About This Lesson
Use Preparing tea and snacks for a guest to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
お客さまはもうすぐ来ます。
oh-KYAH-koo sah-MAH wa moh-SOO-goo KEE-mahs Our guest will arrive soon.
B
コーヒーとお茶のどちらを出しましょうか。
KOH-hee toh oh-CHAH noh doh-CHEE-rah oh dah-shee-mah-SHOH-kah Should we serve coffee or tea?
A
今晩はお茶のほうがよさそうです。
kohn-BAHN wa oh-CHAH noh HOH-gah yoh-sah-SOH dehss Tea is probably better this evening.
B
やかんでお湯を沸かします。
yah-KAHN deh oh-YOO oh wah-KAH-sheem-ahss I'll boil some water in the kettle.
A
お客さまには大きいマグカップを使ってください。
oh-KYAH-koo sah-MAH nee-wah oh-KEE mah-goo-KAHP-poo oh tsoo-KAHT-teh koo-DAH-sigh Please use the large mug for our guest.
B
お菓子も私が用意しましょうか。
oh-KAH-shee moh wah-TAH-shee gah yoh-EE shee-mah-SHOH-kah Would you like me to prepare snacks too?
A
小さいお皿にビスケットをいくつか置いてください。
chee-SAH-ee oh-SAH-rah nee bee-soo-KEHT-toh oh ee-koo-tsoo-kah OH-ee-teh koo-DAH-sigh Put some biscuits on the small plate, please.
B
お客さまが来る前に、全部そろいます。
oh-KYAH-koo sah-MAH gah KOO-roo mah-eh nee, ZEHM-boo soh-ROH-ee-mahs Everything will be ready before they arrive.Word by Word
お客さま
お客さま means “guest” here, referring respectfully to the person who will visit. Use it for a guest in patterns such as お客さまが来ます. You would use it when speaking about a visitor in a home or service setting.
は
は marks お客さま as the topic of the sentence, so the sentence is about the guest. It is used in the pattern Xは... to introduce what is said about X. Use it when setting the main topic of a statement.
もうすぐ
もうすぐ means “soon” and shows that the guest’s arrival is expected shortly. It commonly appears before an event or action, as in もうすぐ来ます. Use it when something will happen in a short time.
来ます
来ます means “will come” or “will arrive” here, referring to the guest’s expected arrival. It is the polite form of 来る. A reusable pattern is Xはもうすぐ来ます, used when telling someone that a person will arrive soon.
コーヒー
コーヒー means “coffee,” one of the two drinks being considered for the guest. It can be used as the object in コーヒーを出します. Use it when offering or preparing coffee.
と
と connects コーヒー and お茶 as the two choices in the question. In the pattern AとBのどちら, it presents two alternatives and asks which one. Use it when comparing two specific options.
お茶
お茶 means “tea,” the drink selected as the better choice for this evening. It can be used in patterns such as お茶を出します or お茶を用意します. Use it when talking about serving or preparing tea.
の
の links コーヒーとお茶 to どちら, making the meaning “which of coffee and tea.” In the pattern AとBのどちら, it connects the choices with どちら. Use it when asking which one of two choices is meant.
どちら
どちら means “which one” here and asks the listener to choose between coffee and tea. The reusable pattern is AとBのどちらですか or AとBのどちらを使いますか. Use it when choosing between two options politely.
を
を marks the drink being served as the object of 出しましょう. In the pattern Nを出します, it identifies what is served or offered. Use it after a food or drink that someone will serve.
出しましょう
出しましょう means “shall we serve?” here, referring to serving coffee or tea. It is the polite volitional form of 出す and, with か, makes a proposal or suggestion. A reusable pattern is Nを出しましょうか, used when proposing to serve something.
か
か marks the sentence as a question, turning 出しましょう into a polite proposal asking what to serve. The pattern Vましょうか can ask whether the speaker should do something or suggest doing it together. Use it when politely asking about a proposed action.
今晩
今晩 means “this evening” and sets the time for the comparison about tea. It can introduce a time setting before the main statement, as in 今晩は.... Use it when talking about plans or conditions for the coming evening.
ほう
ほう identifies お茶 as the option or side being compared in お茶のほうがよさそうです. The pattern Aのほうが... presents one option as having the stronger or preferable quality. Use it when comparing two choices.
が
が marks the option judged better in the comparison お茶のほうがよさそうです. In the pattern Aのほうがよい, it identifies the option preferred over another. Use it when stating which of two options seems preferable.
よさそう
よさそう means “seems better” here, expressing that tea appears to be the better choice. Its citation form is よい, and this form presents the judgment as an impression or appearance. A reusable pattern is Nのほうがよさそうです, used when one option seems preferable.
です
です gives the assessment a polite sentence ending in 今晩はお茶のほうがよさそうです. It is used after the statement being presented politely. Use it when giving a polite opinion or evaluation.
やかん
やかん means “kettle,” the tool used to boil the water. It appears in the pattern やかんでお湯を沸かします. Use it when talking about boiling water with a kettle at home.
で
で marks やかん as the tool used for the action of boiling water. In the pattern NでV, it indicates the means or tool used to do something. Use it after an instrument or method, such as a kettle.
お湯
お湯 means “hot water,” the water that will be boiled for the tea. It is the object in お湯を沸かします. Use it when preparing or referring to hot water for a drink or another purpose.
