About This Lesson
Use Finding a Conference Room to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
会議室がどこにあるか教えていただけますか？
KAH-ee-ghee-shee-tsu gah DOH-koh nee ah-ROO kah oh-SHEH-teh ee-tah-dah-keh-MAHS kah? Could you tell me where the conference room is?
B
ロビーを通り過ぎてください。エレベーターの近くです。
ROH-bee oh toh-ree-soo-GHEE-teh koo-DAH-sigh. eh-reh-BEH-tah noh CHEE-kah-koo dess. Go past the lobby. It's near the elevators.
A
ここからエレベーターに乗ればいいですか？
KOH-koh kah-rah eh-reh-BEH-tah nee noh-REH-bah ee dess kah? Should I take the elevator from here?
B
エレベーターで一つ上の階まで行ってください。
eh-reh-BEH-tah deh hee-TOH-tsu oo-eh noh kai mah-DEH eet-teh koo-DAH-sigh. Take it up one floor.
B
それから左に曲がって、廊下に入ってください。
soh-reh-kah-RAH hee-dah-REE nee mah-GAHT-teh, ROH-kah nee HAH-eet-teh koo-DAH-sigh. Then turn left into the hallway.
A
使える地図はありますか？
tsoo-KAH-eh-roo CHEE-zoo wah ah-ree-MAHS kah? Is there a map I can use?
B
受付のそばに一つあります。
oo-keh-tsu-keh noh SOH-bah nee hee-TOH-tsu ah-ree-MAHS. There's one by the reception desk.
A
助かります。この建物に来るのは初めてです。
tah-soo-kah-ree-MAHS. KOH-noh tah-teh-MOH-noh nee KOO-roo noh wah hah-jee-MEH-teh dess. That helps. It's my first time in this building.
B
その部屋は廊下の終わり近くに表示されています。
SOH-noh heh-YAH wah ROH-kah noh oh-WAH-ree CHEE-kah-koo nee hyoh-JEE sah-reh-teh ee-MAHS. The room is marked near the end of the hall.Word by Word
会議室
会議室 means “conference room” here, the room the visitor is trying to find. It is used as the place-related subject in 会議室がどこにあるか. A new example is 会議室で話します, “I will talk in the conference room.”
が
が marks 会議室 as the subject in 会議室がどこにあるか, the thing whose location is being asked about. It commonly follows the subject of an existence or location expression. A new example is 部屋があります, “There is a room.”
どこ
どこ means “where” in どこにあるか, asking for the location of the conference room. It is used with に when asking where something is located. A new example is 受付はどこですか, “Where is the reception desk?”
に
に marks the location in どこにあるか, meaning “where it is located.” It is also used for a destination, as in エレベーターに乗る in the dialogue. A new example is 部屋に行きます, “I will go to the room.”
ある
ある means “be located” or “exist” in 会議室がどこにあるか. Here it describes the location of the conference room. It is commonly used with non-living things, as in 地図があります, “There is a map.”
か
か marks どこにあるか as an embedded question inside 教えていただけますか, so the speaker politely asks to be told where the room is. It can follow a question word to turn the question into part of a larger expression. A new example is 受付がどこか分かりますか, “Do you know where the reception desk is?”
教えて
教えて means “tell me” or “let me know” in 教えていただけますか. Together with the rest of the expression, it politely asks someone to provide information. It is commonly used before a person, place, or fact that the speaker wants to know. A new example is 道を教えてください, “Please tell me the way.”
いただけ
In 教えていただけますか, いただけ helps make the request respectful by presenting the requested help as something the speaker would receive kindly. The whole expression means “Could you tell me...?” and should be understood as a polite request rather than as a standalone question word. A new example is 手伝っていただけますか, “Could you help me?”
ます
ます is the polite part of 教えていただけますか, making the request suitable for speaking to a reception-desk worker. Here it appears before か in a polite question. It commonly follows a verb expression in respectful everyday speech.
ロビー
ロビー means “lobby” in ロビーを通り過ぎてください, the area the visitor should pass. It is a borrowed building-related word and can be used with location expressions. A new example is ロビーで待っています, “I am waiting in the lobby.”
を
を marks ロビー as the place or route being passed in ロビーを通り過ぎてください. With movement expressions, it can identify a place through or along which someone moves. A new example is 廊下を歩きます, “I walk along the hallway.”
通り過ぎて
通り過ぎて means “go past” in ロビーを通り過ぎてください. The form is followed by ください to give a polite direction. It is useful when telling someone to continue beyond a place, as in a new example: 受付を通り過ぎてください, “Please go past the reception desk.”
