Checking the Meeting Room Equipment | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. 会議室の機器を確認しましょう。

   We should check the meeting room equipment.

   会議室

   meeting room

   機器

   equipment

   確認しましょう

   let’s check

   More detail

   会議室 means “meeting room.” It is a compound of 会議 (“meeting”) and 室 (“room”), a useful pattern for naming a room by its purpose. For example, 教室 means “classroom.” 機器 means “equipment” or “devices,” here referring to the equipment in question without specifying individual items. It is a noun; 機械 is a related word often used more specifically for a machine or machinery, so the two are not interchangeable in every context. 確認しましょう expresses a polite proposal: “let’s check.” The base expression is 確認する, “to check” or “to confirm.” ましょう is attached to the verb’s stem to make a polite volitional form, commonly used for “let’s …” or “shall we …” when proposing joint action. For example, 予定を確認しましょう。 means “Let’s check the schedule.” In 会議室の機器, の links the meeting room with the equipment: “the equipment of/in the meeting room,” naturally “the meeting room equipment.” を marks that equipment as the object of 確認しましょう. Together, 会議室の機器を確認しましょう。 means “We should check the meeting room equipment.”

2. 会議はもうすぐ始まります。

   The meeting starts soon.

   会議

   meeting

   もうすぐ

   soon

   始まります

   starts; will start

   More detail

   会議 means “meeting.” It is a noun and can be used in patterns such as 会議がある (“There is a meeting”) and 会議をする (“have a meeting”). In this sentence, は marks 会議 as the topic; it is not part of the noun itself. もうすぐ means “soon,” referring to a time shortly ahead. It modifies the event that follows: もうすぐ始まります means “will start soon.” 始まります is the polite nonpast form of 始まる, “to begin” or “to start.” Japanese nonpast forms can describe a future event when the context does so, so this form means “starts” or “will start” here. The plain form is 始まる, and the polite form is 始まります. 始まる describes something beginning, whereas 始める means that someone begins or starts something and normally takes an object. Together, 会議はもうすぐ始まります sets “the meeting” as the topic, places its beginning in the near future, and politely states: “The meeting starts soon.”

3. 今やりましょう。

   Let's do it now.

   今

   now

   やりましょう

   let’s do it

   More detail

   今 means “now,” locating the action at the present time. It is a time expression and can be placed with many kinds of actions, for example: 今、行きます。 — “I’m going now.” やりましょう is the polite form used here for “let’s do it.” Its base verb is やる, “to do” or “to carry out”; やり is the verb stem, and ましょう adds a polite volitional meaning such as “let’s …” or “shall we …”. The subject and object are omitted because the fixed translation supplies the intended group proposal and does not specify what “it” is. For example: 一緒にやりましょう。 — “Let’s do it together.” Together, 今 + やりましょう means “Let’s do it now.” The time expression sets when the action should happen, while やりましょう presents the action as a polite proposal or invitation. Japanese commonly leaves recoverable participants and objects unspoken, so this sentence does not itself name who is included or what the action is.

4. プロジェクターはノートパソコンにつながっていますか。

   Is the projector connected to the laptop?

   プロジェクター

   projector

   ノートパソコン

   laptop

   つながっていますか

   is connected?

   More detail

   プロジェクター means “projector.” It is a loanword written in katakana. This noun does not change for singular or plural; context determines the intended number. は marks プロジェクター as the topic: “As for the projector…” Here, the projector is the item whose connection is being asked about. ノートパソコン means “laptop” or “notebook computer.” It is another katakana loanword. The particle に marks the other endpoint or item to which something is connected: “connected to the laptop.” つながっていますか comes from the intransitive verb つながる, which here means “be connected” or “be linked.” It does not mean that the projector is actively connecting something to something else. In つながっている, the ている form describes the resulting or continuing state, and final か makes the polite statement into a question. Useful forms are つながる (plain form, “become/be connected”), つながっています (polite statement, “is connected”), and つながっていますか (polite question, “is it connected?”). Because つながる is intransitive, the connected item can be the topic, while the other endpoint can be marked with に. Example: テレビはインターネットにつながっています。 — “The television is connected to the internet.” Together, プロジェクターは sets the projector as the topic, ノートパソコンに identifies the laptop as the connection endpoint, and つながっていますか asks whether that connection currently exists. The complete meaning is: “Is the projector connected to the laptop?” This is a polite, neutral way to check a current connection.

