About This Lesson
Use Improving Sleep Habits to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
最近、よく眠れていません。
sigh-KEEN, YOH-koo neh-moo-reh-TEH ee-mah-SEN. I have not been sleeping well recently.
B
夜の習慣を変えたほうがいいかもしれません。
YOH-roo noh shoo-KAN oh kah-eh-tah HOH-gah EE-kah moh-shee-reh-MAH-sen. Maybe your evening routine needs changing.
A
寝る直前にスマートフォンを使っています。
neh-roo joh-koo-ZEN nee soo-MAH-toh-fohn oh tsoo-KAHT-teh ee-mah-SEN. I use my phone right before bed.
B
画面を見る時間を減らすと、リラックスできるかもしれません。
gah-MEN oh mee-roo JEE-kan oh heh-RAH-soo toh, ree-RAHK-koo-soo deh-KEE-roo kah moh-shee-reh-MAH-sen. Less screen time may help you relax.
A
代わりに本を読んだほうがいいですか。
kah-WAH-ree nee hohn oh yohn-dah HOH-gah EE dess-kah? Should I read a book instead?
B
落ち着ける、簡単なものを選びましょう。
oh-chee-tsoo-KEH-roo, KAHN-tahn nah moh-noh oh eh-rah-bee-mah-SHOH. Choose something calm and easy.
B
そうすれば、心がゆっくり落ち着きます。
soh-oo seh-reh-bah, koh-KOH-roh gah yook-koo-ree oh-chee-TSOO-kee-mah-SOO. So your mind can slow down.
A
それを数晩試してみます。
soh-reh oh SOO-BAHN TAH-meh-SHEE-teh mee-mah-SOO. I will try that for a few nights.
B
決まった習慣があると、よく眠れるようになります。
kee-MAHT-tah shoo-KAN gah ah-roo toh, YOH-koo neh-moo-reh-roo yoo nee nah-ree-MAH-soo. A steady routine can improve sleep.Word by Word
最近
「最近」means “recently” in this dialogue and sets the time for the speaker’s current sleep problem. It commonly appears with a statement about something that has happened recently.
よく
「よく」means “well” here and describes the quality of sleeping. In 「よく眠れていません」, it appears directly before the sleep expression.
眠れて
「眠れて」means “being able to sleep” and connects to 「いません」 in 「眠れていません」. It is the て-form of 「眠れる」, used here to describe the continuing sleep situation.
いません
In 「眠れていません」, 「いません」 makes the continuing situation politely negative, so the speaker says they have not been sleeping well. The form is useful after a て-form when describing an ongoing action or state negatively.
夜
「夜」means the evening or night period in 「夜の習慣」. It commonly comes before 「の」 to specify the time or context of a routine.
の
In 「夜の習慣」, 「の」 links 「夜」 with 「習慣」 and means that the habit is connected with the evening or night. A common reusable pattern is noun + 「の」 + noun.
習慣
「習慣」means “habit” or “routine” in this dialogue, referring to the speaker’s evening routine. It can be followed by 「を」 when the habit is the thing being changed.
を
In 「習慣を変えた」, 「を」 marks 「習慣」 as the thing being changed. It commonly follows the object of an action such as 「変える」.
変えた
「変えた」means “changed” and appears in 「変えたほうがいい」 as the suggested action. It is the past form of 「変える」, used in this recommendation pattern to present an action as preferable.
ほう
In 「変えたほうがいい」, 「ほう」 presents changing the routine as the better course of action. The pattern 「〜たほうがいい」 is commonly used to recommend an action.
が
In 「変えたほうがいい」, 「が」 marks the recommended course before 「いい」. This particle is part of the reusable recommendation pattern 「〜たほうがいい」.
いい
In 「変えたほうがいい」, 「いい」means “good” or “preferable,” so the expression recommends changing the routine. It evaluates the action placed before 「ほうが」.
