About This Lesson
Use Choosing a Useful Gift and Card for a Coworker to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
同僚へのプレゼントを選ぶ必要があります。
doh-RYOH EH-noh preh-ZEHN-toh oh eh-RAH-boo hee-TSOO-yoh gah ah-ree-MAHS We need to choose a gift for our coworker.
B
実用的なものがいいですか、それとももっと個人的なものがいいですか。
jee-TSOO-yoh-TEH-kee nah MOH-noh gah EE deh-soo kah, soh-reh-toh-MOH MOHT-toh koh-jin-TEH-kee nah MOH-noh gah EE deh-soo kah Should it be useful or more personal?
A
彼女はお茶が好きなので、ティーセットがよさそうです。
kah-noh-joh wah oh-CHAH gah SOO-kee nah-noh-deh, TEE-seht-toh gah yoh-sah-SOH deh-soo She likes tea, so a tea set might work.
B
個人的な感じですが、役にも立ちそうです。
koh-jin-TEH-kee nah KAHN-jee deh-soo gah, yah-koo nee moh tah-chee-SOH deh-soo That feels personal but still useful.
A
小さなカードも付けましょう。
CHEE-sah-nah KAH-doh moh tsoo-keh-mah-SHOH Let's add a small card too.
B
彼女にプレゼントを渡す前に、みんなでカードにサインできます。
kah-noh-joh nee preh-ZEHN-toh oh wah-TAH-soo MAH-eh nee, MEEN-nah deh KAH-doh nee sah-EEN deh-kee-MAHS Everyone can sign it before we give her the gift.Word by Word
同僚
同僚へのプレゼント refers to the coworker who will receive the gift. Use it when talking about a person you work with, especially in the pattern meaning “a gift for a coworker.”
へ
In 同僚への, へ shows the direction or recipient relationship, giving the phrase the meaning “for a coworker.” It commonly connects a person or place to something directed toward them.
の
In 同僚へのプレゼント, の links the preceding recipient phrase to the following noun, so the whole phrase means “a gift for a coworker.” Use it to connect a description or relationship to a noun.
プレゼント
プレゼント means a present or gift; here it is the item being chosen and later handed to the coworker. It is commonly used with を when the gift is the object of an action.
を
In プレゼントを選ぶ, を marks プレゼント as the thing being chosen. It commonly follows the object of an action such as choosing or handing something over.
選ぶ
選ぶ means to choose, and here it describes choosing a gift. Use the pattern プレゼントを選ぶ when saying that you choose a present.
必要
In 必要があります, 必要 expresses the need or necessity to choose a gift. The whole expression means that it is necessary, rather than 必要 alone meaning “need to.”
が
In 必要があります, が marks the need as what exists or is required. It also commonly marks the thing connected with 好き, as in お茶が好き.
あります
あります is the polite form related to ある, and in 必要があります it says that a necessity exists. Together with 必要, it gives the meaning “need to” or “it is necessary to.”
実用的
実用的 means useful or practical; in 実用的なもの, it describes a practical item as a possible gift. Use it before なもの when referring to something practical.
な
In 実用的なもの and 個人的なもの, な links the preceding description to the noun もの. This lets the phrase mean “a practical thing” or “a personal thing.”
もの
In 実用的なもの, もの means a thing or item and stands for a possible gift. It is useful after a description when the exact item does not need to be named.
いい
In いいですか, いい means good or preferable, so the question asks whether that option would be suitable. It is commonly used to ask whether something is acceptable or preferred.
です
In いいですか, です makes the statement polite. Together with いい, it presents the option politely before the question marker か.
か
At the end of いいですか, か marks the sentence as a question. It is used at the end of a polite question about a choice or preference.
それとも
それとも introduces the alternative in それとももっと個人的なものがいいですか, meaning “or alternatively.” Use it after one question or option when presenting another choice.
もっと
もっと means more, and here it makes the second option “more personal.” It is commonly placed before the word or description being increased.
個人的
個人的なもの means something personal rather than simply practical. 個人的 is used with な before もの or 感じ to describe a personal quality or impression.
彼女
彼女 means she or her, and in 彼女はお茶が好き it identifies the female coworker being discussed. Use it when referring to that woman as the topic or recipient.
