About This Lesson
Use Borrowing a Bicycle Pump to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
私の後ろのタイヤはほとんど空気がありません。
wah-TAH-shee noh oo-SHEE-roh noh TAH-ee-yah wah hoh-TOHN-doh KOO-kee gah ah-ree-mah-SEN My back tire is almost flat.
B
あなたが借りられるポンプを持っています。
ah-NAH-tah gah kah-ree-rah-REH-roo POHM-poo oh MOHT-teh ee-MAHS I have a pump you can borrow.
A
まず、空気が漏れていないか確認したほうがいいですか。
MAHZ-koo KOO-kee gah moh-REH-teh ee-NAI kah kah-koo-NEEN shee-TAH hoh-GAH EES dehss kah Should I check for a leak first?
B
空気を入れる前に、タイヤの側面を見てください。
KOO-kee oh ee-REH-roo mae-nee TAH-ee-yah noh soh-KOO-men oh MEE-teh koo-DAH-sai Look along the sidewall before adding air.
A
取り付け方を見せてもらえますか。
toh-ree-tskoo-keh-KAH-tah oh MEE-seh moh-rah-eh-MAHS kah Can you show me how to attach it?
B
この部分をバルブに押し付けて、ゆっくりポンプを動かしてください。
KOH-noh boo-BOON oh BAH-roo-boo nee oh-shee-tskoo-KEH-teh YOOK-koo-ree POHM-poo oh oo-goh-kah-shee-teh koo-DAH-sai Press this part onto the valve and pump slowly.
A
今はタイヤが十分硬く感じます。
ee-MAH wah TAH-ee-yah gah joo-BOON kah-TAH-koo kahn-JEE-mahs The tire feels firm enough now.
B
終わったら、ポンプを返してください。
oh-WAHT-tah-rah POHM-poo oh kah-eh-shee-teh koo-DAH-sai Bring the pump back when you finish.Word by Word
私
「私」means “I” or “my” here, as in 「私の」タイヤ. It identifies the speaker as the owner of the tire; a reusable pattern is 「私の」＋noun for “my”＋noun.
の
「の」links 「私」to 「タイヤ」and shows possession, so 「私のタイヤ」means “my tire.” Use 「AのB」when B belongs to or is connected with A.
後ろ
「後ろ」means “back” or “rear” here, in 「後ろのタイヤ」, the rear tire. It can be used before a noun in the pattern 「後ろの」＋noun.
タイヤ
「タイヤ」means “tire” here. It is the object whose air is low and whose firmness is checked; a reusable pattern is 「タイヤに空気を入れる」, “put air in the tire.”
は
「は」marks 「私の後ろのタイヤ」as the topic of the sentence. In 「タイヤは」, the speaker is talking about the tire and describing its condition.
ほとんど
「ほとんど」means “almost” here and shows that very little air remains. It commonly comes before the amount or condition being described, as in 「ほとんどありません」.
空気
「空気」means “air” here, specifically the air in the tire. In 「空気がありません」, it is the thing that is not present; a reusable pattern is 「空気を入れる」, “add air.”
が
「が」marks 「空気」as the thing that is absent in 「空気がありません」. Use it after the thing whose presence or absence is being stated.
ありません
「ありません」says that something is not present, so 「空気がありません」means that there is no air. It is the polite negative form used here to describe the tire’s condition.
あなた
「あなた」means “you” here and identifies the person who can borrow the pump. It appears before 「借りられる」in 「あなたが借りられるポンプ」to describe what you can borrow.
借りられる
「借りられる」means “can borrow” here and describes the pump as one that the listener can borrow. A reusable pattern is 「Aが借りられるB」, “B that A can borrow.”
ポンプ
「ポンプ」means “pump” here, the tool offered for borrowing and used to add air. It can be used as the object in 「ポンプを借りる」, “borrow a pump.”
を
「を」marks 「ポンプ」as the object of 「持っています」in 「ポンプを持っています」. It commonly follows the thing that someone has, uses, or moves.
持っています
「持っています」means “have” or “possess” here: the speaker has a pump available. A reusable pattern is 「nounを持っています」for saying that someone has something.
まず
「まず」means “first” here and places the leak check before the other actions. It is useful at the beginning of instructions or a sequence of steps.
漏れていない
「漏れていない」means “not leaking” here, referring to whether air is escaping. In 「空気が漏れていないか」, it describes the condition to be checked before adding air.
か
「か」turns the preceding content into the point being questioned in 「漏れていないか確認したほうがいいですか」. It is used after a clause when asking whether that situation is true.
確認した
「確認した」means “check” or “confirm” here, as part of 「確認したほうがいいですか」. It names the action being considered, and a reusable pattern is 「nounを確認する」for checking something.
ほうがいい
「ほうがいい」as a whole means “it is better to” or “should.” Here, 「ほう」presents the recommended option, 「が」marks it within the pattern, and 「いい」means “good”; together with 「確認した」, 「確認したほうがいいですか」asks whether checking is advisable.
