
to reheat
温め直して
残り物
noun
noh-koh-ree-MOH-noh
leftovers
昼食
noun
CHOO-shoh-koo
lunch
入れる
verb
ee-REH-roo
to put in; to place inside
入れ
明日
noun
ah-SHEE-tah
tomorrow
夕食
noun
YOO-shoh-koo
dinner
容器
noun
YOH-kee
container
冷蔵庫
noun
reh-ZOH-koh
refrigerator; fridge
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
clean
Show Answer
きれいなto reheat
Show Answer
温め直してa lot; many
Show Answer
たくさんuntil then