About This Lesson
Use Cleaning Up a Coffee Spill to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
この書類にコーヒーをこぼしてしまいました。
KOH-noh shoh-ROO-ee nee KOH-hee oh koh-boh-SHEE-teh she-MY-ma-shta. I spilled coffee on these documents.
B
しみが広がる前に、書類をカップから離してください。
SHEE-mee-gah hih-rah-GAH-roo MAH-eh-nee, shoh-ROO-ee oh KAH-pu-kah-rah hah-NAH-shee-teh KOO-dah-sigh. Move them away from the cup before the stain spreads.
A
一番上のページはもうびしょぬれです。
ee-chee-BAHN oo-eh-noh PAY-jee wah moh bee-SHOH-noo-reh dess. The top page is already soaked.
B
扱う前に、平らに置いて乾かしてください。
ah-tsoo-KAH-oo mah-eh-nee, TAH-rah-rah nee OH-ee-teh kah-rah-KAH-shee-teh KOO-dah-sigh. Let it dry flat before you handle it.
A
そのページをきれいに印刷し直しましょうか。
SOH-noh PAY-jee oh kee-REH-ee nee een-SAH-tsoo shee-NAH-oh-shee mah-SHOH-kah? Should I print a clean copy of that page?
B
文字がぼやけるかもしれないので、そのほうが安全です。
MOH-jee-gah boh-YAH-keh-roo kah-moh-shee-REH-nigh noh-deh, SOH-noh hoh-oh-gah ahn-ZEHN dess. That would be safer because the text may blur.
A
このページが乾く間に、乾いたページを分けておきます。
KOH-noh PAY-jee-gah kah-WAH-koo mah-nee, kah-WAH-ee-tah PAY-jee oh wah-KEH-teh OH-kee-mahs. I will separate the dry pages while this one dries.
B
次は、飲み物を別のテーブルに置いてください。
TSOO-gee wah, noh-MEE-moh-noh oh BEH-tsoo-noh TAY-boo-roo nee OH-ee-teh KOO-dah-sigh. Keep the drinks on another table next time.Word by Word
この
In 「この書類」, この means “these” and points to the documents near the speakers. It comes directly before the noun it identifies. Use it when referring to a specific nearby item or group.
書類
書類 means “documents” in 「この書類にコーヒーをこぼしてしまいました」. It refers to papers used as official or practical records. It can be used as the noun for documents that someone reads, moves, or damages.
に
In 「この書類にコーヒーをこぼしてしまいました」, に marks the documents as the surface or place receiving the spilled coffee. It shows where the action is directed. It is useful with actions that put or spill something onto a place or surface.
コーヒー
コーヒー means “coffee” in this dialogue. It is the liquid that was spilled onto the documents. It can be used as the object of an action involving drinking, making, or spilling coffee.
を
In 「コーヒーをこぼして」, を marks コーヒー as the thing that was spilled. It identifies the direct object of the action. Use it before the thing directly affected by an action.
こぼして
こぼして is the form used for “spill” in 「コーヒーをこぼしてしまいました」, where it connects the spilling action to しまいました. It describes coffee being spilled onto the documents. It can connect an action to what follows, especially in a request or a phrase describing an unwanted result.
しまいました
In 「こぼしてしまいました」, しまいました adds the sense that the spilling was unfortunately or accidentally completed. The whole expression presents the spill as an unwanted result. This form is useful after an action when the speaker wants to show regret or that something went wrong.
しみ
しみ means “stain” in 「しみが広がる前に」. It is the mark caused by the spilled coffee. It can be used for a mark on paper, clothing, or another surface.
が
In 「しみが広がる」, が marks しみ as the thing that spreads. It identifies the subject of the change or action. Use it when highlighting what is spreading, appearing, or changing.
広がる
広がる means “spread” in 「しみが広がる」, describing the stain becoming wider. The stain itself is the thing that spreads here. It is useful for stains, rumors, areas, or other things that expand.
