About This Lesson
Use Labeling Food in a Shared Fridge to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
このスープを共有の冷蔵庫に入れてもいいですか？
koh-noh SOO-poo-oh kyoh-YOO-noh ray-ZOH-koh-nee ee-REH-teh-moh EE dess-kah? Can I put this soup in the shared fridge?
B
そこに置く前に、容器にラベルを貼ってください。
soh-koh-nee oh-koo MAH-eh-nee, yoh-KEE-nee RAH-beh-roo-oh HAH-teh koo-DAH-sigh. Label the container before you leave it there.
A
それに日付も書いたほうがいいですか？
soh-reh-nee hee-ZOO-keh moh KAH-ee-tah hoh-GAH ee dess-kah? Should I write the date on it too?
B
それで、冷蔵庫に入れてからどのくらいたったか、みんなに分かります。
soh-reh-deh, ray-ZOH-koh-nee ee-REH-teh-kah-rah doh-noh KOO-rah-ee tah-tah-kah, MEEN-nah-nee wah-kah-ree-mahs. That helps people know how long it has been inside.
A
個人の食べ物はどの棚ですか？
koh-ZHEEN-noh tah-beh-MOH-noh wah doh-noh tah-NAH dess-kah? Which shelf is for personal food?
B
共有の物から離れた一番上の棚を使ってください。
kyoh-YOO-noh MOH-noh kah-rah hah-NAH-reh-tah ee-CHAHN-bahn OO-eh-noh tah-NAH-oh TSOO-kah-teh koo-DAH-sigh. Use the top shelf, away from the shared items.
A
そこに置いて、近いうちに家に持って帰ります。
soh-koh-nee oh-EE-teh, CHEE-kah-ee OO-chee-nee EE-eh-nee MOHT-teh kah-EH-ree-mahs. I'll keep it there and take it home soon.
B
そうすれば、冷蔵庫に古い食べ物がたまりません。
soh-oo-soo-reh-bah, ray-ZOH-koh-nee foo-ROO-ee tah-beh-MOH-noh-gah tah-mah-ree-mah-SEN. That way the fridge does not fill up with old food.Word by Word
この
「この」means “this” and identifies the soup as the one near or relevant to the speaker. It is used directly before a noun, as in 「このスープ」.
スープ
「スープ」means “soup,” the food the speaker wants to put in the refrigerator. It can be used as a noun for a soup or soup dish.
を
「を」marks 「このスープ」as the thing being put into the refrigerator. A common pattern is a noun + 「を」 followed by an action verb.
共有
「共有」means “shared” in 「共有の冷蔵庫」, referring to a refrigerator used by multiple people. It commonly comes before 「の」 and a noun to describe something shared.
の
In 「共有の冷蔵庫」, 「の」links 「共有」 to 「冷蔵庫」 and makes the first word describe the second. The pattern noun + 「の」 + noun is used for relationships such as ownership, type, or description.
冷蔵庫
「冷蔵庫」means “refrigerator,” specifically the shared refrigerator in this dialogue. It is used with 「に」 in 「冷蔵庫に入れて」 to mark the destination or place.
に
In 「冷蔵庫に入れて」, 「に」marks the refrigerator as the place where the soup will be put. It commonly follows a destination or location with verbs of movement or placement.
入れ
「入れ」means “put in” here as part of 「入れてもいいですか」. Together with 「て」, it connects the action of putting the soup in with the permission question.
て
In 「入れてもいいですか」, 「て」connects 「入れ」 with 「も」 in a question about whether the action is acceptable. The 「て」 form also commonly connects one action to another.
も
In 「入れてもいいですか」, 「も」contributes the meaning “even” or “also” to the permission construction. The full pattern 「て」 + 「も」 + 「いいですか」 asks whether doing something is allowed.
いい
In 「入れてもいいですか」, 「いい」means “okay” or “acceptable,” not simply “good.” The full expression is used when asking permission to do an action.
