About This Lesson
Use Finding blue folders in a shop to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
すみません、文房具売り場はどこですか？
soo-mee-mah-SEN, bohn-BOH-goo oo-ree-BAH wa doh-KOH dess-kah? Excuse me, where is the stationery section?
B
右側のノートの陳列を過ぎたところです。
mee-gee-GAH-wah noh NOH-toh noh cheen-REH-tsoo oh soo-GEE-tah toh-koh-ROH dess. It's past the notebook display on the right.
A
青いファイルを探しています。
ah-oh-EE FAI-roo oh sah-GAH-shee-teh-ee-MAHS. I'm looking for blue folders.
B
まだ在庫があるか確認します。
mah-DAH zigh-KOH gah ah-ROO kah kah-koo-NEEN shee-MAHS. Let me check if they are still available.
A
今日は在庫がありますか？
KYOH wah zigh-KOH gah ah-ree-MAHS kah? Are there any in stock today?
B
奥の部屋にいくつかあります。
OH-koo noh foo-YAH nee ee-KOOT-soo-kah ah-ree-MAHS. We have some in the back room.
A
1パック持ってきていただけますか？
ee-PAK-koo MOHT-teh KEE-teh ee-tah-dah-KEH-mahs kah? Could you bring one pack for me?
B
1パックお持ちします。
ee-PAK-koo oh-MOH-chee shee-MAHS. I'll bring a pack over.
B
こちらの棚の近くでお待ちください。
koh-CHRAH noh tah-NAH noh CHEE-kah-koo deh oh-MAH-chee koo-dah-SIGH. Please wait near this display.Word by Word
すみません
「すみません」 is used here to politely get the shop staff’s attention before asking a question. It is useful when approaching staff in a shop or asking a stranger for help, as in 「すみません、文房具売り場はどこですか？」.
文房具
「文房具」 means stationery items in this dialogue. It identifies the type of goods in 「文房具売り場」 and is useful when asking about stationery in a shop.
売り場
「売り場」 means the sales area or section where goods are sold, as in 「文房具売り場」. It is useful for identifying a shop section when asking where a type of item is located.
は
「は」 sets 「文房具売り場」 as the topic of the location question. It is useful when asking about the location or situation of a particular place, as in 「文房具売り場はどこですか？」.
どこ
「どこ」 asks where something is. In 「文房具売り場はどこですか？」, it asks for the location of the stationery section and is useful when asking where a place or item can be found.
です
「です」 gives the question a polite sentence ending in 「どこですか？」. It is useful when asking staff or another person for information politely.
か
「か」 marks the sentence as a question in 「どこですか？」. It is useful at the end of a polite question when asking for information or checking something.
右側
「右側」 means the right side, referring here to the side where the notebook display is located. It is useful when giving or following directions, as in 「右側のノートの陳列」.
の
「の」 links nouns in 「右側のノートの陳列」. The two uses connect the right side with the notebooks and the notebooks with their display, and 「XのY」 is a reusable way to describe a relationship between nouns.
ノート
「ノート」 means notebook and identifies the goods in 「ノートの陳列」. It is useful when referring to notebooks or locating them in a stationery shop.
陳列
「陳列」 means the display or arrangement of goods, here the notebook display in 「ノートの陳列」. It is useful when giving directions based on a displayed group of items in a shop.
を
「を」 marks 「ノートの陳列」 as the thing that has been passed in 「陳列を過ぎた」. It is useful for marking the object affected by an action.
過ぎた
「過ぎた」 says that the notebook display has been passed. In 「陳列を過ぎたところです」, it helps describe a location just beyond that display and is useful in giving directions.
ところ
「ところ」 means the point or place in 「過ぎたところです」, referring to the place just after passing the display. The reusable pattern 「Xを過ぎたところ」 describes a location beyond a landmark.
青い
「青い」 describes the color blue and modifies 「ファイル」 in 「青いファイル」. It is useful when identifying an item by color while shopping.
ファイル
「ファイル」 means folder and is the item the customer is looking for in 「青いファイルを探しています」. It is useful when asking shop staff about folders.
探して
「探して」 contributes the meaning of looking for in 「青いファイルを探しています」. Together with 「います」, it describes an ongoing search, and 「Xを探しています」 is useful when telling staff what item you want to find.
います
「います」 combines with 「探して」 in 「探しています」 to show that the search is continuing. The pattern 「Xを探しています」 is useful when explaining to shop staff which item you are looking for.
まだ
「まだ」 means still in 「まだ在庫があるか」, asking whether the stock remains available. It is useful when checking whether an item is still available.
