About This Lesson
Use Reading medicine label instructions to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
薬局でこの薬を受け取りました。
yahk-KYOH-koo deh koh-noh YAH-koo o oo-keh-toh-ree-mah-SHEE-tah. I picked up this medicine at the pharmacy.
B
薬剤師は説明をしましたか。
yah-koo-ZAH-ee-shee wah seh-tsu-MEH-ee o shee-mah-SHEE-tah kah? Did the pharmacist explain the instructions?
A
ラベルには、食後に飲むと書いてあります。
rah-beh-roo nee-wah, shoh-KOO-goh nee NOH-moo toh KAH-ee-teh ah-ree-mah-SOO. The label says to take it after meals.
B
では、朝食前に飲まないでください。
DEH-wah, choh-SHOH-koo-mah-eh nee noh-mah-NAH-ee deh koo-dah-SIGH. Then do not take it before breakfast.
A
飲む量がよく分かりません。
NOH-moo RYOH gah YOH-koo wah-kah-ree-mah-SEN. I am not sure about the dose.
B
ラベルが分かりにくかったら、薬局に電話してください。
rah-beh-roo gah wah-kah-ree-nee-koo-KAHT-tah-rah, yahk-KYOH-koo nee DEN-wah shee-teh koo-dah-SIGH. Call the pharmacy if the label is unclear.
A
推測するより、そのほうが安全です。
swee-soh-KOO soo-ROO yoh-ree, soh-noh hoh gah AHN-zen deh-SOO. That is safer than guessing.
B
薬剤師が、飲む前に正しい量を教えてくれます。
yah-koo-ZAH-ee-shee gah, NOH-moo mah-eh nee tah-dah-SHEE RYOH o oh-SHEE-eh-teh koo-reh-mah-SOO. The pharmacist can tell you the correct dose before you take it.Word by Word
薬局
The exact form means pharmacy. In 「薬局で」, it is the place where the medicine was picked up, and in 「薬局に電話してください」, it is the destination of the call. This is useful when asking or advising someone to contact a pharmacy about medicine.
で
In 「薬局で」, this particle marks the place where the action happens. It connects the pharmacy with the action of receiving the medicine. Use it after a place when describing where an action takes place.
この
The exact form means this and points to a specific thing near the speaker or already identified in the conversation. In 「この薬」, it identifies the particular medicine being discussed. It is used before a noun in a pattern such as this + noun.
薬
The exact form means medicine in this dialogue. In 「この薬を受け取りました」, it is the medicine that the speaker picked up. This word is useful when discussing medicine, taking it, or checking its instructions.
を
In 「この薬を受け取りました」, this particle marks the medicine as the thing received. It also appears in 「説明をしました」, marking the explanation connected with しました. Use it after the thing directly involved in an action.
受け取りました
The exact form means picked up or received, referring here to receiving the medicine from the pharmacy. It is the polite past form related to 受け取る. Use it when reporting that you received an item from a person or place.
薬剤師
The exact form means pharmacist. In 「薬剤師は」, the pharmacist is the person who explained the instructions or can provide the correct dose. This word is useful when addressing or referring to a medicine professional.
は
In 「薬剤師は」, this particle marks the pharmacist as the topic of the question. The sentence asks whether that person explained the instructions. Use it after the person or thing you want to make the topic of a statement or question.
説明
The exact form means explanation. In 「説明をしました」, it names the explanation given by the pharmacist. This word is useful when discussing information or instructions that someone has explained.
しました
In 「説明をしました」, this exact form says that the pharmacist gave an explanation. It is the polite past form related to する, used here with 説明. A noun followed by this form can report that someone carried out the relevant action.
か
At the end of 「薬剤師は説明をしましたか」, this particle marks the sentence as a question. It turns the statement into a request for confirmation. Use it at the end of a polite question.
ラベル
The exact form means label, referring here to the medicine label with written instructions. In 「ラベルには」 and 「ラベルが分かりにくかったら」, it is the source of the information being checked. This word is useful when discussing instructions printed on packaging.
に
In 「ラベルには」, に marks the label as the place where the information is written. In 「飲む前に」, it marks the time before an action, and in 「薬局に電話してください」, it marks the destination of the call. Its exact function depends on the place or time expression it follows.
食後
The exact form means after meals. In 「食後に飲む」, it gives the time when the medicine should be taken. This is a useful time expression for following medicine instructions.
飲む
The exact form means take medicine in 「食後に飲む」, although its basic meaning can also be drink. Here it describes taking the medicine at the time written on the label. It also appears in 「飲む前に」 to refer to the action of taking it.
と
In 「飲むと書いてあります」, this particle marks 「飲む」 as the content that is written. It connects the instruction with the statement that the label says it. Use it when reporting exact content that someone said or something states.
書いて
In 「書いてあります」, this exact form means written and connects the act of writing with the information that remains on the label. It is the te-form related to 書く. Use this construction when describing information that is written or displayed somewhere.
あります
In 「書いてあります」, this exact form states that the written information is present on the label. Together with 書いて, it describes the result of writing rather than a separate action happening now. This construction is useful for pointing out instructions or information that appears in writing.
では
In 「では、朝食前に飲まないでください」, this exact form means then or in that case. It links the label information to the next advice about when not to take the medicine. Use it when moving from information already mentioned to a conclusion or instruction.