かもしれません
「かもしれません」makes the statement tentative, meaning “may” or “might.” In this dialogue, 「かも」 marks possibility and 「しれません」 completes the polite expression, so the speaker gently suggests that changing the routine may help.
寝る
「寝る」means “sleep” or “go to bed” in 「寝る直前」. Its dictionary form appears before 「直前」 to identify the point immediately before going to bed.
直前
「直前」means “just before” in 「寝る直前に」. It commonly follows an action or event to describe the moment immediately preceding it.
に
In 「寝る直前に」, 「に」marks the time when the phone is used: just before going to bed. It commonly follows a specific time or time expression.
スマートフォン
「スマートフォン」means “smartphone” and is the device being used before bed. It can appear before 「を」 when it is the object of an action such as using it.
使って
「使って」means “using” and connects to 「います」 in 「使っています」. It is the て-form of 「使う」, used here to form an ongoing action.
います
In 「使っています」, 「います」 helps express that the speaker is currently using the phone as an ongoing action. The polite form commonly follows a て-form when describing an action in progress.
画面
「画面」means “screen” in 「画面を見る時間」. It identifies what the person looks at and can be followed by 「を」 before 「見る」.
見る
「見る」means “look at” or “view” in 「画面を見る時間」. Its dictionary form appears before 「時間」 to describe time spent looking at the screen.
時間
「時間」means “time” in 「画面を見る時間」, referring to the amount of time spent looking at a screen. A common pattern is an action placed before 「時間」 to specify what the time is spent doing.
減らす
「減らす」means “reduce” in 「時間を減らす」, with screen-viewing time as the thing to reduce. The reusable pattern is 「〜を減らす」, meaning to reduce something.
と
In 「減らすと」, 「と」 connects reducing screen time with the expected result that follows. Here it has the meaning “when” or “if” in a cause-and-result pattern.
リラックス
「リラックス」means “relax” in 「リラックスできる」. It is followed by 「できる」 to express the possibility of relaxing.
できる
In 「リラックスできる」, 「できる」means “can” or “be able to,” so the phrase means “can relax.” It commonly follows an activity or expression to show that the activity is possible.
代わり
「代わり」means “instead” in 「代わりに」 and introduces the replacement choice of reading a book. A common reusable pattern is 「Xの代わりにY」, meaning “Y instead of X.”
本
「本」means “book” and is the proposed alternative to using a phone before bed. It can be followed by 「を」 when it is the object of 「読む」.
読んだ
「読んだ」means “read” in 「読んだほうがいいですか」 and presents reading a book as a possible recommended action. It is the past form of 「読む」, which is used in the pattern 「〜たほうがいい」.
です
In 「いいですか」, 「です」 gives the question a polite tone while evaluating the suggested choice. It appears at the end of this polite question before 「か」.
か
At the end of 「いいですか」, 「か」 marks the sentence as a question. It is commonly placed at the end of a polite question.
落ち着ける
「落ち着ける」describes something that helps a person calm down in 「落ち着ける、簡単なもの」. It appears before 「もの」 to describe the kind of thing the speaker recommends choosing.
簡単
「簡単」means “easy” or “simple” in 「簡単なもの」. It describes the recommended choice as not difficult, and it is followed by 「な」 before the noun 「もの」.
な
In 「簡単なもの」, 「な」 links 「簡単」 to the noun 「もの」 and allows 「簡単」 to describe it. This is a common noun-modifying pattern after words such as 「簡単」.
もの
「もの」means “thing” or “something” in 「簡単なもの」. Here it refers generally to something calm and easy to choose, such as the reading material being discussed.
選び
「選び」means “choose” and connects to 「ましょう」 in 「選びましょう」. It is the verb stem of 「選ぶ」, used before the polite suggestion ending.
ましょう
「ましょう」makes 「選びましょう」 a polite suggestion: “let’s choose.” It commonly follows a verb stem when inviting someone to do something together or politely proposing an action.
そう
In 「そうすれば」, 「そう」means “that way” and points back to the suggested calm and easy choice. It commonly refers to an action or situation just mentioned.
