A Quick Walk for Fresh Air | Learn Japanese in English

Japanese lesson set in a contemporary Tokyo everyday setting: At work, two adults step outside near the building for fresh air before returning to focus..

EN → JA / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use A Quick Walk for Fresh Air to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

部屋は暑すぎて、静かすぎます。

heh-YAH wah ah-TSOO-soo-GEE-teh, shee-ZOO-kah-soo-GEE-mahs The room feels too warm and quiet.
B

外を少し歩きませんか。

soh-TOH oh soo-KOH-shee ah-ROO-kee-mah-SEN kah Do you want to take a quick walk outside?
A

外の空気を吸うとよさそうです。

soh-TOH noh KOO-kee oh SOO-toh yoh-sah-SOH dehs Fresh air would help.
B

建物の近くにいて、すぐ戻れます。

tah-teh-MOH-noh noh CHEE-kah-koo nee EE-teh, soo-GOO moh-doh-reh-MAHS We can stay near the building and come back soon.
A

まだ少し明るいです。

mah-DAH soo-KOH-shee ah-kee-ROO-ee dehs There's still some daylight.
B

では、暗くなる前に行きましょう。

deh-WAH, ah-koo-KOO nah-ROO MAH-eh nee ee-kee-mah-SHOH Then let's go before it gets dark.
A

すっきりしたら戻りましょう。

soo-KEE-ree shee-TAH-rah moh-doh-ree-mah-SHOH Let's come back once we feel refreshed.
B

そうすれば、また集中できるようになります。

soh-oo soo-SHEH-bah, mah-TAH shoo-CHOO deh-KEE-roo YOH-oo nee nah-ree-MAHS Then we'll be ready to focus again.

Word by Word

部屋 部屋 means “room” here and is the place being described as too warm and quiet. It commonly appears as the noun naming a room or indoor space, such as the subject of a sentence about its condition.
は は marks 部屋 as the topic, so the sentence is about the room. A reusable pattern is to place は after the person, thing, or place that the following description concerns.
暑すぎて 暑すぎて means “being too warm” and connects this description to 静かすぎます. It is the connective form of 暑すぎる, which expresses an excessive degree before another clause. A reusable pattern is an adjective with すぎて followed by a related result or description.
静かすぎます 静かすぎます means “is too quiet” and politely completes the description of 部屋. The form combines 静か with すぎます to say that the degree of quietness is more than desired. Use this pattern when politely describing something as excessively quiet.
外 外 means “outside” or “outdoors” here, identifying the outdoor area connected with the proposed walk. With を in 外を歩きませんか, it marks the area through which the walking takes place. A reusable pattern is an area followed by を with a movement verb.
を を marks 外 as the area or route associated with walking in 外を歩きませんか. Here it does not mark a thing being possessed; it connects the outdoor area to the movement. A reusable pattern is a place or route followed by を before a movement verb.
少し 少し means “a little” here and makes the proposed walk sound short or limited. It is placed before 歩きませんか to modify the amount or extent of the walking. Use it when suggesting a small amount of an activity in a polite way.
歩きません 歩きません is the polite negative form of 歩く, but in the exact question 歩きませんか it functions as a polite suggestion meaning “shall we walk?” The question marker か is needed for this invitation reading. This pattern is useful when politely inviting someone to do an activity together.
か か marks the end of 歩きませんか as a question and helps turn the polite negative form into an invitation. In this dialogue, the question asks whether the other person would like to take a short walk. Use it at the end of a polite question or suggestion.
の の links 外 and 空気 in 外の空気, meaning the air associated with the outside. It shows a relationship between two nouns rather than marking the object of 吸う. A reusable pattern is one noun followed by の and a second noun to describe their connection.
空気 空気 means “air” here, specifically the air that the speaker suggests taking in. In 外の空気を吸う, it is the thing connected to 吸う. Use it when talking about air in an indoor or outdoor setting.
吸う 吸う means “breathe in” here and describes taking in 外の空気. It is used with を for what is breathed in, as in 外の空気を吸う. A common situation for this form is suggesting fresh air when someone feels uncomfortable indoors.
と と connects 外の空気を吸う with the evaluation よさそうです, giving the idea that when or if the action is done, the result seems good. It links an action to a naturally expected result or evaluation in this sentence. A reusable pattern is an action clause followed by と and a result or assessment.
よさそう よさそう presents the suggested action as seeming beneficial or suitable in this context. It follows 外の空気を吸うと and expresses the speaker’s expectation rather than a definite result. Use this form when an option appears likely to be good or helpful.
です です adds a polite sentence ending to よさそう, making the evaluation polite and suitable for the workplace conversation. It follows the description at the end of the sentence. A reusable pattern is a polite evaluation followed by です.
建物 建物 means “building” here and identifies the place near which the speakers will remain. In 建物の近く, it is the reference point for the location. Use it when describing a building as a destination, landmark, or nearby reference.
近く 近く means “near” or “the vicinity” here, referring to the area around 建物. In 建物の近くにいて, it forms a location phrase before the verb of being present. A reusable pattern is a place or thing followed by の近く to mean nearby.
に に marks 建物の近く as the location where the speakers will stay in 建物の近くにいて. It identifies the place associated with being present rather than the route of movement. A reusable pattern is a location phrase followed by に when stating where someone is.
いて いて means “being or staying” here and connects remaining near the building with the promise that the speakers can return soon. It is the connective form of いる, used to link the location or state to another clause. A reusable pattern is a location followed by にいて and then a further action or result.
すぐ すぐ means “soon” here and emphasizes that the return will happen without much delay. It comes before 戻れます to modify the timing of returning. Use it when reassuring someone that an action will happen quickly or shortly.
戻れます 戻れます means “can come back” or “can return” here, expressing that returning soon is feasible. It is the polite potential form related to 戻る and is supported by the context of staying near the building. Use it when explaining that someone is able to return to a place.
まだ まだ means “still” here and shows that the condition of being light continues at this time. It comes before 少し明るいです to modify the continuing state. Use it when a situation remains true later than expected or up to the present.
明るい 明るい means “bright” or “light” here, describing the remaining daylight outside. In まだ少し明るいです, it helps the speakers decide that there is still time to go. Use it to describe the amount of light in a place or situation.
では では means “then” or “in that case” here and connects the information about the remaining light to the decision to go. It appears at the beginning of the reply as a transition to the next action. Use it after receiving information when moving to a decision or proposal.
暗く 暗く means “into a dark state” here as part of 暗くなる, “to get dark.” It is the connective form of 暗い and links the description of darkness to なる. A reusable pattern is an adjective in this connective form followed by なる to describe a change of state.
なる なる means “become” here and completes 暗くなる, meaning “get dark.” It describes a change into the state expressed by 暗く. Use it after a state description when explaining that something becomes or comes to be that way.
前 前 means “before” here and refers to the time before 暗くなる. In 暗くなる前に行きましょう, it places the suggested action before that event. A reusable pattern is an event followed by 前に and the action that should happen first.
行きましょう 行きましょう means “let’s go” and politely proposes going before it gets dark. It is the polite volitional form related to 行く. Use it when making a friendly group suggestion or agreeing on a shared action.
すっきり すっきり describes feeling refreshed or clear-headed here, after taking the walk and getting fresh air. In すっきりしたら, it names the refreshed state that is used as the condition for returning. Use it when describing a lighter, more refreshed feeling after a break or other helpful activity.
したら したら means “when” or “once” here and marks the point at which the speakers feel refreshed before returning. It connects すっきりしたら with 戻りましょう. A reusable pattern is a condition ending in たら followed by the action that will happen afterward.
戻りましょう 戻りましょう means “let’s come back” or “let’s return” and proposes returning after the speakers feel refreshed. It is the polite volitional form related to 戻る. Use it when suggesting that a group return to a previous place together.
そう そう means “that way” or “so” here and refers back to the plan of taking a walk and returning after feeling refreshed. In そうすれば, it points to that preceding action as the condition for the next result. Use it to refer back to an already mentioned way of doing something.
すれば すれば means “if one does so” here and forms そうすれば, connecting the earlier plan with the consequence of being able to focus again. It is the conditional form related to する. A reusable pattern is そう followed by this conditional form when explaining what will happen if the preceding plan is carried out.
また また means “again” here and shows that the speakers will return to focusing after the break. It comes before 集中できるようになります to modify the repeated activity or state. Use it before an action or state that is being resumed.
集中 集中 means “focus” or “concentration” here and names the mental activity the speakers want to resume. In 集中できるようになります, it combines with できる to express being able to focus. Use it when talking about directing attention to work, study, or another task.
できる できる means “can” or “be able to” here, expressing the ability to focus again. It follows 集中 in 集中できる and describes the possibility of carrying out that activity. Use it after an activity or ability expression when saying that someone can do it.
よう よう indicates the state or condition in できるようになります, so the sentence describes coming to be able to focus again. The ability expressed by できる is connected to the change expressed by なります. A reusable pattern is an ability or state followed by ようになる to describe coming to that condition.
なります なります means “becomes” or “comes to be” here and completes できるようになります, meaning that the speakers will become able to focus again. It is the polite form related to なる and expresses a change into the state marked by よう. Use it when politely describing a change in ability, condition, or state.