在庫
「在庫」 means stock or inventory, referring to the folders available for sale in 「まだ在庫があるか」. It is useful when asking shop staff about an item’s availability.
が
「が」 marks 「在庫」 as what exists or is available in 「在庫があるか」. It is useful when describing or asking whether something is present or available.
ある
「ある」 means that the stock exists or is available in 「在庫があるか」. It is useful in the pattern 「在庫がある」 when checking whether a shop has an item.
確認
「確認」 means checking or confirming whether the stock exists in 「在庫があるか確認します」. It is useful when verifying information before giving an answer.
します
「します」 makes 「確認します」 a polite statement that the speaker will check. The pattern 「〜か確認します」 is useful when saying that you will verify whether something is true or available.
今日
「今日」 means today and specifies the time in 「今日は在庫がありますか？」. It is useful when asking about availability on the current day.
あります
「あります」 says that stock is available in 「今日は在庫がありますか？」 and that some items exist in 「いくつかあります」. It is useful for politely asking or stating that an item is present or available.
奥
「奥」 means the back or inner area of the shop in 「奥の部屋」. It is useful when directing someone to a less visible area inside a building or shop.
部屋
「部屋」 means room and forms 「奥の部屋」, the back room where some stock is kept. It is useful when identifying a particular room or indoor area.
に
「に」 marks 「奥の部屋」 as the location where the items are in 「奥の部屋にいくつかあります」. The pattern 「Xにあります」 is useful for saying where something is located.
いくつか
「いくつか」 means some or several, without giving an exact number, in 「いくつかあります」. It is useful when saying that multiple items are available but the precise quantity is not stated.
パック
「パック」 means a pack in 「1パック」. It identifies the requested quantity of the folders and is useful when asking for or offering a packaged group of items.
持って
「持って」 contributes the idea of carrying the item in 「持ってきていただけますか？」. Together with 「きて」, it asks someone to bring something toward the speaker, which is useful when requesting an item from shop staff.
きて
「きて」 contributes the idea of coming with the item in 「持ってきて」. The full expression 「持ってきていただけますか？」 is useful for politely asking someone to bring something to you.
いただけます
「いただけます」 makes 「持ってきていただけますか？」 a polite request asking whether the other person can bring the item. It is useful after an action expression when requesting help from staff or another person.
お持ちします
「お持ちします」 means that the speaker will bring the pack politely in 「1パックお持ちします」. In this expression, 「お」 adds polite framing, 「持ち」 conveys carrying or bringing, and 「します」 presents the speaker’s action politely; it is useful when offering to bring something for a customer.
こちら
「こちら」 means this or this side and refers to the nearby shelf in 「こちらの棚」. It is useful when directing someone to a particular nearby place or item.
棚
「棚」 means shelf and identifies the place near which the customer should wait in 「こちらの棚」. It is useful when referring to a shelf or display area in a shop.
近く
「近く」 means near or nearby in 「棚の近くで」. The pattern 「Xの近くで」 is useful for specifying where an action should take place.
で
「で」 marks 「棚の近く」 as the place where the waiting action takes place in 「棚の近くでお待ちください」. It is useful for indicating the location of an action.
お待ちください
「お待ちください」 is a polite request meaning please wait in 「こちらの棚の近くでお待ちください」. In this expression, 「お」 adds polite framing, 「待ち」 conveys waiting, and 「ください」 makes it a request; it is useful when asking a customer to remain in a particular place.
Grammar Points
〜ています
ファイルを探しています。
FAI-roo oh sah-GAH-shee-teh-ee-MAHS.I am looking for the file.
「〜ています」は、今している動作を表します。「探す」 becomes 「探しています」 for an ongoing action.
〜てください
お待ちください。
oh-MAH-chee koo-dah-SIGH.Please wait.
「〜てください」は、相手に丁寧にお願いするときに使います。「待つ」では「お待ちください」と言います。
Japanese Vocabulary
すみません
intj
soo-mee-mah-SEN
excuse me
どこ
pron
doh-KOH
where
ノート
noun
NOH-toh
notebook
ファイル
noun
FAI-roo
folder
まだ
adv
mah-DAH
still; yet
右側
noun
mee-gee-GAH-wah
right side
過ぎる
verb
soo-GEE-roo
to pass; to go past
過ぎた
青い
adj
ah-oh-EE
blue
探す
verb
sah-GAH-soo
to look for; to search for
探しています
陳列
noun
cheen-REH-tsoo
display; arrangement of goods
売り場
noun
oo-ree-BAH
sales area; section
文房具
noun
bohn-BOH-goo
stationery
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
excuse me
Show Answer
すみませんto look for; to search for
Show Answer
探していますfolder
Show Answer
ファイルright side