Borrowing Time at the Library | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. この本はどのくらい借りておけますか？

   How long can I keep this book?

   この

   this

   本

   book

   どのくらい

   how long

   借りておけますか

   can keep it borrowed

   More detail

   この means “this” and is the demonstrative form used directly before a noun. Here it identifies the book as the one being referred to. Japanese demonstratives such as この do not change for the noun’s number or gender. A related contrast is その, “that,” used for a noun associated with the other side of the conversation or already being referred to. 本 means “book.” It is a noun and can be used in reusable patterns such as この本 (“this book”) and 本を読む (“read a book”). In this sentence, この and 本 together form the object being discussed. どのくらい asks about degree or extent. With an expression of time, as here, it means “how long.” For example, どのくらい待ちますか？ means “How long will you wait?” The exact kind of extent comes from what it modifies; it can ask about amount or degree in other contexts as well. 借りておけますか combines 借りる (“borrow”) in its て-form, 借りて, with おく, “leave or keep [something] in a resulting state.” In this context, 借りておく means to borrow something and keep it on loan. The potential form of おく is おける, and its polite form is おけます; the final か makes the sentence a polite question. Thus, 借りておけますか asks whether the speaker can keep the book borrowed, rather than simply whether they can borrow it. Compare 借りられますか？, “Can I borrow it?” Putting the parts together, この本 is “this book,” どのくらい asks for the duration, and 借りておけますか asks whether the speaker can keep it borrowed. The whole utterance means: “How long can I keep this book?”

2. その紙に返却日が書いてあります。

   The slip shows the due date.

   その

   that; the

   紙

   slip; paper

   返却日

   due date

   書いてあります

   is written; shows

   More detail

   その is a demonstrative placed before a noun. It can identify something understood from the situation; here it refers to the slip in the fixed translation. Japanese demonstratives do not mark number or gender. 紙 means “paper.” In this utterance, the fixed translation gives the intended sense “slip.” The reusable pattern is その + noun: for example, その本 means “that book” or “the book already identifiable in the situation.” 返却日 means “due date” here, literally the date for returning something. It is a compound of 返却 (“return”) and 日 (“day; date”). The compound 返却日 is the useful noun for a return or due date. 書いてあります says that something has been written and remains in that resulting state. The verb 書く (“write”) changes to 書いて, followed by あります in the てある construction. This construction presents the writing as existing on the slip. By contrast, 書いています normally describes someone who is writing or an activity in progress; it is not the form used here to present the due date as a written result. Together, その紙に means “on that slip,” 返却日が marks “the due date” as what is described, and 書いてあります says that it is written there. The whole utterance means: “The slip shows the due date.”

3. もっと時間が必要なときは、どうすればいいですか？

   What should I do if I need more time?

   もっと

   more

   時間

   time

   必要な

   needed

   とき

   when; time

   どうすればいいですか？

   What should I do?

   More detail

   もっと means “more” here: it increases the amount of 時間 (time). It can modify other quantities too, as in もっと水 (“more water”). The opposite is もっと少ない (“less”), although the exact form used for “less” depends on what is being compared. 時間 means “time.” In this sentence it refers to an amount or period of time, not a clock reading. For example, 時間があります means “There is time” or “I have time,” depending on context. 必要な is the form of 必要だ (“to be necessary” / “needed”) used before a noun. Thus 必要な時間 means “time that is needed” or, more naturally here, “the time I need.” The form 必要な modifies a noun; after a statement, 時間が必要です means “I need time” or “Time is necessary.” とき means “when” or “at the time.” In 必要なとき, it follows a clause describing the situation: “when [it is] necessary” or “when [I] need [it].” The particle は after this phrase sets that situation as the topic or condition being discussed. A reusable pattern is V-るときは、… (“when …, …”); for example, 困ったときは、聞いてください means “When you have trouble, please ask.” どうすればいいですか？ asks what action would be appropriate. どう means “how” or “what way,” すれば is the conditional form of する (“do”), and いいですか asks whether that would be good or appropriate. Together, どうすればいいですか？ is the reusable pattern “What should I do?” or “What would be best to do?” It is not the same as simply asking how an action is performed: どうしますか？ more directly asks “What will you do?” The sentence combines もっと時間が必要なときは (“if/when more time is needed”) with どうすればいいですか？ (“what should I do?”). The full meaning is “What should I do if I need more time?” The question leaves the appropriate action open; it asks for guidance about that situation.

