About This Lesson
Use Taking a Break When You Feel Tired at Work to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
今日は仕事がたくさんあります。
KYOH-wa shee-GOH-toh ga tah-koo-SAHN ah-ree-MAHS. I have a lot of work today.
B
疲れているようですから、休憩してください。
tsoo-kah-REH-teh ee-ROO yoh DES-soo gah-RAH, kyoo-KAY shee-TEH koo-dah-SAI. You look tired, so take a break.
A
締め切りが近づいているので、心配です。
shee-meh-kee-REE ga chee-kah-ZOO-ee-teh ee-ROO noh-DEH, sheem-PIE dess. I'm worried because the deadline is approaching.
B
少し休むと、そのあと、もっとよく仕事ができます。
soo-KOH-shee yah-SOO-moo toh soh-noh AH-toh, moht-toh YOH-koo shee-GOH-toh ga deh-kee-MAHS. Stepping away can help you work better afterward.
A
1分、目を休めたほうがいいかもしれません。
eep-POON, meh oh yah-soo-MEH-tah HOH ga EE kah-moh shee-reh-MAH-sen. Maybe I should rest my eyes for a minute.
B
水を飲んで、1分ゆっくり呼吸してください。
MEE-zoo oh NOHN-deh, eep-POON yook-KOO-ree koh-KYOO shee-TEH koo-dah-SAI. Drink water and breathe slowly for a minute.
A
そうすれば、最後の部分を終えられます。
SOH-soo-reh-bah, SAI-goh noh BOO-boon oh oh-eh-rah-REH-MAHS. Then I can finish the last section.
B
あなたが休んでいる間に、私が原稿を見直します。
ah-NAH-tah ga yah-SOON-deh ee-ROO EYE-dah nee, wah-TAH-shee ga gen-KOH oh mee-nah-oh-SHEE-MAHS. I will review the draft while you rest.Word by Word
今日
今日 means “today” in this dialogue and identifies when the work exists. It is commonly used before a sentence to give the time, as in 今日、仕事があります. You can use it when describing what is happening on the current day.
は
は marks 今日 as the topic, so the sentence is about today. The pattern 今日 は ... introduces information about the current day. Use it to set a time or other topic before describing what applies to it.
仕事
仕事 means “work” here, referring to the work the speaker has to do. It appears in 仕事がたくさんあります, with が marking the work as what exists in a large amount. Use 仕事 when talking about work or a job-related task.
が
が marks 仕事 as the thing that exists in the sentence 仕事がたくさんあります. This pattern presents something as being present or available in a certain amount. Use it after the thing you say exists or occurs.
たくさん
たくさん means “a lot” here and shows that there is a large amount of work. In 仕事がたくさんあります, it comes before あります to describe the amount. Use たくさん when saying that something exists in a large amount.
あります
あります says that the work exists or is present, which gives the meaning “I have a lot of work” in this context. The pattern 仕事がたくさんあります states that a large amount of work is present. Use it for something that exists or is available.
疲れて
疲れて means “tired” here and links to いる in the expression 疲れているようです. Together, 疲れているようです describes someone who appears to be tired. Use 疲れて before a following expression when the tired state is being connected to it.
いる
いる completes 疲れている, describing the state of being tired at this time. In 疲れているようです, it helps present tiredness as an ongoing condition before the appearance expression. Use 疲れている when describing someone who is currently tired.
よう
よう contributes the meaning “seems” or “looks like” in 疲れているようです. The whole expression says that the person appears to be tired, rather than directly stating what the speaker knows internally. Use ようです after a description when making a polite appearance-based observation.
です
です makes 疲れているようです polite and complete as an observation. The expression 疲れているようです is used when politely saying that someone appears tired. Use this polite ending when speaking respectfully or neutrally.
から
から gives the reason for the request: the person looks tired, so they should take a break. In 疲れているようですから, it connects the reason to the following request 休憩してください. Use it after a reason when explaining why you are making a suggestion or request.
休憩
休憩 means “a break” or “a rest period” here. In 休憩してください, it is combined with して to make a polite request to take a break. Use 休憩 when talking about pausing work or another activity.
して
して connects 休憩 to ください in 休憩してください, giving the request “please take a break.” The whole expression is the useful polite request, and して supplies the action form before ください. Use the pattern [action]してください when asking someone politely to do something.
ください
ください makes 休憩してください a polite request: “Please take a break.” It follows して in this dialogue and completes the request. Use [action]してください when giving a respectful instruction or suggestion.
