About This Lesson
Use Arranging a quiet dinner with a friend to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
一緒に晩ごはんを食べない？
eesh-SHOH-nee ban-goh-HAHN o tah-beh-NAI? Would you like to have dinner together?
B
それがいいな。静かな夕食ってよさそう。
soh-reh-gah ee-NAH. shee-zoo-kah-nah yoo-SHOH-koo-tteh yoh-sah-SOH. I'd like that. A quiet dinner sounds nice.
A
落ち着いた場所を選ぼうか？
oh-chee-TSOO-ee-tah bah-SHOH o eh-rah-BOH-kah? Should I choose a calm place?
B
静かなところなら、話しやすそう。
shee-zoo-kah-nah toh-KOH-roh nah-rah, hah-shee-yah-soo-SOH. Somewhere quiet would help us talk.
A
シンプルな料理と新しい料理、どっちがいい？
sheem-poo-roo-nah ryoh-REE toh ah-TAH-rah-SHEE ryoh-REE, DOH-chee gah ee? Do you prefer simple food or something new?
B
今夜は、いつもの料理のほうがいいな。
KON-yah wah, ee-TSOO-moh-noh ryoh-REE noh hoh-GAH ee-NAH. I would rather choose something familiar tonight.
A
近くのレストランで席を予約できるよ。
CHEE-kah-koo-noh reh-soo-toh-RAHN deh SEH-kee o yoh-YAH-koo deh-KEE-roo yoh. I can reserve a table at a nearby restaurant.
B
できるときに、詳しいことを送ってね。
deh-KEE-roo toh-KEE-nee, koo-wah-SHEE koh-TOH o oh-KOOT-teh neh. Please send me the details when you can.Word by Word
一緒
In 一緒に晩ごはんを食べない？, 一緒 means “together,” showing that the speaker wants to do the activity with the listener. It is used with に when describing doing something together, as in this invitation. Use it when suggesting a shared activity to another person.
に
In 一緒に晩ごはんを食べない？, に connects 一緒 with the action and indicates togetherness. The pattern 一緒に + action is useful when saying that people do something together. It can be used when making plans with a friend or colleague.
晩ごはん
晩ごはん means “dinner” in 一緒に晩ごはんを食べない？. It is the meal the speakers are suggesting they eat together. Use it when making an informal plan to eat in the evening.
を
In 晩ごはんを食べない？, を marks 晩ごはん as the thing being eaten. A useful pattern is an object followed by を before an action. Here it identifies the meal connected to 食べない.
食べない
In 一緒に晩ごはんを食べない？, 食べない is the negative form of 食べる used as a friendly invitation: “Won’t you eat?” The negative question makes the suggestion sound natural and open rather than forceful. Use it when casually inviting someone to eat or do something together.
それ
In それがいいな。, それ means “that,” referring to the dinner suggestion just mentioned. Together with がいい, it says that the suggested option is preferred. Use it to point back to an idea or option already under discussion.
が
In それがいいな。, が marks それ as the option that is preferred. The pattern [option]がいい is useful for stating which choice someone likes. Here it selects the dinner plan as the desirable option.
いい
In それがいいな。, いい means “good” or “preferable,” so the speaker says that option would be good. It combines with が when identifying a preferred choice. Use it when accepting or choosing a suggestion.
な
At the end of それがいいな。, な expresses the speaker’s feeling in a soft, reflective way, like “That sounds good to me.” It makes the statement less abrupt. Use it when sharing a personal reaction or preference in a casual conversation.
静か
In 静かな夕食ってよさそう。, 静か describes the dinner as quiet or peaceful. Before 夕食, it appears as 静かな to modify the noun. Use it when describing a setting or plan without much noise.
夕食
夕食 means “dinner” or “the evening meal” in 静かな夕食ってよさそう。. It names the meal being evaluated as a quiet plan. Use it when discussing an evening meal in a somewhat neutral or descriptive way.
って
In 静かな夕食ってよさそう。, って introduces 静かな夕食 as the topic being commented on. The whole expression means that a quiet dinner seems good. This casual pattern is useful when reacting to an idea or plan in conversation.
よさそう
In 静かな夕食ってよさそう。, よさそう means “seems good” or “looks like it would be nice.” The speaker is giving a positive impression rather than stating a certain fact. Use it when evaluating a proposed plan based on how it sounds or appears.
落ち着いた
In 落ち着いた場所を選ぼうか？, 落ち着いた describes the place as calm and settled. It is the past form of 落ち着く used before 場所 as a description. Use it before a noun when describing a calm atmosphere or setting.
場所
場所 means “place” in 落ち着いた場所を選ぼうか？. It is the location that the speaker is considering choosing. Use it when discussing where an activity or meeting will happen.
選ぼう
In 場所を選ぼうか？, 選ぼう means “shall I choose?” or “shall we choose?” and proposes choosing a place. It is the volitional form of 選ぶ. Use it with an object when suggesting that someone choose something.
か
At the end of 場所を選ぼうか？, か turns the proposal into a question seeking the listener’s agreement. The combination expresses “Shall I choose a place?” Use it after a suggestion when inviting the other person to respond.
ところ
In 静かなところなら、話しやすそう。, ところ means “place” or “spot.” With 静かな, it refers to a place that is quiet. A useful pattern is a describing word followed by ところ when referring to a place with that quality.
なら
In 静かなところなら、話しやすそう。, なら sets a quiet place as the condition for the following comment. The sentence says that if the place is quiet, talking will probably be easier. Use it when discussing what would happen under a particular condition.
話しやすそう
In 静かなところなら、話しやすそう。, 話しやすそう means “seems easy to talk” in that setting. The expression presents ease of conversation as an impression, not a certainty. Use it when a situation appears favorable for talking with someone.
