About This Lesson
Use Asking about the waiting time and deciding whether to stay to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
すみません、待ち時間の目安はどのくらいですか。
soo-mee-mah-SEN, mah-chee-JEE-kahn no meh-YAH-soo wa doh-noh-KOO-rah-ee dess-KAH? Excuse me, what is the estimated waiting time?
B
10分くらいです。もう少しかかるかもしれません。
joop-poon goo-RAI dess. moh-OH soo-KOSH-ee kah-KAH-roo kah-moh-shee-reh-MAH-sen dess. About ten minutes, maybe a little longer.
A
この後、別の予定があります。
koh-noh AH-toh, BET-soo no yoo-TEH ah-ree-MAHS. I have another appointment after this.
B
それでは遅すぎるなら、昼食の後に戻ってきてもいいです。
soh-reh-deh-WAH oh-soh-soo-GEE-roo nah-rah, choo-SHOH-koo no AH-toh-nee moh-DOT-teh kee-teh-MOH EE dess. If that is too late, you can come back after lunch.
A
後で戻ってきても、順番はそのままですか。
AH-toh deh moh-DOT-teh kee-teh-MOH, joon-BAHN wa soh-noh-mah-MAH dess-KAH? Would I keep my place if I came back later?
B
昼食の後に、新しい整理券を取る必要があります。
choo-SHOH-koo no AH-toh-nee, ah-tah-rah-SHEE say-ree-KEHN o TOH-roo hee-tsoo-YOH ah-REE-MAHS. You would need to take a new ticket after lunch.
A
では、もうここにいるので、今は待ちます。
deh-WAH, moh-OH koh-koh nee EE-roo noh-DEH, ee-MAH wa mah-CHEE-MAHS. Then I'll wait for now since I'm already here.
B
画面をよく見ていてください。
gah-MEN o YOH-koo MEE-teh EE-teh koo-DAH-sai. Please keep an eye on the screen.Word by Word
すみません
すみません is used as “excuse me” to politely get someone’s attention before asking about the wait. It is useful when addressing staff or another person you do not know.
待ち時間
待ち時間 means the time someone must wait in this public waiting area. It is a noun used in the question 待ち時間の目安はどのくらいですか。
の
In 待ち時間の目安, の links two nouns and shows that 目安 relates to 待ち時間. This pattern connects one noun with another noun.
目安
目安 means an estimate or guideline here, referring to the expected length of the wait. The phrase 待ち時間の目安 asks for an approximate waiting time.
は
は marks 待ち時間の目安 as the topic of the question. The pattern Xはどのくらいですか asks about the amount or degree of X.
どの
In どのくらい, どの helps ask how much or to what degree. Together with くらい, it asks for the approximate length of the waiting time.
くらい
くらい in どのくらい asks about an approximate amount or degree. It also appears in 10分くらい to mean “about ten minutes.”
です
です politely states the information being asked about, as in どのくらいですか。 It is commonly used to make a polite statement or question.
か
か marks どのくらいですか as a question. It is placed at the end of this polite question.
分
分 is the time counter in 10分, meaning minutes. It is used after a number when stating a duration in minutes.
もう
もう in もう少しかかる means “a little more” or “additional,” indicating that the wait may continue longer. The reusable expression もう少し means “a little more.”
少し
少し means “a little” in もう少しかかる, so the speaker says that a small additional amount of time may be needed. It commonly modifies an amount or action that is limited in degree.
かかる
かかる means that time is needed, as in もう少しかかるかもしれません。 It is used when an activity or wait requires a certain amount of time.
かもしれません
かもしれません expresses possibility: the wait may take a little longer. In かもしれません, かも introduces the possibility and しれません completes the polite expression; the whole form is used when the speaker is not certain.
この
この means “this” and identifies 後 as the time after the present situation. In この後, it refers to what happens after now or after the current event.
後
後 means “after” or “later” in この後 and 昼食の後. It identifies a time that follows the present moment or lunch.
別
別 means “another” or “different” in 別の予定. It distinguishes the appointment from the current waiting situation.
予定
予定 means an appointment or scheduled plan in 別の予定があります. The pattern 予定があります states that someone has a scheduled plan.
が
が marks 別の予定 as what exists in 別の予定があります. It identifies the thing being stated as present or scheduled.
あります
あります states that another appointment exists or is scheduled in この後、別の予定があります。 The pattern 予定があります is useful for saying that you have a plan or appointment.
それ
それ refers to the situation just mentioned, especially the possibility that the wait is too late. In それでは, it points back to that situation before the conversation moves to a decision.
で
で helps form the transition expression それでは, which means “then” or “in that case” here. It connects the situation just mentioned with the next suggestion.