すれば
「すれば」means “if one does” in 「そうすれば」, giving the condition for the calming result. It is the conditional form of 「する」 and commonly appears in 「〜すれば、…」 patterns.
心
「心」means “mind” or “heart” in 「心がゆっくり落ち着きます」. Here it refers to the person’s mental state, which is marked by 「が」 as the thing that settles.
ゆっくり
「ゆっくり」means “slowly” or “calmly” in 「ゆっくり落ち着きます」. It describes how the mind settles and commonly comes before the verb it modifies.
落ち着き
「落ち着き」means “settle down” or “become calm” and connects to 「ます」 in 「落ち着きます」. It is the verb stem of 「落ち着く」 used before the polite ending.
ます
In 「落ち着きます」, 「ます」marks the verb as polite. It commonly follows a verb stem in polite statements about an action or state.
それ
「それ」means “that” in 「それを数晩試してみます」 and refers to the calm, easy choice suggested in the previous line. It commonly stands before 「を」 when the referred-to thing is the object of an action.
数晩
「数晩」means “several nights” and sets the period during which the speaker will try the new routine. It commonly appears before an action to show how long or over how many nights it will continue.
試して
「試して」means “try” and connects to 「みます」 in 「試してみます」. It is the て-form of 「試す」, used here to frame the suggested routine as something the speaker will try doing.
みます
In 「試してみます」, 「みます」means “try doing” after the て-form 「試して」. It is the polite form of the auxiliary 「みる」 in this construction.
決まった
「決まった」describes the routine as set or regular in 「決まった習慣」. It is the past form of 「決まる」 used before 「習慣」 to describe its established quality.
ある
In 「決まった習慣がある」, 「ある」means that a set routine exists or is present. With 「が」, it commonly expresses the existence or possession of a nonliving thing such as a routine.
眠れる
「眠れる」means “be able to sleep” in 「よく眠れるようになります」. It is the potential form of 「眠る」 and describes the ability to sleep well that develops.
よう
In 「眠れるようになります」, 「よう」sets up the state of being able to sleep, and 「なります」 expresses becoming that way. The pattern 「〜ようになる」 commonly means “come to be able to” or “come to be in a certain state.”
なり
「なり」means “become” and connects to 「ます」 in 「なります」. It is the verb stem of 「なる」 used before the polite ending.
Grammar Points
～たほうがいい
夜寝る直前にスマートフォンを使う習慣は、変えたほうがいい。
YOH-roo neh-roo joh-koo-ZEN nee soo-MAH-toh-fohn oh tsoo-KAH-oo shoo-KAN wah, kah-eh-tah HOH-gah EE.You should change the habit of using a smartphone just before bed.
Advice is expressed with the past form plus ほうがいい, literally “it is better to do.”
～てみる
数晩、ゆっくり試してみます。
SOO-BAHN, yook-koo-ree TAH-meh-SHEE-teh mee-MAH-soo.I will try it gently for a few nights.
てみる means “try doing something” and shows that the speaker will experiment with an action.
Japanese Vocabulary
スマートフォン
noun
soo-MAH-toh-fohn
smartphone
よく
adv
YOH-koo
well
画面
noun
gah-MEN
screen
最近
adv
sigh-KEEN
recently
使う
verb
tsoo-KAH-oo
to use
使っています
時間
noun
JEE-kan
time
習慣
noun
shoo-KAN
habit; routine
寝る
verb
neh-ROO
to go to bed; to sleep
直前
noun
joh-koo-ZEN
just before; immediately before
変えたほうがいい
phrase
kah-eh-tah HOH-gah EE
should change; it would be better to change
眠る
verb
neh-MOO-roo
to sleep
眠れていません
夜
noun
YOH-roo
night; evening
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
should change; it would be better to change
Show Answer
変えたほうがいいto sleep
Show Answer
眠れていませんsmartphone
Show Answer
スマートフォンto use