About This Lesson
Use Waiting for your turn to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
私はまだ自分の番を待っています。
wah-tah-SHEE wah mah-DAH jee-BOON noh bahn oh maht-TEH ee-MAHSS. I am still waiting for my turn.
B
今日は一人ずつ呼ぶのに時間がかかっています。
KYOO wah hee-TOH-ree zoo-TSOO YOOB-boo noh nee jee-KAHN gah kah-KAHT-teh ee-MAHSS. They are taking a long time to call each person today.
A
では、近くにいたほうがいいですね。
DEH-wah CHEE-kah-koo nee ee-tah hoh-GAH EE dehss neh. So I should stay nearby.
B
係の人がすぐにあなたを呼ぶかもしれません。
kah-kah-REE noh HEE-toh gah SOO-goo nee ah-NAH-tah oh YOOB-boo kah-moh shee-REH-mah-sen. They may call you soon.
A
どのカウンターを見ていればいいですか。
DOH-noh KAH-oon-tah oh MEE-TEH ee-REH-bah EE dehss kah. Which counter should I watch?
B
画面に正しいカウンターが表示されます。
gah-MEN nee tah-dah-SHEE KAH-oon-tah gah HYOH-jee sah-reh-MAHSS. The screen will show the right counter.
A
では、チケットを手に持っておきます。
DEH-wah CHEE-keht-toh oh TEH nee moht-TEH oh-KEE-mahss. Then I'll keep the ticket in my hand.
B
そのほうが、あなたの番が来たときに楽です。
SOH-noh hoh-GAH ah-NAH-tah noh bahn gah KEE-tah TOH-kee nee RAH-koo dehss. That makes it easier when your turn comes.Word by Word
私
私 means “I” or “me” here, referring to the speaker. In 私はまだ自分の番を待っています, it identifies who is waiting. A common pattern is 私は followed by information about the speaker.
は
は marks 私 as the topic of the sentence: 私はまだ自分の番を待っています. It introduces what is true about the speaker. A common reuse pattern is a person or thing followed by は and a comment about it.
まだ
まだ means “still” here, showing that the waiting continues. In まだ自分の番を待っています, it is used with the ongoing action to mean “am still waiting.” It commonly appears before the action or state that continues.
自分
自分 means “one’s own” or “oneself” here, referring back to the speaker. In 自分の番, it identifies the turn as the speaker’s own turn. It commonly appears before の when describing something belonging to or connected with oneself.
の
の connects 自分 with 番 in 自分の番 and shows the relationship between them: the turn belongs to or concerns the speaker. The reusable pattern is a noun followed by の and another noun.
番
番 means “turn” here, as in a person’s place in a waiting order. In 自分の番を待っています, it is the turn that the speaker is waiting for. 番 commonly appears in expressions about waiting for or taking a turn.
を
を marks 番 as the thing being waited for in 自分の番を待っています. It shows the object connected with 待っています. A common pattern is a noun followed by を and an action.
待って
待って is the form of 待つ used in 待っています, meaning “waiting.” Together with います, it describes the speaker’s current waiting. A reusable pattern is an action in this form followed by います for an ongoing action.
います
います completes 待っています to show that the waiting is continuing now. In this dialogue, it helps present the speaker’s current state rather than a completed wait. It commonly follows a te-form when describing an ongoing action.
今日
今日 means “today” and sets the time for the delay in 今日は一人ずつ呼ぶのに時間がかかっています. It tells us that the long waiting time is happening today. It commonly appears near the beginning of a sentence to set the time.
一人ずつ
一人ずつ means “each person” or “one person at a time” in 一人ずつ呼ぶのに時間がかかっています. 一人 identifies one person, and ずつ distributes the action across people. The reusable pattern is a quantity or unit followed by ずつ when something is done in equal separate amounts.
呼ぶ
呼ぶ means “to call” here, referring to calling each waiting person. In 呼ぶのに時間がかかっています, it names the activity that requires time. The pattern 呼ぶのに時間がかかる means that calling someone takes time.