沸かします
沸かします means “will boil” or “will heat” here, referring to preparing hot water in the kettle. It is the polite form of 沸かす. A reusable pattern is お湯を沸かします, used when saying that you will boil water.
に
に marks お客さま as the person for whom the large mug is intended in お客さまには大きいマグカップを使ってください. The pattern XにはYを使ってください means “please use Y for X.” Use it when specifying the person or purpose something is intended for.
大きい
大きい means “large” and describes the mug to be used for the guest. It comes directly before the noun it describes, as in 大きいマグカップ. Use it before a noun when identifying something as large.
マグカップ
マグカップ means “mug,” specifically the large cup requested for the guest. It is the object of 使ってください in this sentence. Use it when talking about a mug used for serving a drink.
使って
使って means “use” here and forms a polite request together with ください. It is the te-form of 使う. The reusable pattern Nを使ってください asks someone to use N.
ください
ください makes the preceding action a polite request, as in 使ってください, “please use it.” It commonly follows a te-form in the pattern Vてください. Use it when politely asking someone to do an action.
お菓子
お菓子 means “snacks” or “sweets” here, referring to the food to be prepared for the guest. It can be used in the pattern お菓子を用意します. Use it when talking about snack foods served with a drink.
も
も means “also” or “too,” adding snacks to the tea preparation already being discussed. It replaces the usual topic or object marker after the item being added, as in お菓子も用意します. Use it when including another item or action.
私
私 means “I” or “me” here, identifying the speaker as the person offering to prepare the snacks. It appears with が in 私が用意しましょうか. Use it when making clear that you will do an action.
用意しましょう
用意しましょう means “shall I prepare?” here, as the speaker offers to prepare the snacks. It is the polite volitional form of 用意する. A reusable pattern is Nを用意しましょうか, used when offering to prepare something.
小さい
小さい means “small” and describes the plate on which the biscuits should be placed. It comes directly before the noun in 小さいお皿. Use it before a noun when identifying something as small.
お皿
お皿 means “plate,” specifically the small plate for the biscuits. It appears in the location phrase 小さいお皿に. Use it when talking about putting food on a plate.
ビスケット
ビスケット means “biscuits,” the snack that should be placed on the small plate. It is the object in ビスケットをいくつか置いてください. Use it when offering or arranging biscuits as a snack.
いくつか
いくつか means “some” or “several,” showing that an unspecified number of biscuits should be placed. It commonly follows the object, as in ビスケットをいくつか置きます. Use it when the exact number is not important.
置いて
置いて means “put” or “place” here and forms a polite request together with ください. It is the te-form of 置く. The reusable pattern NをPlaceに置いてください asks someone to put N in a specified place.
来る
来る means “come” or “arrive” here and appears before 前 to express “before the guest arrives.” This plain form is used in the pattern Vる前に, meaning “before doing V.” Use it when referring to an action that must happen before someone arrives or something occurs.
前
前 means “before” in the time expression 来る前に. The pattern Vる前に places one action before another in time. Use it when setting a deadline or describing preparation before an event.
全部
全部 means “everything” or “all” here, referring to all the preparations becoming complete. It appears as the subject of 全部そろいます. Use it when referring to the whole set of items or tasks rather than just some of them.
そろいます
そろいます means “will be ready” or “will be complete” here, saying that everything will be in place before the guest arrives. It is the polite form of そろう. A reusable pattern is Nがそろいます, used when all necessary items become available or complete.
Grammar Points
〜ましょう
コーヒーを出しましょう。
KOH-hee oh dah-shee-mah-SHOHLet's serve coffee.
The volitional form 〜ましょう suggests an action together, like “let's …”. It is also used to make a gentle proposal.
〜てください
大きいマグカップを使ってください。
oh-KEE mah-goo-KAHP-poo oh tsoo-KAHT-teh koo-DAH-sighPlease use the large mug.
The て-form plus ください makes a polite request: “please do …”. The verb changes to its て-form before ください.
Japanese Vocabulary
お客さま
noun
oh-KYAH-koo sah-MAH
guest
お客さまはもうすぐ来ます。
お茶
noun
oh-CHAH
tea
コーヒーとお茶のどちらを出しましょうか。
お湯
noun
oh-YOO
hot water
やかんでお湯を沸かします。
コーヒー
noun
KOH-hee
coffee
コーヒーとお茶のどちらを出しましょうか。
どちら
pron
doh-CHEE-rah
which of the two
コーヒーとお茶のどちらを出しましょうか。
もうすぐ
adv
moh-SOO-goo
soon
お客さまはもうすぐ来ます。
やかん
noun
yah-KAHN
kettle
やかんでお湯を沸かします。
よさそう
adj
yoh-sah-SOH
seems better; looks good
今晩はお茶のほうがよさそうです。
今晩
noun
kohn-BAHN
this evening; tonight
今晩はお茶のほうがよさそうです。
出す
verb
DAH-soo
to serve; to put out
出しましょう
コーヒーとお茶のどちらを出しましょうか。
沸かす
verb
wah-KAH-soo
to boil
沸かします
やかんでお湯を沸かします。
来る
verb
KOO-roo
to come; to arrive
来ます
お客さまはもうすぐ来ます。
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
soon
Show Answer
もうすぐseems better; looks good
Show Answer
よさそうto serve; to put out
Show Answer
出しましょうguest