は
In 彼女は, は marks 彼女 as the topic of the sentence. It sets up what is being said about her, here that she likes tea.
お茶
お茶 means tea, and here it is the drink that she likes. It commonly appears before が in the pattern お茶が好き.
好き
In お茶が好きなので, 好き expresses liking tea or being fond of it. The thing liked is marked by が, and ので then gives this preference as the reason for the suggestion.
ので
In お茶が好きなので, ので means because or since and introduces the reason for suggesting a tea set. Use it after a reason when explaining why something is proposed.
ティーセット
ティーセット means tea set; here it is the suggested gift for the coworker who likes tea. It is presented as a possible choice before がよさそうです.
よさそう
ティーセットがよさそうです means that the tea set seems good or suitable. よさそう is the “seems good” form related to いい, so it presents a tentative judgment rather than a firm decision.
感じ
In 個人的な感じですが, 感じ means a feeling or impression, giving the meaning “it feels personal.” Use it after a description when talking about how something comes across.
役
In 役にも立ちそう, 役 contributes the idea of use or benefit. The whole expression means that the tea set also seems useful; 役 alone does not carry that complete meaning here.
に
In 役にも立ちそう, に forms part of the expression about being useful, linking 役 with 立つ. It can also mark a recipient, as in 彼女にプレゼントを渡す.
も
In 役にも立ちそう, も adds the meaning “also,” showing that the gift seems useful in addition to feeling personal. It commonly follows a noun or particle phrase to add another point.
立ちそう
In 役にも立ちそうです, 立ちそう completes the idea that something seems likely to be useful. It is related to 立つ with そう, but the useful meaning comes from the whole expression 役にも立ちそう.
小さな
小さな describes the card as small in 小さなカード. It is placed directly before a noun and can be used to describe the size of an item.
カード
カード means card, and here it is the small card added to the gift and signed by everyone. It commonly appears with に when someone signs the card, as in カードにサインできます.
付けましょう
In カードも付けましょう, 付けましょう is the polite form related to 付ける and proposes “let’s add” or “let’s attach.” Use it for a polite suggestion to add something to an item or arrangement.
渡す
渡す means to give or hand something over, and here it describes handing the gift to her. The reusable pattern is recipient に plus object を plus 渡す.
前
In 渡す前に, 前 means before in time, not “in front of.” The pattern verb plus 前に is used to say that one action happens before another.
みんな
みんな means everyone or all of us, and here it refers to everyone signing the card. It commonly appears with で when a group performs an action together.
で
In みんなで, で shows that the action is done together as a group. It commonly follows a group such as みんな when emphasizing joint participation.
サイン
In カードにサインできます, サイン means a signature or the act of signing, specifically signing the card here. It commonly appears with に for the item being signed.
できます
できます is the polite form related to できる, and in サインできます it means “can sign.” It follows the action expression to state that someone is able to perform it.
Grammar Points
～そうです
役にも立ちそうです。
yah-koo nee moh tah-chee-SOH deh-sooIt also looks like it will be useful.
Attach ～そうです to the verb stem to say that something appears likely to happen or be true.
～ましょう
小さなカードを付けましょう。
CHEE-sah-nah KAH-doh oh tsoo-keh-mah-SHOHLet's add a small card.
Use ～ましょう to make a suggestion or invite someone to do something together.
Japanese Vocabulary
いい
adj
EE
good; preferable
いいです
お茶
noun
oh-CHAH
tea
それとも
conj
soh-reh-toh-MOH
or; or else
ティーセット
noun
TEE-seht-toh
tea set
プレゼント
noun
preh-ZEHN-toh
gift
もの
noun
MOH-noh
thing
個人的
adj
koh-jin-TEH-kee
personal
個人的な
実用的
adj
jee-TSOO-yoh-TEH-kee
useful; practical
実用的な
選ぶ
verb
eh-RAH-boo
to choose
同僚
noun
doh-RYOH
coworker
彼女
pron
kah-noh-joh
she; her
必要
noun
hee-TSOO-yoh
necessary
必要が
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
useful; practical
Show Answer
実用的なgift
Show Answer
プレゼントor; or else
Show Answer
それともpersonal