About This Lesson
Use Checking the Meeting Room Equipment to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
会議室の機器を確認しましょう。
WEE shood CHEK theh MEET-ing room eh-KWIP-ment. We should check the meeting room equipment.
B
会議はもうすぐ始まります。
theh MEET-ing starts SOON. The meeting starts soon.
B
今やりましょう。
lets DOO it NOW. Let's do it now.
A
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。
iz theh puh-roh-JEK-tah con-NEK-ted too theh NOH-toh pah-soh-KON? Is the projector connected to the laptop?
B
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。
high, it iz, but this KAY-boo-roo feels uh LIT-tul loose. It is, but this cable feels a little loose.
A
人が来る前にマイクをテストしましょう。
lets TEST theh MY-koo bih-FOHR PEE-pul uh-RIVE. Let's test the microphone before people arrive.
B
使えますが、音量が小さいです。
it works, but theh OHN-ryoh iz low. It works, but the volume is low.
A
少し音量を上げます。
aile TURN it up uh LIT-tul. I'll turn it up a little.
B
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 BET-ter. theh room iz REH-dee. That sounds better. The room is ready.Word by Word
会議室
会議室 means “meeting room” in 会議室の機器を確認しましょう。It names the room where the meeting takes place. A useful pattern is 会議室の followed by something located in or related to the meeting room.
の
の links 会議室 and 機器 in 会議室の機器, meaning that the equipment is related to the meeting room. It commonly connects a noun with another noun, as in “A’s B” or “B related to A.”
機器
機器 means “equipment” in 会議室の機器を確認しましょう。Here it refers to the projector, cable, microphone, and other equipment being checked. It is useful for talking about equipment in a room, office, or other work setting.
を
を marks 機器 as the thing being checked in 機器を確認しましょう。It commonly follows the object of an action. A reusable pattern is nounを確認する, meaning to check a noun.
確認しましょう
確認しましょう means “let’s check” in 機器を確認しましょう。It is the polite form used to suggest doing the action together. A useful pattern is nounを確認しましょう, such as a schedule or reservation.
会議
会議 means “meeting” in 会議はもうすぐ始まります。It identifies the meeting that is about to begin. It can be used before related nouns, as in 会議室, or as the topic of a sentence.
は
は marks 会議 as the topic in 会議はもうすぐ始まります。The sentence gives information about the meeting. A common pattern is nounは followed by information about that topic.
もうすぐ
もうすぐ means “soon” in 会議はもうすぐ始まります。It shows that the start will happen after only a short time. It commonly appears before an event or action, such as もうすぐ始まります.
始まります
始まります means “starts” in 会議はもうすぐ始まります。It describes the meeting beginning. The citation form is 始まる, and the polite form used here is 始まります; a reusable pattern is eventが始まります.
今
今 means “now” in 今やりましょう。It sets the time for doing the action immediately. It can be placed before an action, as in 今確認しましょう in a new example.
やりましょう
やりましょう means “let’s do it” in 今やりましょう。It is a polite suggestion to carry out an understood activity, here checking the equipment. A useful pattern is 今やりましょう when agreeing to start an activity.
プロジェクター
プロジェクター means “projector” in 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。It names the device whose connection is being checked. It can be used as the topic of a question about its condition or connection.
ノートパソコン
ノートパソコン means “laptop” in ノートパソコンにつながっていますか。It names the computer to which the projector is connected. It can be followed by に when describing a connection to the laptop.
に
に marks ノートパソコン as the device to which the projector is connected in ノートパソコンにつながっていますか。Here it identifies the connection destination. A useful pattern is deviceにつながっています, meaning that something is connected to a device.
つながっています
つながっています means “is connected” in 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 and はい、つながっています。It describes the projector as remaining in a connected state. The citation form is つながる, and this polite form is useful for checking whether devices or networks are connected.
か
か marks 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 as a question. It turns the preceding polite statement into a yes-or-no question. It is commonly placed at the end of a polite question.
はい
はい means “yes” in はい、つながっています。It confirms that the projector is connected. It is commonly used at the beginning of a reply before the confirmed information.
が
が means “but” in 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 connects the confirmation with a contrasting problem about the cable. A useful pattern is a statement followed by が and then additional information.
この
この means “this” in このケーブルは少しゆるい感じがします。It points to the cable being discussed or present nearby. It is placed directly before the noun it identifies, as in このケーブル.
ケーブル
ケーブル means “cable” in このケーブルは少しゆるい感じがします。It names the cable whose condition is being checked. It can be used after この or another noun-modifying expression.
少し
少し means “a little” in 少しゆるい感じがします. It makes the description less strong, saying that the cable feels loose to a small degree. It commonly comes before an adjective or another description.
ゆるい
ゆるい means “loose” in このケーブルは少しゆるい感じがします。It describes the cable as not feeling tight enough. It can be placed before 感じがします to express an impression about something.
