Borrowing a tissue from a bag | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. バッグからティッシュを一枚借りてもいいですか。

   Could I borrow a tissue from your bag?

   バッグ

   bag

   から

   from

   ティッシュ

   tissue

   一枚

   one sheet

   借り

   borrow

   てもいいですか

   may I ...?

   More detail

   バッグ means “bag.” It is a loanword written in katakana. Here, together with the fixed translation and context, it refers to the other person’s bag; Japanese does not mark that possession directly in this phrase. から marks the starting point or source of removal: “from.” The pattern [source]から is reusable for saying that something comes from, or is taken from, a place or person. ティッシュ means “tissue.” In this sentence it refers to a sheet of tissue paper, not to the bag or its location. 一枚 expresses one flat, thin item. 一 is “one,” and 枚 is the counter used for flat items such as sheets of paper. The phrase therefore specifies one sheet; 枚 is not a general-purpose counter for every object. For example, 紙を一枚 means “one sheet of paper.” 借り is the stem appearing in the form of 借りる, “to borrow.” The verb 借りる describes temporarily receiving something with the intention of returning it; it contrasts with 貸す, “to lend,” which describes the owner’s action. In this sentence, the speaker is the person asking to borrow the tissue. てもいいですか is a permission-request pattern. With a verb in the て-form, [verb-て]もいいですか asks whether doing that action is allowed: “May I ...?” or “Could I ...?” Here, 借り combines with てもいいですか as 借りてもいいですか; the て element belongs to the verb form, while もいいですか contributes the permission question. Putting the parts together, バッグから identifies the source, ティッシュを一枚 identifies one tissue sheet as the object, and 借りてもいいですか asks permission to borrow it. The whole utterance means: “Could I borrow one tissue from your bag?”

2. サイドポケットに入っています。

   They're in the side pocket.

   サイドポケット

   side pocket

   入っています

   are inside

   More detail

   サイドポケット means “side pocket.” Both parts are loanwords: サイド means “side,” and ポケット means “pocket.” Together, they form a noun compound for a pocket located at the side of a bag or similar item. 入っています means “are inside” here. Its base verb is the intransitive 入る (“to enter” or “to be put into / fit inside”), not the transitive 入れる (“to put something in”). The form 入って is the verb’s て-form, and います adds the meaning of a continuing state: something has entered or been put inside and is currently there. The polite ending makes the statement suitable for a courteous conversation. For example, 鍵がポケットに入っています。 means “The keys are in the pocket.” Japanese commonly leaves the subject unstated when it is understood from the situation. Here, the fixed translation identifies the unstated items as “they,” while サイドポケット identifies their location; the Japanese verb itself does not mark that English plural explicitly. Together, サイドポケットに marks the destination or location “in the side pocket,” and 入っています describes the items as currently being there. The whole utterance therefore means, “They’re in the side pocket.”

3. 開けてもいいですか。

   May I open it?

   開け

   open

   てもいいですか

   is it okay to…?

   More detail

   開け is the stem of 開ける, “to open.” In this sentence it combines with て to make the form 開けて, which is needed before the permission pattern. The object is omitted in Japanese; here, the fixed translation identifies it as “it.” てもいいですか asks whether an action is permitted. The pattern is [て-form] + もいいですか, “May I …?” or “Is it okay to …?” いい means “good/okay” here, and ですか makes the expression a polite question. For example, 見てもいいですか。 means “May I look?” Together, 開けて (“open”) and もいいですか (“is it okay?”) produce 開けてもいいですか。, “May I open it?” This is a polite way to ask for permission to perform the action.

4. あなたが一つ取りますか。

   Would you rather get one?

   あなたが

   you (subject)

   一つ

   one item

   取りますか

   will/would you take or get?

   More detail

   あなたが identifies “you” as the subject or actor here. が marks the subject; Japanese can also omit a clear subject, but this sentence states it explicitly. 一つ means “one item.” The ending つ is a broad native Japanese counter used for many kinds of things, so 一つ is a reusable way to express one item when no more specific counter is needed. For example, 一つください。 means “One, please.” 取りますか is the polite nonpast question form of 取る, meaning “to take” or, in this context, “to get.” The pattern ますか forms a polite yes-or-no question. The form 取りますか does not itself include the object; 一つ supplies the “one item” meaning in this sentence. For example, これを取りますか。 means “Will you take this?” Together, あなたが + 一つ + 取りますか asks whether you would get one item. In the fixed translation, this is rendered as “Would you rather get one?”; the preference nuance comes from the intended situation, while the Japanese question form asks about the listener’s action.

5. 開けてもいいですよ。

   You can open it.

