Practicing a Role-Play Together | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. このロールプレイを一緒に練習できますか？

   Can we practice this role-play together?

   この

   this

   ロールプレイ

   role-play

   一緒に

   together

   練習

   practice

   できますか

   can ...?

   More detail

   この means “this” and modifies the noun that follows it. In this sentence, it identifies the role-play as “this role-play.” Japanese demonstratives such as この do not change for number or gender. A related form is その, used for “that” in relation to the listener or the discourse context. ロールプレイ is a noun meaning “role-play.” It is a katakana loanword. Japanese can combine a noun with する to form an action: ロールプレイをする means “to do a role-play.” Here, を marks ロールプレイ as the object associated with the practice action. 一緒に means “together.” The ending に allows 一緒 to modify the action adverbially. Example: 一緒に勉強します means “We study together.” 練習 means “practice.” It is a noun that can form the verb 練習する, “to practice.” In this sentence, it combines directly with できる, so 練習できる means “be able to practice” or “be possible to practice.” できますか is the polite nonpast question form of できる, “to be able to” or “to be possible”: できます is the polite form and か marks the question. With 練習, 練習できますか asks whether practicing is possible. The English subject “we” is explicit in the fixed translation but is not stated as a separate Japanese pronoun in the sentence. The negative form できませんか uses the polite negative form, but its request-like use depends on context. Together, このロールプレイ identifies “this role-play,” を marks what is practiced, 一緒に describes practicing together, and 練習できますか asks whether that practice is possible. The complete utterance means: “Can we practice this role-play together?”

2. 私はもう一つの役をします。

   I can take the other role.

   私は

   as for me; I

   もう一つの

   another; one more

   役

   role

   します

   do; perform

   More detail

   私は introduces the speaker as the topic: “as for me, …” or simply “I” in this sentence. は marks the topic, while 私 is the first-person pronoun. Japanese pronouns do not change form for subject gender or number. もう一つの modifies the following noun and means “another” or “one more.” In this context, the fixed translation identifies it as “the other” role in the role-play. もう一つ can stand alone when the intended noun is understood; adding の makes it a modifier before a noun. This is different from もう一人, which refers to one more person. 役 means “role” here, especially a part performed in a play or role-play. It can also refer to a role or duty in other contexts. The noun is followed by を, which marks it as the object of the action: 役を…. します is the polite nonpast form of する, “to do.” The form する is the plain form; します is used for a polite statement and can describe a present or future action. With a role, 役をする means “perform/take a role.” The word します itself expresses doing or performing; the fixed English “can” comes from the intended conversational meaning and should not be treated as a separate meaning of this form. Together, 私はもう一つの役をします。 is structured as “as for me + the other role + object marker + perform.” With the supplied translation and role-play context, it means “I can take the other role.” The Japanese sentence presents the speaker’s taking or performing that role as a polite statement; it does not require an explicit Japanese ability form such as できます.

3. 質問の後で毎回、少し止まってください。

   Please pause after each question.

   質問

   question

   の後で

   after

   毎回

   each time

   少し

   a little

   止まってください

   please pause

   More detail

   質問 means “question.” It is a noun and can be used in compounds or with particles: 質問があります。 means “I have a question.” の後で means “after ….” The pattern Nの後で places an action after a noun or event: 授業の後で話します。 means “I’ll talk after class.” Here, 質問の後で means “after a question.” 毎回 means “each time” or “every time.” It describes something that happens on every occasion, rather than only once. For example, 毎回メモします。 means “I take notes every time.” 少し means “a little” or “for a short while,” depending on what it modifies. Here it softens the amount of pausing: the pause should be brief. 少し待ってください。 means “Please wait a little.” 止まってください is a polite request meaning “please stop” or, in this sentence, “please pause.” 止まって is the て-form of 止まる, an intransitive verb meaning “to stop” or “to come to a stop”; ください after a て-form makes a polite request. The contrast is 止める, “to stop something,” which is transitive: 音楽を止める means “stop the music.” Together, 質問の後で毎回 sets the timing and frequency: after each question. 少し止まってください asks the listener to pause briefly. The whole utterance therefore means, “Please pause briefly after each question.”

4. それで、自然に答える時間ができます。

   That will give you time to answer naturally.

