Finding the Correct Line | Learn Japanese in English

Japanese lesson set in a contemporary Tokyo everyday setting: At a public service area, two adults check which line is correct for renewing a membership card..

EN → JA / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Finding the Correct Line to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

すみません、ここが正しい列ですか？

soo-mee-mah-SEN, koh-KOH gah tah-DAH-shee reh-tsu dess-kah? Excuse me, is this the right line?
B

この列は案内カウンターの列です。

koh-NOH reh-tsu wah ahn-nah-ee kah-oon-tah noh reh-tsu dess. This queue is for the information desk.
A

会員カードを更新する必要があります。

kah-ee-in KAH-doh oh koh-SHEEN soo-ROO nee-YOH ah-ree-MAHS. I need to renew my membership card.
B

では、青い案内板のそばの列に並ぶといいです。

deh-WAH, ah-oh-EE ahn-nah-ee-bahn noh soh-bah noh reh-tsu nee nah-rah-boo toh EE dess. Then you should join the line by the blue sign.
A

間違った場所で待つところでした。

mah-chee-GAHT-tah bah-SHOH deh MAHT-tsu toh-KOH-roh deh-SHEE-tah. I almost waited in the wrong place.
B

両方の列が近いので、分かりにくいです。

RYOH-hoh noh reh-tsu gah chee-KAH-ee noh-deh, wah-kah-ree nee-KOO-ee dess. It is confusing because both lines are close.
A

もっと人が来る前に移動します。

MOHT-toh HEE-toh gah KOO-roo MAH-eh nee ee-DOH shee-MAHS. I'll move before more people arrive.
B

その列は今のほうが短いです。

soh-NOH reh-tsu wah ee-MAH noh hoh-GAH tahn-KAH-ee dess. That line is shorter now.