前
In 「広がる前に」, 前 means “before” and refers to the time before the stain spreads. It is used with に after an event or action to set a time limit. This is useful when giving an instruction that should happen before something else.
カップ
カップ means “cup” in 「カップから離してください」. It is the nearby object from which the documents should be moved away. It can be used for a cup or other small drinking container.
から
In 「カップから離してください」, から marks the cup as the point from which the documents should be moved away. It expresses separation from a source or location. It is useful when describing moving something away from another thing.
離して
離して means “move away” or “separate” in 「書類をカップから離してください」. It is the action form used before ください to make a polite request. It can be reused when asking someone to move one object away from another.
ください
In 「離してください」, ください makes the instruction polite: “please move them away.” It follows the action form and turns it into a request. Use it when asking another person to perform an action.
一番上
一番上 means “the very top” in 「一番上のページ」. It identifies the page at the highest position in the stack. It can come before の and a noun to identify the topmost item.
の
In 「一番上のページ」, の links 一番上 to ページ, showing which page is being described. It connects a description or identifier to a noun. Use it to build relationships such as location, possession, or description between two nouns.
ページ
ページ means “page” in 「一番上のページはもうびしょぬれです」. It refers to one sheet or section of the documents. It can be used for pages in documents, books, or printed material.
は
In 「一番上のページは」, は marks the top page as the topic of the statement. The rest of the sentence explains its current condition. Use it to introduce what the sentence is about.
もう
In 「もうびしょぬれです」, もう means “already,” showing that the page has reached this wet condition by now. It emphasizes that the condition is present sooner or earlier than relevant. It can be used before a current state or completed event.
びしょぬれ
びしょぬれ means “soaking wet” in 「びしょぬれです」. It describes the top page after absorbing a large amount of coffee. It can describe a person, object, or material that is thoroughly wet.
です
In 「びしょぬれです」, です makes the statement polite and presents the page’s condition. The statement says that the page is soaking wet. It is commonly used at the end of a polite description or identification.
扱う
扱う means “handle” in 「扱う前に」, referring to touching or dealing with the wet page. Here the instruction concerns handling the page before it is dry. It can be used when dealing carefully with an object, document, or material.
平ら
In 「平らに置いて」, 平ら means “flat” and describes how the page should be placed. The page should remain on an even surface rather than being folded or bent. It can describe the shape or position of an object.
置いて
In 「平らに置いて乾かしてください」, 置いて means “place” or “put” and connects placing the page with drying it. The page is first placed flat, followed by the drying action. This form is useful for linking ordered actions.
乾かして
In 「乾かしてください」, 乾かして asks the listener to dry the page. It describes making the page dry after placing it flat. It can be used for an action performed on an object to remove moisture.
その
In 「そのページ」, その means “that” and identifies a particular page already understood from the conversation. It comes directly before the noun it modifies. Use it when referring to a specific item that is not being presented as the nearby “this” item.
きれい
In 「きれいに印刷し直しましょうか」, きれい means “clean” in the sense of producing an undamaged, clear copy. It describes the result of reprinting the page, not cleaning the paper. It can describe the appearance or condition of something.
印刷し直しましょう
The whole expression 「印刷し直しましょうか」 means “shall we reprint it?” 印刷し contributes the printing action, while 直しましょう adds the idea of doing that action again and presents it as a polite suggestion. This construction is useful when proposing that something be redone because the first result is unsuitable.
か
At the end of 「印刷し直しましょうか」, か marks the sentence as a question. Together with ましょう, it makes a polite offer or suggestion about reprinting. Use this ending when asking whether the speaker should do something.
文字
文字 means “text” or “written characters” in 「文字がぼやける」. It refers to the visible writing on the page. It can be used when discussing whether written information is clear or readable.
ぼやける
ぼやける means “become blurred” in 「文字がぼやける」. It describes the text losing its sharpness, possibly because of the wet page. It can be used for writing, images, or outlines that are no longer clear.
