Checking in and waiting at a clinic | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. すみません、待合室はどこですか？

   Excuse me, where is the waiting room?

   すみません

   Excuse me

   待合室

   waiting room

   どこ

   where

   ですか

   is it? / polite question ending

   More detail

   すみません is a polite way to get someone’s attention or say “Excuse me.” It can also apologize, but here the intended use is to begin a polite request for information. 待合室 means “waiting room.” It is a noun: 待合室は… sets “the waiting room” as the topic. The final element 室 is used in nouns for a room, as in 教室 “classroom.” どこ asks “where?” It is the location question word. A useful contrast is ここ “here,” そこ “there,” and あそこ “over there”; どこ asks which location. Example: トイレはどこですか？ — “Where is the restroom?” ですか makes the question polite. です is the polite copular form, and か marks the preceding statement as a question. With a location question, the reusable pattern is 場所はどこですか？ — “Where is [the place]?” The topic marker は is pronounced “wa” here; it marks the place being asked about. Putting the parts together, 待合室はどこですか？ literally follows the pattern “As for the waiting room, where is it?” In natural English, the complete utterance is “Excuse me, where is the waiting room?”

2. 受付カウンターを通り過ぎてください。

   Go past the front desk.

   受付カウンター

   front desk

   通り過ぎてください

   please go past

   More detail

   受付カウンター means “front desk” here. It is a compound: 受付 refers to reception or the reception desk, while カウンター means “counter.” Together, they identify the desk to pass. 通り過ぎてください is a polite request. The base verb is 通り過ぎる, “to go past” or “to pass by.” Here it appears as 通り過ぎて, the て-form, followed by ください, which makes a polite request: “please go past.” This pattern is reusable as verb-てください. Example: 駅を通り過ぎないでください。 — “Please do not go past the station.” The negative request uses 通り過ぎないでください rather than the affirmative 通り過ぎてください. Assembled, 受付カウンターを通り過ぎてください。 says “Please go past the front desk.” を marks 受付カウンター as the object or route-related landmark of 通り過ぎる.

3. 左手にあります。

   It will be on your left.

   左手

   your left

   にあります

   is located there

   More detail

   左手 means “your left” here, referring to the left-hand side in the directions. Literally, 左 is “left” and 手 is “hand”; together, 左手 can mean the left hand or the left side, depending on context. In directional language, 左手にあります is a reusable pattern for saying that something is on the listener’s left. にあります contains the location particle に and the polite form あります of ある. ある is used for the existence or location of something nonliving or treated as nonliving; あります is its polite nonpast form. The pattern [place] にあります means “is located at/in/on [place].” For example, 机の上にあります。 means “It is on the desk.” Japanese nonpast forms can describe a present location, and they do not by themselves require a separate future tense. The English “will be” in the fixed translation expresses the expected location in the situation; あります itself is the polite nonpast form. Together, 左手 + に + あります gives “is on your left”: the location is the left-hand side, and the polite predicate states that the relevant thing is located there.

4. 座る前に受付をする必要がありますか？

   Do I need to check in before I sit down?

   座る

   sit down

   前に

   before

   受付

   check-in

   受付をする

   check in

   必要がありますか？

   is it necessary?

   More detail

   座る means “to sit” or “to sit down.” This is the dictionary form, and it is the form used before 前に in the pattern for “before doing something.” Example: ここに座る。— “I sit here” or, in a suitable context, “Sit here.” 前に means “before.” The pattern verb-dictionary form + 前に means “before doing [the verb].” Thus 座る前に means “before sitting down.” Example: 食べる前に手を洗います。— “I wash my hands before eating.” 受付 is a noun meaning “reception” or “check-in.” Here it refers to the check-in procedure, as in the fixed translation, rather than necessarily to a physical reception desk. 受付をする uses the noun 受付 with をする to express carrying out that procedure: “to check in.” The particle を marks 受付 as the action being performed. Example: 入口で受付をします。— “I check in at the entrance.” 必要がありますか？ asks whether something is necessary or required. 必要 means “necessary,” and あります is the polite form of ある, meaning “to exist.” The pattern 必要がある literally presents a necessity as existing; with か, it becomes a polite question. Here, the action considered necessary is the preceding 受付をする. Example: 予約が必要ですか。— “Is a reservation necessary?” Together, 座る前に受付をする必要がありますか？ means “Do I need to check in before I sit down?” In the utterance's order, 座る前に sets “before sitting down” as the time condition, 受付をする names the check-in action, and 必要がありますか？ asks whether that action is required. The question does not assert that the speaker has already checked in or sat down.

5. 先にこの用紙に記入してください。

   Fill out this form first.