です
「です」adds a polite sentence ending here in 「ほうがいいですか」. It makes the question about the recommended action polite; the question marker 「か」comes after it.
入れる
「入れる」means “put in” or “add” here, referring to adding air in 「空気を入れる」. A reusable pattern is 「物を入れる」, with the thing being added marked by 「を」.
前
「前」means “before” here, in 「入れる前」, “before adding air.” It can follow an action phrase to place one action earlier in time.
に
「に」marks the time point in 「入れる前に」, meaning “before adding air.” The pattern 「verb phrase＋前に」is used when an action should happen before another action.
側面
「側面」means “side surface” or “sidewall” here, referring to the side of the tire. A reusable pattern is 「nounの側面」for the side surface of something.
見て
「見て」means “look at” or “check” here and is followed by 「ください」in the request 「見てください」. It links the action of looking at the sidewall to the polite request.
ください
「ください」makes 「見てください」a polite request meaning “please look.” It commonly follows a te-form such as 「見て」when asking someone to do an action.
取り付け方
「取り付け方」means “how to attach” here, referring to the method for attaching the pump. A reusable pattern is 「verb stem＋方」for asking or explaining how to do an action.
見せて
「見せて」means “show” here, as in 「見せてもらえますか」, “could you show me?” It connects with 「もらえますか」to request help or a demonstration politely.
もらえます
「もらえます」helps form the polite request 「見せてもらえますか」, asking whether the speaker can receive the favor of being shown. This pattern can be reused as 「verb-te form＋もらえますか」when politely asking someone to do something for you.
この
「この」means “this” here and points to the specific part being held or indicated. It comes directly before a noun, as in 「この部分」, “this part.”
部分
「部分」means “part” here, referring to the section of the pump that should be pressed onto the valve. A reusable pattern is 「この部分」for identifying a particular part.
バルブ
「バルブ」means “valve” here, the part onto which the pump section is pressed. It appears after 「に」in 「バルブに押し付けて」to identify the target of the action.
押し付けて
「押し付けて」means “press onto” or “press against” here, as in 「この部分をバルブに押し付けて」. The pattern 「AをBに押し付ける」describes pressing A against or onto B.
ゆっくり
「ゆっくり」means “slowly” here and describes how the pump should be operated. It can be placed before an action to request a slow, careful movement.
動かして
「動かして」means “move” or “operate” here, referring to operating the pump in 「ポンプを動かして」. It links this instruction to the next action and can follow an object marked with 「を」.
今
「今」means “now” here and refers to the tire’s condition after pumping. It is useful for describing a current state or result at the moment of speaking.
十分
「十分」means “enough” or “sufficiently” here, indicating that the tire has reached an adequate level of firmness. It commonly comes before a quality, as in 「十分硬い」or 「十分硬く感じます」.
硬く
「硬く」means “firm” or “hard” here and describes how the tire feels. In 「硬く感じます」, it tells what quality is perceived through touch.
感じます
「感じます」means “feel” here, describing the speaker’s perception that the tire is firm enough. A reusable pattern is 「nounが adjectiveに感じます」for saying that something feels a certain way.
終わったら
「終わったら」means “when you finish” or “once it is finished” here and sets the time for returning the pump. The pattern 「verb phrase＋たら」can introduce an action that should happen after the preceding event.
返して
「返して」means “return” or “give back” here, referring to returning the pump after use. In 「返してください」, it forms a polite request; a reusable pattern is 「借りた物を返す」, “return something borrowed.”
Grammar Points
V-たら
終わったら、ポンプを返してください。
oh-WAHT-tah-rah POHM-poo oh kah-eh-shee-teh koo-DAH-saiWhen you finish, please return the pump.
〜たら marks a condition or time: after one action is finished, the next action should happen.
V-てもらえますか
取り付け方を見せてもらえますか。
toh-ree-tskoo-keh-KAH-tah oh MEE-seh moh-rah-eh-MAHS kahCould you show me how to attach it?
This polite pattern asks someone to do something for you. It is softer than a direct command.
Japanese Vocabulary
タイヤ
noun
TAH-ee-yah
tire
ほとんど
adv
hoh-TOHN-doh
almost
ポンプ
noun
POHM-poo
pump
まず
adv
MAHZ
first
確認したほうがいいですか
phrase
kah-koo-NEEN shee-TAH hoh-GAH EES dehss kah
should I check
空気
noun
KOO-kee
air
後ろ
noun
oo-SHEE-roh
back; rear
後ろのタイヤ
借りられる
verb
kah-ree-rah-REH-roo
can borrow
取り付け方
noun
toh-ree-tskoo-keh-KAH-tah
how to attach
側面
noun
soh-KOO-men
side; sidewall
入れる
verb
ee-REH-roo
put in; add
空気を入れる
漏れていないか
phrase
moh-REH-teh ee-NAI kah
whether it is leaking
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
whether it is leaking
Show Answer
漏れていないかcan borrow
Show Answer
借りられるalmost
Show Answer
ほとんどshould I check