Check the weather before leaving | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. 出かける前に天気アプリを確認してくれますか？

   Can you check the weather app before we leave?

   出かける

   leave; go out

   前に

   before

   天気アプリ

   weather app

   確認して

   check; verify

   くれますか？

   will you?

   More detail

   出かける means “to go out” or “to leave” here. It is the dictionary form, and it can be used before another word to describe an event. For example: 出かける前に電話します。 — “I’ll call before I go out.” The subject is omitted in the fixed sentence; the translation identifies the intended leaving event as “we leave.” 前に means “before.” 前 is “before/in front of” depending on context, and に marks the time point or situation that serves as the reference. The pattern verb-dictionary form + 前に means “before doing ...”: 寝る前に歯を磨きます。 — “I brush my teeth before going to bed.” 天気アプリ is the noun compound “weather app.” 天気 means “weather,” and アプリ is the commonly used shortened form of “application.” Japanese compounds can place the modifying noun before the main noun, so this means an app related to weather. 確認して comes from the dictionary form 確認する, “to check” or “to verify.” して is its て-form. Here it connects the checking action to くれますか, producing a request for someone to do that action. The same て-form is also used in requests such as 見てください — “Please look.” くれますか？ is the polite question form of くれる, “to give” or “to do something for the speaker.” In the construction 〜てくれますか, the preceding て-form supplies the action, so the whole construction means “Could you do ... for me?” The request is not expressed by 確認して alone; 確認してくれますか asks the listener to check it. Together, 出かける前に sets the time as “before leaving,” and 天気アプリを確認してくれますか？ asks the listener to check the weather app for the speaker. Thus the whole utterance means, “Can you check the weather app before we leave?”

2. 雨が降るかもしれないと書いてあります。

   It says there is some chance of rain.

   雨

   rain

   降る

   fall; rain

   かもしれない

   may; might

   書いてあります

   it says; it is written

   More detail

   雨 means “rain” here. It is a noun. A useful basic pattern is 雨が降る, “rain falls” or naturally “it rains”; が marks 雨 as the subject of 降る. 降る is the nonpast form of the verb 降る. With precipitation such as 雨, it means “to fall” and is commonly translated as “to rain.” The same verb can describe other things falling, depending on the subject. For example, 雪が降る means “It snows” or literally “snow falls.” かもしれない expresses possibility or uncertainty: “may” or “might.” It follows the plain form of a clause, so 雨が降るかもしれない means “it may rain.” This expresses a possibility, not a definite prediction. 書いてあります is the polite form of 書いてある: the て-form 書いて of 書く (“write”) combines with ある. This construction describes something that has been written and remains in that state. When it introduces written content with と, it can naturally mean “it says” or “it is written that.” Together, 雨が降るかもしれないと means “that it may rain,” and 書いてあります says that this content is written. Thus the whole utterance means, “It says there is some chance of rain.”

3. もう空が曇っているようです。

   The sky looks cloudy already.

   もう

   already

   空

   sky

   曇っている

   is cloudy

   ようです

   looks like

   More detail

   もう means “already” here: it marks a change or situation that has occurred by the relevant time. It contrasts with まだ, “still/not yet,” depending on the sentence. Example: もう帰ります。 — “I’m leaving now/already.” 空 means “the sky.” It is a noun and can be used directly as the topic or subject of a description. Example: 空が青いです。 — “The sky is blue.” 曇っている describes the sky as being cloudy now. The dictionary form is 曇る, “to become cloudy.” The -ている form here presents the resulting condition as continuing: 曇る → 曇っている, “is cloudy.” This is different from simply describing a future change, as in 空が曇ります。 — “The sky will become cloudy.” ようです adds the speaker’s assessment that something appears to be the case. After the plain clause 空が曇っている, ようです gives 空が曇っているようです, “it looks like the sky is cloudy” or “the sky appears to be cloudy.” In this sentence, it presents the cloudy condition as an appearance or inference rather than as an unqualified direct assertion. The form ようだ is the plain version; ようです is the polite version. Together, もう sets the timing (“already”), 空が曇っている describes the sky’s continuing cloudy condition, and ようです marks that condition as an appearance. The whole utterance means: “The sky looks cloudy already.”