   それで

   so; that way

   自然に

   naturally

   答える

   answer

   時間

   time

   できます

   become available

   More detail

   それで links the utterance to a preceding situation or action and presents the result: “so” or “that way.” Here it introduces the result of allowing a pause, rather than meaning “with that object.” 自然に means “naturally” here. It is the adverbial form of 自然な/自然だ, used to describe how the answering is done. For example, 自然に話してください。 means “Please speak naturally.” 答える is the dictionary form meaning “to answer.” It modifies the following noun: 答える時間 means “time to answer.” The dictionary form is also commonly used before nouns, so it does not by itself mean that the action is past or future. For example, 考える時間 means “time to think.” 時間 means “time.” In this sentence it is the time available for answering, and 答える時間 is a noun phrase in which 答える specifies what the time is for. 時間がある means “there is time,” while 時間ができます presents time as becoming available or being created. できます is the polite nonpast form of できる. In this use, 時間ができる means “time becomes available” or “there comes to be time.” The nonpast form can describe a future result, which is why the fixed translation uses “will give.” できる has other uses, such as “can do” or “be able to,” but here the subject is 時間, so the relevant meaning is that time becomes available. Together, それで marks the result, 自然に describes the manner of 答える, and 答える時間 identifies the kind of 時間 that becomes available. Thus それで、自然に答える時間ができます。 means “That will give you time to answer naturally.”

5. 私が間違えたら、そのせりふをもう一度言ってください。

   If I make a mistake, please repeat the line.

   私が

   I (subject)

   間違えたら

   if a mistake is made

   その

   that

   せりふ

   line

   もう一度

   once more

   言ってください

   please say

   More detail

   私が identifies the speaker as the subject: “I.” が marks the subject in this clause. Here, the fixed translation shows that 私 is the person who may make a mistake. 間違えたら means “if I make a mistake” in this sentence. Its base form is 間違える (“to make a mistake”); 間違えたら is the past form plus ら, a conditional pattern meaning “if/when … happens.” The subject is supplied by the preceding 私が. Example: 雨が降ったら、行きません。 — “If it rains, I will not go.” その is an attributive demonstrative meaning “that” and comes before the noun it describes. Here it modifies せりふ; the exact line referred to is not identified by その alone. せりふ is a noun meaning a spoken line or piece of dialogue, especially a line in a performance or scripted exchange. Example: そのせりふを覚えます。 — “I will memorize that line.” もう一度 means “once more” or “again.” In this fixed phrase, it requests one additional occurrence of the following action. Example: もう一度お願いします。 — “One more time, please.” 言ってください is a polite request meaning “please say.” Its base verb is 言う (“to say”); 言って is its connective て form, followed by ください, which makes a polite request. Example: 名前を言ってください。 — “Please say your name.” Together, 私が間違えたら sets the condition “if I make a mistake.” そのせりふを identifies “that line” as the object of the action; を marks the object. もう一度言ってください asks the listener to say it one more time. The complete meaning is: “If I make a mistake, please repeat the line.”

6. ゆっくり言って、大事な修正点を一つ指摘します。

   I will say it slowly and point out one important correction.

   ゆっくり

   slowly

   言って

   say it

   大事な

   important

   修正点

   correction point

   一つ

   one item

   指摘します

   point out

   More detail

   ゆっくり means “slowly” here. It is an adverb, so it describes how the speaking action is done. The same form can also describe other actions: ゆっくり歩く means “walk slowly.” 言って is the て-form of 言う (“to say” or “to tell”). In this utterance it links the speaking action to the following action: ゆっくり言って、… = “say it slowly, and …” The て-form can also be used in requests, but here the fixed translation supports a linked sequence of actions with the same understood subject. 大事な means “important.” 大事 is a な-adjective, and な appears before the noun it describes: 大事な修正点 = “an important correction point.” This is different from an い-adjective, which normally directly precedes a noun without な. 修正点 means “correction point,” or “a point that needs correction.” It is a noun used here as the object of 指摘します. The ending 点 can refer to a point or aspect, so this word need not mean a physical point. 一つ means “one item” in this sentence. It is the native Japanese counting form for one general item, and it can stand after the noun phrase: 修正点を一つ = “one correction point.” The form 一つ itself does not identify grammatical gender. 指摘します means “point out” here. Its base form is 指摘する; します is the polite nonpast form of する, used for a present or future action such as “I point out” or “I will point out.” A useful contrast is 指摘しました, “pointed out,” which refers to a completed past action. Together, ゆっくり言って links the first action to the next one. 大事な修正点を一つ marks one important correction point as the object, and 指摘します states the speaker’s polite intention to point it out. Thus the whole utterance means: “I will say it slowly and point out one important correction.”