です
「です」makes the permission question polite in 「入れてもいいですか」. It is a polite ending used in this sentence with 「いい」.
か
「か」marks 「入れてもいいですか」as a question. It is commonly placed at the end of a polite question.
そこ
「そこ」means “there,” referring to the place where the container will be left. It can be followed by 「に」 when marking that place, as in 「そこに置く」.
置く
「置く」means “put” or “leave” in 「そこに置く前に」. Its exact form comes before 「前に」 to mean “before leaving it there.”
前
In 「置く前に」, 「前」means “before” in time. The pattern verb + 「前に」 indicates that one action happens before another.
容器
「容器」means “container,” the container holding the soup. It is followed by 「に」 in 「容器にラベルを貼ってください」 to mark the thing receiving the label.
ラベル
「ラベル」means “label,” the label that should be attached to the container. It is the object marked by 「を」 in 「ラベルを貼ってください」.
貼っ
「貼っ」is the part of 「貼ってください」 that expresses attaching or sticking the label. The full expression is a polite request to attach something to a surface.
ください
「ください」makes 「貼ってください」a polite request: “please attach it.” It follows a 「て」 form when asking someone to carry out an action.
それ
「それ」means “that” or “it,” referring to the container or the food already being discussed. In 「それに日付も書いたほうがいいですか」, it marks the thing on which the date should be written.
日付
「日付」means “date,” such as the date written on the food container. It is marked by 「を」 in 「日付も書いた」 as the thing being written.
書い
「書い」is the part of 「書いたほうがいいですか」 expressing writing. The full expression asks whether writing the date would be better or advisable.
た
In 「書いたほうがいいですか」, 「た」marks the completed-action form used inside a recommendation pattern. The whole pattern asks whether it would be better to do the action.
ほう
In 「書いたほうがいいですか」, 「ほう」expresses the option or course of action that is preferable. This pattern is used to ask or say that doing something would be better.
が
In 「書いたほうがいいですか」, 「が」is part of the recommendation pattern that presents one option as preferable. The pattern can be used when advising someone about an action.
で
In 「それで」, 「で」helps express “with that” or “so,” connecting the date information to the result that everyone can understand how long the food has been inside. The whole expression is useful for introducing a consequence or result.
から
In 「入れてから」, 「から」means “after,” marking the point from which the elapsed time is counted. A common pattern is a verb in 「て」 form + 「から」 for “after doing something.”
どの
「どの」means “which” in 「どのくらい」 and asks for the amount or duration. It commonly appears before a noun, while 「どのくらい」 asks “how much” or “how long.”
くらい
In 「どのくらい」, 「くらい」helps ask approximately how long the food has been inside. The expression is commonly used for an approximate amount, degree, or duration.
たっ
「たっ」is the beginning of 「たった」 in 「どのくらいたったか」, referring to time that has passed. It is used in this elapsed-time expression to ask how much time has gone by.
みんな
「みんな」means “everyone” or “all the people,” referring to the people sharing the refrigerator. It can be used as the people who understand or receive information in a sentence.
分かり
In 「みんなに分かります」, 「分かり」contributes the meaning “be clear” or “be understood.” With 「ます」, the expression says that everyone can understand how long the food has been inside.
ます
「ます」is the polite ending in 「分かります」. It makes the statement polite while describing what becomes clear to everyone.
個人
「個人」means “personal” or “individual” in 「個人の食べ物」. It distinguishes food belonging to one person from the shared items.
食べ物
「食べ物」means “food,” here referring to personal food kept in the shared refrigerator. It can be modified by another noun with 「の」, as in 「個人の食べ物」.
は
「は」marks 「個人の食べ物」as the topic in 「個人の食べ物はどの棚ですか」. The sentence asks which shelf is associated with that topic.
棚
「棚」means “shelf,” specifically the shelf for personal food. It appears in the question 「どの棚ですか」, asking which shelf it is.
物
「物」means “thing” or “item” in 「共有の物」, referring to items shared by the people using the refrigerator. It is modified by 「共有の」 to specify the type of item.