   先に

   first; beforehand

   この

   this

   用紙

   form; sheet

   記入してください

   please fill out

   More detail

   先に means “first” or “beforehand” and places that timing before the requested action. It is an adverb, so it modifies the action rather than the noun. Example: 先に食べます。 — “I’ll eat first.” この means “this” and is used before a noun to identify something as near or contextually indicated to the speaker. It does not stand alone in this use; the noun follows it. Example: この本 — “this book.” 用紙 means “form” or “sheet of paper,” especially a designated sheet for writing information. It is a noun. Example: 用紙を見せてください。 — “Please show me the form.” 記入してください is a polite request meaning “please fill it out.” The lexical verb is 記入する, meaning “to fill in or enter information on a form.” 記入 combines with する to make a verb; して is the て-form of する, and ください makes the request polite. In this sentence, この用紙に identifies the form as the place or target on which the information is entered: に here does not mark a direct object. Example: ここに名前を記入してください。 — “Please enter your name here.” Together, 先に sets the order, この用紙に identifies where the writing should be done, and 記入してください gives the polite request: “Please fill out this form first.”

6. それから、受付に渡してください。

   Then hand it to the desk.

   それから

   then; after that

   受付

   reception desk

   渡してください

   please hand it over

   More detail

   それから means “then” or “after that.” It links this action to an earlier step in sequence. Example: それから、座ってください。— “Then, please sit down.” 受付 means “reception” or “the reception desk.” It is a noun; in this sentence, に marks it as the destination or recipient of the handover. Example: 受付に行きます。— “I’m going to reception.” 渡してください is a polite request meaning “please hand it over.” The base verb is 渡す, “to hand over” or “to pass.” Its て-form, 渡して, combines with ください to make a polite request: 渡してください. This form addresses the listener, asking them to perform the action; it does not itself specify the object. Example: これを先生に渡してください。— “Please hand this to the teacher.” Together, それから、受付に渡してください。means “Then hand it to the reception desk.” The sequence word connects this request with the preceding step, に marks 受付 as the recipient or destination, and 渡してください politely asks the listener to hand over the understood item. The object is not stated as a separate Japanese noun here, while the fixed translation identifies it as “it.”

7. 私の番になったら、誰かが呼んでくれますか？

   Will someone call me when it's my turn?

   私の番

   my turn

   になったら

   when it becomes

   誰か

   someone

   呼んでくれますか

   will you call me?

   More detail

   私の番 means “my turn.” 私 is the first-person pronoun “I/me,” and の links it to the noun that follows: 私の番 = “my turn.” 番 is a noun for a turn or one’s place in an order. The sentence does not specify what activity the turn is for. になったら is に + なったら, from なる (“to become”). The form なった is the past form of なる, and たら makes a conditional meaning such as “when” or “if.” After a noun, Nになったら means “when it becomes N” or, as here, “when it is my turn.” Thus 私の番になったら sets the time: “when it is my turn.” 誰か means “someone” or “somebody.” It is made from the question word 誰 (“who”) plus か, which makes an indefinite expression. Compare 誰 = “who?” with 誰か = “someone.” Here it is the person who may perform the calling; the sentence does not identify that person. 呼んでくれますか asks whether someone will call the speaker. 呼んで is the て-form of 呼ぶ (“to call”); 呼ぶ is the dictionary form, and 呼んで connects it to くれる. 〜てくれる presents an action as something done for the speaker or another person important in the context. くれますか is the polite question form, so 呼んでくれますか is a polite way to ask whether the person will call the speaker. The object “me” is understood from the fixed translation, although it is not stated as a separate word in the Japanese sentence. Together, 私の番になったら gives the time condition, 誰か gives an unspecified caller, and 呼んでくれますか asks about a helpful action toward the speaker: “Will someone call me when it’s my turn?”

8. すぐに看護師があなたの名前を呼ぶはずです。

   A nurse should call your name shortly.

   すぐに

   shortly; soon

   看護師

   nurse

   あなた

   you

   名前

   name

   呼ぶ

   call

   はずです

   should; be expected to

   More detail

   すぐに means “soon” or “shortly” here. It is an adverb, so it describes when the calling is expected to happen. For example, すぐに来ます means “They will come soon.” 看護師 means “nurse.” It is a noun and does not itself mark whether there is one nurse or more than one; the singular reading here comes from the English translation and context, not from a special Japanese singular ending. あなた means “you.” In this sentence, あなたの uses の to connect it to 名前: “your name.” Japanese often omits pronouns when the referent is clear, but this sentence explicitly includes あなた. 名前 means “name.” The pattern Xの名前 means “X’s name” or “the name of X.” For example, 彼の名前 means “his name.” 呼ぶ is the dictionary form meaning “to call” in this sentence. It is a verb, and the form before はずです remains the plain non-past form: 呼ぶはずです. The same verb can also mean “to invite” or “to summon” in other contexts, but here the object 名前 identifies the meaning “call someone’s name.” For example, 先生が学生の名前を呼ぶ means “The teacher calls the student’s name.” はずです expresses an expectation based on available information: “should,” “is expected to,” or “ought to be the case.” It does not primarily express an instruction or obligation. In 呼ぶはずです, はず is attached to the plain-form clause 看護師があなたの名前を呼ぶ, and です gives the expression a polite sentence ending. The sentence builds as すぐに (“shortly”) + 看護師が (“a nurse,” marked as the expected action’s subject) + あなたの名前を (“your name,” marked as the object) + 呼ぶはずです (“is expected to call”). Together: “A nurse should call your name shortly.”