4. 今晩は気温も下がります。

   The temperature will also drop this evening.

   今晩

   this evening

   気温

   temperature

   も

   also

   下がります

   will drop

   More detail

   今晩 means “this evening” and functions as a time expression. It is built from 今 (“now/this”) and 晩 (“evening”), but learn it as a fixed, useful expression. Example: 今晩、映画を見ます。 — “I’ll watch a film this evening.” 気温 means “temperature,” specifically air temperature. It is a noun, unlike 体温 (“body temperature”). Example: 気温が高いです。 — “The temperature is high.” も marks addition: “also” or “too.” Here it adds the temperature to the information being presented as changing or relevant. The particle follows the word or phrase it applies to. Example: 明日も寒いです。 — “It will also be cold tomorrow.” 下がります is the polite nonpast form of 下がる, “to go down” or “to fall.” With temperature, it means “to drop.” The nonpast form can describe a future prediction when the time expression places the event in the future; here, 今晩 does that. Example: 夜に気温が下がります。 — “The temperature will drop at night.” The polite form is appropriate for a straightforward, courteous statement. Together, 今晩は sets this evening as the topic or time frame, 気温も says that the temperature is also involved, and 下がります says it will drop. The complete meaning is: “The temperature will also drop this evening.”

5. 薄手のジャケットを持って行きましょうか？

   Should I carry a light jacket?

   薄手

   lightweight; thin

   ジャケット

   jacket

   持って行きましょうか

   shall I take it?

   More detail

   薄手 describes something made of thin or lightweight material. In 薄手のジャケット, の links this description to the noun that follows: 薄手のシャツ means “a lightweight shirt.” The form 薄手 itself does not show a tense or person distinction. ジャケット is the noun “jacket,” written in katakana as a loanword. The particle を marks it as the object of the action. Example: ジャケットを着ます。 — “I wear a jacket.” 持って行きましょうか asks politely whether the speaker should take or carry something. 持つ means “to hold” or “carry”; its て-form, 持って, joins with 行く in 持って行く, meaning “to take/carry something along.” Here 行きましょうか is the polite volitional form of 行く plus か, used for a “Shall I ...?” question. The Japanese subject is omitted, while the fixed translation identifies it as “I.” Example: 荷物を持って行きましょうか。 — “Shall I take the luggage?” Together, 薄手のジャケット is “a lightweight jacket,” を marks that jacket as what is being taken, and 持って行きましょうか？ asks whether the speaker should take it. The complete meaning is: “Should I carry a light jacket?” This is a polite offer or proposal.

6. 薄手のジャケットと小さい傘があると便利です。

   A light jacket and a small umbrella would help.

   薄手

   lightweight; thin

   ジャケット

   jacket

   小さい

   small

   傘

   umbrella

   あると

   if there is; if you have

   便利です

   is helpful; is convenient

   More detail

   薄手 describes something made with light or thin material. In 薄手のジャケット, の links this description to the noun: “a lightweight jacket.” 薄手 is useful as a contrast with 厚手 (“thick; made of heavy material”). Example: 薄手のセーターです。 — “It is a lightweight sweater.” ジャケット is the noun “jacket,” written in katakana because it is a loanword. The pattern 薄手の + noun can be reused with other clothing or objects when the material or construction is light. 小さい means “small” here and is an i-adjective. Its attributive form before 傘 is the same form: 小さい傘 (“a small umbrella”). Its base form is 小さい; a common opposite is 大きい (“large”). Example: 小さい箱です。 — “It is a small box.” 傘 means “umbrella.” Together, 小さい傘 is the noun phrase “a small umbrella.” The sentence does not state that the umbrella is currently being used; it presents having or there being such an umbrella as useful in the situation. あると combines ある, the inanimate existence/availability verb, with と, which introduces a condition. Here あると means “if there is one” or, with an item someone can take along, “if you have one available.” The pattern X があると Y expresses that when X is available, Y is the resulting evaluation or consequence. Example: 時間があると安心です。 — “It is reassuring when there is time.” 便利です means “is convenient” or “is helpful.” 便利 is a な-adjective (also called an adjectival noun), and です gives it polite sentence-final form. In this sentence, the condition 薄手のジャケットと小さい傘があると is evaluated as 便利です, so the natural meaning is that having those items available would be helpful. Putting the parts together: 薄手のジャケットと小さい傘 names two items, あると presents their being available as the condition, and 便利です gives the evaluation. The whole utterance means, “A light jacket and a small umbrella would help.”