離れ
「離れ」is the part of 「離れた」 that expresses being separated or away from something. In 「共有の物から離れた」, it describes the top shelf as away from the shared items.
一番
「一番」means “the most” or “number one” in 「一番上」. Together with 「上」, it identifies the highest or topmost shelf.
上
In 「一番上の棚」, 「上」means “top” or “upper part.” The expression 「一番上の棚」 is used for the topmost shelf.
使っ
「使っ」is the part of 「使ってください」meaning “use.” The full expression is a polite request to use the top shelf.
置い
「置い」is the part of 「置いて」meaning “leave” or “keep” something in a place. In 「そこに置いて、近いうちに」, it connects leaving the item there with the next action.
近い
「近い」means “near” in the time expression 「近いうちに」. Here it refers to the near future, meaning the item will be taken home soon.
うち
In 「近いうちに」, 「うち」helps express a period or time within which something will happen. The full expression means “soon” or “within the near future.”
家
「家」means “home” or “house” in 「家に持って帰ります」. With 「に」, it marks home as the destination of taking the food.
持っ
「持っ」is the part of 「持って帰ります」meaning “carry” or “take.” Together with 「帰ります」, it describes taking the item back home.
帰り
「帰り」is the part of 「帰ります」meaning “return” or “go home.” In 「家に持って帰ります」, it describes returning with the food to the speaker’s home.
そう
「そう」means “that way” in 「そうすれば」, referring to labeling and taking the food home soon. It introduces the result that follows if those actions are done.
すれ
「すれ」is the part of 「すれば」that expresses doing something under a condition. Together with 「そう」 and 「ば」, 「そうすれば」means “that way” or “if that is done.”
ば
「ば」marks the condition in 「すれば」. In 「そうすれば」, it helps express the result that will follow if the described actions are carried out.
古い
「古い」means “old” in 「古い食べ物」, referring to food that has remained in the refrigerator for a long time. It is placed before a noun to describe it.
たまり
「たまり」is the part of 「たまりません」expressing food accumulating or building up. In this dialogue, it describes old food collecting in the refrigerator.
ませ
「ませ」is part of the polite negative form 「たまりません」. It helps make the statement that old food does not accumulate polite.
ん
In 「たまりません」, 「ん」completes the negative ending, so the sentence says that old food does not accumulate. This ending appears here in a polite negative statement.
Grammar Points
〜て、〜て
スープを冷蔵庫に入れて、ラベルを貼って。
SOO-poo-oh ray-ZOH-koh-nee ee-REH-teh, RAH-beh-roo-oh HAH-teh.Put the soup in the refrigerator and put a label on it.
The て-form connects two actions in sequence. It can also make a casual request when used at the end.
〜たほうがいい
日付を書いたほうがいい。
hee-ZOO-keh-oh KAH-ee-tah hoh-GAH ee.You should write the date.
Use たほうがいい to give advice or say that one action is preferable.
Japanese Vocabulary
スープ
noun
SOO-poo
soup
どの棚
phrase
doh-noh tah-NAH
which shelf
ラベルを貼る
phrase
RAH-beh-roo-oh HAH-roo
to put a label on
ラベルを貼って
一番上の棚
phrase
ee-CHAHN-bahn OO-eh-noh tah-NAH
top shelf
共有の
phrase
kyoh-YOO-noh
shared
個人の食べ物
phrase
koh-ZHEEN-noh tah-beh-MOH-noh
personal food
書いたほうがいい
phrase
KAH-ee-tah hoh-GAH ee
should write
前に
phrase
MAH-eh-nee
before
日付
noun
hee-ZOO-keh
date
入れる
verb
ee-REH-roo
to put in
入れて
容器
noun
yoh-KEE
container
冷蔵庫
noun
ray-ZOH-koh
refrigerator
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
should write
Show Answer
書いたほうがいいto put a label on
Show Answer
ラベルを貼ってpersonal food
Show Answer
個人の食べ物top shelf