4. ほかにその本を待っている人がいなければ、オンラインで貸出期間を延長できます。

   You can extend the loan online if no one else is waiting for the book.

   ほかに

   else

   その

   that

   本

   book

   待っている

   be waiting

   人

   person

   いなければ

   if there is no one

   オンラインで

   online

   貸出期間

   loan period

   延長できます

   can extend

   More detail

   ほかに means “else” or “in addition”; here it contributes to the idea “anyone else.” It can appear before the noun or noun phrase it relates to. Example: ほかに質問がありますか。 — “Do you have any other questions?” その is a demonstrative that directly modifies a following noun. Here その本 means “that book,” corresponding to “the book” in the fixed translation. 本 means “book.” Its reading in this word is ほん. Example: 本を読みます。 — “I read a book.” 待っている comes from 待つ (“to wait”). The ている form presents the waiting as an ongoing activity or state. Example: 友達を待っています。 — “I am waiting for a friend.” 人 means “person” or “people.” In 待っている人, the clause 待っている comes before 人 and describes people who are waiting; together, this means “people who are waiting.” Japanese uses this clause-before-noun pattern without a relative pronoun. いなければ is the conditional form of negative いない, meaning “if there is not” or “if there are no [animate beings].” The related verb is いる, used for people and animals; its negative is いない, and いなければ adds the conditional meaning. Example: 誰もいなければ、入ってください。 — “If no one is there, please come in.” オンラインで means “online.” The particle で marks the means or setting through which an action is carried out. Example: オンラインで予約します。 — “I make a reservation online.” 貸出期間 is a compound noun meaning “loan period” or “checkout period.” 貸出 relates to lending or checkout, while 期間 means “period.” Example: 貸出期間は二週間です。 — “The loan period is two weeks.” 延長できます means “can extend.” It combines 延長する (“to extend”) with the potential form based on できる (“can do”), expressed politely here as できます. In 貸出期間を延長できます, 貸出期間 is the object being extended. Example: 予約を延長できます。 — “You can extend the reservation.” Together, ほかにその本を待っている人がいなければ sets the condition “if no one else is waiting for the book.” オンラインで gives the method, and 貸出期間を延長できます states the available action: “you can extend the loan period online.” The complete utterance is therefore: “You can extend the loan online if no one else is waiting for the book.”

5. 家からそれができますか？

   Can I do that from home?

   家

   home; house

   から

   from

   それ

   that

   できますか

   can do?

   More detail

   家 means “home” or “house.” In this sentence it is the place connected to the action. A useful related expression is 家に帰る (“go home”); に marks the destination, whereas the following から marks a starting point. から after a place noun means “from,” showing where something starts or is done from. Thus 家から means “from home.” Compare 家で (“at home”), which marks the place where an action takes place: 家で勉強します。 means “I study at home.” それ is a demonstrative pronoun meaning “that.” Its grammatical form does not identify a specific referent by itself; here, the fixed translation establishes the intended meaning as “that,” without specifying the referent further. できますか is the polite question form of できる, “can do” or “be possible.” The form chain is できる → できます (polite) → できますか (polite question). Japanese commonly leaves the subject unstated; in this fixed translation, the intended subject is “I.” The question asks whether the action involving “that” is possible from home. Together, 家から (“from home”) + それ (“that”) + できますか (“can [I] do it?”) produces: “Can I do that from home?”

6. 家から図書館のアカウントにログインしてください。

   Log in to your library account from home.

   家から

   from home

   図書館

   library

   アカウント

   account

   ログインしてください

   please log in

   More detail

   家から means “from home” here. から marks the starting point or source of an action; with a place, it can express where the action is carried out from. For example, 会社から連絡します。 means “I will contact you from the office.” The noun 家 means “home” in this sentence; 家で would instead focus on the place where an action happens, “at home.” 図書館 means “library.” It is a noun and can be used before の to modify another noun: 図書館のアカウント means “the library account” or, more literally, “the library’s account.” This の expresses a relationship between the library and the account; it does not itself mean possession in every possible context. アカウント is the loanword “account.” In this sentence it refers to the account used to access the library’s service. A reusable pattern is [organization/service]のアカウント, as in the example 学校のアカウント — “the school account.” ログインしてください is a polite request meaning “please log in.” ログインする is the verb construction “to log in,” with する carrying the verbal function. Here, ログインして is the て-form, and ください asks the listener to perform that action politely. The same pattern works with other verbs: 確認してください。 means “Please check.” This is a request, not a statement that the listener has already logged in. Together, 家から sets the starting location, 図書館のアカウント identifies the account, and ログインしてください gives the polite request. The whole utterance therefore means: “Please log in to your library account from home.”