ください
ください makes 通り過ぎてください a polite request meaning “please go past the lobby.” It follows a verb form ending in て when giving a direction or asking someone to do something. A new example is 左に曲がってください, “Please turn left.”
エレベーター
エレベーター means “elevator” in エレベーターの近く and エレベーターに乗ればいいですか. The exact word refers to the elevator the visitor may use to reach the room. A new example is エレベーターで上に行きます, “I go upstairs by elevator.”
の
の connects エレベーター with 近く in エレベーターの近く, meaning “near the elevator.” Here it shows the location’s connection to the elevator. A new example is 受付の前, “in front of the reception desk.”
近く
近く means “near” or “in the vicinity” in エレベーターの近く. It identifies a place close to the elevator. It commonly follows a noun with の, as in a new example: 受付の近く, “near the reception desk.”
です
です makes エレベーターの近くです a polite statement meaning “It is near the elevators.” It presents the location politely in response to the visitor’s question. A new example is 受付のそばです, “It is beside the reception desk.”
ここ
ここ means “here” in ここから, referring to the visitor’s current position. It is used to identify the place from which the visitor should take the elevator. A new example is ここで待ってください, “Please wait here.”
から
から means “from” in ここからエレベーターに乗ればいいですか, marking the starting point for taking the elevator. It commonly follows a place when describing where movement begins. A new example is 受付から行きます, “I will go from the reception desk.”
乗れば
乗れば means “if I take or ride” in 乗ればいいですか, as the visitor asks whether taking the elevator is the right action. With いいですか, the whole pattern asks whether a proposed action is okay or appropriate. A new example is このエレベーターに乗ればいいですか, “Should I take this elevator?”
いい
いい means “good” or “okay” in 乗ればいいですか. In the whole expression, it helps ask whether taking the elevator is the correct or acceptable thing to do. A new example is ここで待てばいいですか, “Is it okay if I wait here?”
で
で means “by means of” in エレベーターで一つ上の階まで行ってください, showing that the elevator is the means of going to the next floor. It commonly follows a vehicle or tool used for an action. A new example is 電車で行きます, “I will go by train.”
上
上 means “up” or “above” in 一つ上の階, identifying the floor one level higher than the current one. Here it is part of the location expression for the destination. A new example is 上の階に行きます, “I will go to the upstairs floor.”
階
階 means “floor” or “story” in 一つ上の階. It identifies the level of the building the visitor should reach. It commonly follows a number or other description of a building level, as in a new example: 三階, “the third floor.”
まで
まで means “up to” or “as far as” in 一つ上の階まで行ってください, marking the destination the visitor should reach. It commonly follows a place or endpoint with movement verbs. A new example is 受付まで来てください, “Please come as far as the reception desk.”
行って
行って means “go” in 一つ上の階まで行ってください. Together with ください, it gives the polite direction to go as far as the next floor. A new example is 廊下まで行ってください, “Please go as far as the hallway.”
それから
それから means “then” or “after that” in それから左に曲がって, linking the next direction to the previous instruction. The whole expression indicates that turning left happens after going to the upper floor. Its component それ refers to what was just mentioned, and から contributes the sense of starting after that point. A new example is それから受付に行ってください, “Then please go to the reception desk.”
左
左 means “left” in 左に曲がって, specifying the direction of the turn. It is followed by に to mark the direction toward which someone turns. A new example is 左に曲がります, “I turn left.”
曲がって
曲がって means “turn” in 左に曲がって、廊下に入ってください. It gives the first movement instruction before entering the hallway. It commonly follows a direction such as 左に or 右に. A new example is 右に曲がってください, “Please turn right.”
廊下
廊下 means “hallway” or “corridor” in 廊下に入ってください and 廊下の終わり近く. It identifies the passage the visitor should enter and later use to find the room. A new example is 廊下を歩きます, “I walk along the hallway.”
入って
入って means “enter” or “go into” in 廊下に入ってください. Together with ください, it politely tells the visitor to enter the hallway. It commonly follows に when naming the place being entered. A new example is 部屋に入ってください, “Please enter the room.”
使える
使える means “can use” or “usable” in 使える地図, describing a map that the visitor is able to use. It comes directly before 地図 to describe what kind of map is wanted. A new example is 使える入口, “an entrance that can be used.”
地図
地図 means “map” in 使える地図はありますか, the item the visitor asks for to help find the conference room. It can be used with ある to ask whether a map exists. A new example is 地図を見ます, “I look at the map.”
は
は marks 使える地図 as the topic in 使える地図はありますか, asking whether such a map exists. It highlights the map as the item being checked. A new example is 受付はどこですか, “Where is the reception desk?”
