About This Lesson
Use Borrowing a tissue from a bag to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
バッグからティッシュを一枚借りてもいいですか。
BAHG-guh ka-RAH TISH-shoo oh ee-CHIH-my ka-REE-teh-moh EE dehss-kah. Could I borrow a tissue from your bag?
B
サイドポケットに入っています。
SAI-doh poh-KEHT-toh nee hah-EE-teh ee-MAHS. They're in the side pocket.
A
開けてもいいですか。
ah-KEH-teh-moh EE dehss-kah. May I open it?
A
あなたが一つ取りますか。
a-NAH-tah gah ee-TOO-tsoo toh-REE-mahs-kah. Would you rather get one?
B
開けてもいいですよ。
ah-KEH-teh-moh EE dehss-yo. You can open it.
A
今、一枚取りました。
ee-MAH, ee-CHIH-my toh-REE-mah-shtah. I've got one now.
B
終わったらポケットを閉めてください。
oh-WAHT-tah-rah poh-KEHT-toh oh SHEH-meh-teh koo-dah-SAI. Please close the pocket when you're done.
A
丁寧に閉めます。
teh-NEH-nee SHEH-meh-mahs. I'll close it carefully.
B
必要なら、もう一枚持っていてください。
hee-TSOO-yoh nah-RAH, moh-oo ee-CHIH-my MOHT-teh ee-teh koo-dah-SAI. Keep another with you if you need it.Word by Word
バッグ
バッグ means “bag” here, the item from which the speaker wants to borrow a tissue. In バッグから, it identifies the source. Use バッグ when talking about a bag in an everyday situation.
から
から means “from” here and marks バッグ as the source of the tissue. The pattern place + から shows where something comes from. Use it when describing taking or receiving something from a place.
ティッシュ
ティッシュ means “tissue” here, the item being borrowed. It is the object marked by を in ティッシュを. Use ティッシュ when asking for or offering a tissue.
を
を marks ティッシュ as the object of 借りて in ティッシュを借りて. It shows what the action is done to or involves. A common pattern is object + を + verb.
借りて
借りて means “borrow” here and is the form used before もいいですか to ask permission to borrow something. It comes from 借りる and connects the action to the permission expression. A reusable pattern is object + を + 借りてもいいですか.
も
も is part of 借りてもいいですか, where the speaker asks whether borrowing is acceptable. It connects 借りて with いい to form a permission question. Use verb-te form + もいいですか when asking permission to do something.
いい
いい means “okay” or “permissible” here in 借りてもいいですか. It expresses whether the requested action is acceptable to the other person. The pattern verb-te form + もいいですか is used to ask for permission.
です
です gives the question a polite form in いいですか. Here it helps make the permission request polite and appropriate for speaking to another adult. It is commonly used in polite statements and questions.
か
か marks the sentence as a question at the end of いいですか. It turns the polite expression into a request for an answer. Use it at the end of a polite question.
サイドポケット
サイドポケット means “side pocket” here, the location of the tissues. In サイドポケットに入っています, it names the pocket where they are kept. Use it when identifying a particular pocket on a bag.
に
に marks サイドポケット as the location in サイドポケットに入っています. Here it shows where the tissues are located. A common pattern is place + に + a verb describing location or movement.
入っています
入っています means “are inside” or “are in” here. It describes the tissues as currently being inside the side pocket, rather than focusing on the action of putting them there. A reusable pattern is item + が + place + に + 入っています.
開けて
開けて means “open” here and connects 開ける to the permission expression in 開けてもいいですか and 開けてもいいですよ. The speaker is asking about or receiving permission to open the pocket. A reusable pattern is object + を + 開けてもいいですか.
あなた
あなた means “you” here and explicitly identifies the person who may take one in あなたが取りますか. It refers to the other person as the possible doer of the action. Use it when directly identifying who is involved in an action.
が
が marks あなた as the subject in あなたが取りますか. It shows that the other person is the one who may take a tissue. A common pattern is person or thing + が + verb.
取ります
取ります means “take” or “get” here, asking whether the other person will take one. It is the polite form of 取る. A reusable pattern is object + を + 取ります when saying that someone takes something.
よ
よ adds reassurance or emphasis in 開けてもいいですよ. Here the speaker is reassuring the other person that opening the pocket is allowed. Use よ at the end of a statement when giving information or reassurance to the listener.
