About This Lesson
Use Handling Noise from a Neighbor Calmly to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
最近、隣の部屋の音楽で何晩も眠れませんでした。
sigh-KEEN, toh-NAH-ree noh HEH-yah noh ohn-GAH-koo deh nahn-BAHN moh neh-moo-reh-mah-SEN deh-shee-tah. The music next door has kept me up several nights lately.
B
では、もっと大きなトラブルになる前に、隣の人と話すべきです。
deh-WAH, moht-toh oh-KEE-nah toh-RAH-boo-roo nee nah-ROO mae nee, toh-NAH-ree noh hee-TOH toh HAH-nah-soo beh-KEE dehss. Then we should talk to them before it becomes a bigger conflict.
A
大げさに聞こえたくありません。隣の人は、音が大きいことに気づいていないかもしれないからです。
oh-GEH-sah nee kee-KOH-eh-tah-koo ah-ree-mah-SEN. toh-NAH-ree noh hee-TOH wah, ohn-GAH-koo ee ko-toh nee kee-ZOO-ee-teh ee-NAH-ee kah-moh-SHEE-reh-nah-ee kah-rah dehss. I do not want to sound dramatic, because they may not realize it is loud.
B
まず、壁が薄くて、早く寝る必要があると伝えてください。
mah-ZOO, KAH-beh gah oo-SOO-koo-teh, HAH-yah-koo neh-roo hee-tsoo-YOH gah ah-roo toh tsoo-TAH-eh-teh koo-DAH-sigh. Start by saying the walls are thin and you need to sleep early.
A
建物の静かな時間帯に関するルールについても話しますか。
tah-teh-MOH-noh shee-ZOO-kah-nah jee-KAHN-tigh nee kahn-SOO-roo ROO-roo nee tsoo-ee-teh moh HAH-nah-shee-mahss kah. Should we mention the building rules about quiet hours?
B
協力してくれない場合だけです。最初は、穏やかに注意を促すほうが適切です。
kyoh-ryoh-koo shee-teh koo-reh-nigh bah-EE dah-keh dehss. sigh-SHOH wah, oh-dah-yah-kah nee CHOO-ee oh oo-nah-GAH-soo hoh gah teh-kee-SEH-tsoo dehss. Only if they refuse to cooperate. A friendly reminder is more reasonable at first.
A
私たちが次の日に仕事がある夜は、遅い時間にヘッドホンを使うよう提案してみてもよいかもしれません。
wah-tah-SHEE-tah-chee gah TSOO-gee noh HEE nee shee-GOH-toh gah AH-roo YOH-roo wah, oh-SOH-ee jee-KAHN nee HEHD-doh-hohn oh tsoo-KAH-oo yoh teh-eh-AHN shee-teh mee-teh moh yoh-ee kah-moh-SHEE-reh-MAH-SEN. Maybe we can suggest that they use headphones later in the evening when we have work the next day.
B
それは現実的な妥協案ですし、相手を直接責めることにもなりません。
soh-reh wah gen-jee-TSOO-teh-kee nah dah-KYOH-ahn dehss-shee, ah-ee-teh oh choh-koo-SEH-tsoo seh-meh-roo koh-toh nee moh nah-ree-mah-SEN. That would be a practical compromise, and it does not accuse them directly.
A
今晩、落ち着いて話せる時間を選んで、隣の人に話しかけることができます。
kohn-BAHN, oh-chee-TSOO-ee-teh hah-nah-SEH-roo jee-KAHN oh eh-RAHN-deh, toh-NAH-ree noh hee-TOH nee hah-nah-shee-KAH-keh-roo koh-toh gah deh-kee-MAHSS. I can choose a calm moment this evening to talk to them.
B
落ち着いたタイミングを選べば、小さな問題が個人間の問題になるのを、たいてい防げます。
oh-chee-TSOO-ee-tah TIGH-meeng-goo oh eh-RAH-beh-bah, chee-sah-nah MOHN-dye gah koh-JEEN-kahn noh MOHN-dye nee nah-roo noh oh, tie-TEH-ee foo-SEH-geh-mahss. Calm timing usually prevents a small problem from becoming personal.Word by Word
最近
最近 means recently in this dialogue and places the situation in the near past. It commonly appears with a statement about something that has happened lately.