あり
あり is the existence part of あります in 使える地図はありますか, meaning that a usable map exists. The polite form あります is used for the visitor’s question about an object. It commonly appears after the thing whose existence is being asked about, as in 地図があります, “There is a map.”
受付
受付 means “reception desk” or “reception” in 受付のそば, the place where the available map can be found. It is useful for identifying the service point in a building. A new example is 受付で聞きます, “I ask at the reception desk.”
そば
そば means “beside” or “near” in 受付のそばに一つあります, locating the map close to the reception desk. It commonly follows a noun with の and can be followed by に when indicating where something exists. A new example is エレベーターのそばにあります, “It is near the elevator.”
助かり
助かり is the verb portion of 助かります in That helps, expressing that the information is helpful or a relief to the visitor. The polite form is appropriate when responding courteously to the receptionist. A new example is 助かります, “That is very helpful,” after someone gives useful directions.
この
この means “this” in この建物, referring to the building the speaker is currently visiting. It comes directly before the noun it describes. A new example is この部屋, “this room.”
建物
建物 means “building” in この建物, referring to the building where the visitor is looking for the conference room. It can be used with 来る to describe coming to a building. A new example is 大きな建物, “a large building.”
来る
来る means “come” in この建物に来るのは初めてです, referring to coming to this building. Here the action of coming is the experience that is happening for the first time. A new example is 明日ここに来ます, “I will come here tomorrow.”
初めて
初めて means “for the first time” in この建物に来るのは初めてです. It tells the receptionist that the visitor has no previous experience of coming to this building. It commonly follows an action when describing a first experience, as in a new example: 初めてこの町に来ました, “I came to this town for the first time.”
その
その means “that” or “the mentioned” in その部屋, referring back to the conference room already discussed. It comes directly before the noun it identifies. A new example is その地図を見てください, “Please look at that map.”
部屋
部屋 means “room” in その部屋は表示されています, referring to the conference room being located. It is the topic whose marked location the receptionist explains. A new example is 部屋に入ります, “I enter the room.”
終わり
終わり means “end” in 廊下の終わり近く, identifying the far end of the hallway. It commonly follows a noun with の when describing the end of something. A new example is 建物の終わり, “the end of the building.”
表示
表示 means “display” or “mark” in 表示されています, describing how the room is indicated near the end of the hall. It identifies a sign or other visible marking that shows the room’s location. A new example is 部屋の名前を表示します, “I display the room’s name.”
されて
されて is the part of 表示されています that presents the room as being marked or displayed, rather than doing the marking itself. Together, 表示されている means “be marked” or “be displayed.” A new example is 名前が表示されています, “The name is displayed.”
い
い is the part of います in 表示されています that indicates the marked or displayed state continues. In the whole expression, 表示されています means that the room is currently marked near the end of the hall. A new example is ドアが開いています, “The door is open.”
Grammar Points
〜ば
ここで乗れば
KOH-koh deh noh-REH-bahIf you take it here
The 〜ば form expresses a condition: “if” or “when” something happens.
〜て、〜て
左に曲がって、廊下に入って
hee-dah-REE nee mah-GAHT-teh, ROH-kah nee HAH-eet-tehTurn left and enter the hallway.
The て-form connects actions in sequence, meaning “and then” or “and.”
Japanese Vocabulary
ある
verb
ah-ROO
to exist; to be located
会議室がどこにあるか教えていただけますか?
エレベーター
noun
eh-reh-BEH-tah
elevator
エレベーターの近くです。
ここ
pron
KOH-koh
here
ここからエレベーターに乗ればいいですか?
どこ
adv
DOH-koh
where
会議室がどこにあるか教えていただけますか?
ロビー
noun
ROH-bee
lobby
ロビーを通り過ぎてください。
一つ
num
hee-TOH-tsu
one
エレベーターで一つ上の階まで行ってください。
会議室
noun
KAH-ee-ghee-shee-tsu
conference room
会議室がどこにあるか教えていただけますか?
教える
verb
oh-SHEH-roo
to tell; to teach
教えて
会議室がどこにあるか教えていただけますか?
近く
noun
CHEE-kah-koo
near; nearby
エレベーターの近くです。
上
noun
oo-eh
up; upper
一つ上の階まで行ってください。
乗る
verb
noh-ROO
to ride; to take
乗れば
ここからエレベーターに乗ればいいですか?
通り過ぎる
verb
toh-ree-soo-GHEE-roo
to go past; to pass by
通り過ぎて
ロビーを通り過ぎてください。
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to go past; to pass by
Show Answer
通り過ぎてelevator
Show Answer
エレベーターlobby
Show Answer
ロビーconference room