7. では、両方ともバッグに入れられます。

   Then I can put both in my bag.

   では

   then / well then

   両方とも

   both

   バッグ

   bag

   入れられます

   can put in

   More detail

   では connects this sentence to what has just been discussed. Here it means “then” or “in that case,” marking the speaker’s next conclusion or action. Example: では、始めます。 — “Then, I’ll begin.” 両方とも means “both,” referring here to the two items mentioned in the surrounding context. 両方 means “both of two” and can also mean “both sides” when the context concerns sides; とも adds the sense that both items are included. Example: 両方とも好きです。 — “I like both.” バッグ is the noun “bag.” The loanword is written in katakana. In this sentence, バッグに uses に to mark the container into which something is put. Example: 本をバッグに入れます。 — “I put the book in the bag.” 入れられます is the polite nonpast form of 入れられる, the potential form of 入れる (“to put something in”): 入れる → 入れられる (“can put in”) → 入れられます (“can put in,” polite). This form can also be passive in other contexts, but the fixed translation establishes the potential meaning here. Example: これをこの箱に入れられます。 — “I can put this in the box.” Japanese can omit the subject, and the fixed translation identifies the subject here as “I.” Together, 両方ともバッグに identifies both items as the things going into the bag, and 入れられます says that the speaker can put them there. With では at the beginning, the whole utterance means: “Then I can put both in my bag.”

8. それで、雨が降っても今晩が涼しくても大丈夫です。

   That should be enough for the rain and the cooler evening.

   それで

   so; then

   雨

   rain

   降っても

   even if it rains

   今晩

   this evening; tonight

   涼しくても

   even if it is cool

   大丈夫です

   it is okay; that is enough

   More detail

   それで links this sentence to what was just established and means “so” or “then.” It is a connective, not part of the condition itself. 雨 means “rain.” In Japanese, it can be the subject of 雨が降る, literally “rain falls,” the ordinary way to say “it rains.” 降っても comes from the verb 降る (“to fall”; for rain, “to rain”). Its て-form is 降って, and adding も gives the concessive pattern ～ても, “even if …” or “although ….” Thus 雨が降っても means “even if it rains.” The も here marks an unfavorable or unexpected condition that does not change the result. 今晩 means “tonight” or “this evening.” It identifies the time of the following description; it does not itself mean “cool.” 涼しくても comes from the i-adjective 涼しい, “cool.” Before ても, its form is 涼しく plus ても: 涼しくても, “even if it is cool.” For comparison, 涼しい is the plain form and 涼しくない is the negative form. Here 今晩が涼しくても means “even if this evening is cool.” 大丈夫です is the polite predicate “it is okay,” “there is no problem,” or, in this context, “that is enough.” 大丈夫 is the predicative word, and です makes the statement polite. The exact English choice “that should be enough” comes from its use as the result applying despite both conditions. The two ～ても clauses are coordinated: 雨が降っても (“even if it rains”) and 今晩が涼しくても (“even if this evening is cool”). Together they say that neither rain nor a cool evening changes the conclusion. With the opening connective, the whole utterance is: “So, even if it rains or this evening is cool, that should be enough.”