Using the Shared Laundry Schedule | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. 共有のランドリールームは今日は混んでいます。

   The shared laundry room is busy today.

   共有の

   shared

   ランドリールーム

   laundry room

   今日

   today

   混んでいます

   is busy

   More detail

   共有の means “shared” here and modifies the noun that follows it. The particle の links this modifier to ランドリールーム, giving the reusable pattern AのB = “B that is A” or “A’s B,” depending on context. For example, 共有のキッチン means “a shared kitchen.” ランドリールーム is the noun “laundry room.” It is a loanword written in katakana. In this sentence, it is the topic noun being described. 今日 means “today.” In 今日は, は marks 今日 as the time topic, so the sentence sets today as the time frame. A useful contrast is 今日は “today” versus 明日は “tomorrow”; the time expression changes, while the topic-marking pattern stays the same. 混んでいます means “is busy” in the sense of being crowded or having many people using the place. Its base form is 混む (“to become crowded” or “to be crowded”). The 〜ています form presents the crowded condition as continuing or currently holding, and ます makes the expression polite. For example, 電車が混んでいます。 means “The train is crowded.” Together, 共有のランドリールーム identifies the shared laundry room, 今日は sets today as the time frame, and 混んでいます describes its current crowded condition. The whole utterance is: “The shared laundry room is busy today.”

2. 洗濯を始める前に、利用予定表に名前を書いてください。

   Put your name on the schedule before starting a load.

   洗濯

   laundry; washing

   始める

   to start

   前に

   before

   利用予定表

   usage schedule

   名前

   name

   書いてください

   please write

   More detail

   洗濯 means washing or laundry here. It is a noun followed by を, marking it as what is started. In other contexts, 洗濯する means “to do the laundry”; here the noun is used in the compact expression 洗濯を始める. 始める means “to start” and is the transitive verb used for starting an activity or thing. Its dictionary form is 始める; 始めます is the polite non-past form. In this sentence, 洗濯を始める means “start the laundry.” 前に means “before.” The pattern verb-dictionary-form + 前に places one action before another: 寝る前に means “before going to bed.” Thus 洗濯を始める前に means “before starting the laundry.” 前 is followed by に in this time-ordering pattern. 利用予定表 means “usage schedule” or “schedule for use.” It is a compound made from 利用 (“use”) and 予定表 (“schedule”), but the full compound is the relevant noun here. The particle に after it marks the place or surface where the name is to be written: 利用予定表に means “on the usage schedule.” 名前 means “name.” In this sentence, 名前を marks the name as what is written. The translation specifies that this is the addressee’s name, although Japanese does not state a separate possessive word here. A reusable pattern is 名前を書く, “write a name.” 書いてください is a polite request meaning “please write.” Its dictionary form is 書く (“to write”); this godan verb changes to the te-form 書いて, followed by ください. The pattern verb-te-form + ください makes a polite request, as in the example 見てください, “please look.” Together, 洗濯を始める前に sets the time condition, 利用予定表に identifies the schedule as the writing surface, and 名前を書いてください asks the addressee to write their name. The complete meaning is: “Put your name on the schedule before starting a load.”

3. 今日の午後遅くには、空いている洗濯機があります。

   There's a washer open later this afternoon.

   今日

   today

   午後

   afternoon

   遅く

   late

   空いている

   available; open

   洗濯機

   washer

   あります

   there is; there are

   More detail

   今日 means “today.” It can modify a following time expression with の: 今日の午後 means “this afternoon” or literally “today’s afternoon.” 午後 means “afternoon.” In 今日の午後, の links 今日 to 午後, specifying which afternoon. 遅く is the adverbial form of 遅い, “late.” The adjective changes to 遅く before it modifies a time expression or describes when something happens. 今日の午後遅く means “later this afternoon.” には combines the time particle に with topic/contrast particle は. Here, に marks the time when the washer is available, while は sets that time period as the topic: “as for later this afternoon.” This does not mean that the availability is necessarily contrasted with another time. 空いている describes something as available or unoccupied here. It comes from 空く, “to become vacant” or “to become available”; 空いている presents that resulting state as continuing. This is different from 空いている used for a place that is physically uncrowded, although the same form can express that related idea in another context. 洗濯機 means “washing machine” or “washer.” It is a noun formed from 洗濯, “laundry/washing,” and 機, “machine,” but it is used as one ordinary compound noun. For example, 洗濯機を使います。 means “I use the washing machine.” あります is the polite form of ある, used for the existence or presence of a nonliving thing. In this sentence it makes an existence statement: an available washer exists at the specified time. The polite form is appropriate for a straightforward courteous statement; the plain form is ある. Together, 今日の午後遅くには sets the time as “later this afternoon,” 空いている characterizes the washer as available, and 洗濯機があります states that such a washer exists. The complete meaning is: “There’s a washer open later this afternoon.”