感じ
感じ means “feeling” or “impression” in ゆるい感じがします。It refers to the impression that the cable seems loose. In the reusable construction adjective＋感じがします, it helps describe how something feels or seems.
します
します contributes the meaning “feels” or “seems” in ゆるい感じがします。Together with 感じが, it expresses having that impression rather than stating an objective measurement. The citation form is する, and 感じがします is a useful pattern for describing an impression.
人
人 means “people” in 人が来る前にマイクをテストしましょう。It refers generally to the people expected to arrive before the meeting. It can be followed by が when the people are the ones who come.
来る
来る means “come” or “arrive” in 人が来る前にマイクをテストしましょう。It describes the expected arrival of the people. This exact form is also useful in the pattern nounが来る, meaning that someone or something comes.
前
前 means “before” in 人が来る前にマイクをテストしましょう。In 来る前に, it places the microphone test earlier than the people’s arrival. A reusable pattern is verbの plain form＋前に＋action, meaning “before doing something.”
マイク
マイク means “microphone” in マイクをテストしましょう。It names the device that will be tested before people arrive. It can be used as the object in a pattern such as マイクをテストする.
テストしましょう
テストしましょう means “let’s test” in マイクをテストしましょう。It politely suggests testing the microphone together. A useful pattern is nounをテストしましょう for proposing a test of a device or system.
使えます
使えます means “can be used” or “works” in 使えますが、音量が小さいです。Here it says that the microphone works, even though its volume is low. The citation form is 使う, and a useful pattern is nounが使えます when saying that something is usable.
音量
音量 means “volume” in 音量が小さいです。It refers to how loud the microphone’s sound is. It can be used with 上げます when adjusting the volume, as in 音量を上げます.
小さい
小さい means “small” in 音量が小さいです, where the natural meaning is that the volume is low. It describes the volume as insufficiently large. A useful pattern is nounが小さいです when describing something as small, with the context determining what aspect is small.
です
です completes the polite statement 音量が小さいです. Here it presents the description of the volume in a polite way. It commonly follows an adjective or noun at the end of a polite sentence.
上げます
上げます means “turn up” or “raise” in 少し音量を上げます。Here it describes increasing the volume a little. The citation form is 上げる, and a useful pattern is nounを上げます when raising a setting or level.
その
その means “that” in そのほうがよく聞こえます。It points back to the volume setting just changed. It is placed directly before the noun or noun-like expression it identifies, here そのほう.
ほう
ほう means “way” or “option” in そのほうがよく聞こえます。Together, そのほう refers to the option just mentioned, namely the increased volume. The pattern そのほうが＋description compares that option with the previous one.
よく
よく means “well” in よく聞こえます, and in this dialogue it supports the meaning “sounds better.” It describes the improved way the sound can be heard after the volume is raised. A common pattern is よく聞こえます when sound becomes easier or clearer to hear.
聞こえます
聞こえます means “can be heard” or “sounds” in そのほうがよく聞こえます。It says that the adjusted sound reaches the listener more clearly. The citation form is 聞こえる, and a useful pattern is soundが聞こえます when saying that a sound is audible.
部屋
部屋 means “room” in 部屋の準備ができました。It identifies the meeting room whose preparation is complete. It can be followed by の to connect the room with something related to it, as in 部屋の準備.
準備
準備 means “preparation” in 部屋の準備ができました。Here it refers to getting the room and its equipment ready for the meeting. A useful pattern is 準備ができました, meaning that the preparation is complete.
できました
できました means “is ready” or “has been completed” in 準備ができました。It says that the preparation has reached a completed state. The citation form is できる, and 準備ができました is useful when announcing that preparations are finished.
Grammar Points
～ています
ノートパソコンがつながっています。
NOH-toh pah-soh-KON gah tsoo-nah-GAHT-teh ee-MAHS.The laptop is connected.
～ています can describe a current state resulting from an action, such as being connected.
～ましょう
機器を確認しましょう。
kee-KEE oh kah-koo-NEEN shee-ma-SHOH.Let's check the equipment.
～ましょう is used to suggest doing something together: “Let's ...”.
Japanese Vocabulary
ケーブル
noun
KAY-boo-roo
cable
つながっています
verb
tsoo-nah-GAHT-teh ee-MAHS
is connected
ノートパソコン
noun
NOH-toh pah-soh-KON
laptop
プロジェクター
noun
puh-roh-JEK-tah
projector
もうすぐ
adv
moh-SOO-goo
soon
会議
noun
kai-GEE
meeting
会議室
noun
kai-GEE-shee-tsoo
meeting room
確認しましょう
verb
kah-koo-NEEN shee-ma-SHOH
let's check
機器
noun
KEE-kee
equipment
今
adv
ee-MAH
now
始まります
verb
hah-jee-mah-ree-MAHS
starts
少し
adv
soo-KOH-shee
a little
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
soon
Show Answer
もうすぐprojector
Show Answer
プロジェクターstarts
Show Answer
始まりますlaptop