今
今 means “now” here and indicates the timing of the speaker’s action in 今、一枚取りました. It shows that the tissue has just been taken. Use 今 before an action when referring to the current moment.
取りました
取りました means “took” or “got” here, referring to the tissue the speaker has just taken. It is the polite past form of 取る. A reusable pattern is object + を + 取りました when reporting that something was taken.
終わったら
終わったら means “when it is finished” or “once you are done” here. It sets the condition or time for closing the pocket in 終わったらポケットを閉めてください. Use verb-ta form + ら to say what should happen when or if something has happened.
ポケット
ポケット means “pocket” here, specifically the pocket that should be closed after use. It is the object of 閉めてください in ポケットを閉めてください. Use ポケット when referring to a pocket in clothing or a bag.
閉めて
閉めて means “close” here and is used in the polite request 閉めてください. The speaker asks the listener to close the pocket after finishing. A reusable pattern is object + を + 閉めてください.
ください
ください makes 閉めてください a polite request meaning “please close it.” It follows the te-form 閉めて and asks the listener to carry out the action. Use verb-te form + ください when politely requesting an action.
丁寧
丁寧 describes the manner as careful and considerate here. In 丁寧に閉めます, に changes it into a form that describes how the speaker will close the pocket. Use 丁寧に + verb when saying that an action is done carefully.
閉めます
閉めます means “close” here and expresses the speaker’s intended action in 丁寧に閉めます. It is the polite form of 閉める. A reusable pattern is object + を + 閉めます when saying that someone closes something.
必要
必要 means “needed” or “necessary” here in 必要なら. It refers to the situation in which the listener needs another tissue. Use 必要なら when offering or suggesting something if it is needed.
なら
なら means “if that is the case” here and follows 必要 in 必要なら. Together, 必要なら means “if you need it” or “if it is needed.” Use a word or phrase + なら to introduce a condition.
もう
もう means “another” or “one more” here because it appears in もう一枚. It indicates an additional tissue beyond the one already taken. Use もう + a counter or noun when offering or referring to one more item.
持って
持って contributes the meaning of having or keeping something with you in 持っていてください. Together with いてください, it asks the listener to keep another tissue with them. A reusable pattern is object + を + 持っていてください.
いて
いて completes 持っていてください and expresses continuing to have or keep the tissue with you. It comes from いる and helps form the request to maintain that state. Use 持っていてください when asking someone to keep something with them.
Grammar Points
～てもいいですか
バッグを開けてもいいですか。
BAHG-guh oh ah-KEH-teh-moh EE dehss-kah.May I open the bag?
The pattern ～てもいいですか asks politely for permission to do something.
～たら、～てください
終わったら、閉めてください。
oh-WAHT-tah-rah, SHEH-meh-teh koo-dah-SAI.When you finish, please close it.
～たら means “when” or “if”; ～てください makes a polite request.
Japanese Vocabulary
あなた
pron
a-NAH-tah
you
あなたが一つ取りますか。
サイドポケット
noun
SAI-doh poh-KEHT-toh
side pocket
サイドポケットに入っています。
ティッシュ
noun
TISH-shoo
tissue
バッグからティッシュを一枚借りてもいいですか。
てもいいですか
phrase
teh-moh EE dehss-kah
may I ...?; is it okay to ...?
開けてもいいですか。
バッグ
noun
BAHG-guh
bag
バッグからティッシュを一枚借りてもいいですか。
ポケット
noun
poh-KEHT-toh
pocket
終わったらポケットを閉めてください。
一つ
num
ee-TOO-tsoo
one; one thing
あなたが一つ取りますか。
一枚
num
ee-CHIH-my
one sheet or flat item
ティッシュを一枚借りてもいいですか。
開ける
verb
ah-KEH-roo
open
開けても
開けてもいいですか。
借りる
verb
kah-REE-roo
borrow
借りても
バッグからティッシュを一枚借りてもいいですか。
取る
verb
toh-ROO
take; get
取りました
今、一枚取りました。
入る
verb
HAH-ee-roo
be inside; enter
入っています
サイドポケットに入っています。
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
Show Answer
ポケットborrow
Show Answer
借りてもopen
Show Answer
開けてもbe inside; enter