9. 保険証をすぐ出せるようにしておいたほうがいいですか？

   Should I keep my insurance card ready?

   保険証

   insurance card

   すぐ

   right away

   出せる

   can take out or present

   ようにしておいた

   arranged so that it is ready

   ほうがいいですか

   would it be better to…?

   More detail

   保険証 means “insurance card.” It is an established compound, so learn it as a whole rather than treating 証 alone as the general word for “card.” Example: 保険証を見せてください。 — “Please show your insurance card.” すぐ means “right away” or “soon.” Here it modifies the action of taking out or presenting the card. Example: すぐ行きます。 — “I’ll go right away.” 出せる is the potential form of 出す, which can mean “take out,” “bring out,” or “present” depending on the context. The potential form expresses ability or feasibility: 出せる means “can take out/present,” unlike the basic form 出す. Example: カードを出せます。 — “I can present the card.” ようにする describes arranging things so that a desired condition or action is possible. With 出せる, 出せるようにする means “arrange things so that it can be taken out/presented.” しておく adds preparation in advance, and in しておいたほうがいい, the past-looking form is part of the advice pattern V-ておいたほうがいい: “it would be better to do V in advance.” It does not by itself assert that the preparation has already been completed. Example: すぐ使えるようにしておきます。 — “I’ll get it ready so it can be used right away.” ほうがいいですか is a polite question asking whether the proposed action would be better or advisable. After しておいた, it asks whether preparing the card in advance would be advisable; it does not itself make the action mandatory. Example: 予約したほうがいいですか。 — “Would it be better to make a reservation?” Together, 保険証を marks the insurance card as the object. すぐ出せるようにしておいた means preparing it in advance so it can be taken out or presented right away, and ほうがいいですか asks whether that preparation would be advisable. The whole utterance means: “Should I keep my insurance card ready?”

10. また受付で必要になるかもしれないので、すぐ出せるところに置いておいてください。

    Keep it handy in case the desk needs it again.

    また

    again

    受付で

    at the desk

    必要になる

    be needed

    かもしれない

    might

    ので

    because; so

    すぐ出せる

    can take out immediately

    ところに

    in a place

    置いておいてください

    please keep it there

    More detail

    また means “again” here. It marks a repeated future need: the item may be needed at the reception desk another time. It does not by itself say how many times this has happened. 受付で means “at the reception desk.” 受付 is a noun for a reception or service desk, and で marks the place where an action or event occurs. For example, 受付で聞きます means “I’ll ask at the reception desk.” 必要になる means “become needed” or “come to be necessary.” The base noun/adjective-like form is 必要 (“necessary; needed”), and なる means “become.” The combination describes a change into a state of necessity, rather than simply saying that something is currently necessary. Here, the item may become necessary at the desk again. かもしれない adds uncertainty: “might” or “may.” It follows the plain form of the preceding clause, so 必要になるかもしれない means “it might become necessary.” This is a possibility, not a definite prediction. For example, 明日必要かもしれない means “It might be needed tomorrow.” ので connects a reason with a resulting request or instruction. The possibility that the item may be needed again is the reason for what follows. Compared with a bare statement, this connection makes the instruction sound like a practical consequence of that reason. すぐ出せる means “can take it out or present it immediately.” 出せる is the potential form of 出す (“take out; present; put out”), expressing ability or readiness to do that action; it is not the simple nonpotential form 出す. すぐ means “immediately” or “without delay.” For example, カードをすぐ出せます means “I can present the card immediately.” ところに means “in a place where.” ところ is a noun meaning “place” here, and に marks the place toward which something is put or kept. The clause すぐ出せるところ identifies a place that allows the item to be taken out immediately; it does not assert that the place itself is a desk. 置いておいてください is a polite request to put something somewhere and leave it there, or to keep it in that prepared state. 置く means “put” or “place”; 置いて is its connective て-form, and the following おく expresses maintaining the result of an action or doing it in advance. ください makes the request polite. Thus, this wording asks the listener to arrange the item so it remains readily available, rather than merely asking for a momentary placement. Together, the sentence says: because the item may be needed again at the reception desk, please put it in a place from which it can be taken out immediately and leave it there. In the bounded context, the item is the insurance card mentioned in the preceding question, while the Japanese request itself omits the noun because it is understood from context.