シンプル
In シンプルな料理と新しい料理、どっちがいい？, シンプル means “simple” and describes one of the food choices. Before 料理, it appears as シンプルな. Use it when choosing food that is uncomplicated or familiar in style.
料理
料理 means “food” or “dish” in シンプルな料理 and 新しい料理. It is the item being compared as either simple or new. A useful reuse pattern is placing a description before 料理 when discussing a type of food.
と
In シンプルな料理と新しい料理、どっちがいい？, と connects the two food choices being compared. Here it has the meaning “and” between the alternatives. Use it to connect two nouns when listing or comparing options.
新しい
In 新しい料理, 新しい means “new” and describes a dish that is unfamiliar as a choice in this conversation. It appears directly before 料理. Use it when suggesting or describing something newly encountered or not previously chosen.
どっち
In どっちがいい？, どっち asks “which one?” when there are two choices. The two alternatives are シンプルな料理 and 新しい料理. Use it in casual conversation when asking someone to choose between two options.
今夜
今夜 means “tonight” in 今夜は、いつもの料理のほうがいいな。. It sets the time frame for the speaker’s food preference. Use it when discussing plans or choices for the current evening.
は
In 今夜は、いつもの料理のほうがいいな。, は marks 今夜 as the topic or time frame. The rest of the sentence explains the speaker’s preference for tonight. A useful pattern is a time expression followed by は and a comment.
いつも
In いつもの料理, いつも conveys the idea of something usual or regular. Together with の, it describes the familiar dish the speaker prefers tonight. Use it when referring to a person’s normal choice or routine option.
の
In いつもの料理, の connects いつも with 料理 and makes the first part describe the dish as usual or familiar. The pattern modifier + の + noun links one idea to a noun. Here it helps form the expression for the familiar food choice.
ほう
In いつもの料理のほうがいい, ほう indicates the side or option that is preferred in a comparison. The whole expression says that the familiar dish is the better choice for tonight. A useful pattern is [option]のほうがいい when expressing a preference between alternatives.
近く
In 近くのレストラン, 近く means “nearby” and describes the restaurant’s location. With の, it modifies レストラン. Use it when identifying a place that is close to the speaker or listener.
レストラン
レストラン means “restaurant” in 近くのレストランで席を予約できるよ。. It is the place where the speaker plans to reserve a seat. Use it when discussing where to eat or make a reservation.
で
In 近くのレストランで席を予約できるよ。, で marks the restaurant as the place where the reservation action takes place. The pattern place + で + action is useful for describing where an activity happens. Here it connects the restaurant with reserving a seat.
席
In 席を予約できるよ。, 席 means “seat” or “table spot” at the restaurant. It is the thing the speaker can reserve. Use it when arranging where someone will sit at a restaurant or another venue.
予約
In 予約できるよ。, 予約 refers to making a reservation, specifically the seat reservation described in the dialogue. Combined with できる, it says that the speaker can arrange it. Use it when discussing advance arrangements for a place or service.
できる
In 席を予約できるよ。, できる means “can” or “is possible,” saying that the speaker is able to make the reservation. It follows 予約 to express the possibility of arranging it. Use it after an action or service when saying that it can be done.
よ
At the end of 予約できるよ。, よ adds emphasis and presents the information reassuringly to the listener. It makes clear that the speaker can handle the reservation. Use it at the end of a casual statement when giving helpful information.
とき
In できるときに、詳しいことを送ってね。, とき means “time” or “when.” With できる and に, it identifies the time when the listener is able to send the details. Use it when timing an action according to when a condition is met.
詳しい
In 詳しいこと, 詳しい means “detailed” and describes the information or matters to be sent. It appears before こと to specify what kind of information is meant. Use it when asking for or referring to information with more details.
こと
In 詳しいことを送ってね。, こと refers to matters or information rather than a physical object. Together, 詳しいこと means “the details,” which are the object of 送って. A useful pattern is a describing word followed by こと when referring to matters with that quality.
送って
In 詳しいことを送ってね。, 送って means “send” and asks the listener to send the details. It is the て-form of 送る, used here in a casual request with ね. Use it after the thing being sent when making this kind of friendly request.
ね
At the end of 送ってね, ね softens the request and makes it sound friendly and cooperative. It invites a warm response rather than giving a sharp command. Use it at the end of a casual request to make the tone gentler.
Grammar Points
〜そう
話しやすそう。
hah-shee-yah-soo-SOHIt seems easy to talk.
Attach そう to a word to say that something appears or seems a certain way.
〜ようか
どっちを選ぼうか。
DOH-chee o eh-rah-BOH-kahWhich one shall I choose?
The volitional form plus か asks what to do or offers to do something.
Japanese Vocabulary
シンプルな
adj
sheem-poo-roo-nah
simple
それがいいな
phrase
soh-reh-gah ee-NAH
that would be nice
ところ
noun
toh-KOH-roh
place / spot
一緒に
adv
eesh-SHOH-nee
together
場所
noun
bah-SHOH
place
食べない
verb
tah-beh-NAI
not eat / won't eat
静かな
adj
shee-zoo-kah-nah
quiet
選ぼうか
phrase
eh-rah-BOH-kah
shall I choose?
晩ごはん
noun
ban-goh-HAHN
dinner
夕食
noun
yoo-SHOH-koo
dinner
落ち着いた
verb
oh-chee-TSOO-ee-tah
calm
話しやすそう
phrase
hah-shee-yah-soo-SOH
seems easy to talk
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
shall I choose?
Show Answer
選ぼうかdinner
Show Answer
晩ごはんthat would be nice
Show Answer
それがいいなcalm