7. では、その紙を本と一緒に保管しておけばいいですね。

   Then I should keep the slip with the book.

   では

   then; in that case

   その

   that

   紙

   slip; paper

   本

   book

   一緒に

   together; with

   保管

   store; keep

   おけばいいですね

   it should be fine to leave it

   More detail

   では sets the sentence in the conclusion reached from the situation: “then” or “in that case.” It is a useful transition for moving from information to a decision or next step. その points to an already identified item: here, it modifies 紙. Japanese demonstratives such as その agree neither in gender nor number with the noun, so the form remains その with 紙. 紙 means “paper” and, in this sentence, the paper slip or document referred to by the fixed translation. The noun itself does not mark singular versus plural. Example: 紙を取ります。 “I take the paper.” 本 means “book.” In 本と一緒に, it is the item kept together with the paper. Example: 本を読みます。 “I read a book.” 一緒に means “together” or “with.” The pattern N と一緒に connects N as the companion or accompanying item: 本と一緒に means “with the book.” The と here marks the item joined in the “together” relationship. 保管 is a noun-like element used with する to mean “store” or “keep.” In the utterance it appears in 保管して, the て-form of 保管する, so the storage action can connect to the following construction. 保管する is more deliberate or careful than a general “put”; it focuses on keeping something safely. おけばいいですね completes 保管しておけばいいですね. The form おけば comes from おく in the conditional pattern V-ておけばいい: “it is sufficient if one does V in advance” or, in context, “one should leave/keep it that way.” Here, しておく presents keeping the paper with the book as a preparatory arrangement, and ばいい expresses that this is the appropriate or sufficient action. The ね at the end seeks agreement or presents the conclusion gently; it does not change the storage action itself. Putting the parts together, では introduces the practical conclusion, その紙 identifies the relevant paper, and 本と一緒に specifies the book as its companion. 保管しておけばいいですね means that keeping the paper stored with the book is the suitable action. With the fixed translation’s speaker perspective, the whole utterance is: “Then I should keep the slip with the book.”

8. その紙があれば、期限までに本を返却できます。

   It will help you return it on time.

   その

   that

   紙

   paper; slip

   があれば

   if there is; if you have

   期限までに

   by the deadline

   本

   book

   返却できます

   can return

   More detail

   その points to a specific item identifiable from the context. Together with 紙, it refers here to the slip or paper mentioned previously. Japanese demonstratives such as その normally come before the noun they modify; the form itself does not encode the noun's number. 紙 means “paper” and, in this context, a paper slip or document. In other contexts it can mean paper as a material. Example: 紙に名前を書きます。 — “I write my name on the paper.” があれば means “if there is” or, with a usable item, “if you have.” It is ある (“to exist” for inanimate things) in the conditional form あれば, with が marking the item whose existence is relevant. Here, the condition is having the identified slip available. The reusable pattern Nがあれば、... can mean “If there is N...” or “If you have N...,” depending on context. Example: 時間があれば、行きます。 — “If I have time, I’ll go.” 期限までに means “by the deadline.” 期限 means “deadline” or “time limit,” and までに marks the point by which an action is to be completed. This differs from まで, which can mark an endpoint without the same “by then” completion meaning. Example: 金曜日までに提出してください。 — “Please submit it by Friday.” 本 means “book.” Here it is the noun marked as the object of the return action by the following を in the sentence. Example: 本を読みます。 — “I read a book.” 返却できます means “can return.” The lexical verb is 返却する, “to return” an item to its owner or the relevant place. With できる, the する part is replaced in the ability form: 返却する → 返却できる; the polite form is then 返却できます. Thus this form expresses ability or feasibility, and ます gives it a polite style. Example: 図書館で本を返却できます。 — “I can return the book at the library.” Together, その紙があれば sets the condition “if you have that slip,” 期限までに gives the completion point “by the deadline,” and 本を返却できます says “you can return the book.” The whole utterance therefore means: “If you have that slip, you can return the book by the deadline,” which is compatible with the fixed translation’s “It will help you return it on time.”