隣
隣 means next door or neighboring here, as in 隣の部屋. It identifies something beside the speaker's room or home.
の
の links 隣 to 部屋 and shows their connection: 隣の部屋 means the room next door. This particle commonly connects a noun describing another noun.
部屋
部屋 means room in 隣の部屋, referring to the neighboring room. It can be used with a location or a describing noun before it.
音楽
音楽 means music, the source of the noise in this dialogue. It can be used as the subject or cause of an event involving sound.
で
で marks 音楽 as the cause of the speaker's inability to sleep in 音楽で. It can show what causes a result or what means are used for an action.
何晩
何晩 refers to a number of nights in 何晩も眠れませんでした, understood here as several or many nights. It is used when counting or referring to nights.
も
も emphasizes the quantity in 何晩も, showing that the sleeplessness continued for several nights. With a quantity, it can stress that the amount is larger or more extensive than expected.
眠れません
眠れません means cannot sleep in this dialogue. The polite negative ending makes the statement suitable for a calm, respectful conversation.
でした
でした completes the polite past form in 眠れませんでした, describing the earlier nights as a past situation. It is used at the end of a polite past statement.
は
は appears inside では and helps frame the situation as the topic or point of departure, giving the sense of then or in that case. It commonly marks a topic or contrast, but its contribution here is part of では.
もっと
もっと means more in もっと大きなトラブル, indicating a greater degree. It commonly comes before a describing word or expression that is being increased.
大きな
大きな means bigger or greater in 大きなトラブル. This form comes directly before a noun to describe its size or degree.
トラブル
トラブル means trouble or conflict here. In 大きなトラブルになる, it names the unwanted situation that the speakers want to avoid.
に
に marks the result in トラブルになる, showing what something becomes. It commonly appears before なる when describing a change into a condition or situation.
なる
なる means become in トラブルになる. It is used with に to describe a change into a new state or situation.
前
前 means before in なる前に, referring to an event that should happen earlier. It commonly follows a clause before に to express before doing or becoming something.
人
人 means person in 隣の人, referring here to the neighboring person or people. It can be modified by another noun or phrase before it.
と
と marks the person someone talks with in 隣の人と話す. It commonly follows a conversation partner with verbs such as 話す.
話す
話す means talk or speak in 隣の人と話す. With と, it identifies the person the speaker communicates with.
べき
べき expresses what someone should do in 話すべきです. It is used after a verb to present advice or a recommended action.
です
です makes 話すべきです polite and presents the recommendation respectfully. It commonly follows a statement or judgment in polite speech.
大げさ
大げさ means dramatic or exaggerated in 大げさに聞こえたくありません. Here it describes how the speaker does not want their message to sound.
聞こえたく
聞こえたく contributes the meaning want to sound or be heard in 大げさに聞こえたくありません. The たく form connects this desired state to the polite negative ending that follows.
ありません
ありません makes 大げさに聞こえたくありません a polite negative statement: the speaker does not want to sound dramatic. It commonly completes a polite negative expression.
音
音 means sound in 音が大きい. It is the thing whose volume is being described in this sentence.
が
が marks 音 as the subject in 音が大きい. It commonly identifies the thing that has a quality or condition.
大きい
大きい means loud here because it describes 音, rather than physical size. It is used after a noun to state that the noun has this quality.
こと
こと turns 音が大きい into the matter or fact that the sound is loud. It commonly follows a clause when that whole fact is treated as something to notice or explain.
気づいて
気づいて means notice or realize in 気づいていない. Its connecting form joins the awareness verb to いない, describing the neighbors' state of awareness.
いない
いない makes 気づいていない mean are not aware or have not noticed. It is the negative form used with the continuing state expressed by 気づいている.
かもしれない
かもしれない expresses uncertainty in 気づいていないかもしれない: the neighbors may not realize it. It is useful when presenting a possibility without asserting it as fact.
から
から means because in 音が大きいことに気づいていないかもしれないから. It introduces the reason for the speaker's previous statement.
まず
まず means first or to begin with in this advice. It signals the initial step in a sequence of actions.
壁
壁 means wall in 壁が薄くて. It is the part of the building that the speakers describe as allowing sound to pass easily.
薄くて
薄くて means being thin and connects the description of the walls to the next point. The connecting form can link descriptions or give a reason for what follows.