7. それで、私はあまり緊張しません。

   That helps me feel less nervous.

   それで

   so; in that way

   私は

   as for me; I

   あまり

   not very; not much

   緊張しません

   do not feel nervous

   More detail

   それで connects what follows with the preceding situation as a result or consequence. Here, in the fixed translation, that situation helps the speaker feel less nervous. A reusable pattern is それで、[result]: “So/as a result, [result].” 私は marks 私 (“I”) as the topic, with は framing the statement as being about the speaker. The topic marker does not itself mean “as for” in every translation; here it identifies the speaker whose nervousness is being described. あまり means “not very” or “not much” in this sentence because it appears with a negative predicate. This is a common pattern: あまり + negative, as in あまり食べません (“I do not eat much”). Without a negative predicate, あまり can have other uses, so its effect here comes from the combination. 緊張しません means “do not get/feel nervous” here. Its base form is 緊張する, a する verb meaning “to become or be nervous.” The polite nonpast forms are 緊張します (“get/feel nervous”) and 緊張しません (“do not get/feel nervous”). Nonpast can describe a current or general result, and the context does not require a separate future interpretation. Together, それで、私はあまり緊張しません。 means “So, I do not feel very nervous.” The natural fixed translation, “That helps me feel less nervous,” presents the same result in English: the preceding situation makes the speaker less nervous.

8. この場面から始めてください。

   Start with this scene.

   この

   this

   場面

   scene

   から

   from

   始めてください

   please start

   More detail

   この means “this” when it directly modifies a noun: この場面 is “this scene.” Japanese demonstratives include この + noun for something identified as “this,” その + noun for “that” associated with the listener or already mentioned, and あの + noun for “that” farther from both speakers. Here, the fixed translation identifies the scene as the intended referent of この; it does not require naming what the scene is. 場面 means “scene” or “situation.” It is a noun and can combine with modifiers such as この場面 (“this scene”) or 次の場面 (“the next scene”). から marks a starting point or origin. In この場面から, it means “from this scene,” specifically the point from which the action begins. This use differs from まで, which marks an endpoint: ここから始めます means “I will start from here,” while ここまで means “up to here.” 始めてください is a polite request meaning “please start.” The lexical verb is 始める (“to start” or “to begin”), and 始めて is its て-form. Adding ください after a て-form makes a polite request: 見てください means “please look.” The subject is not stated in the sentence; the request is directed to the conversational partner, as shown by the translation. Together, この場面から sets “this scene” as the starting point, and 始めてください politely asks the other person to begin there. The complete meaning is: “Start with this scene.”

9. あなたのペースに合わせます。

   I will follow your pace.

   あなたの

   your

   ペース

   pace

   に合わせます

   will adjust to

   More detail

   あなたの means “your.” あなた is the second-person pronoun “you,” and の links it to a following noun, expressing possession or association: あなたのペース = “your pace.” In Japanese, あなた can be omitted when the intended person is clear, but it is stated here to specify whose pace is meant. ペース is a noun meaning “pace” or “speed of progress.” It is a loanword written in katakana. The pattern AのB is broadly reusable for “B belonging to, associated with, or specified by A,” as in 私のペース (“my pace”). に合わせます means “will adjust to” in this sentence. The base verb is 合わせる, “to adjust, match, or make something fit,” and ます gives a polite non-past form. With a time or standard marked by に, Xに合わせる means “adjust or coordinate something to X.” Here, に marks あなたのペース as the standard being followed. The non-past polite form can refer to a future action when the context makes that clear; therefore 合わせます expresses the speaker’s intended action, “I will adjust.” Together, あなたのペース identifies the standard, and に合わせます says that the speaker will adjust to it. The complete utterance means “I will follow your pace.”