5. はい、つながっていますが、このケーブルは少しゆるい感じがします。

   It is, but this cable feels a little loose.

   はい

   yes

   つながっています

   is connected

   この

   this

   ケーブル

   cable

   少し

   a little

   ゆるい

   loose

   感じがします

   feels

   More detail

   はい confirms the preceding question's proposition: here, the equipment is connected. It is a reusable affirmative response, while いいえ is a negative response. つながっています means that the connection is currently in place. It comes from つながる “to connect / be connected”; つながっている presents the resulting state as continuing now. The form itself does not identify the person or thing connected, but the supplied translation and preceding question establish the intended connected item here. For example, Wi-Fiにつながっています。 means “It is connected to Wi-Fi.” The following が contrasts this confirmation with the cable-related observation that follows. この is the demonstrative “this” used before a noun. It does not stand alone here: この + noun identifies a referent as this one in the relevant situation. Japanese この does not change for gender or number. For example, このマイク means “this microphone.” ケーブル is the noun “cable,” a loanword. In this utterance it is the topic-like subject of the later description, marked by は: このケーブルは means “as for this cable.” 少し is an adverb meaning “a little” or “slightly.” It modifies the following description, reducing its degree rather than asserting a count. For example, 少し待ってください。 means “Please wait a little.” ゆるい is an i-adjective meaning “loose” here, describing the cable's fit or connection as not tight. Its base form is already ゆるい; a common opposite is きつい “tight,” though the appropriate choice depends on what is being described. Before a noun, it can appear as ゆるいケーブル; in this sentence it is used before 感じ within a description of how the cable seems. 感じがします is a reusable pattern meaning “feels” or “seems.” 感じ is the noun “feeling/impression,” and します is the polite nonpast form of する, “do/make”; together with が, 〜感じがします presents an impression that something has a particular quality. For example, この部屋は広い感じがします。 means “This room feels spacious.” Together, はい、つながっています confirms that the connection is in place. が then introduces a contrast, and このケーブルは少しゆるい感じがします says that this cable gives the impression of being slightly loose. The complete utterance therefore means: “It is, but this cable feels a little loose.”

6. 人が来る前にマイクをテストしましょう。

   Let's test the microphone before people arrive.

   人

   person; people

   来る

   to come

   前に

   before

   マイク

   microphone

   テストしましょう

   let’s test

   More detail

   人 means “person” or “people.” Here, the fixed translation identifies it as plural in meaning, but the form itself does not mark a specific number. With が, 人が marks people as the subject of the following action. 来る is the base form meaning “to come”; in this sentence, the translation makes “arrive” the natural meaning. It is an irregular verb: its polite present form is 来ます, and its negative form is 来ない. In 人が来る前に, the clause 人が来る describes the event that is used as the reference point for “before.” 前に means “before.” A useful pattern is [event or clause] 前に, meaning “before [that event].” The に completes this time expression. For example, 寝る前に歯を磨きます。 means “I brush my teeth before going to bed.” マイク means “microphone.” It is a loanword used as a noun. In this sentence, マイクを identifies the microphone as the object of the following action: を is the object marker, while マイク is the noun itself. テストしましょう means “let’s test.” テストする is the verb pattern “to test,” formed with the noun テスト and する; しましょう is the polite volitional form of する. The volitional form proposes a shared action, so it gives “let’s test,” rather than simply stating that someone tests something. For example, この方法を試しましょう。 means “Let’s try this method.” Together, 人が来る前に sets the time reference—before people arrive—and マイクをテストしましょう proposes testing the microphone. The whole utterance therefore means, “Let’s test the microphone before people arrive.”

7. 使えますが、音量が小さいです。

   It works, but the volume is low.