早く
早く means early in 早く寝る, not quickly. It modifies 寝る to show that the speaker needs to go to bed at an early time.
寝る
寝る means sleep or go to bed in 早く寝る. It commonly follows a time expression describing when someone goes to bed.
必要
必要 means need or necessity in 必要がある. Together with がある, it expresses that something is necessary.
ある
ある completes 必要がある and expresses that the need exists. This construction is used to say that someone needs to do or have something.
伝えて
伝えて means convey or tell in 伝えてください. Its connecting form is followed by ください to make a polite request to communicate information.
ください
ください makes 伝えてください a polite request meaning please convey or tell them. It commonly follows the connecting form of a verb when asking someone to do something.
建物
建物 means building in 建物の静かな時間帯に関するルール. It identifies the building whose rules are being discussed.
静かな
静かな means quiet in 静かな時間帯. This form comes before a noun to describe a quiet period.
時間帯
時間帯 means a time period or set of hours in 静かな時間帯. Here it refers to the hours during which quiet is expected.
関する
関する means concern or relate to in 時間帯に関するルール. It connects the time period with the rules that concern it.
について
について in 静かな時間帯に関するルールについて introduces the topic being discussed, meaning about or regarding the rules. Here に combines with ついて to form the expression that marks what the conversation is about.
話します
話します means talk or discuss in this question about the building rules. The ます ending makes the verb polite.
か
か turns 話しますか into a polite question. It is placed at the end of a sentence when asking whether something will happen or should be done.
協力
協力 means cooperation in 協力してくれない場合. With して, it describes cooperating with the speakers.
して
して is the connecting form used in 協力してくれない, linking the action of cooperating to くれない. It commonly connects one action to a following helper or result.
くれない
くれない means does not do it for us or will not cooperate for us in 協力してくれない. It presents the other person's failure or refusal to perform the action for the speakers.
場合
場合 means case or situation in 協力してくれない場合. It commonly follows a condition and means in the case that or if that situation occurs.
だけ
だけ means only in 場合だけです. It limits the condition to that situation and excludes other cases.
最初
最初 means at first in 最初は. It refers to the beginning of the process or conversation.
穏やか
穏やか means gentle or calm in 穏やかに注意を促す. With に, it describes a mild and non-aggressive way of giving the reminder.
注意
注意 means attention or a warning in 注意を促す. In the full expression, it refers to gently prompting someone to notice or correct something.
を
を marks 注意 as the object of 促す in 注意を促す. It commonly identifies what an action directly affects.
促す
促す contributes the meaning prompt or encourage in 注意を促す. The full expression means to give a reminder or encourage attention, rather than simply to accuse someone.
ほう
ほう identifies the preferable option in ほうが適切です. This pattern is used when comparing or recommending one way of doing something.
適切
適切 means appropriate or suitable in ほうが適切です. Here it evaluates the friendly reminder as the better choice at first.
私たち
私たち means we or us and refers to the speakers together. It is the subject of the suggestion about what the neighbors should do.
次
次 means next in 次の日. It identifies the day immediately following the current day or situation.
日
日 means day in 次の日. Together with 次, it refers to the following day.
仕事
仕事 means work or a job in 次の日に仕事がある. It is the obligation the speakers have on the following day.
夜
夜 means night or evening in 夜は. It identifies the evening when the speakers have work the next day.
遅い
遅い means late in 遅い時間. It describes a time later in the evening, not something moving slowly.
ヘッドホン
ヘッドホン means headphones, the practical way the speakers suggest reducing the noise. It is used here as the object of 使う.
使う
使う means use in ヘッドホンを使う. It commonly takes the thing being used with を.
よう
よう helps mark the proposed action in 使うよう提案して. This pattern presents what someone is being encouraged or asked to do.
提案
提案 means suggestion or proposal in 提案して. With して, it becomes the action of suggesting or proposing something.
みて
みて contributes the meaning try doing in 提案してみても. The pattern てみる presents an action as something to try.
よい
よい means good or acceptable in よいかもしれません. With ても, it helps express that trying the suggestion may be acceptable.
かもしれません
かもしれません expresses a polite possibility in よいかもしれません, meaning it might be acceptable. In this construction, かも contributes the possibility nuance and しれません completes the polite expression.