に
に has two roles in this dialogue. In 呼ぶのに時間がかかっています, it connects the activity with the time required; in 画面に正しいカウンターが表示されます, it marks the screen as the place where the counter is shown. Its meaning depends on the construction around it.
時間
時間 means “time” in 時間がかかっています, referring to the amount of time required for calling people. It is the subject of the expression 時間がかかる. A common pattern is an activity followed by に時間がかかる when that activity requires time.
が
が marks the subject in expressions such as 時間がかかっています and 番が来たとき. It identifies the thing that takes time or arrives. A common pattern is a noun followed by が before information about what it does or what happens to it.
かかって
かかって is the form of かかる used in 時間がかかっています, meaning that time is being required or taken. Together with います, it describes the delay as continuing. The pattern 時間がかかる is used when an activity requires time.
では
では means “then” or “in that case” here, moving from the information about the delay to a decision: では、近くにいたほうがいいですね. It marks a conclusion based on what was just said. It commonly introduces a response or next step.
近く
近く means “nearby” in 近くにいたほうがいいですね. It describes the place where the speaker should remain. It commonly appears before に when indicating a nearby location.
いた
いた is the form of いる used in 近くにいたほうがいいですね, meaning “be” or “stay” in that place. The pattern いたほうがいい presents staying nearby as the preferable option. It is used here to give practical advice about where to remain.
ほう
ほう means “way” or “option” as part of いたほうがいい. It frames staying nearby as one option being considered; the recommendation comes from the whole pattern いたほうがいい. This pattern is commonly used to say that one option is preferable.
いい
いい means “good” or “preferable” in いたほうがいい. It contributes the idea that staying nearby is the better choice, while the full recommendation comes from いたほうがいい as a whole. It commonly follows ほうが in advice about a preferred action.
です
です gives the advice in a polite form in 近くにいたほうがいいですね. It makes the statement suitable for a polite conversation. It commonly follows an evaluation or description at the end of a sentence.
ね
ね softens 近くにいたほうがいいですね and invites agreement or shared understanding. Here the speaker is checking the conclusion with the other person. It commonly appears at the end of a statement when the speaker expects confirmation.
係
係 means the person responsible for a particular service or task. In 係の人がすぐにあなたを呼ぶかもしれません, it identifies the staff member who may call the listener. It commonly appears before の人 when referring to a person in charge.
人
人 means “person” in 係の人, referring to the staff person in charge. It completes the expression that identifies who may call the listener. It commonly follows a role or description to refer to a person with that role.
すぐ
すぐ means “soon” here, indicating that the call may happen without much delay. In すぐにあなたを呼ぶかもしれません, it appears before に to modify the timing of the call. It is commonly used when an action is expected shortly.
あなた
あなた means “you” here, referring to the person who may be called. In あなたを呼ぶ, it is the person receiving the calling action. It commonly appears before を when identifying the person affected by an action.
かもしれません
かもしれません means “may” or “might,” showing that the call is possible but not certain. In あなたを呼ぶかもしれません, かも contributes the possibility and しれません completes the polite expression; together they express uncertainty. It commonly follows a plain-form statement when making a polite possibility statement.
どの
どの means “which” and asks the listener to choose one item from several counters. In どのカウンターを見ていればいいですか, it comes directly before カウンター. It commonly follows the pattern どの + noun in a question.
カウンター
カウンター means “counter” here, referring to the service counter the speaker should watch. In どのカウンターを見ていればいいですか, it is the object of watching. It can commonly be used after どの when asking which counter.
見て
見て is the form of 見る used in 見ていればいいですか, meaning “watching” or “looking at.” Together with いればいい, it asks which counter the speaker should keep watching. A reusable pattern is an action in this form followed by いればいい when asking what action is suitable to continue.
いれば
いれば is the form used in 見ていればいいですか to describe remaining in the state of watching. The full pattern 見ていればいいですか asks whether continuing to watch is the right thing to do. It is commonly used before いいですか when asking what one should keep doing.