   使えます

   works; can be used

   音量

   volume

   小さいです

   is small; is low

   More detail

   使えます is the polite nonpast form of 使える, “can use” or “can be used.” In this utterance, the fixed translation selects the practical meaning “it works.” 使える is the potential form related to 使う (“to use”); the potential form presents something as usable or possible, rather than describing an action that someone is definitely performing. Example: このマイクは使えます。 — “This microphone can be used.” 音量 means “volume,” the level of sound. It is a noun and can be used in patterns such as 音量を上げる (“turn the volume up”) and 音量を下げる (“turn the volume down”). In the supplied utterance, it is the grammatical subject of the following description, not the actor of an action. 小さいです is the polite predicate form of the い-adjective 小さい (“small”). With 音量, the relevant meaning is “low” or “not loud,” rather than necessarily small in physical size. The adjective itself carries the descriptive meaning; です adds a polite sentence style. For comparison, 音量が大きいです。 means “The volume is high/loud.” Example: 文字が小さいです。 — “The letters are small.” Together, 使えますが means “it works, but,” where が connects the first clause to a contrasting second clause. 音量が小さいです means “the volume is low.” Thus the whole utterance is: “It works, but the volume is low.” Japanese leaves the subject of 使えます unspoken because it is understood from the situation; the sentence does not need to repeat what is working.

8. 少し音量を上げます。

   I'll turn it up a little.

   少し

   a little

   音量

   volume

   上げます

   turn up; raise

   More detail

   少し means “a little” here and softens the amount of the adjustment. It can be placed before an action or quantity: 少し待ちます。 means “I’ll wait a little.” 音量 is “volume,” specifically the level of sound. It is a noun and can be used in practical phrases such as 音量が小さいです。 (“The volume is low.”) and 音量を下げます。 (“I lower the volume.”) 上げます is the polite non-past form of 上げる, “to raise” or “to turn up.” With a sound-related noun as the object, it means increasing the volume. The particle を marks 音量 as what is changed. The same form can describe a future action or a present intention; here, the translation supports “I’ll turn it up.” The pattern Nを上げます means “raise/increase N,” for example, 温度を上げます。 means “I’ll raise the temperature.” In this sentence, 少し specifies that the increase will be small, 音量を identifies what will be adjusted, and 上げます expresses the speaker’s polite intention to make that adjustment. Together, 少し音量を上げます。 means “I’ll turn it up a little.”

9. そのほうがよく聞こえます。部屋の準備ができました。

   That sounds better. The room is ready.

   そのほうが

   that option is preferable

   よく

   well; clearly

   聞こえます

   sounds; can be heard

   部屋

   room

   準備ができました

   is ready; is complete

   More detail

   そのほうが means “that option/way” and presents it as preferable to another understood option. その points to something identifiable from the situation, while ほう presents it as one side or choice. A reusable pattern is Aほうがいい (“A is better”), although the predicate can change. よく is the adverbial form related to よい (“good”), also commonly associated with いい. Here it means “well” or “clearly” in よく聞こえます. The comparison in the fixed sentence comes from choosing そのほう as preferable; よく describes how well the sound is perceived. よく can also mean “often” in other contexts. より is a different comparison marker, as in AよりBのほうがいい (“B is better than A”). 聞こえます is the polite nonpast form of 聞こえる, meaning that something is audible or comes across in a certain way. It describes perception, rather than the intentional action expressed by 聞く. Here, よく聞こえます means “sounds good/clear” or “can be heard well.” Example: 声がよく聞こえます。 — “The voice is clearly audible.” 部屋 is the noun “room.” It can modify another noun through の, as in 部屋のドア (“the room’s door” or “the door of the room”). 準備ができました combines 準備 (“preparation”) with が and the polite past form できました of できる. In this use, できる indicates that the preparation has been completed, giving the current result “is ready” or “is complete.” Example: 準備ができました。 — “The preparation is complete.” Together, そのほうがよく聞こえます says that the indicated option sounds better: “That sounds better.” 部屋の準備ができました uses の to connect 部屋 (“room”) and 準備 (“preparation”), then states that the preparation for the room is complete, yielding the fixed translation “The room is ready.”