それ
それ means that or it and refers to the suggested use of headphones. It commonly points back to an idea or action just mentioned.
現実的
現実的 means practical or realistic in 現実的な妥協案. It evaluates the suggestion as workable in the actual situation.
な
な links 現実的 to 妥協案 in 現実的な妥協案. It is used after this type of describing word when it comes directly before a noun.
妥協案
妥協案 means a compromise proposal in this dialogue. It names an arrangement that addresses both the noise problem and the neighbors' activity.
し
し adds another supporting point in ですし, meaning and or moreover. It is useful when giving more than one reason or favorable feature.
相手
相手 means the other person or party in 相手を直接責める. Here it refers to the neighbors being spoken to.
直接
直接 means directly in 直接責める. It describes an unmediated or explicit way of blaming someone.
責める
責める means blame or accuse in 相手を直接責める. It describes assigning fault to the other person in a direct way.
なりません
なりません means does not become or does not result in in ことにもなりません. Here, the full expression says that the suggestion does not amount to directly accusing the other person.
今晩
今晩 means tonight in this dialogue. It identifies the evening when the speaker plans to talk to the neighbor.
落ち着いて
落ち着いて means calmly in 落ち着いて話せる. It describes the manner or state in which the conversation can take place.
話せる
話せる means can talk in 落ち着いて話せる. It expresses the ability or possibility of having a conversation.
選んで
選んで means choosing in 選んで話しかけることができます. Its connecting form links the choice of a moment to the action that follows.
話しかける
話しかける means speak to or address someone, especially by starting a conversation. In this dialogue it describes initiating a calm conversation with the neighbor.
できます
できます means can or be able to in ことができます. This polite form presents the planned action as possible for the speaker.
落ち着いた
落ち着いた means calm or settled in 落ち着いたタイミング. It describes a moment suitable for speaking without increasing tension.
タイミング
タイミング means timing in this dialogue. It refers to choosing an appropriate moment for the conversation.
選べば
選べば means if one chooses or when one chooses in 選べば. The ば form presents the choice as a condition for the result that follows.
小さな
小さな means small in 小さな問題. It comes directly before the noun and describes the problem as limited in size or seriousness.
問題
問題 means problem or issue in 小さな問題. Here it is the initial noise-related difficulty that could become more personal.
個人間
個人間 means between individuals in 個人間の問題. It describes a problem as involving the relationship between people rather than only the original practical issue.
たいてい
たいてい means usually or generally in this sentence. It shows that the stated result is common but not guaranteed every time.
防げます
防げます means can prevent in this dialogue. The polite form presents calm timing as something that can stop a small problem from becoming personal.
Grammar Points
〜て、〜
壁が薄くて、音が大きいです。
KAH-beh gah oo-SOO-koo-teh, ohn-GAH gah oh-KEE-ee dehss.The walls are thin, and the sound is loud.
The て-form connects clauses and can express a reason or a sequence, such as “the walls are thin, so…”.
〜必要がある
まず、早く寝る必要があります。
mah-ZOO, HAH-yah-koo neh-roo hee-tsoo-YOH gah ah-ree-MAHSS.First, we need to go to bed early.
必要がある expresses necessity: someone needs to do an action. The verb before it uses the plain form.
Japanese Vocabulary
トラブル
noun
toh-RAH-boo-roo
trouble
まず
adv
mah-ZOO
first; to begin with
もっと大きな
adj
moht-toh oh-KEE-nah
bigger
音が大きい
phrase
ohn-GAH gah oh-KEE-ee
the sound is loud
音楽
noun
ohn-GAH-koo
music
何晩も
phrase
nahn-BAHN moh
for several nights
気づいていない
verb
kee-ZOO-ee-teh ee-NAH-ee
has not realized; is unaware
最近
adv
sigh-KEEN
recently
大げさに
adv
oh-GEH-sah nee
dramatically; in an exaggerated way
眠れませんでした
verb
neh-moo-reh-mah-SEN deh-shee-tah
could not sleep
隣の人
noun
toh-NAH-ree noh hee-TOH
neighbor
隣の部屋
noun
toh-NAH-ree noh HEH-yah
the room next door
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
dramatically; in an exaggerated way
Show Answer
大げさにtrouble
Show Answer
トラブルbigger
Show Answer
もっと大きなthe room next door