About This Lesson
Use Using shared gym equipment politely to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
今、誰かこのトレッドミルを使っていますか。
ee-MAH, dah-reh-kah KOH-noh toh-REHD-doh-mee-roo oh tsoo-KAHT-teh ee-MAHSS kah. Is anyone using this treadmill now?
B
空いているようですが、時間を気にしてください。
EYE-teh ee-roo yoh-oo dehss gah, JEE-kahn oh KEE nee SHEE-teh koo-dah-SAI. It looks free, but keep an eye on the time.
A
他の人が待っている場合、どのくらい使えばいいですか。
tah-noh HEE-toh gah MAHT-teh ee-roo bah-AI, doh-noh koo-RAI tsoo-KAI-bah EE dehss kah. How long should I use it if others are waiting?
B
ジムが混んでいるときは、10分くらいまでにしてください。
JEE-moo gah KOHN-deh ee-roo TOH-kee wah, JOO-p-poon koo-RAI MAH-deh nee SHEE-teh koo-dah-SAI. Limit your time to around ten minutes when the gym is busy.
A
使い終わったら、これを拭いたほうがいいですか。
tsoo-KAI ee-oh-WAHT-tah-rah, KOH-reh oh FOO-ee-tah hoh-oo gah EE dehss kah. Should I wipe it down after I finish?
B
ラックにあるスプレーとペーパータオルを使ってください。
RAHK-koo nee AH-roo soo-poo-RAY toh PAY-pah tah-oh-roo oh tsoo-KAHT-teh koo-dah-SAI. Use the spray and a paper towel from the rack.
A
帰る前に、これをきれいにします。
kah-EH-roo MAH-eh nee, KOH-reh oh kee-RAY nee shee-MAHSS. I'll clean it before I leave.
B
そうすると、器具を次の人が使えるようにできます。
soh-oo SOO-roo toh, KEE-goo oh TSOO-gee noh HEE-toh gah tsoo-KAI-roo yoh-oo nee deh-kee-MAHSS. That keeps the equipment ready for the next person.Word by Word
今
今 means “now” in the question 今、誰かこのトレッドミルを使っていますか。 It places the question at the present moment and is commonly used with an ongoing action.
誰か
誰か means “someone” or “anyone” here, as in 今、誰かこのトレッドミルを使っていますか。 In a question, 誰か asks whether there is a person matching the situation, such as someone using a seat.
この
この means “this” and points to the treadmill that is near or understood by the speakers. この comes directly before a noun, as in このトレッドミル.
トレッドミル
トレッドミル means “treadmill,” the piece of gym equipment being discussed. It can be used as the object of verbs such as トレッドミルを使う.
を
を marks トレッドミル as the object being used in トレッドミルを使っています. It commonly follows the thing affected by an action, such as 器具を使う in a new example.
使って
使って means “using” as part of the ongoing expression 使っています. It is the connecting form of 使う before います and can connect an action to another part of a sentence.
います
います completes 使っています, politely describing someone who is currently using the treadmill. After an action form such as 使って, it can show that the action is continuing.
か
か marks the sentence as a question in 今、誰かこのトレッドミルを使っていますか。 It is placed at the end of a polite question to ask for information.
空いて
空いて means “being free or available” as part of 空いている in 空いているようですが. It describes the treadmill as not currently occupied, and the form 空いて can connect with いる to describe that state.
いる
いる helps form 空いている and 待っている, describing an available state or an ongoing situation. With a connecting form before it, such as 空いて or 待って, it commonly shows a continuing state or action.
よう
よう contributes the meaning “seems” or “appears” in 空いているようです. The pattern ～ようです presents an impression rather than a firm statement, useful when judging whether a place or item is available.
です
です gives a polite statement ending in 空いているようです. It makes the speaker’s observation polite and is also used after other polite descriptions.
が
が means “but” in 空いているようですが、時間を気にしてください。 It links the observation that the treadmill seems free with the following reminder.
時間
時間 means “time” in 時間を気にしてください, referring to how long the speaker uses the treadmill. It can be followed by を when time is the thing being watched or considered.
気にして
The whole expression 気にして means “pay attention to” or “keep an eye on” in 時間を気にしてください. 気 contributes attention or concern, に marks what receives that attention, and して is the connecting form of する before ください.
ください
ください makes 気にしてください a polite request to keep an eye on the time. It follows a connecting form such as 気にして when asking someone to do something.
他
他 means “other” in 他の人, referring to people besides the speaker. It commonly appears before の人 or another noun to identify people or things different from the one already being discussed.
の
の links 他 to 人 in 他の人, making 他 modify 人 as “other people.” This linking pattern is also used when a noun describes another noun, such as ジムの器具 in a new example.
人
人 means “person” or “people” in 他の人 and 次の人. Here it refers to people waiting for or using the shared equipment, and it commonly follows a modifier such as 他の or 次の.
待って
待って is the connecting form used in 待っている場合, describing other people who are waiting. It connects with いる to express an ongoing situation and can be used with a noun such as 場合.
場合
場合 means “case” or “situation” in 他の人が待っている場合, meaning the situation in which other people are waiting. The pattern ～場合 is useful for stating what should happen under a particular condition.
どの
どの works with くらい in どのくらい to ask “how much” or “how long” in this question. Together, どのくらい can ask about an amount, duration, or extent.
くらい
くらい expresses an approximate amount or degree in どのくらい and 10分くらい. It can follow a quantity to mean “about,” or follow どの to ask “how much” or “how long.”
使えば
使えば means “if I use” in どのくらい使えばいいですか, forming a question about the appropriate amount of use. It is the conditional form of 使う and commonly appears in the pattern ～ばいいですか when asking what is appropriate.