かもしれない
In 「ぼやけるかもしれない」, かもしれない expresses the possibility that the text may blur. The parts かも and しれない work together to present the result as uncertain rather than definite. Use this expression after a statement when you want to say that something may happen.
ので
In 「かもしれないので」, ので introduces the reason for the recommendation that follows. The possible blurring of the text is the reason the safer option is chosen. It is useful for connecting a reason to a result or suggestion.
ほう
In 「そのほうが安全です」, ほう refers to one option or course of action, namely reprinting the page. The phrase says that this option is safer than the alternative. It can be used when selecting or comparing one side or choice.
安全
安全 means “safe” in 「そのほうが安全です」. Here it describes the reprinting option as less risky because the text may blur. It can be used to describe an action, place, or choice that avoids danger or problems.
乾く
乾く means “dry” or “become dry” in 「このページが乾く間に」. The page itself is the thing that gradually reaches a dry state. It can be used for clothes, paper, dishes, or other things that lose moisture.
間
In 「乾く間に」, 間 means “the time while” or “during the period when” the page dries. With に, it sets the time during which another action will happen. It is useful for describing one action taking place during another process.
乾いた
乾いた means “dry” in 「乾いたページ」 and describes pages that have become dry. It is the form related to 乾く used directly before ページ. It can be placed before a noun to identify something that is already dry.
分けて
In 「乾いたページを分けておきます」, 分けて means “separate” and describes sorting the dry pages apart. It connects the separating action to おきます. It is useful when separating objects and leaving the result arranged for later use.
おきます
In 「分けておきます」, おきます adds the idea of doing the separation and leaving the result prepared. The speaker plans to keep the dry pages separated while the other page dries. This form is useful for preparation or for maintaining the result of an action.
次
In 「次は」, 次 means “next” and, in this context, refers to the next time this situation occurs. It introduces advice for a future occasion. It can be used when moving from the current event to the next occasion or item.
飲み物
飲み物 means “drinks” or “beverages” in 「飲み物を別のテーブルに置いてください」. It refers to things intended for drinking. It can be used as the object of actions such as placing, carrying, or choosing drinks.
別
In 「別のテーブル」, 別 means “different” or “separate” and identifies a table apart from the one with the documents. It modifies テーブル through の. It can be used before の to specify a separate person, place, object, or group.
テーブル
テーブル means “table” in 「別のテーブルに置いてください」. It is the surface where the drinks should be placed. It can be used with a location marker when describing where an object is put.
Grammar Points
〜てしまいました
こぼしてしまいました。
koh-boh-SHEE-teh she-MY-ma-shta.I spilled it.
This form shows that an action was completed, often with regret or an unwanted result.
〜ておきます
分けておきます。
wah-KEH-teh OH-kee-mahs.I’ll separate them in advance.
This form means doing something beforehand so it is ready for a later time.
Japanese Vocabulary
カップ
noun
KAH-pu
cup
コーヒー
noun
KOH-hee
coffee
こぼす
verb
koh-BOH-soo
spill
こぼしてしまいました
コーヒーをこぼしてしまいました
しみ
noun
SHEE-mee
stain
びしょぬれ
adj
bee-SHOH-noo-reh
soaking wet
びしょぬれです
ページ
noun
PAY-jee
page
扱う
verb
ah-tsoo-KAH-oo
handle
扱う前に
一番上
phrase
ee-chee-BAHN oo-eh
top; highest
一番上の
一番上のページ
広がる
verb
hih-rah-GAH-roo
spread
しみが広がる
書類
noun
shoh-ROO-ee
document
この書類
平ら
adj
TAH-rah-rah
flat
平らに
平らに置く
離す
verb
hah-NAH-soo
move away; separate
離してください
カップから離してください
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
move away; separate
Show Answer
離してくださいcoffee
Show Answer
コーヒーtop; highest
Show Answer
一番上のspill