4. タイマーをセットしてください。

   Set a timer.

   タイマー

   timer

   セットしてください

   please set

   More detail

   タイマー means “timer” here. It is a noun, and the loanword can be reused for a timer or timing device. In this sentence, を marks it as the direct object of the action that follows: the thing being set is a timer. セットしてください is a polite request meaning “please set.” The verb is セットする, “to set,” and its request form is セットして + ください. The -てください pattern is a standard way to ask someone politely to do something. For example, ドアを開けてください。 means “Please open the door.” Together, タイマーをセットしてください。 means “Set a timer.” The Japanese sentence is phrased as a polite request; the subject is omitted because the listener is understood to be the person being asked to perform the action.

5. そうすれば、次の人が待たされません。

   So the next person is not stuck waiting.

   そうすれば

   if you do that; then

   次の

   next; following

   人

   person

   待たされません

   is not kept waiting

   More detail

   そうすれば combines そう (“that way; like that”) with すれば, the conditional form of する (“do”). It links an action or situation to a result: “if you do that, then …”. In this context, it naturally connects to setting the timer mentioned just before it. The pattern こうすれば、… means “if you do it this way, …”; そうすれば、… points back to an already mentioned action or method. 次の means “next” or “following” and modifies the noun after it. 次 is the noun-like element meaning “next turn/order” or “the next one,” while 次の人 means “the next person.” For example, 次の駅 means “the next station.” 人 means “person.” In 次の人, it identifies the person whose turn comes next; it is not the subject of そうすれば. 待たされません means “is not made to wait” or, naturally here, “is not kept waiting.” Its base verb is 待つ (“wait”). 待たせる means “make someone wait,” and 待たされる is the corresponding form meaning “be made to wait.” The ending ません makes the polite nonpast negative, so 待たされません says that this situation does not happen. For example, お客様を待たせません means “We do not make the customer wait”; お客様は待たされません means “The customer is not made to wait.” Together, そうすれば sets up the condition, 次の人 identifies the person whose turn follows, and 待たされません states the result. The whole utterance means: “If you do that, the next person will not be kept waiting.”

6. 洗濯が終わったら、すぐに服を移したほうがいいですか。

   Should I move my clothes as soon as the cycle ends?

   洗濯

   washing; laundry cycle

   終わったら

   when it finishes

   すぐに

   immediately

   服

   clothes

   移した

   moved; transferred

   ほうがいいですか

   should I; would it be better to

   More detail

   洗濯 means washing or laundry. Here, with 終わったら, it refers to the washing cycle finishing. The word can also refer more generally to washing clothes or laundry as an activity. 終わったら is the past form 終わった of 終わる “to finish, end” plus ら. In this pattern, 〜たら means “when/once …” or “if …,” and the intended meaning here is “as soon as the washing finishes.” The subject of 終わる is understood from the context; the Japanese form itself does not mark a grammatical subject. すぐに means “immediately” or “right away.” It modifies the action that follows, so it emphasizes moving the clothes promptly after the cycle ends. 服 means “clothes.” It is a noun and does not change form for singular or plural in this sentence. For example, 服を買います。 means “I will buy clothes.” 移した is the past form of the transitive verb 移す, “to move or transfer something.” The object is marked by を, and in this sentence 服を移した means “move the clothes.” Although 移した has past form, the larger pattern 移したほうがいいですか presents that action as the option being considered, not as a completed action being reported. ほうがいいですか literally uses the “better option” pattern to ask whether something would be advisable. After a verb in this form, 〜たほうがいい commonly means “it is better to …” or “you should …”; with ですか, it becomes a question: “Should I …?” The observed pattern is 移したほうがいいですか. Together, 洗濯が終わったら sets the time condition, すぐに adds immediacy, and 服を移したほうがいいですか asks whether moving the clothes is the better action. The whole utterance means: “Should I move my clothes as soon as the cycle ends?”

7. はい、お願いします。濡れた服を洗濯機に残すと、みんなを待たせます。

   Please do; wet clothes left in a machine hold everyone up.