遅すぎる
遅すぎる means “be too late” in 遅すぎるなら. It describes a waiting time that would be later than acceptable for the speaker’s next appointment.
なら
なら makes 遅すぎるなら a condition meaning “if that is too late.” It introduces the condition for the suggestion that follows.
昼食
昼食 means lunch in 昼食の後. It identifies lunch as the event after which the person could return.
に
In 昼食の後に戻ってきてもいいです, に marks the time after lunch as the point associated with returning. The pattern Xの後に describes an action after X.
戻って
戻って means “returning” or “coming back” and connects to きて in 戻ってきてもいいです. The phrase describes returning to the current place after lunch.
きて
きて completes 戻ってきて, describing coming back to this place. In 戻ってきてもいいです, it is part of the expression giving permission to return.
も
も in 戻ってきてもいいです contributes the meaning “even if” within the permission expression. The pattern Xてもいいです is used to say that doing X is allowed.
いい
いい means “okay” or “acceptable” in 戻ってきてもいいです, so the whole expression gives permission to come back. The reusable pattern is Xてもいいです, meaning that X is allowed.
順番
順番 means the person’s turn or place in line in 順番はそのままですか。 It is used when asking whether the current place in a queue will remain.
そのまま
そのまま means “unchanged” in 順番はそのままですか。 Here it asks whether the person’s place in line will stay the same.
新しい
新しい means “new” and modifies 整理券 in 新しい整理券. It distinguishes the required ticket from the one the person may already have.
整理券
整理券 means a numbered ticket used to organize people waiting for service. In 新しい整理券を取る, it is the ticket that must be obtained after lunch.
を
を marks 新しい整理券 as the object of 取る in 新しい整理券を取る. This pattern identifies the thing that someone takes or gets.
取る
取る means “take” or “get” in 新しい整理券を取る, referring to obtaining a new numbered ticket. It commonly follows an object marked by を.
必要
必要 means “necessary” in 取る必要があります, so obtaining a new ticket is required. The pattern X必要があります means that X is necessary.
ここ
ここ means “here” in もうここにいるので. It refers to the waiting area where the speaker is currently present.
いる
いる means “be present” in ここにいる, describing the speaker’s presence at this place. It is useful for stating where a person is.
ので
ので means “because” or “since” in もうここにいるので. It links the reason for already being here with the decision 今は待ちます.
今
今 means “now” in 今は待ちます. With は, it sets the current time as the situation in which the speaker will wait.
待ちます
待ちます means “will wait” or “wait” in 今は待ちます, expressing the speaker’s decision to remain for now. It is the polite form used for a decision or action in this conversation.
画面
画面 means “screen” in 画面をよく見ていてください. It is the object the person is asked to watch for updates.
よく
よく means “carefully” or “well” in 画面をよく見ていてください. It modifies 見ていてください and emphasizes paying close attention.
見て
見て means “look” or “watch” and connects to いて in 見ていてください. The phrase asks the person to continue watching the screen.
いて
いて is part of 見ていてください and helps express remaining in the state of watching. The whole expression requests that the listener keep watching the screen.
ください
ください makes 見ていてください a polite request: “please keep watching.” The pattern Xてください is commonly used to ask someone politely to do X.
Grammar Points
〜かもしれません
もう少しかかるかもしれません。
moh-OH soo-KOSH-ee kah-KAH-roo kah-moh-shee-reh-MAH-sen.It might take a little longer.
This expression shows uncertainty or possibility. It is softer than stating that something will definitely happen.
〜ていてください
画面を見ていてください。
gah-MEN o MEE-teh EE-teh koo-DAH-sai.Please keep watching the screen.
This uses ている plus ください to politely ask someone to continue an action.
Japanese Vocabulary
かかる
verb
kah-KAH-roo
to take time
かもしれません
phrase
kah-moh-shee-reh-MAH-sen
might; may
すみません
intj
soo-mee-mah-SEN
excuse me
どのくらい
phrase
doh-noh-KOO-rah-ee
how much; how long
もう
adv
moh-OH
already; more
少し
adv
soo-KOSH-ee
a little
待ち時間
noun
mah-chee-JEE-kahn
waiting time
遅すぎる
adj
oh-soh-soo-GEE-roo
to be too late
昼食
noun
choo-SHOH-koo
lunch
別
adj
BET-soo
different; separate
目安
noun
meh-YAH-soo
estimate; guideline
予定
noun
yoo-TEH
appointment; plan
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
might; may
Show Answer
かもしれませんwaiting time
Show Answer
待ち時間how much; how long
Show Answer
どのくらいexcuse me