か
か marks どのカウンターを見ていればいいですか as a question. It turns the preceding polite statement into a request for information or advice. It commonly appears at the end of a polite question.
画面
画面 means “screen” here, referring to the screen that shows the relevant counter. In 画面に正しいカウンターが表示されます, it identifies where the information will appear. It commonly appears with に when something is shown on a screen.
正しい
正しい means “correct” or “right” here, identifying the counter that applies to the listener. In 正しいカウンター, it comes before the noun it describes. It commonly appears before a noun when specifying that the noun is the correct one.
表示
表示 means “display” or “indication” in 表示されます, referring to information appearing on the screen. In this sentence, it is part of the expression meaning that the correct counter will be shown. It commonly appears with information or a location when describing something displayed.
されます
されます helps form 表示されます, meaning that the correct counter is displayed or shown. It presents the display as something that happens to the counter on the screen. The polite form is suitable for explaining what the screen will do.
チケット
チケット means “ticket” here, referring to the item the speaker needs when their turn comes. In チケットを手に持っておきます, it is the object being kept ready. It commonly appears before を when describing an action done with the ticket.
手
手 means “hand” in 手に持っておきます. It identifies where the ticket is kept while waiting. It commonly appears with に when indicating the hand or place in which something is held.
持って
持って is the form of 持つ used in 持っておきます, meaning “holding” or “keeping” the ticket. Together with おきます, it expresses keeping the ticket ready in the hand. A reusable pattern is an action in this form followed by おく when preparing or keeping something ready.
おきます
おきます completes 持っておきます and shows that the ticket will be kept ready for later use. In this dialogue, it means the speaker will keep holding the ticket until it is needed. It commonly follows an action in this form when something is done in advance or maintained for a later situation.
その
その means “that” in そのほうが, referring to the option of keeping the ticket in the hand. It points back to the action just mentioned. It commonly comes before a noun or noun-like expression that both speakers can identify from the context.
来た
来た is the form used in 番が来たとき, referring to the point when the listener’s turn has arrived. In this time expression, it introduces the situation in which keeping the ticket ready is useful. It commonly appears before とき when referring to the time something happens.
とき
とき means “when” or “at the time” in 番が来たとき. It connects the arrival of the turn with the statement that follows. It commonly follows a clause to describe when another action or situation applies.
楽
楽 means “easier” or “more comfortable” in そのほうが、あなたの番が来たときに楽です. It describes the benefit of keeping the ticket ready when the turn arrives. It commonly appears with です to give a polite evaluation of a situation.
Grammar Points
Vておく
チケットを持っておきます。
CHEE-keht-toh oh moht-TEH oh-KEE-mahss.I will keep the ticket with me.
Vておく means doing or keeping something in advance for a later purpose.
Vていれば
画面を見ていれば、正しいチケットが表示されます。
gah-MEN oh MEE-TEH ee-REH-bah, tah-dah-SHEE CHEE-keht-toh gah HYOH-jee sah-reh-MAHSS.If you keep watching the screen, the correct ticket will be displayed.
Vていれば expresses a condition meaning “if you keep doing V” or “while doing V.”
Japanese Vocabulary
いたほうがいい
phrase
ee-tah hoh-GAH EE
should stay, it is better to stay
いたほうがいいですね
かかる
verb
kah-KAH-roo
to take time
かかっています
では
intj
DEH-wah
well then, in that case
まだ
adv
mah-DAH
still, yet
一人ずつ
phrase
hee-TOH-ree zoo-TSOO
one person at a time
近く
adv
CHEE-kah-koo
nearby
呼ぶ
verb
YOOB-boo
to call
今日
adv
KYOO
today
時間
noun
jee-KAHN
time
自分
pron
jee-BOON
oneself, one's own
待つ
verb
maht-soo
to wait
待っています
番
noun
bahn
turn
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to take time
Show Answer
かかっていますone person at a time
Show Answer
一人ずつto wait
Show Answer
待っていますshould stay, it is better to stay