   はい

   yes

   お願いします

   please do

   濡れた

   wet

   服

   clothes

   洗濯機

   washing machine

   残すと

   if you leave

   みんな

   everyone

   待たせます

   make wait

   More detail

   はい means “yes” here. It is a short affirmative response and does not change for the speaker or listener. お願いします is a polite request formula meaning “please do” here. It comes from お願いする, “to request/ask a favor”; the polite form お願いします is commonly used when asking someone to carry out the relevant action. In this utterance, the requested action is understood from the situation rather than repeated. 濡れた comes from 濡れる, “to become/get wet.” The form 濡れた is the past form, and before a noun it describes something as having become wet or being wet: 濡れた服 means “wet clothes.” This is different from 濡らした, which means “made something wet.” 服 means “clothes” or “a garment.” It is a noun and can be marked as the object of an action with を, as in 服を洗う, “wash clothes.” Here, 濡れた describes it. 洗濯機 means “washing machine.” The location or destination relation is expressed by the following particle に: 洗濯機に means “in/to the washing machine” in this sentence. The noun itself does not specify whether clothes are currently inside; the verb 残す supplies the idea of leaving them there. 残すと uses 残す, “to leave something behind,” with と. The pattern [condition]と[consequence] presents the second part as the result that follows when the first condition occurs. Here, 濡れた服を洗濯機に残すと means “if you leave wet clothes in the washing machine.” The を marks 濡れた服 as what is left. みんな means “everyone” or “all the people concerned.” It is the affected group in this sentence, marked by を in みんなを. The exact people included are supplied by the situation; the word itself does not state a particular number. 待たせます comes from 待つ, “to wait.” The causative form 待たせる means “make someone wait,” and 待たせます is its polite form. Thus みんなを待たせます means “make everyone wait” or, naturally here, “hold everyone up.” The person made to wait is marked by を; this is different from みんなが待ちます, “everyone waits,” where everyone is the one doing the waiting. Together, 濡れた服を洗濯機に残すと sets up the condition “if wet clothes are left in the washing machine.” みんなを待たせます gives the consequence: they are made to wait. With はい、お願いします at the beginning, the whole utterance means: “Yes, please do. If you leave wet clothes in the washing machine, you hold everyone up.”

8. 洗濯が終わる前に、バスケットを下に持ってきます。

   I'll bring my basket down before it finishes.

   洗濯

   laundry; washing

   終わる

   finish; come to an end

   前に

   before

   バスケット

   basket

   下

   down; below

   持ってきます

   bring; bring here

   More detail

   洗濯 is a noun meaning laundry or washing. Here, together with 終わる, it refers to the washing finishing, as reflected by “it finishes.” Japanese can use a noun directly as the subject of a verb: 洗濯が終わる means “the washing finishes.” 終わる is the plain, non-past form of “finish” or “come to an end.” The form 終わる is used before 前に in this time expression. For example, 映画が終わる前に帰ります。 means “I will go home before the movie ends.” 前に means “before” when it follows an event or action. The pattern Xが終わる前に、Y means “Y before X finishes.” It places the bringing action before the end of the washing. バスケット is the noun “basket.” The Japanese phrase does not itself mark the basket as “my” basket; that ownership is supplied by the fixed English translation. The noun is the object being brought. 下 means “down” or “below.” With に and a movement verb, 下に indicates the downward destination or direction. Here it combines with 持ってきます as 下に持ってきます, “bring [it] down.” 持ってきます is the polite non-past form of the compound 持ってくる, “bring.” It combines 持つ (“hold/carry”) with くる (“come”): 持ってくる presents an object as being carried toward the relevant place or speaker. 持ってきます is used for a present or future action in polite speech. For example, 明日、本を持ってきます。 means “I will bring the book tomorrow.” The whole pattern is Xが終わる前に、Yを場所に持ってきます: “I will bring Y to the place before X finishes.” In this utterance, 洗濯が終わる前に sets the deadline, バスケットを marks the basket as the object, and 下に持ってきます says that the speaker will bring it down. Together: “I’ll bring my basket down before it finishes.”

9. そうすれば、物事がスムーズに進むはずです。

   That should keep things running smoothly.

   そうすれば

   if you do that; in that case

   物事

   things; matters

   スムーズに

   smoothly

   進む

   proceed; move forward

   はずです

   should; be expected to

   More detail

   そうすれば means “if you do that” or “in that case.” It links a condition or action just mentioned with its expected result. The pattern そうすれば、… is reusable for “If you do that, …”; そう refers to the relevant preceding situation rather than naming a specific action by itself. 物事 is a noun meaning “things” or “matters” in a general sense. It is useful when talking about situations or affairs collectively, rather than one specifically named object. For example, 物事を順番に進める means “to proceed with things in order.” スムーズに means “smoothly.” スムーズ is a descriptive word, and に makes it modify the following action: スムーズに進む means “proceed smoothly.” 進む is an intransitive verb meaning “to proceed,” “move forward,” or “advance.” Its dictionary form is 進む; a related transitive verb is 進める, “to move something forward” or “advance something.” For example, 仕事が進む means “the work progresses,” while 仕事を進める means “to advance the work.” はずです expresses an expectation based on what is understood or anticipated: “should” or “is expected to.” はず is the noun expressing an expected outcome, and です gives the statement a polite form. This is different from a firm guarantee; it presents the result as what should happen. Together, そうすれば sets up the condition, 物事が marks “things” as what proceeds, スムーズに describes the manner, and 進むはずです says that this result is expected. The whole utterance therefore means: “If you do that, things should proceed smoothly” or, as fixed in the translation, “That should keep things running smoothly.”