朝食前
The exact form means before breakfast. In 「朝食前に飲まないでください」, it identifies the time when the medicine should not be taken. This compound is useful for giving instructions connected to a particular meal.
飲まない
The exact form means do not take or do not drink in 「飲まないでください」. It is the negative form related to 飲む and forms a polite request not to perform the action. Use this pattern when politely telling someone not to take medicine or drink something.
ください
In 「飲まないでください」, this exact form makes the negative instruction a polite request. The surrounding form supplies the action being prohibited, while ください makes the request directed to the listener. This is useful when giving clear but polite safety instructions.
量
The exact form means amount or dose in this dialogue. In 「飲む量」, it means the amount of medicine to take, and in 「正しい量」, it means the correct dose. It is useful when asking how much medicine or another substance should be used.
が
In 「飲む量がよく分かりません」, this particle marks the dose as the thing the speaker does not understand. It also appears in 「薬剤師が」, marking the pharmacist as the person who will provide the information. Use it to identify the subject or the specific thing being described.
よく
In 「よく分かりません」, this exact form means well or clearly and modifies the speaker’s understanding. Together with the negative expression, it says that the dose is not clearly understood. This pattern is useful when information is confusing or uncertain.
分かりません
The exact form means do not understand or am not sure in 「飲む量がよく分かりません」. It is the polite negative form related to 分かる and expresses uncertainty about the dose. Use it when you need to say that instructions or information are not clear to you.
分かりにくかったら
The exact form means if it is difficult to understand or if it is unclear. Here it describes the medicine label and introduces the condition for calling the pharmacy. Use this conditional form when giving advice about what to do if information is hard to understand.
電話
The exact form means a phone call or telephone. In 「薬局に電話してください」, it is used with the pharmacy as the destination and with してください as a request to call. This is useful when telling someone to contact a person or place by phone.
して
In 「電話してください」, this exact form contributes the action of making the call and joins it to ください as a polite request. It is the te-form related to する. The pattern is useful when asking someone politely to carry out an action.
推測する
The exact form means guess or infer. In 「推測するより」, it refers to deciding the dose by guessing, which the dialogue compares with calling the pharmacy. This word is useful when someone is forming an answer without confirmed information.
より
In 「推測するより」, this exact form marks guessing as the option used for comparison. The surrounding sentence says that another option is safer than that option. Use it after the option or action being compared against.
その
The exact form means that and points back to an option already mentioned. In 「そのほうが安全です」, it refers to calling the pharmacy instead of guessing. Use it before a noun when referring to a previously identified thing, choice, or course of action.
ほう
In 「そのほうが安全です」, this exact form means that way or that option. It treats the previously mentioned action as one choice in a comparison with guessing. This is useful when comparing two possible actions or decisions.
安全
The exact word means safe. In 「そのほうが安全です」, the surrounding comparison makes the chosen option safer than guessing, while 安全 supplies the safety judgment. This word is useful when evaluating an action or choice for risk.
です
In 「安全です」, this exact form politely presents the statement that the option is safe. The comparative meaning comes from the surrounding expression, while です gives the sentence a polite ending. Use it to make a polite statement about a description or judgment.
前
In 「朝食前」, the exact form means before in a time compound. In 「飲む前に」, it marks the time before taking the medicine. It is useful after a time expression or an action when describing what happens before it.
正しい
The exact form means correct. In 「正しい量」, it describes the dose that is correct for the medicine. This adjective is useful before a noun when identifying the right information, amount, or answer.
教えて
In 「教えてくれます」, this exact form means tell or provide information about the correct dose. It is the te-form related to 教える and connects the act of telling with くれます. This construction is useful when someone gives you information or explains something you need to know.
くれます
In 「教えてくれます」, this exact form shows that the pharmacist does the telling for the listener’s benefit. It is the polite form related to くれる and follows 教えて in this construction. Use it when describing someone doing something for you or providing something useful to you.
Grammar Points
〜てあります
ラベルに朝食前と書いてあります。
rah-beh-roo nee choh-SHOH-koo-mah-eh toh KAH-ee-teh ah-ree-mah-SOO.The label says “before breakfast.”
〜てあります describes something that has been written or arranged and remains in that state.
〜たら、〜てください
分かりにくかったら、電話してください。
wah-kah-ree-nee-koo-KAHT-tah-rah, DEN-wah shee-teh koo-dah-SIGH.If it is difficult to understand, please call.
〜たら expresses a condition: “if/when ….” It can be followed by a request with 〜てください.
Japanese Vocabulary
ラベル
noun
RAH-beh-roo
label
飲む
verb
NOH-moo
to take; to drink
受け取る
verb
oo-keh-TOH-roo
to pick up; to receive
受け取りました
書く
verb
KAH-koo
to write; to say in writing
書いてあります
食後
noun
shoh-KOO-goh
after meals
説明
noun
seh-tsu-MEH-ee
explanation; instructions
朝食前
noun
choh-SHOH-koo-mah-eh
before breakfast
分かる
verb
wah-KAH-roo
to understand; to know
分かりません
薬
noun
YAH-koo
medicine
薬局
noun
yahk-KYOH-koo
pharmacy
薬剤師
noun
yah-koo-ZAH-ee-shee
pharmacist
量
noun
RYOH
amount; dose
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to pick up; to receive
Show Answer
受け取りましたto write; to say in writing
Show Answer
書いてありますto understand; to know
Show Answer
分かりませんafter meals