   開けてもいい

   may open; it is okay to open

   ですよ

   polite emphasis

   More detail

   開けてもいい contains 開ける (to open) in its て-form, 開けて, followed by もいい. The pattern [て-form]もいい asks or states whether an action is permitted: 入ってもいい means “may I enter?” or “it is okay to enter.” Here, the fixed translation identifies the intended meaning as permission for the listener to open it. The object is understood from context and is not stated in this utterance. ですよ adds a polite, gently assertive sentence-ending tone. です makes the statement polite, while よ presents the information to the listener as useful or newly supplied. It does not itself mean “open” or add a separate object. Together, 開けてもいいですよ means “You can open it.” The permission pattern supplies “may/is allowed to open,” and ですよ presents that permission politely and reassuringly.

6. 今、一枚取りました。

   I've got one now.

   今

   now

   一枚

   one flat item

   取りました

   got; took

   More detail

   今 means “now” here and is a useful time word. It commonly appears near the beginning of a sentence to set the time of an action, as in 今、見ます。 (“I’ll look now.”) 一枚 expresses one item counted with 枚, the counter for flat, relatively thin items. 一 is “one,” while 枚 identifies the counting category; the counter does not by itself name the item. For example, 紙を一枚取りました。 means “I took one sheet of paper.” 取りました is the polite past form of 取る, “to take” or “to get.” The ending ました presents the action politely as completed. Japanese does not require the subject to be stated here; in this fixed utterance, the translation identifies the actor as “I.” The same verb can describe taking or obtaining something, and the intended “got” meaning is established by the fixed translation and context. For a non-past polite form, 取ります means “take/get” or “will take/get.” Together, 今、一枚 sets the time and quantity, and 取りました states that the speaker completed getting or taking that one flat item: “I’ve got one now.”

7. 終わったらポケットを閉めてください。

   Please close the pocket when you're done.

   終わったら

   when finished

   ポケット

   pocket

   閉めてください

   please close it

   More detail

   終わったら means “when you are finished” here. Its base form is 終わる, “to end” or “to finish”; 終わったら uses the past-form-plus-たら pattern to set a condition or time: “when/once …”. The person who is finished is understood from the situation rather than specified in this phrase. Example: 仕事が終わったら帰ります。 — “When work is finished, I’ll go home.” ポケット is the noun “pocket.” Japanese nouns do not change form for singular or plural in this word, so the form itself does not state how many pockets there are. Example: ポケットに鍵があります。 — “There is a key in the pocket.” 閉めてください is a polite request meaning “please close it.” The lexical verb is 閉める, “to close” or “to shut,” a transitive verb that normally takes the thing being closed. Its て-form, 閉めて, combines with ください to make a polite request. The object is omitted here because the intended object is the pocket. Example: ドアを閉めてください。 — “Please close the door.” Together, 終わったら sets the time (“when you’re finished”), ポケット identifies the item, and 閉めてください requests closing it. The whole utterance means: “Please close the pocket when you’re done.”

8. 丁寧に閉めます。

   I'll close it carefully.

   丁寧に

   carefully

   閉めます

   close

   More detail

   丁寧に means “carefully” here. 丁寧 is a na-adjective meaning “careful” or “polite”; adding に makes it modify an action: 丁寧に + verb = “do the verb carefully.” For example, 丁寧に書きます。 means “I write carefully.” 閉めます is the polite nonpast form of 閉める, “to close” something. The nonpast form can describe a present action, a future action, or a decision/intention, so here the fixed translation supports “I’ll close it.” 閉める takes the thing being closed, although Japanese often leaves that object unspoken when it is understood. This differs from 閉まる, “to close/be closed” without presenting the subject as the agent: ドアを閉めます。 means “I’ll close the door,” while ドアが閉まります。 means “The door will close.” Together, 丁寧に modifies 閉めます: “close carefully.” Japanese also leaves the subject and object unexpressed in this utterance; the fixed translation identifies the intended reading as “I’ll close it carefully.”

9. 必要なら、もう一枚持っていてください。

   Keep another with you if you need it.

   必要なら

   if you need it

   もう一枚

   another one

   持っていてください

   please keep it with you

   More detail

   必要なら expresses the condition “if you need it” here. 必要 means “necessary” or “needed”; it is commonly used as 必要だ, and 必要なら uses the conditional form なら. The specific item meant by “it” is supplied by the fixed translation and situation rather than named in this phrase. Example: 必要なら、使ってください。 — “If you need it, please use it.” もう一枚 means “another one” in this sentence. もう adds an additional item, while 一枚 is the counter expression for one flat item, such as a sheet or card. The sentence does not specify exactly what the item is. In another context, もう一枚ください。 means “Please give me another one.” 持っていてください asks the listener to keep or carry the item. The lexical verb is 持つ (“to hold,” “have,” or “carry”); its て-form is 持って. Combined with いる, it describes a continuing state or action, and ください makes a polite request: 持っていてください is literally “please continue having/carrying it,” naturally “please keep it with you.” The understood addressee is the person being asked, while no grammatical subject is stated. Compare 持ってください (“Please take/hold it”) with 持っていてください (“Please keep it with you”). Together, 必要なら sets the condition, もう一枚 identifies an additional flat item, and 持っていてください requests that the addressee keep it. The whole utterance therefore means: “Keep another with you if you need it.”