Word by Word

すみません すみません is a polite way to get someone’s attention before asking a question, here addressed to someone at the public service area. It is commonly used at the beginning of a request or question to a stranger or staff member.
ここ ここ means here or this place, referring to the place or line the speaker is indicating. It is useful when checking whether a nearby location is the correct one.
が が marks ここ as the subject being identified in ここが正しい列ですか. It commonly appears after the thing whose identity or condition is being checked.
正しい 正しい means correct or right, describing 列 as the correct line in this question. It is commonly placed before a noun when identifying the correct choice, place, or item.
列 列 means a line or queue, here the line where people wait for a service. It is useful in public places when identifying or joining a queue.
です です is the polite form used to state that something is something, as in 正しい列です. With か at the end, it forms the polite question ここが正しい列ですか.
か か marks the sentence as a question at the end of ここが正しい列ですか. It is commonly added at the end of a polite question.
この この means this and identifies the line being referred to in この列. It is placed directly before a noun when pointing out a nearby or currently indicated thing.
は は marks この列 as the topic in この列は案内カウンターの列です. It commonly follows the thing being discussed before information about it is given.
案内カウンター 案内カウンター means information desk or help counter, the service point associated with this queue. It is useful for identifying a desk in a public facility.
の の connects 案内カウンター and 列 in 案内カウンターの列, showing that the line is associated with the information desk. It commonly connects two nouns to describe a relationship between them.
会員カード 会員カード means membership card, the card that the speaker needs to renew. It is used as the object of 更新する when talking about renewing a membership document.
を を marks 会員カード as the object of 更新する in 会員カードを更新する. It commonly follows the thing directly affected by an action.
更新する 更新する means to renew or update, here describing the action needed for the membership card. It is commonly used with a card, membership, or other record that must be renewed.
必要 必要 means necessity or need in 更新する必要があります, identifying renewal as something required. It commonly appears before あります to state that a need exists.
あります あります is the polite form expressing existence; in 更新する必要があります, it says that the need to renew exists. This form is commonly used with 必要 to state that something is necessary.
では では means then or in that case, marking a transition from the speaker’s need to the advice that follows. It is useful at the beginning of a reply when suggesting the next step.
青い 青い means blue and describes the 案内板 used as a landmark. It is commonly placed before a noun to identify something by its color.
案内板 案内板 means an information board or sign, here the blue sign used to identify the correct line. It is useful for referring to public signs that guide people around a facility.
そば そば means near or beside, describing the location of the line in 案内板のそばの列. It commonly follows a noun with の when locating something nearby.
に に marks the line as the place or destination in 列に並ぶ. It commonly follows a location or destination before an action such as lining up there.
並ぶ 並ぶ means to line up or queue, here describing the action recommended in 列に並ぶといいです. It is commonly used with a line or place when telling someone where to wait.
と と connects 並ぶ with いい in 並ぶといいです and helps form the recommendation that lining up there would be good. It is commonly placed after an action when giving this kind of advice.
いい いい means good or advisable in 並ぶといいです, so the whole expression recommends lining up there. It commonly follows an action with と when suggesting what someone should do.
間違った 間違った describes 場所 as the wrong or mistaken place in 間違った場所. It is useful before a noun when identifying a place or choice that is not correct.
場所 場所 means place or location, here the place where the speaker nearly waited. It commonly appears with で when describing where an action takes place.
で で marks the location of the action in 間違った場所で待つ. It commonly follows a place before an action that happens there.
待つ 待つ means to wait, here referring to waiting in the wrong place. In 待つところでした, it names the action that almost happened, and it is also commonly used with a place to describe where someone waits.
ところでした 待つところでした means the speaker was almost about to wait there, but the action did not happen. ところ presents the point or stage at which the action was about to occur, and でした makes the statement polite and past. This construction is reusable after a verb when saying that something nearly happened.
両方 両方 means both, referring here to the two nearby lines. It is useful when discussing two already identified people, things, places, or options together.
近い 近い means close or near, describing the physical distance between the two lines. It is commonly used to describe the distance between places or things.
ので ので means because or since, connecting the reason 両方の列が近い to the result 分かりにくいです. It commonly follows a reason before an explanation of a situation or result.
分かりにくい 分かりにくい means hard to understand or hard to tell apart, here explaining why it is difficult to know which line is correct. It is useful when a situation or distinction is not easy to understand.
もっと もっと means more or additional in もっと人が来る, referring to people who may arrive in addition to those already present. It is commonly used before a person or quantity to indicate an increase.
人 人 means person or people, here referring to people who may come to the area. In 人が来る, it is the subject of 来る and is useful when talking about people arriving.
来る 来る means to come or arrive, here describing more people arriving. It is useful in time expressions such as 来る前に when one action must happen before people arrive.
前 前 means before in 来る前に, locating the speaker’s movement earlier than the arrival of more people. It commonly follows an action or event before に to express what happens beforehand.
移動します 移動します means to move or relocate, here describing the speaker changing position before more people arrive. It is a polite form useful when talking about moving from one place or position to another.
その その means that and identifies the line in その列 as the line previously indicated in the conversation. It is placed before a noun when referring to an already identified item or place.
今 今 means now or at the present time, referring to the current condition of the line. It is useful when comparing the present situation with an earlier one.
ほう ほう identifies the side or option being compared in 今のほうが短いです, indicating that the current one is shorter. It is commonly used in a comparison to specify which of two options has the stated quality.
短い 短い means short, and in 今のほうが短いです it describes the line as shorter than the other line. It is commonly used when comparing the length of lines, objects, or distances.

Grammar Points

では、〜

では、案内カウンターへ移動します。

deh-WAH, ahn-nah-ee kah-oon-tah-EH ee-DOH shee-MAHS.

Then, I will move to the information desk.

では means “then” or “in that case” and introduces an action based on what was just said.

間違った＋名詞

間違った場所です。

mah-chee-GAHT-tah bah-SHOH dess.

It is the wrong place.

間違った comes before a noun to describe something as wrong or mistaken.

Japanese Vocabulary

ここ pron
koh-KOH here

すみません、ここが正しい列ですか?

すみません intj
soo-mee-mah-SEN excuse me

すみません、ここが正しい列ですか?

そば noun
soh-bah near; beside

青い案内板のそばの列

では conj
deh-WAH then; in that case

では、青い案内板のそばの列に並ぶといいです。

案内カウンター noun
ahn-nah-ee kah-oon-tah information desk

この列は案内カウンターの列です。

案内板 noun
ahn-nah-ee-bahn sign; information board

青い案内板のそばの列

会員カード noun
kah-ee-in KAH-doh membership card

会員カードを更新する必要があります。

更新する verb
koh-SHEEN soo-roo to renew; to update

会員カードを更新する必要があります。

正しい adj
tah-DAH-shee correct; right

ここが正しい列ですか?

青い adj
ah-oh-EE blue

青い案内板のそばの列

必要 adj
nee-YOH necessary; need

会員カードを更新する必要があります。

列 noun
reh-tsu line; queue

この列は案内カウンターの列です。

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

information desk

Show Answer案内カウンター

to renew; to update

Show Answer更新する

membership card

Show Answer会員カード

excuse me

Show Answerすみません