いい
いい means “good” or “appropriate” in 使えばいいですか. Together with 使えば, the pattern 使えばいいですか asks what amount or action would be suitable.
ジム
ジム means “gym” in ジムが混んでいるとき. It identifies the place whose crowdedness affects the time limit, and it can be followed by が when describing its condition.
混んで
混んで means “being crowded” as part of 混んでいる in ジムが混んでいるとき. It connects with いる to describe the gym as being in a crowded state.
とき
とき means “when” or “at the time” in ジムが混んでいるとき. A clause can come before とき to specify the situation in which an action or rule applies.
は
は marks ジムが混んでいるとき as the topic in the phrase ジムが混んでいるときは. It highlights the crowded-gym situation as the condition for the time limit.
分
分 is the counter for minutes in 10分くらい. It follows a number to express a duration, such as five minutes in a new example.
まで
まで marks the upper point in 10分くらいまでにしてください, meaning the use should be limited to around ten minutes. It can follow a time or amount to indicate “up to” that point.
に
に marks the target limit in 10分くらいまでにしてください. In this phrase, 10分くらいまでにする means to set or keep something at about ten minutes.
して
して is the connecting form of する in 10分くらいまでにしてください. It links the instruction to ください, while the whole phrase means to limit the time to around ten minutes.
使い終わったら
使い終わったら means “after finishing using it” in 使い終わったら、これを拭いたほうがいいですか。 使い終わる combines using with finishing, and たら sets the time or condition for the following action.
これ
これ means “this” or “this item,” referring to the treadmill in 使い終わったら、これを拭いたほうがいいですか。 It can be used before を when the nearby item is the object of an action.
拭いた
拭いた means “wiped” in 拭いたほうがいい, where it is used to give advice about wiping the treadmill. It is the past form used in the reusable advice pattern ～たほうがいい.
ほうがいい
The whole expression ほうがいい means “it is better to” or “should” in これを拭いたほうがいいですか. ほう presents an option or course of action, が marks that option, and いい means it is good or appropriate.
ラック
ラック means “rack” in ラックにあるスプレーとペーパータオル. It identifies the place where the spray and paper towel are located and can be followed by に with ある.
ある
ある means “be located” or “exist” in ラックにある, describing the spray and paper towel as being on the rack. It is used for the location or existence of inanimate things.
スプレー
スプレー means “spray” in スプレーとペーパータオル, referring to the cleaning spray. It is one of the objects joined by と and used with 使ってください.
と
と means “and” in スプレーとペーパータオル, joining the two cleaning items to be used. It commonly connects nouns in a complete list of objects.
ペーパータオル
ペーパータオル means “paper towel” in スプレーとペーパータオル. It identifies the other cleaning item and is joined to スプレー with と.
帰る
帰る means “leave” or “go home” in 帰る前に, referring to the speaker leaving the gym. The plain form 帰る can come before 前に to mean “before leaving.”
前
前 means “before” in 帰る前に. The pattern verb in plain form + 前に places one action before another, as in 食べる前に手を洗う in a new example.
きれい
きれい means “clean” in きれいにします. Here it names the clean state that the speaker will make the treadmill reach; the whole expression きれいにします means “make it clean.”
します
します is the polite form of する in これをきれいにします, meaning “do” or “make.” With きれいに, it expresses making the item clean, and the pattern ～にします can describe making something a particular state.
そう
そう means “that way” or “so” in そうすると, referring to the preceding action of cleaning the equipment. It points back to an action or situation already mentioned.
すると
すると means “then” or “if you do so” in そうすると、器具を次の人が使えるようにできます. Together with そう, it introduces the result that follows from the cleaning action.
器具
器具 means “equipment” in 器具を次の人が使えるようにできます, referring to the treadmill or shared gym equipment. It is marked by を when the equipment is the thing being kept ready.
次
次 means “next” in 次の人, identifying the person who will use the equipment after the current user. It commonly comes before の人 or another noun to show order.
使える
使える means “can use” or “be available for use” in 次の人が使えるようにできます. It describes the state that the next person should be able to use, and it can appear before ように in a pattern describing an enabled result.
できます
できます is the polite form of できる in 使えるようにできます, meaning “can make possible” in this context. The whole pattern 使えるようにできます says that cleaning can make the equipment ready for the next person to use.
Grammar Points
〜ています／〜ている
誰かがこのトレッドミルを使っています。
dah-reh-kah gah KOH-noh toh-REHD-doh-mee-roo oh tsoo-KAHT-teh ee-MAHSS.Someone is using this treadmill.
This form describes an action in progress or a continuing state. The form changes depending on politeness.
〜たら
使い終わったら、器具をきれいにしてください。
tsoo-KAI ee-oh-WAHT-tah-rah, KEE-goo oh kee-RAY nee koo-dah-SAI.When you finish using it, please clean the equipment.
〜たら expresses “when” or “if” after a completed action. The following clause shows what happens next.
Japanese Vocabulary
この
det
KOH-noh
this
トレッドミル
noun
toh-REHD-doh-mee-roo
treadmill
気にする
verb
KEE nee SOO-roo
pay attention to; keep an eye on
気にしてください
空く
verb
AH-koo
be free; be available
空いている
今
adv
ee-MAH
now
使う
verb
tsoo-KAH-oo
use
使っています
時間
noun
JEE-kahn
time
場合
noun
bah-AI
case; situation
人
noun
HEE-toh
person
他の
det
HOH-kah-noh
other
待つ
verb
MAHT-soo
wait
待っている
誰か
pron
dah-reh-kah
anyone; someone
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
be free; be available
Show Answer
空いているtreadmill
Show Answer
トレッドミルuse
Show Answer
使っていますpay attention to; keep an eye on