Grammar Points

〜すぎる

暑すぎて、静かすぎます。

ah-TSOO-soo-GEE-teh, shee-ZOO-kah-soo-GEE-mahs

It is too hot and too quiet.

Attach すぎる to an adjective to mean “too ….” For い-adjectives, remove い: 暑い → 暑すぎる.

〜たら

すっきりしたら、また集中できるようになります。

soo-KEE-ree shee-TAH-rah, mah-TAH shoo-CHOO deh-KEE-roo YOH-oo nee nah-ree-MAHS

When you feel refreshed, you will be able to concentrate again.

〜たら expresses a condition meaning “when” or “if.” It can describe what happens after an action or change.

Japanese Vocabulary

すぐ adv
soo-GOO soon; immediately

建物の近くにいて、すぐ戻れます。

よさそう adj
yoh-sah-SOH seems good; looks helpful

外の空気を吸うとよさそうです。

外 noun
soh-TOH outside

外を少し歩きませんか。

吸う verb
SOO to breathe in; to inhale

外の空気を吸うとよさそうです。

近く noun
CHEE-kah-koo nearby; vicinity

建物の近くにいて、すぐ戻れます。

空気 noun
KOO-kee air

外の空気を吸うとよさそうです。

建物 noun
tah-teh-MOH-noh building

建物の近くにいて、すぐ戻れます。

暑い adj
ah-TSOO-ee hot; warm 暑すぎて

部屋は暑すぎて、静かすぎます。

少し adv
soo-KOH-shee a little; a bit

外を少し歩きませんか。

静か adj
shee-ZOO-kah quiet 静かすぎます

部屋は暑すぎて、静かすぎます。

部屋 noun
heh-YAH room

部屋は暑すぎて、静かすぎます。

歩く verb
ah-ROO-koo to walk 歩きませんか

外を少し歩きませんか。

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

hot; warm

Show Answer暑すぎて

seems good; looks helpful

Show Answerよさそう

quiet

Show Answer静かすぎます

to walk

Show Answer歩きませんか