締め切り
締め切り means “deadline” here, the time limit that is causing concern. In 締め切りが近づいている, it is the thing that is approaching. Use 締め切り when discussing the final time for submitting or completing work.
近づいて
近づいて means “approaching” in 締め切りが近づいている, so the deadline is getting closer. It links the approaching event to いる, which describes the continuing situation. Use it before いる when an event or time limit is moving closer.
ので
ので gives the reason for the speaker’s worry: the deadline is approaching. In 締め切りが近づいているので、心配です, it connects the reason to 心配です. Use it after a reason when explaining a situation in a relatively gentle or explanatory way.
心配
心配 means “worried” or “concerned” here. In 心配です, it describes the speaker’s concern about the approaching deadline. Use 心配です when telling someone that a situation is making you worry.
少し
少し means “a little” in 少し休むと, limiting the amount of rest to a short time. It comes before 休む and makes the suggestion less extensive. Use 少し before an action or amount when you mean “a little” or “for a short while.”
休む
休む means “to rest” or “to take a break” here. In 少し休むと、そのあと、もっとよく仕事ができます, it introduces the action whose result is described afterward. Use 少し休む when suggesting a short break from work or another activity.
と
と connects 少し休む with the result that follows: if or when the person rests a little, they can work better afterward. In 少し休むと、そのあと、もっとよく仕事ができます, it presents the result as following that action. Use the pattern [action]と[expected result] for a direct result or consequence.
その
その refers back to the short rest just mentioned in そのあと, meaning “after that.” The expression そのあと marks the time following the earlier action. Use その before a noun when referring to something already mentioned.
あと
あと means “afterward” in そのあと, referring to the time after the short rest. The full expression そのあと means “after that” and introduces the later result. Use it to describe what happens following an earlier event.
もっと
もっと means “more” here and strengthens よく仕事ができます to mean working better than before. It comes before よく in もっとよく仕事ができます. Use もっと before a description when you want to express an increased degree.
よく
よく means “well” here and describes how the person can work after resting. Together with もっと, もっとよく仕事ができます means “can work better.” Use よく before an action to describe doing it well.
できます
できます means “can do” here, specifically that the person can work better after resting. In もっとよく仕事ができます, it follows the manner expression もっとよく and completes the ability statement. Use it after an action or activity when saying that someone is able to do it.
分
分 means “minute” in 1分, giving the short length of time for resting the eyes or breathing. It follows the number in both 1分、目を休めたほうがいいかもしれません and 1分ゆっくり呼吸してください. Use a number plus 分 to state a duration in minutes.
目
目 means “eye” or “eyes” here, referring to the speaker’s eyes in 目を休めたほうがいいかもしれません. It is followed by を because the eyes are the object of the resting action. Use 目を休める when talking about giving your eyes a rest.
を
を marks 目 as the object in 目を休めたほうがいいかもしれません. The whole phrase means that it might be better to rest the eyes, and を identifies what is being rested. Use it after the direct object of an action.
休めた
休めた contributes “rest the eyes” inside 目を休めたほうがいいかもしれません. The whole expression presents resting the eyes as a preferable option, not simply as a completed past action. Use 目を休めたほうがいい when suggesting that someone should give their eyes a rest.
ほう
ほう helps form the comparison in 目を休めたほうがいい, which means that resting the eyes is the better option. The expression is used to give advice about what would be preferable. Use the pattern [action]ほうがいい when recommending an action.
いい
いい means “good” or “preferable” in 目を休めたほうがいい. Together with ほうが, it expresses advice that resting the eyes would be better. Use [action]ほうがいい when saying what someone should do.
かもしれません
かもしれません makes the advice tentative: 目を休めたほうがいいかもしれません means “maybe it would be better to rest your eyes.” The whole expression combines かも and しれません to express possibility or uncertainty. Use [statement]かもしれません when you want to say that something may be true or advisable without stating it strongly.
水
水 means “water” here, the drink being suggested during the break. It is the object of 飲んで in 水を飲んで, although the object marker is not part of this word unit. Use 水 when asking for or talking about drinking water.
飲んで
飲んで means “drink” and links the action of drinking water to the following action in 水を飲んで、1分ゆっくり呼吸してください. The whole sequence asks the listener to drink water and then breathe slowly. Use the pattern [action]て、[next action] to connect actions in order.
ゆっくり
ゆっくり means “slowly” here and describes the way to breathe. In 1分ゆっくり呼吸してください, it comes before 呼吸してください. Use it before an action when telling someone to do that action slowly or calmly.
呼吸
呼吸 means “breathing” or “breathe” here, in the polite request 呼吸してください. The full phrase 1分ゆっくり呼吸してください asks someone to breathe slowly for one minute. Use 呼吸してください when giving a polite instruction to breathe.
そうすれば
そうすれば means “then” or “if you do so,” referring to the earlier suggestion to rest the eyes. The whole expression connects that action with the result 最後の部分を終えられます. Use そうすれば before a result when explaining what will happen if the previous action is taken.
最後
最後 means “last” or “final” in 最後の部分, identifying the section that comes at the end. It modifies 部分 through の. Use 最後の before a noun when referring to the final item or stage.
の
の links 最後 to 部分 in 最後の部分, meaning “the last section.” It shows that 最後 describes which 部分 is meant. Use the pattern [description]の[noun] to connect a noun or description to another noun.
部分
部分 means “part” or “section” here, referring to the final section of the work. In 最後の部分, it is modified by 最後の. Use 部分 when talking about one section or part of a larger task, document, or object.
終えられます
終えられます means “can finish” or “can complete” here, referring to completing 最後の部分. In そうすれば、最後の部分を終えられます, it states the result made possible by taking a break. Use it after an object when saying that you can complete that task or section.
あなた
あなた means “you” here and identifies the person who is resting in あなたが休んでいる間に. It is marked by が because that person is the subject of the resting clause. Use あなた when it is necessary to make the person being referred to explicit.
休んで
休んで means “resting” in あなたが休んでいる間に. Together with いる, it describes the ongoing time during which the other person is resting. Use the pattern [person]が休んでいる when describing someone who is currently taking a break.
間
間 means “while” or “during” in あなたが休んでいる間に. The whole clause identifies the time when the speaker will review the draft. Use [ongoing action]間に to say that another action happens during that period.
に
に marks the time period in あなたが休んでいる間に, meaning “while you are resting.” It connects the time clause to the action 見直します. Use it after 間 when saying that something happens during a specified period.
私
私 means “I” or “me” here and identifies the person who will review the draft. In 私が原稿を見直します, が marks 私 as the subject of that action. Use 私 when you need to state who is performing an action.
原稿
原稿 means “draft” or “manuscript” here, referring to the document that will be checked. It is the object of 見直します in 原稿を見直します. Use 原稿 when talking about a written draft or manuscript that needs review.
見直します
見直します means “review” here, with the sense of checking the draft again while the other person rests. In 原稿を見直します, 原稿 is the object being reviewed. Use the pattern [document]を見直します when saying that you will review or reconsider a document.
Grammar Points
〜てください
ゆっくり呼吸してください。
yook-KOO-ree koh-KYOO shee-TEH koo-dah-SAIPlease breathe slowly.
The て-form plus ください makes a polite request or instruction.
〜たほうがいいです
少し休んだほうがいいです。
soo-KOH-shee yah-SOON-dah HOH-gah EE dessYou should rest a little.
This pattern gives advice by saying that one option is better.
Japanese Vocabulary
そのあと
adv
soh-noh AH-toh
afterward
少し休むと、そのあと、もっとよく仕事ができます。
たくさん
adv
tah-koo-SAHN
a lot; many
今日は仕事がたくさんあります。
もっとよく
adv
moht-toh YOH-koo
better
少し休むと、そのあと、もっとよく仕事ができます。
休む
verb
yah-SOO-moo
to rest; to take a break
少し休むと、そのあと、もっとよく仕事ができます。
休憩
noun
kyoo-KAY
break; rest
疲れているようですから、休憩してください。
近づいている
verb
chee-kah-ZOO-ee-teh ee-ROO
is approaching
締め切りが近づいているので、心配です。
仕事
noun
shee-GOH-toh
work
今日は仕事がたくさんあります。
少し
adv
soo-KOH-shee
a little; for a short while
少し休むと、そのあと、もっとよく仕事ができます。
心配です
adj
sheem-PIE dess
am worried
締め切りが近づいているので、心配です。
締め切り
noun
shee-meh-kee-REE
deadline
締め切りが近づいているので、心配です。
疲れている
verb
tsoo-kah-REH-teh ee-ROO
to look tired; to be tired
疲れているようですから、休憩してください。
目
noun
meh
eyes
1分、目を休めたほうがいいかもしれません。
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
deadline
Show Answer
締め切りis approaching
Show Answer
近づいているa lot; many
Show Answer
たくさんam worried